I am using coats and clark, using up what I have. Works very well. Lint is eay to clean out and does not scare me. For FMQ I only use connecting threads thread. I see no sense in spending lots of money to be in the cliche.

Connecting thread on the big spool

My machine actually made most of the choice for me. The Bernina said ..... I will only sew well with Aurifil and Mettler. Between the two, I prefer Aurifil.

I go to estate sales and get huge sacks of thread for $5 or less. I've gotten Coates and Clark, Sulky, Woolworth, Caravan and Excell as well as tons of embroidery thread. Works every bit as well as newly purchased thread. I now have five 16 quart bins full and a lot more I haven't sorted through.

I like Connecting Threads (great prices) and also use Superior threads. Signature thread was way too linty on my longarm compared to the other two. My machines will use anything and for the price difference Connecting Threads is the best buy.

Aurifil

I use guttermans on my machines and superior fine thread on my quilting machine.

Mostly Essentials from Connecting Threads, also Marathon threads.

On my Bernina I usually use Bottom Line top and bobbin.
On my Jems I use Aurifil top and Bottom Line in the bobbin

By hand I almost exclusively use Bottom Line, if I want cotton I use Masterpiece.
I rarely applique, but wouldn't use any other thread than Bottom Line when I do.

shop sales and often you get the best prices on try "sew for less.com" I use Signature, Gutterman, YLI for piecing and to date most of my quilting I have used "king tut". I am about to try Aurifil for my newest project. It's not about cost, it is about quality........C&C and others cause a lot of build up of "fuzz" inside the gutts of your machine. ALSO..................never pull thread back out of your machine the way you threaded your machine...... cut the thread at the top and pull the thread out from the needle end of the machine ; that prevents fuzz from all threads

whatever you use Happy Quilting