Blending isn't always the goal. I think it's valuable, however, to post about what the various variegated threads do so that you can get what YOU are looking for. I have been disappointed in the past with variegates that don't have enough punch. I want to SEE THE QUILTING especially if it's a busy background fabric. Other times, of course, I'm just quilting to keep the sandwich together - I want the thread to blend into the background.