My favorite is Aurofil. I started with a set of small spools, and then bought a cone. It has been used a lot, and you still can't tell that I've used any! It lasts a long time. I also use prewound poly bobbins. I buy them at the sewing machine repair shop.....100 at a time, for about 35 cents each. They also last forever, and prevent "sewing with no thread", as I sometimes do!

Metlers causes lint and breakage with one of my machines, and works well with another. Go figure!

My question is when do you use cotton and when do you use poly? when I was new to quilting I was stocking up on threads of different colors and realize most of them are poly -- all my classes state to use cotton. Are they interchangeable?

I use YLI Soft Touch 60wt to piece with. However, I'm having a hard time finding it online. The LQS where I was buying it went out of business, so I'm looking again. I'm getting ready to try the Connecting threads. Maybe my machine will like it OK. As far as lint, I just clean my bobbin area and the area around the foot each time I change out my bobbin. Same thing on my long arm. I just consider it good maintenance. Using 60wt in the bobbin will extend your bobbin time and you won't have to change it out as often. I also have an assortment of JoAnn's serger polyester cones that my LA doesn't like and I may try that for piecing on my reg. machine. It's very inexpensive and you can make a stand for it to sit on.

I prefer Aurifil for my piecing. I have used Bottom Line on my Pfaff for FMQ, but now I use my LA with Isacord, Superior Threads, and Aurifil Invisible Threads.

I am a beginning quilter and I went through the same thread confusion. heard so much about King Tut and ordered some and got this enormous spool. I felt like a fool. Then I went to Joann's all set to buy Gutterman but they only had polyester. So at least, I went on eBay and bought 2 sets of Aurofil thread a 50 wt for machine work and 28 weight for hand quilting. They are a little goofey on my Husvarna machine because they sit upside down on the plastic knob but my machine seems to like them.
I don't think the world would come to an end if I used polyester thread but I have always used cotton or silk for garment sewing mainly because my Mother ( a pattern fitter and professional seamstress) always did.

I also have used Connecting Threads thread and all four of my machines like it. I have tried other brands that will work on one machine very well and not at all on another but Connecting Threads has work on all for years.

Superior Thread all of their products (except masterpiece but that is because i am annoyed by alex anderson)
Aurifil for piecing my computer machine loves it

My SINGER 301A would sew with fish line or rope (probably) but she gets the good thread also

old coats and clark was ok the new breaks and then decorates the trash bag

I piece by machine and hand quilt. I'm still looking for a good piecing thread other than Coats and Clark. I don't like guttermann either for piecing or quilting (too much lint in the machine and their hand quilting thread seems to break easily.) Coats and Clark quilting thread is good and I use the dual duty for piecing (however, it still creates a ton on lint for me). I really really like King Tut for hand quilting but haven't tried it in my machine yet. I'm going to try Masterpiece from Superior and see how it does.

I use all the different threads including Coats & Clark and Connecting Threads in my high end Bernina 440 EQ and she doesn't mind at all. It greatly depends on what I am sewing at the time. Test out all different types of thread. You will find you like different threads for different reasons and fabrics. Have fun testing.

Just my 2cents......took a class last night, and the instructor told us Coats and Clark now has a coating on it to reduce the "Fluff" issues, and if used a lot in the newer computer machines, the coating can cause the tension discs to freeze up. She recommended aurofil and mettler (neither of which are sold in her shop, so I don't think it was a biased opinion). I have always used mettler....will have to give aurofil a try.

In my short time in the quilting world, I have found that it first depends on what your machine likes. I was first told to buy the real expensive brands of thread. My first machine that I started sewing with did not like it....but of course I thought it was me. After reading a lot of discussion on this board I tried some other brands (even the real inexpensive ones) and finally found the one my machine likes and it made my life so much easier. If you have done all of the basics....rethread your machine, check the bobbin and have a new needle in place and you are still having problems...try a different brand of thread. I agree that you may have to try a lot of brands to find the right one....but it will be worth it when you find it.

Me too. and it is very economical. comes on big spools, small spools, colors out the wazoo. Walmart, Hobby Lobby and others carry the brand too. It comes in different weights. Try one or two with your machine. Use what your machine likes to work with.
You could find that you will be able to sew in the needle from about any brand, but the bobbin maybe limited to 2-3. I have one machine that will not sew guterman thread no matter what I do. So i don't buy it anymore.

