Applique thread color
 

I'm making a woodland animal theme baby quilt and need suggestions for thread color. Should I use the same color thread as the animal, flower, etc. or should I appliqie everything in brown. I'd like everything to "pop" and that is why I'm thinking of using just brown for all the appliqie (using a blanket stitch on my sewing machine).

I either match or use invisible thread. I never want to call attention to the stitches, just the cute woodland animals. But everyone is different, and there is no right or wrong answers

In general you match the color of the element that is being stitched down. Or in other words the color on top. But as with everything quilting do what you want. There are no quilt police, just opinions. Any way you do it it will be loved.

Many of the older hand appliqué quilts used black hand embroidery blanket stitch around the shapes and were very beautiful. Maybe make a simple shape and try it with the dark brown to see how you like it? Sometimes when you use the machine blanket stitch you get a double over of thread in one place, I wonder if that would become like a dark spot and draw the eye there?

I try to match as much as I can. I have a few basic colors and put whatever is closest.

Sometimes I like to make the outline a little clearer by using a lighter or darker thread. Brown blends with just about everything. But if you used a darker brown, it may give it that "pop" you're looking for.

I prefer my stitches to not be seen so I match applique color. But it really is a personal preference and pattern used. Some patterns are designed to have whimsical stitching.

I try to match as close as I can...but as Teen mentioned, sometimes a whimsical pattern may warrant a contrast of color.

With my students, I always ask if they want their stitches to show or not. If not, then match the color (if can't find the perfect match go darker for less visible). If you want the actual stitches to show, then use a different color. If you use the same color for everything, it will tend to blend together, but it will still show. I personally would rather match the colors to each applique and let the appliques be more the focus then my stitching. (FYI - I make the distinction between the stitches and the design. The design for quilting stitches will still show, just not the color of the thread.)

I match the thread to the fabric as closely as I can!