Need more feedback than my own. I have always done my fmq with cotton thread and used whatever brand I happened to find in color I wanted. This week I quilted one using Isacord polyester. I purchased $300 starter pack last year when I was thinking of using embroidery machine. Sold machine so thought I'd use thread for fmq as colors were so pretty. A friend who teaches told me this week that you can never fmq with polyester as we have no way on knowing how well it will hold up in your quilt in a hundred years. Anyone else use polyester? Do I really care if 100 years from now the thread breaks?

I used poly-covered dual duty on some of my quilts that are our "couch quilts" that are in use "all" the time.

They are over 15 years old and have held up "fine"
I did stitch in the ditch quilting - the thread did not cut the fabric and it hasn't come out.

And in 100 years - so what?

It might depend on if you are making an heirloom quilt to just look at - or one for the kids that one expects to get used.

The landfills are going to be full of polyester long after the natural cotton has returned to the earth. Our descendants are going to look at those polyester pants from a few years ago and wonder what we were thinking. In other words, use the poly if it's what you want. I like Guterman's. Yours is a better brand and should be fine. I used varigated rayon on my last quilt. I wasn't impressed with the thread's strength, but once it was in the quilt, I'm wasn't worried.

thanks - I expect everyone to use mine. I give a lot to the Lakeland police department for use as they see fit and the others just end up where God tells me to send them once they're done. So far they have all found good homes.

Thanks for the advice. I just tried gutterman this week and loved it but really hated to just dispose of all those pretty poly's in that box. Maybe I'll just use them till they are gone.

I use the thread which matches the quilt. So it may be 100% cotton or blend.

I want my quilts to be used, so I don't care what they look like 100 years later. Let's enjoy them while we are here.

We were celebrating my grandmother's 90th birthday and for dinner I was getting down the good china, my mother said we shouldn't use it, and I said what better reason than reaching the age of 90? And my grandmother said, we always save it for "good". Then she said and there is no one "ggoder" than we are, so let's use it. Have taken that approach to special items every since.

I understand some people use quilts as an art outlet and that is fine, but mine are not, they are to be loved and used.

I use polyester emb thread all of the time, I love the way it looks, and it is sturdier than the cotton thread I have used in the past :D:D:D

thanks quiltingcandy - I now own and use my mom's good china every day and drives her nuts. Why save somethinbg for special that one day will end up at goodwill in perfectly good condition and we never used while we could enjoy it.

Leah Day uses Isacord.

I use any thread that works. That being said I have an Elna(1984?) and she insists on using gutterman. She spits out anything else.

Thanks I thought so. Initially I was really upset that it kept breaking then realized my lamp cord was catching on thread and caused it to snag.

I'm hoping my quilts get used & loved & worn out, leaving wonderful memories.
Use what ever thread you want.

my thread kept shredding and i ck'd. it was poly on poly. Coats and clark. thought it was cotton. used to always be. sigh. anyway it works fine in bobbin. so cotton on top always.

Coats & Clark has many threads available.

The "old" Dual Duty was cotton covered polyester.

The 'new" Dual Duty thread is polyester covered polyester.

omg---
i've been quilting with poly thread for years.

it is beautiful-
lots of thread companies carry wonderful poly quilting threads-

don't be narrow minded- you miss out on so much when you are not willing to try new things- if it wasn't ok to use- there would not be this HUGE market---
quilters quilt with lots of different threads- poly, rayon, nylon, wool, metallics, silk....and even cotton threads....make beautiful quilts that stand the test of time

Rayon is weak, so don't use it to quilt with, or on quilts that will be used and washed. I prefer to use 100% cotton for quilting, but will sometimes use poly embroidery thread to machine applique with. Honestly, there are so many beautiful cotton threads on the market I've never had to use poly to quilt with. I save that for machine embroidery.

The reason you were given for not using poly thread is no longer a valid reason. It is "old wive's tales" so to speak If I may use that expression. The thread is a personal preference and what works for you and your machine. "It won't hold up for a 100 years" is laughable now a days.

