Machine Quilting Thread

Machine quilting has grown rapidly in the last 10 to 20 years. Higher quality threads have been needed to endure the stress from being used in high-speed home machines and longarm machines. Superior Threads specializes in machine quilting thread, and we guarantee every spool we sell.

Cotton
The cotton machine quilting thread we produce is certified Egyptian-grown cotton. Much of the cotton thread you see is starting to display the phrase Egyptian cotton. Surprisingly, most of this cotton machine quilting thread is not actually from Egypt. Cotton machine quilting thread by Superior Threads is actually grown in Egypt. We use the highest grade of extra-long staple cotton. The processing of our cotton machine quilting thread is done in Japan. Japan is known for its high levels of quality in thread manufacturing. Each step of production including carding, combing, spinning, twisting, dyeing, and winding is done in accordance to our strict specifications. Our King Tut thread is the finest cotton machine quilting thread you will find.

Polyester
Many rumors exist in the thread industry, such as the false belief that polyester machine quilting threads will cut your fabric. Even t-shirts that are 100% cotton are stitched together with polyester thread. Polyester thread is a great choice for machine quilting thread. Polyester machine quilting thread can be produced in a way to resemble cotton or silk. Polyester machine quilting thread is iron-safe up to medium heat, has a melting temperature of 460 degrees and is colorfast under most circumstances.

1. Trilobal polyester is a multi-filament twisted, high-sheen continuous fiber machine quilting thread. It often resembles silk or rayon because of its bright appearance. Trilobal polyester gives an attractive sparkle to textiles because its fibers reflect more light than other threads. Trilobal polyester is usually not as strong as regular multi-filament polyester thread, so you must choose between strength and high sheen. The following items are Trilobal polyester threads by Superior Threads: Rainbows, Highlights, Nature Colors, Super Brights, Art Studio Colors, and Living Colors.
2. Multi-filament polyester thread is the largest category of polyester, and also the strongest. Multi-filament polyester thread is a continuous fiber machine quilting thread. Multi-filament strands are twisted together to form a smooth, lint-free thread. Superior Threads’ The Bottom Line, So Fine, Brytes, and LAVA thread are multi-filament polyesters.
3. Spun polyester threads are made by spinning or twisting together shorter lengths of polyester fibers. This is comparable to the way cotton threads are made. The fibers are then twisted together to make a thread of the desired size. Spun polyester machine quilting thread looks similar to cotton thread but provides greater strength and durability. Superior Threads’ Poly Quilter is spun polyester.

Rayon
We do not recommend rayon as a machine quilting thread, because it is usually not colorfast and is a weaker fiber.

Nylon
We also don’t recommend nylon as a machine quilting thread. Nylon isn’t colorfast, has low heat tolerance, and can go brittle over time. If you use monofilament or invisible thread, make sure you choose a polyester thread such as MonoPoly.

Silk
Silk is a great natural fiber for machine quilting, but it is more expensive than other thread types. Our silk thread is called Kimono Silk.

Machine Quilting Thread Recommendations