thread for new business

[Dayna]

I've been reading lots & lots of your old posts, and I still need help! I have just received my new Millennium, and I am ready to start building my business. I want to have some thread on hand, and I am wondering what to purchase. I am thinking about getting about 20 to 30 solid colors to start with. Does Superior's Bottom Line work well on the quilt top, or just in the bobbin? If so, what size of needle does it require? What other threads are recommended? Thanks!

Dayna

[Laurie]

I really like using So Fine! and King Tut. I will use So Fine in the top and the bottom or in the bottom when I use King Tut. I also have quite a collection of YLI that I used with my Nolting Hobby Quilter.

To be honest, I'm not totally sold on Bottom Line......not sure why.

When buying thread to "stock up" I try to anticipate what threads I will be using on quilts that I own that eventually I will get to. I find that I am able to use most of them on customer quilts. I also have mostly variegated threads and try to choose colors that will go with most things.

Good answer? Probably not but, so far, it has worked for me!

[Dayna]

What is YLI thread?

[mrsbishwit]

I use both superior's "so fine" and "the bottom line" love them both

I have used both on top and both in the bobbin with no trouble.

Instead of purchasing that much thread upfront I would buy a couple of the netrual colors (black, white, cream, etc..) and then purchase thread cards for both the bottom line and the so fine threads (original 50 colors and the new 50 colors) they are $3.00 each and that way you can show the thread cards to clients (order the colors when they are requested) and in the process save $ in the intial start up of your business.

I would also do this with patterns as well (pantos, stencils, templates etc..) do a search on line of the products you are interrested in using in your business...create yourself a "Design Book" of pictures of the techniques and tools used to create the look, or panto used. This way you don't spend $ on stuff that may never get used...however make sure you give yourself enough of a turn around time to allow for shipping of the product and time to practice it once you get it before putting it into the customer's quilt.

Customers like choices, lots of choices since tastes are different from one customer to another I have found that creating a design book I can offer more to the customers without costing me a fortune with up front costs.

Joann

[ramona-quilter]

Dayna,

YLI makes some greaat thread. Their new Variations line is some very nice variegated colors. You can see it at:

http://www.redrockthreads.com/yli-thread/?gclid=CJHZ_YO9no0CFQNQEgodHDLV6Q'>

http://www.redrockthreads.com/yli-thread/?gclid=CJHZ_YO9no0CFQNQEgodHDLV6Q

I love all Superior's thread, from King Tut's long staple cotton, to So Fine Poly and Bottom Line (bobbin only for me). I know quilters who love to use BL for blending on the intense quiting of custom jobs. I get my Superior thread at wholesale pricing from You Can Quilt It

I also like PermaCore. It has a nice foot print, a bit thicker looking than So Fine and comes in a bizillion colors, good price, too. I get mine at

The Quilted Rose

[Mary Beth]

One of my all time favorite threads is Signature, 100% cotton, color - Mother Goose...it is one of the most versitile threads I've seen. It blends very well.

In the beginning I let the customer try to pick the colors...I don't do that now. I usually tell them that I will try the color I think will work best to either hide the quilting or enhance the piecing...either way, they agree and that ends it. Too many times we stood there forever looking at the colors and getting more confussed.

There are so many different threads out there with so many different functions. Like the thicker thread that will kind of lay on the fabric and is really visable - like the cotton or cotton covered poly. Then the Bottom Line or So-Fine and just thinner and create a different look. It really depends on the look you want to achieve.

I would say to start with the basics, white, off white, Mother Goose, and maybe something with color...then as your customers come, order as you need. You will find your selection of thread growing and you will discover what you use the most. The nice thing is - it doesn't take long to recieve an order after you place it.

I order most of my Signature from Kingsman Quilting.

[JudyL]

My recommendation is to see what your clients are going to want before stocking up on 20 or 30 cones of thread. 99.9% of my clients want cotton thread. I do use Bottom Line occasionally on my own quilts if I'm doing a ton of quilting on a quilt I might enter in a show but I rarely use poly thread of any kind on quilts for others. I know from reading on here through the years that many quilters are able to use poly on customers' quilts but it just doesn't work for my customers.

I do like the Superior King Tut but I also like the Signature cotton thread and that's mostly what I use. It costs a good bit less, may or may not produce more lint. My Millennium is now 3 years old, is used a lot, is kept clean and oiled and I have not had a problem with lint buildup.

Good luck!

[Dayna]

Thanks everyone for all the help! I do have alot to learn!! This chat site is wonderful!!

Thanks again!!

[CucumberQuilting]

Call Superior Threads, ask the person who answers the phone what their top selling thread #'s are. Set a $$$ budget for your first order and then buy equal amounts of King Tut, So Fine! and Rainbows, the larger cones in their best repeat selling colors. Buy a few cones of PolyQuilter and Highlights or Nature Colors (they're the same as Rainbows in solids.) Pick out some colors of Bottom Line and buy them in the smaller spools. Because it is so fine, a little goes a long way with that thread and you'll want to experiment as you go along with different combinations.

Have fun, you'll be one of our newest thread junkies in no time!

[CucumberQuilting]

Did we answer your question about YLI.

It's another brand name of machine quilting thread, available at most quilt shops but you'll want to buy wholesale if you intend to quilt for customers.

Aurifil is another good brand. Signature is a brand. Isacord. hmmm. what else, everyone? There's more, I know!

I have kept mostly with Superior Threads and have been quite satisfied with all their different types of theads and good service.

[Dayna]

Yes, thanks! I googled YLI and found out it is thread.

[Pam.Nagle]

Love, love, love Superior. YLI Variations is fantastic for a heavier weight varigated. I just did a bunch of quilts for Shop Hop and used quite a bit of different threads. I just finished Bernina Univeristy and got samples of new YLI cotton covered poly thread, so I'm ready to go. They have some new threads and I'll happily try them all. See you in September Jane!

[annlittle1]

My first year I stuck almost exclusively with Bottom Line. Now that I'm a little braver I've been using a lot of other threads. I love Isacord, however, the best thing about it is that there is a local store that carries it so if I run out, I can go get some. I think I prefer So Fine over Bottom Line now as it shows up a little more. I also like King Tut and love, love, love Rainbows and Highlights. You can't beat Superiors metallics and their mono-poly.

Colorwise, I use a lot of taupe and medium grey. They seem to blend with most colors very well. I almost never use white, but use a lot of cream. Recently, I used an olive green on three quilts in a row. The three quilts had very different color schemes, but it seemed to go very well with all three. I've learned that if you are debating between two shades of the same color, its probably best to go with the darker shade. The lighter shade will probably look like white unless you are stitching on white.

Phyllis