I got an email from Connecting Threads today. They have thread on sale. I am going through thread like it's water. Sometimes I have some pretty crumby stitches, so I figured it's the thread. So my question is......The Essential Cotton Thread they have on sale in sets of colors. Can that be used for piecing on a machine, as well as quilting. I'm fairly new to machine quilting, and I have a ton of hand quilting thread that I know is just to thick. So can I use this at $2.19 for 1200 yds a spool, as compared to Hobby Lobby $5.15. Or is there something else I should be using. I'm quilting up a storm, but not happy with all my stitches. Almost all my fabric is cotton, so was just wondering. I'm spending more on thread than material.

Yes you can use their thread for both piecing and quilting

I love Connecting Threads thread. My machine hearts it too. All I can recommend is buy a spool or two and see how your machine likes it. The price is quite reasonable, but if your machine hates it, you'll need to try others. Sew some practice pieces and look at the stitching top and bottom. Machine quilting is difficult enough. Get the thread that works for your machine.

You can use thicker thread for quilting, just not the handquilting thread. It has a wax coating and will gunk up your machine :wink:

Connecting threads has wonderful thread for piecing and quiltiang :D:D:D

Most of us LOVE their thread for these purposes!
Have at it and save (??!!) money at the same time :lol:

Jan in VA

I didn't have good luck with CT thread (the cotton). It was super linty (even worse than coats and clarks) and broke a lot. Maybe I got a bad spool.

Oh good, I was used to just buying by color, never really check what it was made of but I've read it so many times on this board about thread, I just wasn't sure. Some of my thread is so old, the paper ends are gone, so I have no idea what they are made of. At least this way I will know.Thank you so much.

I don't spend more on thread than fabric. I use up odd colors of Coats and Clark, and have great luck. Maybe if I were making a masterpiece showcase piece I'd consider something else, but for now, C&C is what I'm perfectly happy with.

I haven't tried Connecting Thread threads yet. But I think I will now. - Cynthia

I know it's crazy but there's that voice in my head that says it can't be good if it's so inexpensive. :P

But I bought a tester spool awhile back and have been more than happy with it. I've been using Mettler thread mostly and price is the only difference I notice between it and Connecting Threads. I bought a cone of Masterpiece and HATE it. I've been using it for my bobbin when piecing but I'll be glad when it's gone.

I love Connecting Threads thread. I see they just came out with some new colors. I use the neutrals for piecing and love it for quilting too. Try it out.

I just got my first order of Connecting Threads thread and I love it! So far I am just a pleased with it as I have been with the more expensive metrosene. I've ordered more today.

Just placed anorder at Connecting threads a bit ago and ordered the black and whites set, but it is back ordered at the moment. But you can still order just a black or just a white. That is what I ended up doing, plus a couple of light neutrals. It was fun trying to get right to that 50 dollar mark so I got free shipping. Then I had to do it all over again when the black and white set came up back ordered. Oh the troubles we have, LOL.

The Essentials thread is great, I've been using it since they brought it out. I use it for both machine quilting and piecing.

speaking of Essential threads, i bought some smaller ones. not the large cones. i used one on my vertical thread holder (the one i use when i fill bobbins) and it worked all right but i'd like to FMQ. can i FMQ with that on the vertical holder? or do i have to put in on the holder on my machine table? I know i've used it before for FMQ but can't remember. criss crossed threads, etc. always confuse me

Yes you can FMQ with it on the vertical spool pin, I use it on my Viking Sapphire.

I never, ever use anything but Coats and Clark Double Duty for piecing. Never had any problems of any kind, not with cottons, flannels, fleece or the occasional weird fabric used for Halloween costumes when the kids were little. Never tried any from anywhere else since I have no reason to!

Don't put hand quilting thread through the machine. It will gum it up.

Kyia

My Janome HATES Coats and Clark thread so I was wary about buying the Connecting Threads thread, but not anymore. I have bought three large cones, Natural, White and Cornsilk and use one of them in ALL my piecing and bobbins. I save the coloured threads for topstitching FMQ, applique, etc.

