Looking for smooth and finer thread than Connecting Threads Essential Cotton??
 

I've been working on a batik quilt and was using a 70/10 needle but found that it was too small to use with my Connecting Threads essential cotton thread (a ton of lint built up below and my machine started skipping stitches). I realized that the thread is just too thick for the small eye of the needle. So I'm wanting finer thread.

I always hear lots of good comments about the Aurifil thread so I thought I would check that out. But, online I see that the Aurifil thread is the same weight (50) as the Connecting Threads. So, is the Aurifil finer and smoother or not?

I have not used the Connecting Thread cotton thread, but I DO have Aurifil. I like it and Masterpiece for my piecing. I have heard that the CT cotton is very linty. Any cotton is linty! You might look into So Fine also. I have pieced and machine quilted with it with success. Maybe you have a friend who has some you can try out? I don't like to buy a big cone or spool unless I know I like the thread. Once I have tried it, I like the biggest cone of the colors I used most!

Hi Angelina,
I always use Aurifil 50 wt cotton for piecing. It is very smooth and very low lint. One of the reasons it works so well for piecing is that it is a bit thinner and thus you are able to press your seams very accurately. However, I would think a size 10 needle is too small. I use a size 12 for Aurifil. I only use a size 10 when I use Superior's 100 wt silk thread, which is VERY thin. On batiks I use a size 12 sharp needle with aurifil 50 wet, these are also called microtex sharp needles and seem to make a smaller hole in batiks.

Your needle is too small even for Aurafil. I have no problems with the thread from CT. It is a little linty, but not that linty, it is better than coat and clarks as far as lintiness goes. I just recently used a mittler varigated thread in my sewing machine and that is a lot lintier than the thread from CT.

I bought a couple of cones of Presencia 50 wt. thread. It is so fine. The gal who teaches my Craftsy class uses it, so I decided to try it and I love it. Hardly any lint at all. The cones were spendy, but I know they will last a long time. You can buy spools of it. It is very thin thread. My machine loves it and my machine is very, very picky.

The only thread I buy by the cone is Signature cotton machine quilting thread. I just got some online thru Wawak. I never would have heard of it but when I got my Janome 1600P the dealer gave me a cone of it. It is very low lint for cotton thread & I love it.

I, too find CT thread lintier than others. One of my machines gets really linty using it & the other one not as bad. It's still decent thread but I can see that it wouldn't be as fine as you want.

I use Superior Threads "So Fine" 50 wt for all my piecing...at least a 80/12...if not a 90/14. I like the Topstitch needles recommended by Superior as the eye is larger, casuing less drag on the thread, and therefore less lint....

Aurifil is 50 wt 2 ply. CT 50 wt is 3 ply. That is the difference.

You need a 90/14 size needle for 3 ply 50 wt. thread. The CT Pro on the cone is 70wt poly which is great for bobbins and machine quilting. I use topstitch titanium needles from Superior for all my machines. The eyes is longer and makes a big difference. The titanium needles stay sharp almost forever.

Yes, as others have said your needle is too small. Use a Topstitch needle, size 80/12 or 90/14 w/ Connecting Threads Essential thread. Essential thread is linty, so as long as you know that and clean more frequently, it should still work for you. Otherwise you could try threads from Superior. They have choices in poly, cotton, trilobal polyester and silk. Plus they have different weights in those choices as well. They always tell you what size needle to use with their threads.

I'm not sure that your needle is too small - I use a 75 Quilting needle all of the time and have not had any problems using aurfil thread. I'm not sure that a 70 would be that much smaller. However it is true that if you go with a topstitch needle the eye is a little bigger so that may be your solution if you want to use a 70.

Oops forgot to mention that even though aurifil is a 50 wt thread it is a little thinner than CT

I use Prescencia 60/3ply and I think it is a 75 needle.

Is there a reason you aren't using a larger needle?

Cheers, K

I am devoted to Aurifil 50 wt cotton thread (or Presencia 50 wt cotton) on top for machine piecing and Bottom Line, a very thin 60 wt Superior Threads poly, in the bobbin
I use Mettler cotton embroidery 60 wt for hand piecing
Connecting Threads have lovely colours, but are way too linty for me.

The only machine needles I use now are titanium 12s from Superior Threads

I've used both CT 50wt and Aurifil 50wt. Aurifil is a much thinner, finer 50wt - quite noticeable when you finger it. Part of the reason is that Aurifil is 2 ply and CT is 3 ply, but I think overall Aurifil is a better quality long staple than CT. I found CT to be so linty after just a few yards that I couldn't see what I was doing (and I was using a larger needle). I traded it all away and have converted to Aurifil.

When I look at a spool of CT I can see the little fuzzy hairs on the thread - still on the spool. It also has a dull finish. These reasons combined with the results of using the thread lead me to believe that it is not a quality long staple thread. Look at a spool of Aurifil - smooth, bright and lots of sheen to it. Beautiful stuff.

I like Superior Threads' "Masterpiece Thread" for piecing.

Connecting threads is thicker and breaks easy.
I use
Coats and Clarks and it works fine for both piecing and free motion. Its the better quality dual duty with the pop up top.

The Aurifil is the same weight but it is only 2 ply where most are 3ply. It is a very strong thread though. I started using it because I was doing CW quilts and I couldn't get those little blocks to come out the right size. My teacher checked what I was doing and my cutting and piecing was right on. She suggested changing thread and I couldn't believe how much one less ply made a difference. I also applique with it because it blends better and its great for quilting. I have connecting thread for when size isn't such a factor and I normally use a universal needle even when I made my batik quilted jacket. You can't go wrong with Aurifil. Sometimes you do have to play around with the needle size.

I have always used Mettler silk-finish for piecing but recently decided to try Aurefil and am a convert! It was amazing how much longer each bobbin lasted before I had to change it so I saved time and could keep sewing. I am never going back.

I do use CT thread for my long arm and it loves it. I did try something else for one quilt and had a lot of trouble. I know CT is linty so I just clean out the bobbin area more often. It's worth to have thread that doesn't keep breaking.

I use Aurifil and Prescencia for piecing with a 75/11 quilting needle. The only time I use a smaller needle is with invisible threads and then I'll go down to a 60/8 microtex needle.

I just finished doing some blanket stitch with a size 12 thread and a 100/16 needle! I really could have used a bigger needle but that was the biggest one I had.