~ Thread Tutorial ~

After some time off, I am finally adding the borders to my Coral Singing quilt.

I doing a variation of the pattern I designed, seen here.  I just love these borders.
  

Having already applied the in-between-block borders, I cut my squares for the outer border.

Which bring us to the issue of ... thread.

For years and years I used whatever thread was handy ... and cheap.  Mostly I used threads from the sewing basket I inherited from my mother in the early 80's.  I'm pretty certain that some of the thread in there came from the 50's. 

Retro thread is not nearly as cool as you think.

In 2003 I went to work at The Bernina Connection in Phoenix, AZ.  The very first lesson I learned was that Thread Matters.  I was introduced to Aurifil thread, (seen here on the orange spools) and nearly 10 years later, I am still (possibly) their #1 fan. You see, although Aurifil is 50 wt, like other threads you would quilt with, it is only 2-ply rather than three.  This means that you can't see it in the seams like you do other threads.

I have a kajillion different colors, both solid and varigated because I use it not only for piecing, but for quilting and hand applique.  If I use a heavier thread on the top to quilt with, I still put Aurifil in the bobbin. 
However ... when I am piecing a quilt ... I almost exclusively use this varigated gray which has magical hiding powers.

I use so much of it, I buy it in bulk.  (The $10/spool is a smoking deal because one spool lasts forever ... again the 2-ply characteristic lends itself to more thread on that spool and more thread on your bobbin.)

Make note of this number: 4060.  You are going to want to get yourself some of that.

I pieced. In chains.
I smiled.

I will always be grateful for the opportunity I had to be exposed to every new and wonderful thing in the world of quilting while I worked at BC for seven years before I moved. I have mentioned before that I'm a thrifty girl ... but sometimes thrifty isn't always best.

What's your favorite thread?
What made you smile today?

Linking to:
We did it Wednesday
Wow Us Wednesdays
Allie Makes It!