I know this has gone around a time or two, but the weirdest thing happened to me today. I have been using the Connecting Threads 100% egyptian cotton thread for quilting. Sewing the top together has been fine, but off and on I have had the problem of the thread breaking on top thread.

But today, it got worse. While FMQ'ing (meandering) the top thread looked fine, but the bottom thread...good grief it was so bunched up and looked like hair that was pulled out of a hair brush! It was terrible! I couldn't get it to do right and then remembbered about the cotton.. and machines not liking some threads. So I put in DD Cotton/Poly on the top and 100% cotton on the bottom. Still no good. I put DD Cotton/Poly top and bottom and it worked fine.

Question: I know machines can "choose" their own threads, but why is the 100% working for sewing the blocks etc together, but not the FMQ'ing?

I also, cleaned the bobbin cage area (which I regularly do) and it was literally loaded with fluff and fuzz....all from the 100% cotton thread. Why? Is cotton that loose and fuzz-proned? As I understand cottn/poly, the poly is for strength, the cotton covered is for smoothness...am I wrong? I just was amazed that there was so much fuzz in the bobbin cage area.

And...diff thread in top and bobbin? Good or bad? Okay as long as it works? I am coming up on having to restock my thread and want these problems to stop...I don't see CT has cotton covered poly. I want a thread that will work for assembly and for FMQ'ing. I know about the weight of the thread...higher number, stronger thread...but that doesn't seem to matter as CT 100% is a high number.

Can anyone help me?