Friday, April 5, 2013

On thread


A few years ago I was in my local quilt store shopping for thread.  I had always used a certain brand and had always bought it from her.  But on this day the shop owner started talking to me about what makes some thread better.  I must have stood there talking to her for over 20 minutes on the virtues of good thread and in those minutes I learned that long cotton fibers make for better, stronger, easier to work with thread.

 
I bought a spool of Aurifil thread that day and haven't bought another kind since.  Those longer cotton fibers make a difference.  My thread rarely breaks while sewing.  My needle and presser foot don't fill up with lint.  And my bobbin case doesn't need cleaning as often.  Plus, this thread doesn't get twisted in my machine and hand sewing with it is a dream.
 


I posted a picture of my newest Aurifil thread over on Instagram on Monday and it generated a bit of conversation.  Come to find out I'm not the only devoted user and though I use 50 weight gray and white Aurifil thread exclusively, these variegated threads are making me reconsider that as well.

-dana

15 comments:

dolores said...

Too funny...we are kindred spirits...I have just stopped using one brand and started buying that exact thread exclusively and i was telling a customer how much I love to use it in hand sewing AND I just bought a spool for a certain project I need to start on ASAP!;)
BTW...I'm scared to start cutting!!!!

Sherri said...

I've been using just Aurifil for about 10 years now..I hadn't seen the variegated in 50 weight...must find!

Lee D said...

do you use this for piecing and quilting? I know I need to venture out with my threads some more and will give this a try. I have heard good things about it.

Sara said...

I talked to someone recently as well about thread and she said that long fibers are the way to go. I have started using Mettler which is great,but there is still quite a bit of lint. I have a spool of Aurifil that I used on one project,but it was a small one and the orange color is not one that I use often. I am trying to be a good girl and use up my Gutermann stash before I buy some more Aurifil. It is getting harder to do this though since quilters keep talking about how wonderful it is hehehehe!!!!

Kelly O. said...

I don't know much about thread... I have been using mettler and then some egyptian cotton thread that came free with my new machine -- that stuff never breaks! i love it. I bought aurifil for piecing mainly because I'd heard so much about it but I have to say that I've had it break twice on one project... now I was using it on denim and perhaps I wasn;t using the correct needle... another area I am hopelessly lost on!

Paige said...

Aurifil, orange spool, gray thread. I love it and am monogamous.

Jennie @ Porch Swing Quilts said...

This is interesting, because Aurifil and I aren't on good terms. I've had some issues lately and I think I might be breaking up with Aurifil. Mettler was expensive but worked really well for me. I'm in the market.

But glad it works for everyone else! I guess it's not Aurifil, it's me!

Unknown said...

Love Aurifil. I'd get more if I was sewing. I'm tickled you like it.

Cant't wait to see what you are making.

Mwah!

www.randomthoughtsdoordi.com said...

Aurifil for me too, even though it's not my machine's favorite.

QuiltNut Creations said...

Is this when I admit to a great collection of the variegated threads that I don't use because they are just too pretty to look at?

Sara said...

Where do you get your Aurifil Dana?

Trudi said...

I exclusively piece with Aurifil, have done for many years, quilts beautifully too :) just sayin!

Osage Bluff Quilter said...

Someone just told me about that thread a month ago. I haven't found it yet to buy.

How does the cost compare to the smaller spools?

Have a great week sewing!
Patti

PMookie said...

Love, love, love Aurifil 50 weight thread. Once I discovered it, it's my exclusive thread!

SIMPLESEW said...

Where do you get your Aurifil Dana? My old singer wouldnt sew with it, I have a new Jamone 6600 and want some lg spools. When I have had pieced with it, it curled and tangled, but it could be the wt. I am trying to educate myself. thank you for sharing.