The Best Thread for Quilting, by Task

1. Piecing

Piecing thread sits inside the seam allowance, so the goal is a flat seam that doesn't add bulk. Superior Threads recommends "a fine, strong 50 wt. thread for piecing" for that reason, and Aurifil calls its 50wt the ideal piecing weight because it gives flat, non-bulky seams. That matches the default in our thread weights guide.

Cotton is the usual fiber. Superior notes that cotton has more grab than smooth filament polyester, which helps when piecing, and its thread chart recommends cotton for piecing because pieced seams get pressed with a hot iron. Polyester works too: the same chart names a 50wt polyester for quilters who prefer it. For color, pick a neutral close in value to your fabrics. Gray, beige and white cover most quilts.

Needle: an 80/12. Aurifil suggests a Microtex (sharp), Universal or Quilting needle in that size for its 50wt; Superior lists a Topstitch 80/12 for its 50wt cotton; and Mettler gives Nm 70–80 for Silk-Finish Cotton 50.

Going finer is an option for precise piecing: WonderFil lists precision piecing among the uses of its 80wt DecoBob.

2. Machine quilting on a home machine

For quilting, most people want the stitches to show at least a little. Superior calls 40wt, cotton or polyester, "the most common thread type used for quilting" because it's visible and shows the stitch pattern. Aurifil describes its 40wt as giving more stitch definition, and its 50wt as a subtler choice that lets the piecing stand out. So the choice between 40wt and 50wt is mostly about how much you want the quilting to show.

Walking-foot (straight-line) quilting

Straight lines and stitch-in-the-ditch work with the same threads: 40wt to show the lines, 50wt to blend. For stitch-in-the-ditch, where you want the thread to disappear, a very fine thread is an option. WonderFil lists stitch-in-the-ditch among the uses of its 100wt InvisaFil, and Superior lists its MonoPoly monofilament for quilting.

Free-motion quilting

The same 40wt or 50wt threads work for free-motion. For dense fills and micro quilting, finer is common: Aurifil lists dense machine quilting and micro quilting among the uses of its 50wt, and free-motion quilting for its 80wt. Heavier 28wt or 30wt thread is for quilting you want to stand out.

Needle: Superior recommends a Topstitch 90/14 for its 40wt quilting threads (King Tut cotton, OMNI polyester) and a Topstitch 80/12 for its 50wt threads. Aurifil suggests an 80/12 or a 90/14 quilting needle with its 40wt. Superior also notes that shredding usually means the needle is too small for the thread.

3. Longarm quilting

Longarms stitch faster and put more stress on thread than home machines, so YLI stresses strength and low lint. Superior also warns that fine, lightweight piecing threads may not suit high-speed longarm quilting.

YLI calls 40wt the standard weight for quilting, 50wt a blending weight, and 60wt or 100wt nearly invisible. Polyester and cotton are both sold for longarm work. YLI's QuiltMaker is a 40wt core-spun polyester (a filament core wrapped in spun polyester) and its Majestic is a 40wt Egyptian cotton, both aimed at longarmers. Superior's longarm chart lists cotton threads (King Tut, MasterPiece) next to polyester ones (OMNI, So Fine!). Many longarmers lean toward core-spun or filament polyester for strength and low lint, but cotton is a common choice too.

Longarms buy thread on cones. YLI notes that a king-size quilt can take 1,500 to 3,000 yards of top thread.

Needle: longarm needles use their own sizing. For 40wt threads, YLI and Superior both list a #18 (4.0), and Aurifil lists a 3.5 or 4.0. For 50wt, YLI lists a #16 (3.5) and Superior a #16 for MasterPiece. Check your machine maker's chart as well.

Sending a quilt out? Your longarmer will have a thread preference. See our longarm quilter directory and longarm quilting primer.

4. Hand quilting

Hand quilting thread is usually cotton with a glazed (waxed or starched) coating. The coating adds strength, cuts lint, and helps the thread slide through the layers without knotting. YLI's Hand Quilting Thread is a 40wt glazed cotton, and YLI says 40wt cotton is the usual pick for hand quilting. Gütermann's hand quilting thread is also a waxed, mercerized cotton.

One firm rule: keep glazed thread out of your sewing machine. Superior says the coating can rub off in the tension discs and build up in the thread path, and both YLI and Gütermann label their hand quilting threads for hand use only.

