quilting warehouse
 

How can I know a good thread. Saw 100/ cotton varigated thread 500 yds. for 3.79 at quilting warehouse. Has anyone tried this.

LOL I can't answer that but I thought when I saw the name of this thread I thought you were referring to your Stash room. :) Please forgive me I'm a little loopy tonight.

I haven't tried that particular thread, but recently bought Essentials from Connecting Threads, and love it. I actually got 2 different collections of their threads in 1200 ft rolls, and it was only something like $2.49 per spool, or if you get a collection of 15 spools, it comes out to about $2.19 per spool. I like it much better than Gutermann's and love the colors it comes in. Worth checking out!

Once I tried Aurifil thread, I was hooked. I buy mine online from discount thread sources, as it costs twice as much in the stores around here.

Variegated cotton thread -- is this for machine quilting? Because you wouldn't need variegated thread for piecing. The Superior Threads website has a lot of information about thread, although the website can be a little confusing to navigate.

Yes. it's for machine quilting.. I knew there was a site with info on thread. Thank you.

I have some Aurifil variegated 50/2 thread that I really like for machine quilting. (Aurifil 50/2 is what I am using for everything right now, including piecing.) This is a relatively fine thread that is good for medium and close quilting. If you are quilting farther apart and/or want the thread to show up more, then 50/3 is a more common weight to use. I think Superior Thread's King Tut is that weight. King Tut is a very popular machine quilting thread and comes in a wide variety of plain and variegated colors.

The first number in a thread indicates weight; the higher the number, the finer the thread. The second number is the number of plys (strands that are twisted together to make the thread). 60/3 thread is finer than 50/3; both have 3 plys.

I like Aurifil because there is virtually no lint from it. It is a very smooth thread. Also, because it is fine, the bobbin holds a lot more than say Mettler 50/3. This means I don't have to stop and re-wind the bobbin as frequently. For piecing, the seams lie flatter than with a thicker thread. For quilting, 2-ply means it's not quite as strong as 3-ply, so is best suited for medium and close quilting. Quilting lines that are farther apart will take more stress, so a 3-ply would be stronger for that purpose.

When you want the quilting thread to really stand out, as for decorative quilting, then you probably want to look at a 28-weight thread (something with a lower number than 50).

That is my inexpert lesson on thread for the day!