Rhodylady,
I'm so sorry about your thread. On our way out to dinner, the UPS truck was on its way in. My thread was on my doorstep when we got home. I'm opening it now. I'm really glad that I ordered a spool of each. I couldn't tell if Raphael was also a black so I ordered a spool of it along with the Raven. Raven is what I want, but I'm sure I can use the other some other time.
Frances

I'm still waiting on my thread.
It was weather delayed on the 5th in Utah.
It was weather delayed on the 6th in Utah.
It's now in Portland - but I live by Olympia - and the interstate freeway between Portland and Olympia is closed because of flooding here in western Washington!
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

Waiting, waiting, waiting. My thread that I ordered is on the truck for delivery today. UPS usually comes in the early evening so maybe on Saturday I can start my block. Tomorrow is quilt bee so I'll bee buzzy. I'd also like to dye my fabric tomorrow since it will be nice weather tomorrow. I'm still doing tests to make sure I get the colors right.
Frances in sunny Austin

I'm taking a workshop this weekend that is paper piecing and I bought some Masterpiece to use. I really like it. I also had to order some to do my BOM and am waiting for it to show up.
Frances in Austin where it was in the 80s yesterday and supposed to be cold today or tomorrow

Rhodylady, once you have sewn with Masterpiece, you won't want to sew with anything else! King Tut is great for quilting, not for sewing!

Maggie in E. Central Illinois

I bit the bullet and ordered a huge Masterpiece spool from the SuperiorThreads website. Gulp. The shipping is a bit much, but I figure I don't have to pay sales tax - nor drive all over trying to find it.

Thank you all for your advice!

Yep, a 50 is thinner than a 40. Tut looks great in quilting, esp. the variegated, if you're looking for a cotton thread.

Yes, King Tut is thicker than Masterpiece. It's beautiful thread, but I wouldn't use it for piecing, only quilting (good for hand or machine). Masterpiece is wonderful for piecing, I never use anything else now, but it's also good for machine quilting, particularly batiks.

The instructions for the 2009 BOM recommend using Masterpiece thread by Superior Threads. Their website says that the thread is:

Nature's finest thread. #50/2 extra-long staple Egyptian cotton...

Superior Threads also sells King Tut, which I've used and liked in the past. King Tut is:

Nature's finest thread. Low-lint #40/3 extra-long staple Egyptian cotton...

Can someone help me with the numbers (50/2 and the 40/3).

I guess 50/2 means 50 weight, 2 ply.

So is King Tut at 40/3 thicker?