COATS & CLARK-Machine Quilting Thread is made of 100%; extra long staple Egyptian Cotton. Mercerized for luster and strength. Excellent sewability on natural fibers. Size 30. Ideal for piecing and quilting. Available in several colors. Spool contains 350 yards. Imported. ‘ View full post on Threads and Fibers

Cotton covered polyester core thread with subtle gradation for enhanced color depth and interest in machine embroidery and quilting. Beautiful shades. Art 262 is a companion to Art 260. View full post on Threads and Fibers

Quilts made using a sewing machine generally don’t have the same high quality repuation as handmade quilts. But machine quilting can actually make for a quilt which is more visually dramatic than those made by hand. The tension of the stitches enables a person to make more extreme peaks and valleys within the quilting than would be produced when doing it by hand. Plus it is actually a lot quicker to produce a quilt by machine.

The great thing about using a machine to make a quilt is that it is much easier to learn, however it will take some practice before you are producing high quality quilts. The best way to get started is to first do a few test runs on a piece of material before you actually start to stitch your quilt. By doing this it allows you to adjust the tension settings on your machine. You can also ensure that all your stitches are even and do not become puckered, and that there are no loose loops of thread to be seen.

Probably the easiest types of machine stitches to start with are long straight lines. Start at the center of your quilt and then radiate out. Whenever you are using any sort of pattern it is advisable that you start in the center of the quilt and then work towards the outside edge. Also plan the order in which you will be carrying out your stitching and this will then prevent the need for you to keep stopping and starting too many times.

As soon as you are ready to start sewing your quilt you should place it beside your machine and then roll the sides of the quilt in toward the center. Secure these rolls with pins or you may want to try bicycle clips instead. When sewing straight lines on your quilt it is best that you use an even feed walking foot whilst for more elaborate (freehand) stitching it is best if you use a darning foot. Plus you will also need to lower the feed dogs or else you may need to use a throat plate which will then cover the feed dogs.

By keeping these factors in mind you will be able to produce a beautifully finished piece of machine quilting. With practice, you can product quilts that some people may find difficult to recognize as coming from a machine and will instead think it has been produced by hand.

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Machine quilting is becoming more and more popular by the day. Long gone are the days when you would sit down with a quilting frame and manually hand sew it until you are satisfied that it is well designed and will stand the test of time. If you still do use that method then you should really try machine quilting for size. If you do not like it then it is your choice, but you owe it to yourself to try out the technology that may just save you a lot of time and make it more enjoyable as a pastime. Some quilters love machine quilting, especially those that are new to the hobby, but some prefer to stick to the traditional methods of quilting instead. The choice is yours!

Hand-Sewing Vs. Machine Sewing

You have to be creative if you want to create works of art via quilting. There are various patterns that you can follow but it is much more satisfying to come up with your own designs and create a style for yourself. Hand sewn quilts are symbolic of the effort that individuals are prepared to put into their handiwork and if you make your quilts that way then you should be proud of yourself. However, you may well have to wait for weeks and weeks before you can finally add the finishing touches to one quilt. With machine quilting, however, you can easily create beautiful quilts in just a few days. Machine quilting is the in thing at the moment as a direct result of that. A machine can power a needle quite easily through several layers of fabric and gives you the freedom to choose the type of stitching that you want without having to manually learn how to do it!

Machine quilting

can offer some distinct advantages over hand sewn quilts. Firstly, the finished project will look more professional because it is easier to create straighter edges and basic designs with a machine than it is when stitching it by hand. Machine quilting also ensures that the final product is much stronger than a hand sewn quilt could ever be. The machine will actually pull the material tauter than one individual could ever do and thus the stitches are guaranteed to have a strength that only a machine could bring! This is much better for the longevity of the quilt.

Both hand sewn quilt and quilting machines have distinct advantages over the other, but in the technological world that we inhabit, technology wins every time. Unfortunately for old arts, if you cannot do it with a machine then many things would not actually get done at all. Machine quilting makes life so much easier and the results are just as fabulous.

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The choices of thread for machine quilting can be overwhelming, especially for the beginner quilter. We often embrace the mistaken impression that 100 percent cotton or cotton-covered polyester sewing thread is the only thread to be used for our quilting masterpieces. Thread made with synthetic fibers, over time, may cut into cotton fabric, especially where blocks are joined. For this reason, cotton or cotton-covered polyester is often the choice of threads by quilters. However, there are OTHER choices of thread for machine quilting.

