Soft, matte, and beautifully made — in every weight your projects need.
Cotona Cotton Thread
Made from 100% long-staple Egyptian cotton and double-mercerized for extra strength, softness, and a subtle sheen — Cotona gives your quilts a timeless, natural finish with smooth, reliable stitching.
Shop Cotona
Which Cotona is Right for You?
Cotona 30
Stands out for topstitching, decorative quilting, and stitch drawing where you want the line to show.
Cotona 50
The everyday choice — perfect for piecing, machine quilting, and heirloom sewing. Start here if unsure.
Cotona 80
A lightweight thread for appliqué, fine detail, and English paper piecing where you want stitches to disappear.
Cotona Assortment Cases
PATCHWORK & QUILTING
Cotona
"The Cotona No.30 cotton thread is perfect for my quilting. The slightly heavier thread works beautifully in my machine and creates a strong line that enables me to draw with stitch just as I do with a pen in my sketchbook. And when I want to combine machine stitch with hand quilting, I find the same thread works just perfectly for that too."
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Cotona thread?
Cotona is Madeira’s premium cotton thread, made from 100% long-staple Egyptian cotton and double-mercerized for strength, softness, and a slight sheen. Its natural matte finish blends beautifully into cotton fabrics, with high tensile strength and low lint for smooth, clean stitching.
Features & benefits
- 100% mercerized Egyptian cotton — strong, with minimal lint for smooth sewing.
- Soft matte finish — gives a natural look to quilting lines and seams.
- Low lint — keeps your machine cleaner, ideal for long sessions.
- Colorfast & heat-resistant — durable through pressing and laundering.
- Precision-wound spools — even tension and minimal breakage.
Specifications
- Fiber: 100% long-staple Egyptian cotton, mercerized
- Weights: 30, 50 & 80 wt (varies by product)
- Finish: Matte
- Spool sizes: 200 m, 500 m, and 1000 m
- Recommended needles: Universal 80/12 or Quilting 75/11
- Machine compatibility: Domestic, longarm, and midarm
What is Cotona best used for?
- Piecing & construction — precise seams with a strong hold
- Machine quilting — low-lint thread glides through dense layers
- Topstitching & outlining — subtle contrast with a matte effect
- Hand sewing & heirloom work — natural fiber that ages beautifully
Tips for sewing with Cotona
- Use a Universal or Quilting needle in size 75/11 or 80/12.
- Reduce top tension slightly when quilting densely layered quilts.
- Pair with a cotton or fine polyester bobbin thread for balance.
- Clean the bobbin area occasionally during long sessions to clear cotton lint.
Shipping & returns
- Continental US flat rates: $5.95 (orders under $34.99), $12.95 (under $64.99), FREE over $64.99.
- Shipping, taxes, and discount codes are calculated at checkout.
- See our Refund Policy and Shipping Policy for returns.
Have Questions?
We're Here To Help
Unsure which thread is right for your project or need expert advice, don't hesitate to reach out.
Email us anytime or start a live chat — our team of sewing and quilting specialists is ready to assist.