What's the difference between cotton thread and "cotton covered" polyester thread?

Coats and Clark has the all cotton one marked as machine quilting and the other one marked as hand quilting.

I've always heard to always use 100% cotton thread.

What thread do you use for quilting?

I usually use cotton but with quilting branching out a little more and experimenting. I really like the Essentials thread from Connecting Threads.

Me too!!!!!!! I discovered them by accident while cruising the net and I ordered a few to try them. I have bunches now. I use them for everything. Piecing to machine quilting.

I also usually use cotton.

My current favorites include:

Connecting Threads thread (for piecing)
Superior Threads King Tut (for quilting)
Gutermann 100% Cotton (for quilting)
Coats & Clark 100% Cotton (for quilting) -- not Dual Duty

However, I will play with other threads such as glow-in-the-dark, metallics, etc.

IMHO, different types of threads are like so many things in quilting -- everything has a time and place.

Glow in the dark huh? Cool!

Don't use hand quilting thread in your machine, it has a coating on it that may gum up your machine.

Is it as good as Aurifil? Does it make a lot of lint in the bobbin area?

check out www.superiorthreads.com. It has great education about thread.

Well, you ladies know your thread! LOL! I knew this was the place to ask!

Glow in the dark thread! I have to have it. I'm planning a "space" type quilt for my newphew by Christmas and this would be awesome. He's 8, and you know an 8 year old boy would love that.

Is the Connecting Threads you are talking about the same as the website? I just ordered the Farmers Wife Sampler book from there today, and if that's the same one, I would have ordered some.

Also, if it is, I found a great coupon code for them. Its "charm2" and it took $5 off a $20 order, so that was awesome.

Yes, Connecting Thread thread is available from www.connectingthread.com

As far as I know, they only sell it through their catalog/web site.

Very good thread at a very reasonable price. It comes on sale from time to time too.

I've been using Coats & Clarks all purpose Dual Duty for years. Have two couch quilts that are over 15 years old and are in constant use and they seem to be just fine.

The hand quilting thread is usually heavier than the machine thread.

Threads come in different weights/thicknesses - from thread that almost seems to be a lightweight cord to very very thin.

Question on the hand quilting thread that Joanns sells for 1.00.. it has a glaze on it and is cotton.. Has anyone used it and what are your thoughts on it??

Wow! They have great prices!

I usually look around when I'm doing an order, but I was in a hurry when I ordered my book, so I just ordered it, and didn't look around.

Looks like I'm going to make another order!

I use Superior So Fine thread for piecing
Mettler Silk Finish for top quilting
Superior Bottom Line for bottom quilting

I do almost everything with Superior Threads Bottom Line - it's a 60wt, so very thin.
If it's machine quilting and I want it to show abit, I use Superior Threads' King Tut instead of Bottom Line
If I want use cotton in piecing, hand or machine, my first choice is Aurifil 50 wt, 2nd choice Masterpiece (also a Superior Thread product).

NEVER use hand quilting thread in your machine