How much thread should I buy?

I am thinking ahead on my blue and yellow log cabin which is 120 in. X

120 in. I plan to mq it by outlining the appliques and using a McTavishing technique in the open spaces- but a larger more open quilting pattern than shown in the book to save time and effort. I will buy the thread when I go to Springfield- 120 miles one way. Now. If I buy too little thread I'm in big trouble. I like to piece and applique with 100% cotton thread and I want to quilt this with a finer thread so buying excess will mean it won't get used up at a future time. I am inclined to buy 8 to 10 spools to use for both the bobbin and top threads... is that reasonable or overkill? I have absolutely no idea how much I may need. (I know the amount of yardage in each spool will make a big difference, too, so I guess I need advice on how many yards I might need rather than how many spools.) Any advice from my quilty friends? Got any wild guesses??? The pic of the top is at-

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Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

Reply to
Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.
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I generally purchase lots and lots of thread, and have never regretted it a bit! 100% cotton is the only thread I use with quilting (and mending), and the particular brand I like best isn't always available, so when I find it I get at least 10 spools of white and the same in black, plus 5 or 6 in ecru. I do a fair amount of whole cloth quilting, too, and usually use a brightly colored thread for the stitching as well as for attaching all the colored sashing for window-pane construction and edging, and have found that 5 to 6 spools will do for one twin-sized quilt if the sashing and quilting are to be the same color. For one color of stitching and another color in sashing, I find I use between 2 and 3 spools of each color. These numbers do not allow for sashing on the back, and I use white sashing and thread for backs. Having plenty of thread on hand makes me happy, and I suppose it's similar to having a nice fat stash of fabrics on hand. My grandmother said she felt really rich with a full button box, and I understand what she meant!

Leslie & The Furbabies > I am thinking ahead on my blue and yellow log cabin which is 120 in. X

Reply to
Mary

Wow, nice top! I'm really impressed that you are actually planning on the number of spools you'll need. I'm not that organized. I just go with the flow and pull my hair out if I run out. Then again, the LQS is only 20 miles away for me. I wonder if anyone has a formula.

By finer, what do you mean? Are you talking a 60wt thread, which is considered an embroidery thread?

I use Metler silk finish 50 wt, my favorite. I usually average 2-3 large spools per queen size, depending on how much quilting. Geezz, I hope that's right. I usually have a few spools of the colors I tend to use most often like off white etc. A large spool has 547 yards.

Good luck. Looking forward to reading what others have to say.

Reply to
Ceridwen

Leslie - if you were to buy your thread on a cone - approx. 1200 yds - and buy 2 (one for the top and one for bobbins) then I think you would probably have enough to do your entire quilt. You would definitely spend less on thread than if you were to buy lots of smaller spools.......

Good quality, 60 wt. cotton thread, in nice colors, should be available on cones. There are many brands out there for longarmers..........you should be able to find some.

Laurie G. in CA (beautiful quilt, btw!)

Reply to
Laurie G.

lots?

Reply to
Sharon Harper

"My secret to beautiful McTavishing is to show off the texture of the quilting, not the path. To create the illusion of intertwined harmonious lines, we have to hide our thread path with a very thin thread. I really enjoy using The Bottom Line by Superior Threads. I also use this thread in needle turn applique because it's similar to silk thread. The thread was originally intended as a bobbin thread only, but the majority of quilters find it an excellent top thread as well"

If Karen McTavish endorses it, then it's good enough for me..... unless someone here has had any issues with it? I can order that thread online instead of buying it in Springfield, but I still have the same problem. How much do I order??? Argh!

Leslie & The C> Wow, nice top! I'm really impressed that you are actually planning on the

Reply to
Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

See my previous post.......if it comes on cones, buy 2 - one for the top thread and one for the bobbins and you will have plenty.......

Laurie G. in CA

Reply to
Laurie G.

The answer is take a guess and double it. Excess thread will always get used.

BTW - Bottom Line is not (IMHO) comparable to silk. Nothing is! But it is very nice for applique, and was designed as a bobbin thread for embroidery, and is a nice smooth fine thread for piecing lighter fabrics (also fine for med and heavy, but very good for lighter). If you buy "too much" it will not be wasted.

Reply to
CATS

Bottom Line spools have 1,420 yards of thread on them. I'd buy 4, but that's me......

Reply to
Lisa Caryl

Leslie, if you order directly from Superior Threads, ask them how much you'll need. They are very nice people. Gen

Reply to
Don/Gen

this is polyester thread. eeeeeeeeeek, oops, sorry, i need lunch now i think, lol. cheers, jeanne

Reply to
nzlstar*

The Bottom Line is a sweet thread. A lint-free polyester 60wt.thread, one spool has 1,420 yds. I use it as bobbin thread on embroidery. It's amazing how much thread fits on a bobbin. I haven't tried it for anything else. Looking forward to reading how you find working with the thread. It does come in a variety of sweet colors.

Reply to
C & S

Leslie, I'd go cones for a couple of reasons... one.... it's cheaper ... two... you don't have to worry about different dye lots. I'm not good at estimating how much you'll need. I just always figure I can use it. I also like masterpiece for mccollinsing for the cotton snob within ;-) Both can now be found at

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She just got them back in and had them on sale last I checked. Good luck! And I LOVE that quilt!!

Jan RCTQ Coffee Diva

Reply to
coffeeediva

Gorgeous top! Oh, and buy a whole ton of thread. You can never have too much thread, after all. It's like fabric...

(Just call me Mrs Thread Maniac)

Reply to
Kate XXXXXX

and forgot to add the blooming cabins are real pretty. a job well done. :) cheers, jeanne

Reply to
nzlstar*

Okay Jan, now do I use the gold color or the blue??? (screaming and tearing my hair out by now.....)

Leslie & The Furbabies > Leslie, I'd go cones for a couple of reasons... one.... it's cheaper

Reply to
Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

I'd go yellow/beige.... my screen colors vary depending on lighting ;-) When the thread is that thin, it tends to go ahead and blend or pick up the colors around it when you use the lighter colors.... or... you can really drive your self crazy and use both There really isn't a wrong answer when the quilt is that pretty Now don't go pulling your hair out. I am offering a front door/stairs luge event for anyone that is on your nerves ;-)

Jan RCTQ Coffee Diva

Reply to
coffeeediva

Wow, I didn't know you could buy bottom line thread by the cone. Thanks

Reply to
C & S

This is just going to depend on how heavily it's quilted! All I can tell you is that I used nearly all of a 540-yard spool quilting something a bit larger than a double, and that was just for the bobbin. (Used invisible on top.) Also a sort of McTavishing design. And however many spools you buy, better get a couple extra. Seems like the price of gas and annoyance of driving would cost you more than the price of a couple extra spools. Roberta in D

"Leslie & The Furbabies in MO." schrieb im Newsbeitrag news: snipped-for-privacy@q2g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

Reply to
Roberta Zollner

Roberta-

You helped me- thanks! I doubled what you used in the bobbin to get the entire amount for top and bottom- about 1,000 yards, then doubled that for a king-sized quilt. That came to 2,000, so I ordered a 3,000 yard cone of The Bottom Line in the gold color. I hope that does it, but I can always order more if I need it. If Murphy's Law holds true then I'll be about 50 yards short and have to buy another 3,000 yards to finish the quilting! LOL

Leslie & The Furbabies > This is just going to depend on how heavily it's quilted! All I can tell you

Reply to
Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

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