I have used Sulky, Mettlzer, Guttermann, to name a few for embroidery. I used cottons of Sulky, Connecting Threads, Coats and Clark, Serger thread, pre-wound bobbins, old thread of my Mom's, thread I bought at junk stores. All the threads, to me cause lint. It's the nature of cotton. Most of the time when I have a problems with threads, it's really the needle. I forget how long a I have used a needle some times. I was sewing on velco last week and the next day I couldn'tget the machine to sew although everything was threaded correctly. Then I remembered I had finished with the velco on that machine. Sure enough I felt the needle and it was sticky, gummy-like. I changed the needle and off I went... I think we have to be more frugal in today's times. Sometimes expensive is not always the best as I have learn as and I travel down this path of sewing, quilting, embroidery, threads, pins, and needles.