You've run out of thread and it's time to restock or perhaps you've read our blog post on sewing thread age! Read it here. Now is your chance to figure out what thread to spend your money on.
We've read countless articles on why thread is great and what is the best thread for your machine, and what thread is the best for piecing and quilting. Of course all quilters have slightly different opinions on what the best thread is.
Here at Sew Jersey in our flagship store we carry a couple of different brands:
- Gutterman All Purpose Polyester
- Gutterman 50wt Cotton
- Superior So Fine 50wt Polyester
- Cotton + Steel Thread 50wt cotton
- Aurifil 28wt, 40wt, 50wt Mako Cotton
Which thread is the best for piecing quilt blocks? The quilting community will most likely answer that its Aurifil 50wt, it can make it seem like its the only quilting thread available. Were going to break this down into a cost perspective. We will also cover what thread weight means.
A little-known fact: most of the lint that accumulates under your needle plate actually comes from the fabric you're sewing with, rather than the thread. (Again, true as long as you are using quality thread. I've seen some very nasty lint piles produced in very short amounts of time from lower-quality cotton threads!) It is a good rule of thumb to clean out your machine after larger projects to maintain the health of your machine.
Price break down by yard:
- Gutterman All Purpose Polyester: 0.022
- Gutterman 50wt Cotton: 0.022
- Superior So Fine 50wt Polyester: 0.016
- Cotton + Steel 50wt Cotton: 0.014
- Aurifil 28wt, 40wt, 50wt : 0.010
Our price on Aurifil as of April 2024, is $14.99 for a spool that has 1422 yards on it. The larger the cone of thread you compare you may see a decrease in price per yard. Aurifil is a clear winner for value, while you may be spending a little more up front its worth it in the long run for both price and longevity.
I have experienced first hand that your bobbin will last longer when using Aurifil thread as it lays flatter and is spun and wound to allow you to fit as much thread as possible on your bobbin which means less time rethreading your machine. This information comes from how a thread is spun and the layers of ply.
What does thread weight mean? 50wt thread is typically the thread weight used when piecing a quilt, because the thread is spun to be be thinner it would help quilt blocks or other seams lay flatter. I have used both 50wt and 40wt thread while piecing and it does make a difference. 40wt is suggested to use for machine quilting as these stitches will be more prominent than that of 50wt. This thread weight is also great for piecing cotton garments. 28wt and smaller will be your hand quilting threads for very noticeable stitches as these are a thicker thread.
