Alex spoiled me!! I can't look at another ...

In most of my posts, you'll notice I talk about the thread I use.  It's an important factor in quilting.  The right thread makes a huge difference.

The right thread is Aurifil.  Alex Veronelli, the brand Jedi at Aurilfi, has spoiled me!  I can't look at another thread!

Over the weekend, I worked on finishing up Leona's quilt, with Aurifil thread, Cotton Mako 50wt in black.  I spent a few hours.  First, with the diagonal lines through the blocks, with a walking foot, then with feathers in the outer border.  I only had to rethread the machine once, in all those hours, because I ran out of bobbins and had to make some.  No breakage, no replacing needles, no snags, snarls, or issues.  Easy and smooth stitching, stress free.  Normally with free motion quilting, you need to stop and adjust the fabric, to make sure you are going where you need.  Some threads don't like when you stop, and they cause knots or nests on the back of the quilt.  That never happens with Aurifil in my machine.  And, once you know how Aurifil works in your machine, you don't have to test out the tension and needle.  My size 14 quilting needle and tension on 4, with the spool upright, is perfect, no matter the color.  Even with 40wt, which is thicker.  It shows more in the quilting.

So, last night, I wanted to start the Snowflakes quilt.  I wanted to use a metallic thread, and I have spools of Coats and Clark's Embroidery thread, which would give the perfect look for this quilt.

I wound 4 bobbins with Aurifil in dark blue, to match the backing.  I put a topstitch needle in, because metallic thread tends to fray, and the groove allows the thread a "safe" zone as it goes through the fabric, so it won't wear as quickly.  I figured the tension should be closer to 3.5, and threaded the silver in the top.  I sewed about 4 stitches, and realized the tension was still off.  Removed that, started again.  Went about 5 inches and the thread broke.  Rethreaded the top, looked at the bottom of the quilt, and needed to take it all out again.  Adjusted the tension and put the spool vertical.  Sewed about 1 minute, and had to stop again.  Rethread, checked bobbin, etc.  I was able to sew then, for about 10 minutes without an issue.  Then the bobbin ran out.  It wasn't full to begin with, but, I decided that was a sign.  I had enough stress.

Today, I spent 2 hours.  Rethreaded the machine, top and bottom, about 12 times.  Broke 3 needles.  Took out two sections of feathers (the design I'm stitching).  Removed 3 sections of "nests" on the back.  Adjusted the position of the spool and tension again.  Finally got into a groove, and the thread popped out of the guides.  3 times!  I decided after the last time, which would require "rethread the machine count 13" that I needed a break.

I love how the thread looks, when it behaves enough to do what I need it to do.  It's exactly the look I was hoping for.

But Alex, I'm spoiled! Please make a silver metallic thread for me!!  Pretty please??  Only Aurifil will do!

I'm an #Aurigirl for sure!!