I just ordered some of the YLI Soft Touch from Keepsake Quilting. Got it yesterday. However, I just now went to their website and tried to pull it up again, and it wouldn't. But when I opened the Soft Touch bobbins, the thread was listed under "products you might also like" underneath the bobbins. Anyway, they have it in 1000 yd spools in white or natural for $3.99 a piece. Connie

I would say it depends a lot on what your budget and machine like. I've tried many different brands most work well. I loved the color selection from Connecting Threads. But my machines did not like the lint even though my budget liked the price. After trial and error I decided the Presencia 60/3 fits well with both my budget and my machines. I usually stick with that for piecing. And when I don't use silk, it and metler 60/3 both work pretty well for hand applique.

I generally use the same thread weight for piecing as I do for quilting and that is a 50 weight cotton. If you want, you can piece with a thinner thread such as a 60 weight (the larger the size the thinner the thread). If you want your quilting to be more obvious, then you can go with a thicker thread such as a 30 weight.

You can also use a 50 weight in the bobbin and a 30 weight in the top. I prefer to use the same weight top and bottom, I just change the colors.

Along with many, I stocked up on Connecting Threads cotton spools when they were on sale. Yes, they are a bit linty but I have a cleaning brush and my machine really handles that thread well. Other than that, I use what is on sale. The only time my machine ever hickuped was with regular Coats and Clark thread. It does like the Star brand which is made by C&C.

I was advised to buy good thread when I took quilting lessons and in workshops since. I've been quilting with Gutterman thread, but even it is rather linty at times. Just about two weeks ago, I ordered a sampler pack from Superior Threads. Many of my quilting friends swear by their thread. My logic is that if I don't seem to have any trouble putting $150-$200 in the fabric for a quilt, I shouldn't complain if the thread is a little pricey, especially if it will work well with my sewing machine and is known to last. I've never used an entire spool on one project either, so perhaps you can get two or three from one spool.

i love auifil, no lint, strong but costly. its worth it though

One thing I always ask my students in class is this: If you've spent several thousand dollars on a machine, a hundred dollars on fabric for this quilt, $25 for the class, etc. then please don't try to save money on the thread....how much are you actually saving? Cheapo thread is linty and can clog up your machine. Bob Purcell, owner/president of Superior Thread, has spoken several times locally. He recommends Bottom Line (60 weight, 3 ply) for BOTH top and bobbin. That's all I use now, bought in the large spools for better price. Bottom Line is extremely helpful in getting quarter inch seams, which can be more difficult when using heavier weight threads. Look for 3 play as it is stronger than 2 ply, and long-staple is stronger than short-staple. When I am out of Bottom Line I have used So Fine (50 wt.) and have had good luck with that as well. One thing I have noticed: some machines are finicky about thread. Go with what works best with your particular machine. One last note: Bob Purcell recommended that when using different thread top and bobbin, do not use thread with more than a 20 wt. difference. In other words, if using 30 wt. top thread, do not try to use 60 wt. bobbin thread as you with have stitch quality issues. Use 30 and 50 as your maximum difference. My feeling is, buy the huge spool of Bottom Line to save money, get a thread stand (or use a coffee mug or mayo jar) and use that top and bobbin.

My machine isn't picky about thread, so for piecing I will use whatever I have, be it cotton, poly or mix. I won't always use white or a neutral color either....have been known to use pink, blue, green, yellow as long as it doesn't show through. When I fmq, I like Connecting Threads essentials as it behaves well and looks good too. I refuse to spend $$$ on thread when the cheaper stuff works just as well.

All of my sewing machines use Gutterman , Molnycke and Mettler Metrosene. Coats and Clark will shred the cotton covering and ride up to the needle so when it gets to a certain point, The thread will then break.

Mettler silk finish, Superior Bottom Line, Masterpiece and So Fine for piecing. Sulky, Madeira rayons for machine embroidery or Isacord and Superior Rainbows. In the long arm best luck with the magnetized type of pre-wound bobbins (magna glde), Superior masterpiece, KingTut or rainbows in the top.
Just bought aurofil (Madeira makes it I think) today to try. Dislike Gutterman -- too linty!