I have been using the same thread in my bobbin and on top with my longarm so that any tension issues didn't show. It hides any pokies or at least makes them not noticable. I don't have bad tension problems, it just seems that I cannot completely get the pokies to disappear. They come and go depending on which direction I am quilting. Anyways, I would like to use some varigated thread on one of my quilts and don't know how to do that without going crazy trying to adjust the tension. Any suggestions?