Cotton isn't required. YLI says there's no rule that hand quilting thread must be cotton; many quilters just prefer its matte look. Cut lengths of about 18 to 24 inches to limit tangling, as YLI suggests. Hand quilters commonly use short needles called "betweens"; the size is a matter of preference.

5. Big-stitch quilting

Big-stitch quilting uses long, bold hand stitches that are meant to be seen, so the thread is much heavier. Aurifil calls its 12wt cotton the "go-to for big stitch hand quilting," and WonderFil lists hand quilting among the uses of its 12wt Spagetti cotton. Perle cotton, usually #8 and sometimes the heavier #5, is the other common choice. Contrasting colors are normal here, since the stitches are part of the design.

Needle: you need an eye big enough for the thread to pass without fraying. WonderFil suggests a #7 embroidery needle for hand stitching with Spagetti. For perle cotton, see our hand embroidery thread guide.

6. Machine appliqué, including invisible

For a visible edge stitch (satin, zigzag or blanket stitch), use a fine cotton or polyester that matches the appliqué piece. Aurifil lists machine appliqué for its 50wt and 80wt, and Superior's home machine guide lists appliqué for MasterPiece (50wt cotton) and Bottom Line (60wt polyester). For a decorative edge you want people to notice, Superior's thread chart lists heavier threads such as King Tut 40wt and So Fine! #30. With 80wt, Aurifil recommends a 70/10 or 80/12 Microtex or embroidery needle.

Invisible appliqué

For stitches you don't want to see, there are two options:

• Monofilament. A single clear or smoke filament. Superior says polyester is "highly preferred" over nylon, and lists its MonoPoly polyester monofilament for appliqué, invisible appliqué and quilting, with a Microtex 60/8 needle for appliqué.
• Very fine polyester. A 100wt thread in a matching color, such as WonderFil InvisaFil (with a 60/8 to 80/12 Microtex) or Superior MicroQuilter. It isn't clear, but it's so fine it sinks into the fabric.

Pair either one with a narrow zigzag or blind-hem stitch and a fine bobbin thread. Superior suggests Bottom Line or MicroQuilter in the bobbin under MonoPoly.

7. Binding

We didn't find thread-maker guidance aimed at binding, so this is common practice rather than a published spec. Binding is usually machine-stitched to the front, then finished by hand or machine on the back. For the machine seam, most quilters use their piecing thread (50wt, 80/12 needle) in a color matching the binding. For hand-finishing, use a fine thread matched to the binding, as you would for hand appliqué. To hide machine-finishing stitches, a fine or invisible thread (section 6) works.

8. Bobbin thread

There are two common approaches, and both are fine:

• Use the same thread as the top. Superior says machines are preset for even stitches with a 50 or 60wt thread, and that identical top and bobbin threads may need no tension change. Its thread chart lists "same as top thread" as the first bobbin option for quilting with cotton or polyester on top.
• Use a finer bobbin thread. A fine polyester lets more thread fit on the bobbin and keeps the back smooth. Superior lists Bottom Line (60wt) and So Fine! #50 as quilting bobbin threads, WonderFil calls its 80wt DecoBob an ideal bobbin thread, and YLI pairs its 40wt longarm thread with 60wt polyester prewound bobbins.

Prewound bobbins are an option too. Superior says they hold 20–50% more thread than home-wound bobbins and that using them does not void machine warranties.

9. Summary table

Starting points, not rules. Labels vary between brands (a 50wt from one maker can be heavier than a 50wt from another), so test on a practice sandwich first. Needle sizes are for home machines unless noted.

For a fuller needle breakdown, see the thread and needle chart.

10. Cotton vs. polyester

Both are good quilting threads. Superior's view is that quality matters more than fiber: a machine should run any high-quality thread with the right needle and tension. The real differences:

• Cotton has a matte look and some grab, which helps seams hold while piecing. It takes high ironing heat, which is why Superior recommends it for piecing. Lint depends on staple length and processing: gassed (also called silk-finish) cotton is smoother and throws less lint.
• Core-spun polyester (a filament core wrapped in spun fibers) is strong, looks similar to cotton, and reduces puckering, with low to moderate lint, according to Superior.
• Filament polyester is smooth, stretches and recovers, and has no lint. Superior notes that the finer ones may need tension adjustments.
• Spun polyester is the budget option. Superior rates it weaker than core-spun or filament polyester, with more lint.

