Quiltingboard Forums - Polyester or cotton thread

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Different colors require different dyes and dye processes; some are more caustic than others. This is often the reason why different colors of the same thread break in different ways.

I recently took a class from Jamie Wallen, who uses polyester thread (his fave is Isacord) almost exclusively for quilting. He said that many museum curators have told him they have beautiful quilts in storage that cannot be shown because the cotton quilting thread has dry rotted. (Old quilts are often stored in less than ideal situations -- attics and basements -- and this facilitates dry rot.) Polyester thread used for quilting will actually last longer than cotton thread, especially under less-than-ideal storage conditions.

Rayon is not a good thread to use for piecing or quilting because it does not wear well over time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SherylM (Post 7335838)

I used to use Aurifil, but once I tried So Fine #50, I didn't look back. It's much stronger than cotton, very smooth and lint free, and the stitch quality on all of my machines that I've tried it on is tons better.

Where do you purchase So Fine #50, and is it cheaper than Aurifil, which is what I now use?

Get it from Superior Thread. I buy the large cones and that way it is much less expensive. I also bought a large cone holder from Superior. It is light and folds up making it easy to take to class. I love this thread....no lint in the bobbin area, strong, fine and comes in lots and lots of colors. Because I buy the large cones I use light grey, white or black for my piecing. So much better than cotton

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sally J (Post 7336526)

What she said. ;)

Actually, I've bought it both directly from Superior Thread and from Amazon, and I just ordered one of those cone holders from Nancy's Notions and I should have it in about a week. I've been putting the cones in a coffee cup when I sew, but depending on which machine I'm using the thread can get hung up on the motor.

I sometimes buy the smaller spools if I want a specific color for something, but I buy the cones in pearl, putty, silver and charcoal for piecing. I invested in the So Fine color charts when I couldn't decide which color I needed from the picture on my monitor; I'm glad I bought them, they are actual thread samples, so they're very helpful.

rvsfan, Superior has "Try Me" specials, where you can buy a spool or small cone for a deeply discounted price, so you can see if you like it first.