Aurifil Thread – A Review of Aurifil Quilting Thread Why It’s The Quilter’s Choice
I recently realized that I have talked a lot about using Aurifil thread but never had said WHY I use it or why numerous other quilters use it. Choosing thread for your quilt is a pretty big deal. The right thread when piecing and when quilting can affect the longevity of your quilt and the overall looks of your quilt. You’ve spent a lot of money on the fabric, a lot of time cutting the fabric, and you are going to spend a good bit of time sewing the fabric back together, you want a good quality thread and Aurifil is a great quilty thread.
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Now a little housekeeping before we get started with my review of Aurifil. I’m in no way being compensated by Aurifil for this post. Links for purchasing Aurifil thread are affiliate links from other companies. I also want to dispel any myths about the thread choice, so please take a moment to read the FAQs that Superior Threads has put together. I have nothing against poly thread, blended threads, or any of the other high-quality threads on the market today. They have their place but that’s not what we are covering today, maybe in a future article.
Aurifil Thread
Aurifil thread is made in Milan, Italy. I always joke that that’s why my vintage Italian-made Necchi sewing machines love it. Aurifil uses Eygptian cotton which is a longer fiber which makes it a higher quality end product. Cotton is similar to coffee beans, depending on where the coffee is grown gives the coffee different characteristics. The same can be said about cotton. If you would like to know more about the manufacturing process for Aurifil they have a great FAQ page.
Why Do You Use Cotton Thread?
I like it. Cotton thread wasn’t what was traditionally used in my home growing up both my mom and grandma used a poly-wrapped or straight poly thread to sew. I switched to cotton thread because I liked how it worked in my sewing machine and it isn’t as linty. Lint means I have to clean my machine more often and that’s time I can’t be sewing. Cotton thread is also thinner meaning it doesn’t take as much room in the seam making quilt blocks lay flatter.
What Does Thread Weight Mean?
Thread weight just means how thick the thread is coming off of the spool. I piece with 50 weight thread though some quilters prefer 40 weight. There isn’t much difference between those two weights. The smaller the number the thicker the thread and the higher the number the thinner the thread. 12 weight is what you see in the big-stitch hand quilting movement right now and 100 weight is almost invisible when you quilt with it.
Why Aurifil Thread?
One of the reasons I like Aurifil thread is the ease of getting it. Many locally-owned quilt shops carry it and Aurifil has a map with the dealers listed. It is also available from several online retailers so I can find any color I want. Sewing Machine Plus carries single spools so if I’m picking up bobbins or other sewing machine parts I can toss in a spool or two to get free shipping. The Fat Quarter Shop has kits of thread. These are curated by quilters for quilters and they are a great way to build your thread stash. The Fat Quarter Shop even has a thread club so you can get new thread sent to you every month. Even Amazon carries it.
I also love all the colors I can get. It means I can match thread with my fabric or even contrast the thread with my fabric for quilting. The rainbow of colors available also looks very pretty displayed on my thread holder making a bright spot in my quilting room.
The last reason I love Aurifil thread is the quality of the thread. I haven’t found another thread on the market like it and I’ve used a lot of different threads. It doesn’t lint the bobbin area of my machine, it comes off the spool smoothly, and it helps to produce flat quilt blocks. Aurifil thread does go through a finishing process but I haven’t run into any issues with it and my machine.
