riutzelj

i concur with the Superior thread link. i love their threads. They have so many applications available. Thread for every need. It is spendy but it goes a long way. I bought 3 spools of the King thread for the queen size quilt i made for my daughter thinking i'd machine quilt it. i ended up hand quilting it with the King thread which did as well or better than the hand quilting Coats and Clark thread. I did machine quilt the borders and it came out lovely. On the website, they talk about not using the rayon threads because they aren't colorfast. They suggest using the new ultra luster polyester threads instead. I just finished a wall hanging using the rayon, so i hope it stays color fast once i wash it before i gift it.

FroggyinTexas

I like good old reliable, available and affordable Coats and Clark. Look up the history of this thread on the Internet. It's interesting and fun--and Coat and Clark makes a bunch of colors. froggyintexas

caspharm

I prefer the Aurilfil. It is pricey, but check the internet. I have seen it sold for decent prices. I believe jhittlesewing.com carries it, among others. Also, much as I love tools, shop carefully.

Prism99

I have always purchased my Aurifil online during sales to keep costs down. Even with shipping, I don't think I've paid more than $8/spool. However, I have seen it in some local quilts shops (not many) for about $11/spool.

Here is where I have purchased my existing stash of Aurifil:
http://www.sewezdesigns.com/Aurifil1.html
Another discount website to check out is this one:
http://www.tristan.bc.ca/specials.html
And for just regular discounted prices:
http://www.redrockthreads.com/aurifi...Fa5DMgodVHQABQ

All of these websites are somewhat less-than-easy to navigate, so take your time. It is the 50-wt 2-ply that I use for both piecing and quilting. It comes in other weights, so make sure you are ordering the weight you want.

feffertim

I love Aurifil. It is the best thread on the market in my opinion.

Traditional

I think Mettler thread is one of the best on the market for quilting, I use it for the sewing machine and the waxed for hand quilting ( I don't machine quilt)

ArchaicArcane

Re: Price, that's exactly what I was thinking. Even at $1 a spool for 100m (110yd) of mettler on sale, $9.99 for a 1300m (what, 1400 odd yards?) spool of Aurifil is actually "cheap" in comparison. As an added bonus, a local quilt shop puts Aurifil on sale once a month for 21% off, so it's under $8 for a spool. Good time to stock up.

I use Robison Anton at the moment, because i got a good deal on a bunch of it, and I like it better than the Gutermann and Mettler.

Sally, Aurifil is a cross wound thread, it's not terribly happy on a vertical spool pin like a featherweight's spool pin. Try using a spool holder, so the thread will come off the top, instead of rotating the spool. You can also try a tea cup and just drop the spool into it.

I used to have my spools periodically take flight while sewing with a vintage machine. It was always cross wound. When I watched the Superior Threads "Threadology" videos on YouTube and he described all of this, the light bulb went on.

The other thing is, the stretch in the poly can sometimes contribute to the tension problems with the cross wound thread on a vertical pin. (Think of an elastic band and the tension it holds when you pull and let go.) Something else to play with.

MacThayer

I use the Superior Threads website, and use both Masterpiece (50#, 3 ply cotton) for piecing, and King Tut (Polyester) for quilting. I've tried others, and sometimes even use others, but these are my favorites.

Nammie to 7 -- for heaven's sake, watch that video! It's awesome!

ArchaicArcane

I agree with the video, 100%. I believe all of it is on their YouTube Channel.
http://www.youtube.com/user/Superior...?feature=watch

But, King Tut is actually 100% Extra Long Staple Egyptian cotton,... not Poly... http://www.superiorthreads.com/product/Brand/king-tut/

I especially like their needle and tension recommendations right on the spool and on their product pages.

I'm thinking of ordering their home quilting sampler. Something like 7000m of thread for $51 plus shipping. http://www.superiorthreads.com/shop/...sampler-set-c/

franc36

For garment sewing, I use Mettler or Gutterman; but for quilting, I use only Aurifil because I like the thinner thread for quilting. Aurifil puts more thread on my bobbin and I like the way my 1/4" seams look with Aurifil.