pewa88

toogie said...."My quilts are for use, not wall hangings and surely not for judging contest. The threads you suggest look like my machine embroidery threads with sheen. I thought quilting threads were cotton with a poly core. Am I wrong? If not, where do you find them? Also at this point, I still want my piecing to be the focus and not the quilting or shiny threads."

I would suggest that you try Omni thread made by Superior. It is a polyester thread that sews and looks like cotton. I also love Innova's thread called Innovatech it is the best thread I have ever used for utilitarian quilts. It comes in many colors and also a few variegated colors too. Just google Innovatech and you can find it at many shops online.

Barb in Louisiana

I am a Glide lover. The more colors the better is the answer for me. I like to piece with bright color fabrics and frequently use a black background. Therefore, I rarely use any pastels or white thread. So my quilting colors tend to go to the dark side. I puddle the colors of thread I think I will like on the pieced quilt and pick out a color from that. I tend to use Ruby red, either a very dark blue or a grayish blue, some tone of purple (love my purple fabrics) and sometimes a beige. It all depends on the pieced top. I have used white once. I bought some bright lime greens, yellows and pink about 10 years ago and yet to use them. My best advice would be to look at the fabrics in your stash, then decide which colors to buy.

feline fanatic

Innovatech is made by Wonderfil.

RosaSharon

I agree. I recently bought a brand from them and really don't like working with it at all. So disappointed. I do like their King Tut though.

Claire123

I don't have a long arm, but most people who do (that I've talked to) use So Fine and get it online.

TeresaA

I use everything I have. The only thread I've ever had issues with is some Star cotton I got with the quilter (used). It was probably very old. I think Glide is wonderful, and would be fancy on Christmas presents. And it's so inexpensive at places like Metro threads. However, I've wondered a bit if the thread will fray after 20 years of washing, so even though I have about 50 small cones of it (because I bought so much when the only place to buy it was from the manufacturer) I've gone to other threads. I'll use the Glide for actual embroidery work.

I have excellent luck with Signature 100% cotton, which is intended for longarms. It's Tex 40, which means about 25 weight. So it's a relatively heavy thread, but nice. I get it from Wawak. I have also used Gutermann cotton, 40 weight (Tex 25). I've even used Maxilock Swirls with excellent results. (The mythical problems have so far not been reality for me. It quilts and washes wonderfully. I absolutely love it.).

Quilting thread is more about the effect you want than anything else. Try different threads and decide what you like and what works best for getting the effect that you want for the project at hand. When I started quilting 30 years ago, thread wasn't a big deal. It still isn't, for me.

According to Superior Threads, here are the conversion formulas:

https://www.superiorthreads.com/educ...d-measurements

sewingpup

I use so fine in my longarm....and I like it because I want my piecing to show and be the star of the quilt....not my quilting (tee..hee.I can't do feathers). So fine from superior really can just disappear into the quilt and I have mostly bought soft colors....dusky blue, dusky pink, baby poop green, greys, etc (those aren't the real names just what I call them). tee hee...the baby poop green really does blend in to a number of colors....I usually spool off some of the thread I am considering using making sure some of it lands on all of the different fabrics I have in the quilt top and then decide which color to use....sometimes I am totally surprised by which one I like....

Bobbielinks

With my longarm and quilting for customers, I prefer A & E Perma Core, Tex 30, poly wrapped poly. I don't want any "shine". I want a strong thread that holds up and does not give my breaks. As to colors, I always keep white, beige, med. grey and gun metal (not black); then a light and a dark of the primary colors. Those would be my basics. Then add colors as needed.