You may hear that polyester thread will cut cotton fabric. Superior calls this "absolutely not true." Whether thread wears into fabric depends on the relative strength of the thread and the fabric, not on the fiber, and a glazed cotton can be stronger and more abrasive than polyester. Our thread myths guide covers this in detail.

11. Brand examples by task

Examples of threads made for each job, not rankings. Each brand page lists the full line.

• Piecing: Aurifil Cotton 50wt; Superior Threads MasterPiece (cotton) or So Fine! #50 (polyester); Mettler Silk-Finish Cotton 50; Gütermann Cotton C Ne 50; YLI Perfection (50wt polyester).
• Home machine quilting: Superior King Tut (40wt cotton) and OMNI (40wt core-spun polyester); Aurifil Cotton 40wt; WonderFil Master Quilter (40wt polyester).
• Longarm quilting: YLI QuiltMaker (40wt polyester) and Majestic (40wt cotton); Superior OMNI; Fil-Tec Glide (40wt polyester); WonderFil Master Quilter.
• Hand quilting: YLI Hand Quilting Thread (40wt glazed cotton); Gütermann's hand quilting thread; Coats & Clark Dual Duty Plus Hand Quilting.
• Big-stitch: Aurifil Cotton 12wt; WonderFil Spagetti (12wt cotton); perle cotton from DMC, Presencia or Valdani.
• Appliqué: Aurifil Cotton 80wt; Superior Bottom Line (60wt polyester); for invisible work, Superior MonoPoly or WonderFil InvisaFil (100wt).
• Bobbin: Superior Bottom Line; WonderFil DecoBob (80wt); or the same thread as your top.

FAQ

Related guides

• Thread Weights Explained — what wt, Tex and 50/3 mean on a label.
• Thread and Needle Chart — matching needle size to thread weight.
• Thread Myths — common beliefs about thread, checked against the facts.
• Hand Embroidery Thread Guide — floss, perle, sashiko, hand quilting, wool and silk threads, and the needle for each.
• Thread brands on QuiltMap — every thread maker in our directory.

Sources

1. Superior Threads, "Troubleshooting Reference Guide": superiorthreads.com/education/troubleshooting-guide
2. Superior Threads, "Tension Guide": superiorthreads.com/education/tension-guide
3. Superior Threads, "Quilting Myths": superiorthreads.com/education/quilting-myths
4. Superior Threads, "Thread Characteristics": superiorthreads.com/education/thread-characteristics
5. Superior Threads, "Home Machine Thread Reference Guide" (PDF, August 2018): home-machine-thread-reference-guide.pdf
6. Superior Threads, "Longarm Machine Thread Reference Guide" (PDF, August 2018): longarm-machine-thread-reference-guide.pdf
7. Superior Threads, "Thread Selection Chart" (PDF, 10/2016): thread-selection-guide.pdf
8. Aurifil, Thread FAQ: aurifil.com/aurifil-thread-faq
9. Aurifil, Cotton 50wt: aurifil.com/aurifil-products/aurifil-cotton-50wt
10. Aurifil, Cotton 40wt: aurifil.com/aurifil-products/aurifil-cotton-40wt
11. Aurifil, Cotton 80wt: aurifil.com/aurifil-products/aurifil-cotton-80wt
12. Aurifil, Cotton 12wt: aurifil.com/aurifil-products/aurifil-cotton-12wt
13. Amann Mettler, Silk-Finish Cotton 50: amann-mettler.com/en/products/detail/silk-finish-cotton-50/
14. Gütermann creativ, Hand Quilting Thread: consumer.guetermann.com/en/products/quilting/
15. YLI Threads, "Longarm Quilting Thread": ylithreads.com/pages/longarm-quilting-thread
16. YLI Threads, Hand Quilting Thread: ylithreads.com/collections/hand-quilting-thread
17. WonderFil, DecoBob: wonderfil.ca/decobob
18. WonderFil, InvisaFil: wonderfil.ca/invisafil
19. WonderFil, Spagetti: wonderfil.ca/spagetti
20. WonderFil, Master Quilter: wonderfil.ca/masterquilter