? on thread for longarmers
#2
Power Poster
Join Date: May 2009
Location: NY
Posts: 10,590
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My thread choice is dependent on what kind of quilting I am doing and what look I am going for.
My go to thread for most projects is 40 wt trilobal polyester and my preferred brand is Glide but I have also used Isacord, and Metro and Sigma embroidery thread http://www.metroemb.com/store/
I like the shiny look of trilobal poly. If I want a matte finish I will use 100% cotton. But some are so very linty they are at the absolute bottom of my go to list. Others, like Superior King Tut are quite nice and I have no issues with lint with King Tut.
For ditch work I like using a monofiliment like Superiors Monopoly or Filtec Essence. I understand YLI makes a wonderful monofiliment but I have yet to try it.
I have also done ditch work with Wonder-fil's thread Invisifil. Invisifil is a 100 Wt polyester and quilts like silk for a fraction of the price. It is awesome for doing ditch work and tight fills and in any application where I don't want the thread to show but want the texture. Another alternative to Invisifil is Decobob which is an 80 wt 2 ply poly.
I also love to use fancy and specialty threads like metallics both Superior and Wonderfil, holographic thread like Superior's Glitter. And I recently got some Wonderfil Spaghetti a 12 wt cotton you can run through the top! I can't wait for a project to try that one out in the longarm. I have already used it in a Sashiko project and it worked great. Have also used it to hand embroider labels.
I have used So Fine and Bottom line and they are both nice but I always seem to go back to Glide.
For bobbins I use magnaglides almost exclusively with very few exceptions. Both the Magnaglide delights which are loaded with Glide 40 wt and the magnaglide standard which are only available in a limited color selection and bulk. They are loaded with 60 wt glide.
My go to thread for most projects is 40 wt trilobal polyester and my preferred brand is Glide but I have also used Isacord, and Metro and Sigma embroidery thread http://www.metroemb.com/store/
I like the shiny look of trilobal poly. If I want a matte finish I will use 100% cotton. But some are so very linty they are at the absolute bottom of my go to list. Others, like Superior King Tut are quite nice and I have no issues with lint with King Tut.
For ditch work I like using a monofiliment like Superiors Monopoly or Filtec Essence. I understand YLI makes a wonderful monofiliment but I have yet to try it.
I have also done ditch work with Wonder-fil's thread Invisifil. Invisifil is a 100 Wt polyester and quilts like silk for a fraction of the price. It is awesome for doing ditch work and tight fills and in any application where I don't want the thread to show but want the texture. Another alternative to Invisifil is Decobob which is an 80 wt 2 ply poly.
I also love to use fancy and specialty threads like metallics both Superior and Wonderfil, holographic thread like Superior's Glitter. And I recently got some Wonderfil Spaghetti a 12 wt cotton you can run through the top! I can't wait for a project to try that one out in the longarm. I have already used it in a Sashiko project and it worked great. Have also used it to hand embroider labels.
I have used So Fine and Bottom line and they are both nice but I always seem to go back to Glide.
For bobbins I use magnaglides almost exclusively with very few exceptions. Both the Magnaglide delights which are loaded with Glide 40 wt and the magnaglide standard which are only available in a limited color selection and bulk. They are loaded with 60 wt glide.
#3
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Carroll, Iowa
Posts: 3,446
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I received Omni with my Innova and it hated it. Might have been before I figured out how to tweak the tension back then but have never tried it again. Otherwise my machine seems to like Aurifil, Connecting Threads cotton and polyesters as well as BFC's metallic threads. I also have used Fufu, now known as Floriani embroidery thread. I normally use whatever color I need in which ever thread I have.
#4
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My go-to thread is Glide. Love the colors and the price. But I've pretty much used them all. Whichever brand has the color I need for the quilt I'm making, lol. Luckily, my Innova loves every thread I've tried!
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: East Kootenays, BC
Posts: 947
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I mainly use Glide 40 wt for the top and 60wt on the bottom. I like them because they are polyester so don't shed fuzz like the cottons, the sheen, the look, and the price. I've also used Isacord 40wt, Superior So Fine 50wt and Superior's Monopoly Invisible and they've work well, but find Superior's price point considerably higher as is Isacord. Like others have said, it depends on the project and the look you're going for that will influence thread choice.
#6
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I recently discovered Superior's new 100 wt poly thread, MicroQuilter, and I love it for quilting in the ditch or anywhere I want a very thin thread that blends into the fabric. I used to use BottomLine for that purpose, and still have a huge collection of BottomLine, so I will continue to use it too. I like Metro and Sigma tri-lobal embroidery threads for their sheen. They come in a big variety of colors and are much, much less expensive than Omni. I use Essential Pro from Connecting Threads (another poly thread) if I don't want a shiny thread. I have quit using cotton threads altogether because of the lint. I wind my own bobbins, usually with the same thread that I'm using on top. I'm quilting on an Innova.
#7
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: kansas
Posts: 6,407
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my go-to is Sofine #50 wt. i also like Omni & Permacore, will use Glide if I want shiney. I also have some Marathon #60 Trilobal in a gold and a silver that looks like metallic without being metallic. I purchased 3 tubs of thread cones when I bought my Gammill used 4 years ago--so have lots of thread. my machine doesn't like Sulky (it shreds unless I go slow) or YLI cotton (same issue). King Tut is fine, but it seems so heavy compared to a #50 or #60 so have to keep that in mind. I rarely use prewound bobbins, but will if I'm using Bottomline or the #60 Trilobals on top cause I sometimes get the #60 and finer threads wound too tight--so then I use either Superiors' Bobs or Magnaglides.
I recently bought several neutral colors of Superiors MicroQuilter for fill work and loved it.
I recently bought several neutral colors of Superiors MicroQuilter for fill work and loved it.
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 673
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I'm a Glide fan for all the donation QOV I do. There is hardly any lint in comparison to a cotton which requires cleaning at every bobbin change. Plus you can't beat the price. My Gammill Vision 2 loves it. I don't have a bit of trouble with the tension. And that is worth it's weight in gold
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