Aurifil 50/2

[dbams]

Has anyone used Aurifil 50/2 on their machine?  I have a variegated spool I am trying to use on an I Spy quilt, and it keeps breaking.  I loosened the tension a lot and added a piece of batting with Sewers Aid on it, which helped for a while.  After a bobbin change (190 on my Towa gauge, just like the last bobbin), it worked for straight stitching in the border, but not the swirls in the body.  I then put Sewers Aid on the spool, rethreaded the machine to go through fewer holes on the 3-hole thread guides (currently at 1 in each), and changed the needle from  4 to 3.5, thinking that this is a thin thread, and maybe it needed a thinner needle.

 

Is this thread just too thin for our machines, or is there something else I should try?  I have 2 more I Spy tops after this one, and I was planning to use the same thread on them, too.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer!

[jimerickson]

Betsy:  I don't know.  I've never used Aurifil, but the 50/2 you reference suggests to me that the Aurifil is only a 2 strand thread.  Most thread you'd use for quilting will be 3 strand.  the 3 strand is wrapped differently and generally is stronger.  A lot of the embroidery thread is 2 strand.  I think the needle decision would go the other way - bigger needle, bigger hole thus less drag on the thread.

 I prefer to use YLI Longarm Professional thread.  It's made specifically for longarm quilting, it's about as strong as anything out there, and doesn't produce too much lint.  I've used embroidery thread like Sigma or Glide without too much trouble, but they do occasionally break.  I've also used bottom Line as my top thread with good results, and it's a 60 wt 2 strand thread so go figure.  What fiber is Aurifil made from?  Is it cotton or polyester?  I don't use cotton thread because of it's reduced strength, and high lint character.  I don't think I've been much help, but maybe my thoughts will direct you to an answer.  Jim

[dbams]

Jim, thanks for your input.  It is a cotton thread, and I bought it specifically for these quilts, because it has a lot of the colors I used.  Form over function, which in this case, does not appear to be the best method.  I may need to go shopping.

 

Forgot to add that I did wonder if a larger needle (rather than smaller) would be better.  My thinking was thinner thread, smaller needle, but that didn't pan out.

[sewingpup]

Hi....I tried using a 40 weight Auiril when I first got Lucey and I did have thread breaks....I switched to OMNI a 40 weight poly thread and it is working much better with not many breaks....I did have a grey cone I had problems with....but after I got a bit into the cone, it stitched just fine...I think the outer layers were dried out or something....from what I have read here, poly thread is preferred by many.....I am going to try So Fine 50 and Bottomline in the bobbin soon....folks also like filtec but as a newbie I had a bit of a problem with my starts and stops as it is a slippery thread but does stitch great....Cotton threads can be used but more thread breaks and fiddling with tensions...generally it seems both bobbin and top tension need to be loosened quite a bit and also make sure quilt sandwich is not too tight on the rollers....I have not tried using the cotton again yet but have quite a few spools of king tut that I would like to use ....It will be a while, maybe even never before I try the Aurifil again as I am slowly building up my poly thread collection and if my trial of So Fine goes well, I intend to get more colors of that....Lin

[dbams]

Well, I changed the bobbin, turned my pigtails, changed the way the thread went through the 3-hole guides, loosened up the quilt sandwich a lot, added more Sewers Aid to the batting wad, slowed way, way down, and was able to finish this quilt without a ton more thread breaks.  Still had some, but I could deal with them.

 

I have ordered a different brand of variegated thread, a brand Emmeline and I have used before, and will wait to do the other 2 I Spy quilts until that comes in.  Because the new thread will be heavier, I didn't want to switch brands in this middle of this quilt, as I was afraid it would look obvious, and since I had about 25% of the quilt done before I started having problems, I definitely didn't want to frog it!  It was totally worth babying the process to be able to finish with the same thread.

 

Thanks again for your suggestions.  This Aurifil will come down to my DSM for machine sewing the binding on these quilts.  They are for Quilts For Kids, and the multicolored thread will be fun on the binding.