Superior Threads sold!?
 

I saw on a FB long arm quilters page last night that Superior Threads sold to Connecting Threads. I'm sad--I love using Superior products and especially like their #50 SoFine . I'm not particularly fond of Connecting Threads threads in either my domesticate or my long arm so hope that they keep Superior threads the same. Saw that Linda Taylor's Electric Quilter site has thread on sale--think I might restock on SoFine just in case. Anyone else heard anything about this?

I was wondering about this. I receive the promotional emails from both companies and it was hard not to notice that I recently started receiving the emails almost simultaneously. I didn’t wonder enough to look it up, however.

I just did a search for this info and could find nothing about it. if anyone knows for sure...please let us know....website is mum on this if it happen as far as I can tell...nothing on connecting threads ...and the search I did , did not find anything...I love superior threads and that is what I use mostly.

It's owned by one married couple. They are probably ready to retire but I haven't heard any news. If so it doesn't bode well for the quality of Superior threads for the future unless CT changes their thread manufacturer.

Superior Threads did change ownership, but not bought out by Connecting Threads. It was purchased by Crafts Americana which also owns Connecting Threads. Whether or not Superior and CT become one, time will tell. Based on previous observations I don't think they will, and hope they don't.

I don't like to see changes like this however. The hew "owners" typically try to change things up a bit, and the first thing addressed is reducing costs. More often than not this results in a quality issue. I've yet to see the case where things improved under new owners. Lets hope this isn't the case here.

The first sign for me is whether or not they continue as a vendor at quilt shows.

I've heard the same that they were bought by Craft America which also owns KnitPicks. Superior Threads is having a problem as they have not restocked a lot of their So Fine #50 thread colors. I have been checking the site for months to reorder and they are still out.

I did a search for Craft America or Craft Americana and found a website that they include KnitPicks and Connecting Threads...but nothing about Superior threads....cant find much info about Craft America...looks like they are a supplier? Can't tell if they actually manufacturer stuff or not?

There are only a few things that can get to me. Changes like closing a LQS or smaller mom&pop businesses being sold to a conglomerate. I am not a big fan of CT I just hope that Superior doesn't lose quality along the way. Makes me sad.

I was just on the phone with Superior Threads. This transition happened close to 2 years ago that it changed hands. They have not seen any change in the quality of their products to date. This should clear things a bit.

Thanks Julia!

Funny how things start ( going around) a couple years after the happening. Their products are still as good as they were 2 years ago when this change took place- the customer service is still great, still a great resource.

thank you Julia for tracking this down. I'm relieved that Superior's sale was that long ago and maybe problem with stocking is more pandemic related. so more hope!

Rumors can and usually do run amuk.

I just did a google search..yikes! I searched for who owns craft americana, they are owned by premier needle arts, who owns them? Blue Point Capital Partners ! They are an investment firm that buys businesses to make a profit, or sell, or both. Is nothing in this country mom and pop anymore? I was trying to see of it was U.S. owned, (it is), but by a series of holding companies.

I don't know who in the chain of ownership is responsible, but I won't deal with Knitpicks or any corporation affiliated with it. Several years ago, Knitpicks had a massive data breach which they knew about for several months -- but didn't tell their customer base so they could protect themselves. When the news finally broke that they were the ones responsible for a sudden rash of stolen credit information, the company was like "Oh, yeah, that. Too bad. Not our problem."

My sister was one of those affected. Her credit card company called the house to cheerfully inform her that her card was about to be cancelled and the new one should be on its way in a week or so. Thank the gods that her DH was home and answered the phone. Sister was 500 miles away at the bedside of her dying son (cancer)and was depending on that card for her motel and meals. BIL persuaded them not to cancel it, since they hadn't seen any fraudulent activity. She used to buy from Knitpicks a lot but not any more.

Wonderfil has excellent threads and I have started to use more of that brand. I can say bye to Superior if need be.

I received an email from Superior Threads and listed Connecting Threads at the bottom so I started doing research and came across this it being talked about here.

Well, this is sad. I LOVE Superior Threads thread but wondered why their sales had changed couple of years ago - now I know why.
But if they're owned by investment firm Blue Point Capital Partners then I want to find another thread to use whether I love Superior Threads or not because who knows what will happens to the quality if it's sold off in the future.

old news, but nothing has changed about their thread quality. The original owners still run the business.

Ditto what Kalama said. You're fretting about something that hasn't happened.

I wouldn't call it fretting...I would call it a case of "don't know what could happen since it's owned by an investment firm (and investment firms are known to sell companies) so we don't know what the future could hold and I hope to find another thread I like as much as Superior Threads just in case this happens" type of thing.

I think it was when the sale happened that Connecting Threads thread started to have less lint. It definitely has much less than it used to.

This is good to know. I tried Connecting Threads several years ago and wasn't too impressed by it but it may have improved since then.

Bob Purcel's, owner, wife died over a year ago....that could have caused him to sell.

Yes, the Purcells sold it while the wife was battling cancer. Their suppliers still work with the original company, and knowing how Japanese firms work, I imagine they always will. Bob Purcell now owns YLI, another thread company.

They are going to be a Roads to California next week. I am going and they are one of the vendors I plan on going to for my longarm thread. It will remain to be seen what they have stocked and the pricing!

Lol semantics, I guess. Anyway - my point is: this event happened several years ago, Superior is still making thread, and I don't really see the benefits of worrying about something that hasn't happened.

Maybe a better question to ask is, what threads, other than Superior, do the rest of us use?

For longarming, I use Innovatech and Glide, in addition to Superior's King Tut, Bottom Line, and Microquilter. I don't much care for Aurifil, it seems to tangle easily and the tension is fiddly. It's also hard to locate in my area. I do know other quilters who swear by it.

For piecing, I almost exclusively use Bottom Line. If Superior ever quit making it, then I would look for a 40 wt poly thread elsewhere.

When I'm hand piecing I like to use Bottom Line 60wt. For quilting I prefer Superior's King Tut or YLI thread. I machine and at times hand quilt. Both my sewing machines like the Aurifil 50wt.

(I think you mean 60wt poly.) Look for Brothread and Simthread on Amazon in 60wt. I still have a large stock of Bottomline, but I'm running out of the colors I use for piecing, namely black, white, and grey. I bought some of the 60wt Simthread and can't tell the difference between that and Bottomline. And Simthread is about half the price. I've also tried their 40wt poly thread and I like it too.

You are correct Dunster, I meant 60 wt.
You know, I'd forgotten about Brothread, I remember reading about it a while back. Thanks for the tips!