Rethinking my thread choice
 

I use cotton Aurifil thread. I notice I get a lot of lint. I am thinking of trying a polyester thread next.

What is your thread of choice and why do you like it?

I like Presencia 100 percent cotton thread, 60-weight for piecing and 50-weight for machine quilting. I get very little lint build up from it. I also prefer to pair cotton fabrics with cotton thread. Poly is stronger than cotton, and over time can cut through your seams (source: The Art of Classic Quiltmaking by Sharyn Craig and Harriet Hargrave).

A lot of my quilting buddies use Mettler and have no issues with it, although it is no longer 3-ply.

Hope you find something that works for you.

When I use Aurifil I hardly get any lint at all! Do you think needle size has anything to do with it?

Me, too. :thumbup:

Terri, could you explain that a bit more? Do the spools now say 50/2 on them? Are they claiming it's 3-ply but it isn't?

thanks,
Charlotte

For a good explanation of the different thread types, go to the Superior Threads website.

I love masterpiece by superior 100% cotton for piecing no lint.
Thy switched it to 3 ply very strong.
Gale

Presencia! Thank you for posting that - a couple ladies in my guild recommended this thread to me as an Aurifil replacement and I could NOT remember the name!

I like Aurifil but I was having thread breakage problems (in a class taught by Harriet Hargrave!) and they recommended Presencia as a similar-but-stronger thread.

I use Aurifil as well as other brands. I have never gotten much lint at all using a good quality Egyptian cotton thread and certainly not from Aurifil. Odd.

keeping in mind, fabric is made from thread and also contributes to the lint problem. That is why dryers have lint catchers :)

DEFINITELY true...when I'm sewing with flannel I swear I will find a whole muppet-worth of fibers in my bobbin case!

Charlotte,

When Mettler thread was German made years ago, it stated so on the spool and displayed a 50/3 designation (50 weight, 3-ply) on the spool as well. Mettler thread is now made in Spain and the only designation on the spool is the number 50, which is the weight; the company has eliminated advertising the number of plys (strands) used in their product because it was reduced from three to two. They are not claiming it's 3-ply; they just aren't telling you it's now 2-ply.

That's the reason many of my quilting friends and I switched from Mettler to Presencia. Presencia offered a 3-ply, 50-weight thread. The company also offers a 60-weight, 3-ply thread (finer than the 50-weight) that is ideal for piecing.

Maybe it is just my fabric? I never thought of that.

That's really interesting information about Mettler, Terri. Thanks for sharing it. There is a lot of Mettler 50 online described as being 3-ply. I am assuming some of the older stuff is (all of mine says 50/3), but it could be that retailers are using the old description when it no longer applies. I'll be watchful in the future.

hugs,
Charlotte

I agree. What fabric is being sewn?

Sandy

I like glide thread from fil tech it just adds so much and its' shiny and doesn't break when quilting

I purchased my first spool of Aurifil thread..nearly had a heart attack at the cost!! I am so happy I tried it!! I can honestly say I won't be buying the inexpensive thread again and my thread cutter on my machine hates the inexpensive stuff too!! I am hooked on Aurifil! I wouldn't mind trying Superior thread either, just won't buy the cheaper threads again. JMHO

I am still in the dark ages using Mettler Silk Wrapped on my older Bernina since that is what the dealer suggest when I bought my baby decades ago.

I prefer to do my piecing with poly and I use Superior's So Fine (50 wt). However, when I do use cotton thread (and I use Aurifil, as well as Gutterman and Metler), I also use All-Purpose Sewer's Aid (a Dritz product). This stuff is wonderful in that it does NOT stain, and also acts as a lubricant for the thread. My lint problems virtually disappeared when I started using it.

I haven't had any problems with Aurifil.

This is a common fallacy - silk 'wrapped' thread. I'm sorry to tell you, but there's no silk anywhere near your thread! It's actually called 'Silk Finished' thread and refers to the processing of the thread to give it a 'silk-like' texture. If you check the label you'll see it's 100% cotton...........