thread color for quilting
 

I'm ready to quilt the top that my greatgrandmother made (and I finished) but I'm stuck on the color of thread.
The Lemoyne Stars are red and blue on a cream background. The back is also cream. I'm thinking I will just SID as I don't want to take away from the stars. My question is what color thread to use. I'd like to keep it true to the era that she made it - 1930 but there is no way I have the talent to hand quilt it. Should I use cream and just outline the stars, use cream and SID between the "blades" or use cream in the bobbin and red and blue in the needle and SID between the blades of the stars. The blocks are about 4 inches wide which will be quite a bit of space if I don't SID between. I need your help!

I would use cream thoughout with whatever you decide to quilt.
good luck and enjoy the process

I would also use cream and outline the stars and also line them inside. As in a seam on each side of the ditch. JMO

I have seen few quilts made in the 30's that used colored thread. White or off white was about the only thread available for quilting.

I would also use cream. I am looking forward to seeing a picture of the the finished quilt.

I would also use the cream--on the top and the bottom. That way the colored threads won't show through on the bottom if your tension is not perfect.

I agree cream. I use that color a lot!

I think if you want the stars to be accented, outline stitch on either side of the seam - I use natural thread for just about everything i do - even w/ white fabrics. But, consider a light gray thread. It softens the look a bit and looks fine on cream color fabric - you actually wont be able to tell that its gray if it is light enough. Someone else all they use is light grey.

I agree with the cream or off white for both bobbn and top thread.

I would stick 1/4 each side of the seams on all of the star points, using cream. Maybe some simple motif in the squares in between the stars. And women have been machine quilting and piecing for as long as sewing machines have existed, so don't feel that you are not being authentic if you don't hand quilt it. Hand quilt if you want, machine quilt if you want. Quilters have been doing it that way for well over one hundred years.