frannella

Hi--Thanks for posting the results of your own experiences with invisible thread. Have you been using nylon or polyester thread and is there anything in your years of experience with invisible thread to suggest you SHOULDN'T use it in a baby quilt? Also, do you think it's better to use "clear" thread or the "smoke" thread with a really mixed bag of color and print changes ranging from white to medium to dark and from solids to prints?

I am making a complicated baby quilt design that calls for grid-quilting straight through the design elements in the block (8-pointed stars with appliqued flower petals and centers on a white background). I would have to change threads every 1-4 inches across the length and width of a single grid line about 150 times to quilt the top in cotton threads or else stop the grid quilting every 6 inches in order to skip the design elements in each block before resuming the grid line stiching and then go back to finish the missing grid quilting in matching color threads (many fewer thread changes but still a total pain). Either route would try the patience of job. There are a couple of other routes I can come up with to avoid stitching through the stars and flowers, but invisible thread is an attractive solution.

I have the time and am possibly stubborn and disciplined enough to pull off various cotton-thread alternatives routes, but if invisible threads work well and pose no risks to my godson, I think invisible thread would be the neater, better-looking option (and SO much easier). There're too many different colors (in light, medium, dark values) and patterns (solids, small and larger scale prints) in the stars and the flower petals & centers) to pick a single 'neutral' thread that wouldn't detract from the stars and flowers. Like you, I am totally persuaded by Harriet's stamp of approval of invisible thread and am only hesitating because I am making a baby quilt.

Thank you again.