True story here: One of my favorite pictures of my hubby as a boy is one of him with a big smile; however, he is wearing the ugliest plaid, polyester pants ever made. He is about 6 y.o. in the picture, so I'm guessing it to be 1973-ish. Just a few years ago (think 2007-ish!), my in-law's septic system had some issues and they ended up replacing the plumbing line from the house to the tank several yards away. When they dug up the line, they discovered, in the dirt, several feet below the earth's surface, the above-mentioned ugly plaid polyester pants! My mother-in-law washed them up and gave them to me (still not sure why!). I must admit, though, they were and are still in mint condition! Polyester v. cotton? Hmmmm.

Some of it has to do with shrinkage. If you pre-wash your quilting fabric it doesn't "squish" up as much after quilting when washed. Cotton thread will shrink up a smidge, too, and polyester won't...

I was using cotton thread up until a while ago. I was frustrated with shredding, breaking etc.
I don't know whether it was because the thread changed or my sewing technique changed.
Anyway, I tried Isocord on my last quilt and loved it.
I finished the whole quilt with NO thread breakage. The other thing I really liked is it's thickness. It blends right into the fabric, and a spool/bobbin lasts forever! Less bobbin changes for me is a good thing :)

Use what you have-that's my take on the "thread thing"

i've heard that poly doesn't leave as much fuzz in the machine. i have been using Aurfil and haven't any problems and love the colors

Lots of different threads out there! Try a few and stay with the ones you like and that work well~

check out this video
http://www.superiorthreads.com/video...yester-thread/

I love using Glide thread from Bobbin Central. It is a trilobal polyester thread. I read somewhere that Karen McTavish uses Glide too! :-D

Up to you to decide if you want your quilts to last for posterity or be serviceable and decorative now.

Hiya, there has been some terrific responses and tips from our members on this topic which you might find helpful, I know I did: http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-133711-1.htm

I use Marathon poly a lot, it has a bit of shine to it. Also use cotton (usually essentials from Connecting threads) I love that company.
have used rayon threads, but don't think they will hold up as well as poly or cotton threads. also add metallic and just about anything else that works if I need a certain color.

I use all my family heirlooms so that I can enjoy them and I feel connected to those family members. I want the receivers of my quilts to feel the same. Use them please.

I use many different threads whatever I like the looks of on the quilt I used maxi lock serger thread on my last one now found out they do not make it anymore

My long armer uses cones of poly thread and she FMQs - so I figure I can, too.

I've been quilting with poly for years. Doesn't matter for me. Do what you want to do, your quilt, your rules.

i use poly and many longarm quilters do (at least in the bobbin).

Thank you all so much for the responses. I loaded my second quilt on the new frame last night and I will say I loaded my Isacord poly to quilt it with. You just can't beat the shine and pretty colors. I think between that and the connecting threads cottons I have, I wull just use whatever color I have that looks nice.

Do what works and what you enjoy. What does it really matter 100 yrs. from now? I don't think many will survive that long if they are loved and used!

I was taught that polyester is so strong it will wear a hole in the fabric around it. I use it anyway if there,s a good reason. I prefer cotton, but for no eason in particular. I just like the idea of natural fibers. I use polyester for topstitching on my appliques.

And in 100 years I don't give a **** what happens to my quilts. I doubt any of my progeny will either.

I use cotton for all my piecing and quilting ... the School of Thought is not that poly threads break faster, but rather that polyester will CUT into cotton fabrics over time because it IS stronger than the fabrics.
But will our quilts survive long enough to even put this to the test ? I hope mine are loved & used up ... I don't expect them to be in museums in 100 yrs ! :)

Agree 10,000% !! WHY do we all think we need to save the "good" stuff for someday ... Unless it's a truly priceless heirloom, USE IT, ENJOY IT TODAY !! I have a beautiful set of china & glassware that was my grandmother's, nearly 100 yrs old ... I used to think it had to be "saved" but I realized for who, for what ?? Our kids will likely never want it or use it ! So now I USE it for Sunday dinners, birthdays and holidays :)

It's a myth about polyester cutting the fabric or so says the guy at Superior threads.

I just took a class on FMQ last week, and we were told we need to use the same top AND bottom, so if you use poly on the top, you need a poly on the bottom. Same goes for cotton. Don't know how accurate this is, but I DO trust this teacher greatly.

My Guild had Barbara Shapel as our guest speaker last week. Her quilts are fabulous! The back usually mimics the front design. When asked what kind of thread she uses, she said the right color! She uses all types of threads, not just cotton. I myself just quilted a quilt using silk thread.