I recently took a quilt class from Kimberly Einmo. I loved her. She said if you use cotton it will sink down into the fabric better when you press it to set the seam.

I use cones from CT for most things. I have some Aurifil (cone) that I use for quilts where I need to be really precise. They are both 50wt but I see a big difference.

I have some serger thread and when I pull on it, it will not break. I sometimes use that on charity quilts for the quilting. My rule is if you tug on it and it breaks---toss that thread.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if bobbin thread could almost be endless, like large spools of thread?? My DSM does not have a 'warning' beep on it (like my Janome 9000 did) to let me know that my bobbin is running low. I'll be sewing away, then discover - oops, no thread in the bobbin!

Serger thread is not weaker, it is thinner. It is two ply instead of three ply, so takes less room in your seams. I've been using it for years. Fons and Porter had a segment in which they answered questions. They said serger thread will be just fine.
You can buy cheap serger thread, too
Missouri Star had a daily deal last week of an 800 meter spool of thread. (That's 876 yards.) It is Gutermann thread, but is cross-wound. Does that mean I have to set into a coffee cup?

By the way, I would not set an ordinary cone into a coffee cup. Every time the thread wants to come off the bottom, it would get stuck, and mess with the tension. I use a thread stand. Maybe I should use that for my spool of Gutermann also.

I agree, and it's so hard to anticipate when a bobbin will run out! I try to listen more closely when I think it's close to time and the sound will be different when my bobbin is empty. It's nice to finally feel like I'm getting to know my machine. They are all so different aren't they?

Boy I wish I had seen the cone thread holder you guys have put the link to before DH bought me the one from the Bernina shop. No loops, no options just a bottom that is a piece of metal with an indentation where the cone sits with a bent metal spool holder (is it supposed to be slightly bent?) and a bent metal rod where the thread comes around. I'm really disappointed in it as the thread comes out from around it on occasion and messes me up, and it was like $30 I think. If he wouldn't get his li'l ol' feelin's hurt I'd trade it in. That CT one looks like a really great holder!

I use the aurafil cones generally and like them but it looks like there are other great options out there. So thanks ladies!

How many machines do you have. Get another one and use the one from DH on another machine that you can occasionally piece on. Then no feelings hurt and both are happy. Just tell him (if he asks) that you have one for each machine and they are designated threads.

I'm also a cheapo, I use the serger cone thread, it seems fine to me. On my old Kenmore, I pushed an empty spool into the bottom so it sits on the spool holder on top of the machine, been doing it like this a long time, so far so good, you couldn't hurt this old machine if you tried! On my newer singer, I put it in a coffee mug and sit it on the right side of the machine, works great!

Actually, if you do a break test...serger thread is as strong, or stronger than regular 50wt sewing thread. It used to be said that serger thread would cut into cotton fabrics...but I have a quilt I made using serger thread over 30 years ago...and it's held up just fine.

I buy my thread in spools when it is 50% off sot makes it cheaper to use..

I use cone thread alot and a lso am to cheap to buy an adapter, instead i sit mine in a plastic drink cup that has a lid with a hole in it. I pull the thread thru the hole in the lidcand attach the lid to the cup no wobbles evenwhen i get closeto the end of the cone. You can get the cups at almost any dollar store or discount store.

The thread I've been buying is Maxilock. Hancock's usually has solid colors on sale two for five dollars. Variegated is never on sale though but eight bucks isn't too bad for that amount of thread(3K yards)