So many of our quilts are sewn for the experience of learning a new pattern, trying out our own designs or just for the fun of it. It’s usually our intention that these quilts will be used for our comfort or the comfort of our friends, children, grandchildren or our beloved pets. Our purpose is generally for our quilt to bring happiness to whoever the lucky person is that receives it. I don’t know about you, but I usually stipulate to the receiver to “use their new quilt and enjoy it”. Doesn’t it make you happy to walk into a home where one of your quilts live and see it on the couch, or on the floor in front of the TV instead of being hid away in a hope chest?

It won’t bother you to experiment and take a few risk with threads being used for quilting if you can have the attitude that it doesn’t matter if all of your quilts will not become heirlooms which must last through eternity. If you feel a bit timid about trying other threads for your quilts, I hope the following information will help you muster the courage to experiment and have fun with different choices of threads for machine quilting.

Threads are numbered according to size. The lightest weight thread has the highest number. The number on a spool that is 50/3 is telling you it is three-ply 50 weight thread. A 50/3 sewing thread is finer than a 40/3 quilting thread. In most cases, I prefer a heavier thread because it will show more on my quilt top but that is just a personal preference. When sewing with different threads, you’ll need to try a variety of needles to determine which one works best for your fabric and the thread you’ve chosen. At the end of this article, I’ll give you a Needle Size Chart that will guide you with the size of needle to use for different fabrics.

Your choices of thread for machine quilting also includes your bobbin thread. I have used cottons, rayons, Jean Stitch and acrylics with success. It goes without being said, your choice will depend on the look you want on the back. For instance, if you use the Jean Stitch, it will be more decorative than a cotton because it ’s much heavier. A beautiful way to use the Jean Stitch is to choose an “all over design” for your quilting pattern, such as meandering, turn your quilt “top side down” to quilt and let the bobbin thread show on top.

The monofilament, mylar and metallic thread are a little trickier to work with in the bobbin. Often you will see instructions to adjust that little screw on your bobbin case. BEWARE. These are preset at the factory and you run the risk of having trouble when you try to set them back to the original setting. A better idea is to purchase a second bobbin case and only play with the settings on one of them. I dabbed a spot of red nail polish on the one I play with so I wouldn’t confuse the two. When using the monofilament thread, I experienced trouble with it falling off the spool even though I did all the usual “fixes”. The answer for me was to set the spool in a small baby food jar instead of putting it on my spool holder. Monofilaments are nylon or polyester, available in clear or smoke color and seem to sew better with a 90/14 needle. YLI and Sulky are good brands. Monofilaments will give you an antique or hand-quilted look. If you sew on a dark fabric, the smoke color is best to use because the clear one will look shiny and be more visible.

A great 100% cotton thread to use is Mettler 50/3 wt and YLI 40/3 wt. These brands seem to have less breakage than others which as you know, is key to machine quilting. The Mettler thread is slightly stiffer than the YLI but the YLI has a more decorative look. A 80/12 sharp or 90/14 embroidery needle works well if you’re using a cotton or rayon thread in your bobbin.

Rayon threads are often favorites to use by quilters because of the brilliant colors available. The finished result is silky and decorative because the rayon catches the light and really show itself off. Generally, a 90/14 needle with a cotton bobbin thread works well. Sulky and Maderia are great
brands for rayon threads.

The metallic threads break quite easily. They also shred. The YLI is easier to use, but I think you will also like the Sulky and Madeira metallics. Your best needle size to use for the metallics will be a 90/14 embroidery or 80/12 Metallica. The mylar threads are not as likely to break as the metallics and you’ll probably like the wet and shiny look that the mylars give. The 50 wt cotton threads seem to do better in the bobbin if you use the metallics or mylar. Here again, to help avoid the breakage, put the spool in a baby food jar beside your sewing machine instead of on your machine if you experience a problem. If you sew with the metallics, be mindful not to drop the cuttings onto the floor because they create havoc for vacuum cleaners.

YLI is the only brand that I know of that has the “Jeans Stitch” 30/3 wt thread. As you might guess by the name, it gives a very heavy look. I would think twice before quilting a bed quilt with this because it’s so much heavier than the fabric and will probably cause the fabric to shred. However, it creates a beautiful decorative stitch for wall hangings. The jeans/denim needle is the one to use for the Jeans Stitch because it has a larger eye than the embroidery needle.

For the needle chart check the resource box below.

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By following our step-by-step instructions, you will be able to fulfill the desire to make a quilt and the need to finish it quickly. Machine quilting is fast, enjoyable, and satisfying and the technique gives you the ability to enjoy a work of art-soon.

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