There is a fair bit of lint from the thread when you sew and vacuuming or brushing out the bobbin case is really important but it is is 100% cotton and not polyester!

I LOVE there stuff!!!!!!!

I have several colors and sizes of their thread and use them with no problem on all my machines to piece and to quilt with (from my Pfaffs to my old Singers).

I started out using Coats & Clark for my quilting, mostly because it was easy to find. But my machine kept getting massive amounts of lint, so I decided to try the Connecting Threads Essential Threads. It works great in my machine and doesn't completely break my bank. I rarely use anything else, now.

I like the poly cotton thread as the poly gives more strenth to the cotton and I don't get knots to often.

i still have lots of coats and Clark threads but recently they started changing their threads. i bought some and got up to the register only to find it was poly, not cotton. so i put it back. then ordered some from Connecting Threads. granted C&C threads make more fuzzies, but I don't hate it.

I use Connecting threads as much as possible. I was gifted with some and I fell in love with it. I DO find it lints up my machine a bit more ,but I clean it often anyway,so its worth it. I both piece and quilt with it and the colors they have are yummy!

I just buy white or black thread from joanns when I have a coupon. i get the larger spools of just plane cotton thread. you can use the blends but some might say they will damage the fabric. it is a personal choice whatever you use.

I love their thread. I use it all the time!

I use their thread all the time, have had no problem with it and for the price its great

`

I've used their thread since I began quilting a few years ago. My LQS said their thread is "terrible" but I've never had any problems with it at all and I love the prices.

I purchase large cones of thread by American and
Efrid. The thread is made in America. I try to buy American as much as I can. It is the same thread that I use on my longarm, it's size 30 and 6000 yards and I think it's between 7.00 to 10.00 a cone, I forget now. I have lots of colors. I love it. I dont' buy any other thread. This tread is not waxed and is strong and all my machines love it...I have a Janome, Bernia, singer feather and a quilt series brother....

I don't believe in small spools of thread. I sew too much and buying those, save me pots of money.

I use CT Essential thread for most of my piecing. I bought a cone of the Essential Pro poly to try it and my machine likes it. It's thinner then the Essential cotton and no lint.

I placed an order with CT and (of course, what else?) I got free shipping. LOL
One of the items I wanted was back ordered but even with that I still qualified for free shipping. When the item later came into stock, I called them and said I wanted the item but I would have gotten it for free shipping with my original order if it had been in stock. They sent it to me with no shipping charge. The people there are so nice to deal with.

I use Essential Thread all the time. If you see that your thread breaks
try a bigger needle. I noticed less shredding and breakage after I started
using Schmetz Quilting 90/14 instead of Universal needles.

I have Connecting Threads spools and use them for piecing and quilting. The piecing colors are more in neutral tones and the "real" colors are used for quilting in my world.

My other favorite thread (and the machine likes it too) is Star thread - from Coats and Clarks. They have a nice variegated selection.

I bought it to use to piece with. We tried it on the Gammill but it's definitely not for longarm quilting!

I think I might try it again. At the time I was having so many problems, there were people on some of my quilting email groups who had the same problems so I figured it was just not very good. What are the odds we all got bad spools (it wasn't all bought at the same time)?

I think I bought the last set....sorry.

I spent a couple hours today organizing my thread. I now have them by Cotton covered Polyester, Polyester covered Polyester, and all cotton. I figured out why some of the thread quilted better than others. All the - all cotton - was so much nicer in my quilting. When ever I sewed fabrics together, my stitches were fine, but as soon as I started quilting with either the polyester thread, it just didn't come out as nice. So today I placed a really nice order for all cotton and hope all the thread I ordered comes in. I do have to laugh, some of my thread was really old. $.35 was the cheapest. Those were the days.

Now that I have all my Christmas quilting done, I guess the stuff I'm working on for myself will turn out nicer. But now I'll know for all the future presents I make.

Thank you all for your comments, opions and help. I love this board.

Essentials is a very good thread for both machine & hand sewing. I use it all the time. It is cotton & very little lint a very good thread & good prices also.

Love Connecting Threads threads. I am getting ready to order some of their new colors!

I love their thread. Use it for piecing & quilting. No problems!