I was at Joann's today, and bought a spool of this pretty variegated thread. It says
Coats & Clark
Machine Quilting
1200 yds
Mercerized cotton

Everything on line I find says for 'long arm quilters'

My question is, do you think this would work ok on my home machine (for free motion quilting), or should I just take it back without opening it?

I also bought some Coats & Clarks variegated thread that says Machine Embroidery, 40 wt trilobal Polyester Brazil. Same question, do you think it would work on my home machine for free motion quilting?

(I admit to succumbing to the pretty colors, and not really thinking this through before buying, I mean, they were on SALE!)

I have to say how well I was trated at the Joann's today. A couple of months ago, I explained to a gal, that I think is the manager, that I hadn't been in in a coupole of years because of the accident I was in (with a traumatic brain injury) She took care of me today, even remembered about my accident, and without doing it obviously, kind of helped me with the credit card machine. She did tell me that a lot of the people that come in there she has to help. I don't know if she was just being nice or what, but I felt so....so...welcome.
Then she told me her husband had worked for 25 yrs at a place, and lost his job, after a year found another, and just got word that he's no longer needed there either. What could I do, I just told her that my husband says the refinery where he works, will be hiring sometime this year.

I use 40wt embroidery thread for quilting all of the time and love it.
I would not hesitate to use the Coats and Clark thread either. :D:D:D

I don't know much about different types of thread, as I only machine piece and mostly hand-quilt. However, I just wanted to say I am glad you had such a possitive experience at Joann's. I am lucky too--I have 2 Joann's within 1/2 hour from me and I am always treated well. I especially like Dan, who works in our Poway store-but unbelievably, neither he or his wife quilt!! The cashiers always try to help me make the most of the many coupons I come in with as well! They seem to be very pleased when I can get great bargains.

Your machine should handle the quilting threat very nicely, I use it all the time on my domestic you will need something to hold the thread up so it spools off the top.
put it to the back of the center of the machine and up over the top of the machine, and thread as usual. Hope this helps

I use all kinds of thread on my home sewing machine, no problem.

Cool i needed this lesson to. I never know what thread to buy or what will work.

Thank you for answering, now I can open and try the pretty thread!

I have Heard some where that you arn't supposed to use mercerized thread in the top of machine it will gum up the tension.. I love the embroidery threads also... Dottie Bug

Some time ago, someone wrote something about certain threads are wound one way and others the other way and if you use the wrong one for the job, it tangles or breaks too easily.. Don't remember any more about it than that, but will be watching this post in case it's mentioned again.

try the thread if your machine accepts it it is good to use- if it breaks every few inches then your machine will not accept it (be sure you have a new needle in and a clean machine to start with. some machines have their own (personalities) and will not do well with some threads- it is a process to find what is best for YOU

Unless you have a big, powerful machine like a Bernina 830 or such, the 40wt. thread should be okay. I've tried in on my 830 & it either breaks or shreds the thread. Also make sure you have a quilting needle in your machine, that helps.

Cathy S/Willowwind

You can get any good thread to work on any machine but you might have to play with tensions, change your needle size and/or type, change your thread path to handle large cones or whiplashing threads like metallics, or slow down your speed.

Mercerized thread is normal, machine sewing & quilting thread. I think the previous poster was thinking about "glazed" cotton thread which is for hand piecing.

I have had to put some lines of Sewer's Aid down many spools of C&C thread and let it soak in for about 30 minutes before I could quilt with it. It was old or dry. Some of the very dark colors also seem to be thin in spots which drives the auto tension on my Elna crazy. It also fuzzes a lot so you will need to clean your bobbin area and needle bar frequently. I had some fuzz get sucked up into the tension assembly and I couldn't get it out myself. That was an $80 bill I wasn't very happy about and took 2 weeks out of my quilting time.

try the thread on a sample quilt sandwich. The way I was told to check the needle size was to thread 2 threads through the needle. If it pulls through easily, you should be ok. Rayon threads are a little more delicate and may need a bigger eyed needle.

An excellent source of information about needle size/ thread combos is Superior Threads website.

As suggested,Superior Threads has video shorts on threads and needles

this is a great one:

http://www.superiorthreads.com/video...fabulous-four/

it explains the winds on spools and tension..

Hope this pdf file works..

I use thread labeled "for longarm quilting" on my regular machine all the time. It's fine for the top and for the bobbin.

I used both threads and REALLY like the thread labeled as the one for 'machine quilting'
The other, the poyester did fine, but it was thinner and 'stiffer' if that makes sense. It curled where it wanted to curl, made it harder to thread the needle. It looked ok, but I probably won't be buying it again

Did I say I really like the first one? I picked a variagation of autumn tones, and the colors were just lovely

I'am sorry it is the glazed thread that your not supposed to use. my mistake.couldn't remember ,,,{a senior moment }Dottie Bug

I am a sucker for pretty thread too. I think I have about as much thread as I do fabric. :roll: