What kind of Thread should I use?

Many of you know I run a very small Etsy Shop. I enjoy it. It’s been fun. I make and sell at the pace that is needed for my time of life right now. It’s all very slow and sporadic, but for my time of life right now, it works great.

Amidst attempting to narrow down a product and find out what I create best, I really want to create an amazing product. I want to use high quality materials and the best techniques. I want my product to be reliable and almost completely flawless.

I’ve started researching and reading about the basics of sewing and quilting all over again in an effort to improve and expand my knowledge.

While I have always stuck to high quality 100% cotton quilting fabric and high quality 100% cotton batting, I will admit that I have not traditionally used the highest quality of thread.

After asking the lady at my local quilt shop and searching a bit online and reading some old quilting books, I came to my conclusion about what kind of thread I should be using for my products. (My products mostly consist of quilts and quilted pillow covers.)

Here’s my short answer: I recommend using high quality 100% cotton thread.

Why high quality?

Cotton thread is made from the fibers of cotton plants. These fibers vary in lengths and the thread is only as strong as the fibers are long. Low quality thread is made using the shorter fibers. High quality thread is made using the longer fibers. When the shorter fibers are used, you have a much higher chance of your thread breaking during sewing or seams breaking after using a quilt for a few years.

Why cotton?

I read up a bit on polyester thread. It’s a man made completely fabricated product that is stronger than cotton. It’s not fibrous and can likely withstand more wear and tear than cotton. It’s a different texture than cotton, though, and may not feel as soft to the touch. I read that some feel this difference in texture is often not noticeable, but in my efforts to have the most cuddly and softest quilts and pillows, I decided to stick to cotton.

Gutermann, Mettler, and Auriful are a few brands to check out if you are on the hunt for some high quality cotton thread.

So tell me, what do you prefer? Cotton or polyester? And, what’s your go-to brand?

(Please note that affiliate links were used in this post.)