Leave a Comment / By /

Are you a new quilter who has already experienced some thread headaches? You know the ones, threads tangling, threads breaking, etc. Let me help you understand which threads to use for the best results.

Save Time and Patience, Make Sure you Use the Right Thread to Piece and Quilt

In order to save time and patience, make sure you use the right thread to piece and quilt. Piecing and quilting require different threads.

Piecing (Patchwork)

a thread spool on a white background with sewn diamond pattern. Text says Gutermann 50 wt. The thread spool is centered on the image. It says on the top Gutermann. The thread is a lilac shade of purple.
The image is a thread spool on a white background with a sewn diamond pattern. The title says Aurifil 50wt. The spool is a bright orange colour and the thread is a shade of periwinkle blue

When piecing your blocks, you will want to use a 100% cotton thread. My favourites are either Gutermann or Aurifil. A 40 weight (wt) or 50 wt will work fine.

Machine Quilting

The image is a thread spool over a white background with a diamond pattern sewn into it. The title reads Glide 40wt. The spool is a medium grey colour. The thread is a vibrant, shiny shade of medium turquoise.

There are two options for machine quilting and either is fine. You could use a 100% polyester thread to add some shine to your quilt. My favourite is Glide 40wt. Or, if you prefer, you could use a 100% cotton thread. It’s up to you.

Hand Quilting

An image of a thread spool on top of a white background with sewn diamonds. The thread spool is off white in colour. It says Gutermann on the top. The title on the image is Gutermann 40wt. The thread is a medium rose colour.

If you plan to hand quilt, you will need a 100% cotton hand quilting thread. Hand quilting thread is waxed to make it easier to push a hand needle through the three quilt layers. A word of caution, please do not use hand quilting thread in your sewing machine. That wax that makes it easier to hand quilt will gum up the inside of your sewing machine. This may necessitate a trip to your sewing machine mechanic to fix your machine.

Thread Care

I often see pictures of people’s sewing spaces and on the wall next to their sewing machine is a rack full of thread. Please don’t do this. While it may make it handy to grab your threads, both dust and sunlight degrade thread. Keep your threads safely tucked away from the sun.

My biggest advice is please, do not buy mega cheap thread like the 99 cent kind. Thread is cheap for a reason and that is because it is poorly manufactured. Many people think they can cheap out on thread and they can’t. The thread can disintegrate and your seams won’t hold up. If your seams fall apart, so does your quilt.

I hope this helped you understand the threads you need to make your quilts.

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to email me here.

For more helpful quilting tips and tricks, make sure you follow me on YouTube, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top