Most people will tell you to only use 100% cotton thread to to FM quilting, but I think it's really what you discover works best for you. It does help a lot to have the same thread in the top & bobbin instead of a mixture.

Monofilament thread is exactly like fishing line only much, much thinner. I've used it a little bit, but I'm not crazy about it. It's hard to work with because it's slippery and you can't see it, plus it can be dangerous to pets if they get a hold of it and swallow it, and believe me, if my cats can get their paws on it, they'll eat it!

Donna

One of the quilting stores I went to had a quilt FMQ'd with monofilament in the bobbin and a variegated thread in the top--the ladies there were raving about it but I'm too much of a novice to notice the difference (plus I didn't have my reading glasses w/me and couldn't really see the stitching too well!)

Guess that experimenting is the best way to find out what works best. I just don't want to spend a bunch of money on thread that I don't really like to use.

Ther are lots of differences in different brands of monofilament thread. I have tried some that are horrible but the one I use now is not bad. It's still hard to see but sews fine. Unfortunately it may be hard to find and may be expensive. I got this big cone affair at a rummage sale for .25. I think it is for long arm quilting and had thousands of yards in it. It says Shakespeare Wonder Thread on it. Twice now I have had it sitting behind my machine and my cat went between the two and got wound up in the thread , got scared and ran all over,pulling the thread after. He wasn't hurt but it was a mess trying to clean it all up and wasted hundreds of yards of thread.
I usually use regular cotton thread in the bobbin, one that matches the backing. I also think some machines work better than others with this thread and probably some needles work better.
I am not really wild about the looks of a quilt quilted with monofilament thread and if I pay to have it quilted I won't let them use it.
Pat

I have used Sulky monofilament thread on the top and Sulky varigated cotton on the bobbin and it worked great. It is a little bit expensive compared to others but you can usually get it on sale at Joanne's. I like it because if you have different colors in the top it blends in well.

Bonnie

They say to loosen top tension a bit when using monofiliment. I will do that next time. Mine is so hard to see I usually go with Sulky. I don't use poly. Coats and Clarks machine quilting thread is good, too. It comes on a cardboard center and has a big core hole but I have a fix for that.
Linda

Pat, be careful with your kitty! They can't digest the mono. thread and if they swallow it it will cut up their insides.

Donna

I have used regular sewing thread, machine quilting thread, monofiliment thread, and Superior Bottom Line thread for machine quilting...depending on what effect I was going for.

The last quilt I FMQ, I used the Superior Bottom Line (60 wt. thread) in both the top and bobbin. I liked the way it turned out because the thread is so thin that you can't see the thread, only the quilting design. That covers a LOT of mistakes! ;-)

Here's a picture of that quilt with the SBL thread:

From the front:

And a REAL close up of the back...you can see how you can't see the stitches at all!

If I want the thread to show up, then I use either regular thread or machine quilting thread.

Here's a picture of one that I did using a walking foot and a decorative stitch with varigated machine quilting thread...totally different effect:

Decide what look you are going for and then make your decision about what kind of thread to use...one is thicker and will show? Or one that is thinner or transparent and will not show?