Which colour thread to use
 

I am making my DGS his American Flag quilt and he wanted it to look like an American Flag so I used Kona's off white and red. Now the problem I have is what colour thread to use to quilt it? It has a red flannel back and the start patch is an over all scattered star pattern. It is a basic quilt, but this is what he wanted. I planned on quilting it with an overall diamond pattern. I have invisible thread but have never used it for a project like this and wonder if it will hold up for the test of time? If I use white it will stand out on the red, if I use red it will stand out on the white, so I am lost...

light tan, off white, light beige would be a neutral color .i would use those colors.

I myself would use a off white, lt beige, also. I agree with what chips88 says also.

I recently did a quilting class and the teacher recommended Mono Poly thread (I think its from Superior threads) She said just remember monopoly LOL. I haven't tried it myself but she raved about it, as it holds up really well and is easy to work with.

Ok so my gut feeling was to go with an off white thread and I think that is the way it will be. I knew the red would be too harsh and I am just afraid to put the invisible on this one. I am thinking I will use off white on the back as I dont want the red to pull through at all. If I could wait I might give that other thread a try but I promised this a year ago and it is high time it moves on its way to California to my baby. DGD's was nice and easy she wanted a taggie blanket and I was allowed to do whatever I wanted. But my DGS is a very strong minded 9 yr old and he knew what he wanted..

OK, I'll be the odd man out and suggest a variegated thread in red white and blue. JMO! :)

I think I would use the same/similar white for the thread that is in the broad white stripes.

I agree with the red, white, blue variegated thread.

I had thought that as well but could not find any in my travels, been looking for a few months knowing this was going to get done soon. So that leaves that one out. I think I am going to the machine now and will start with a nice ivory thread I have, hopefully I will not cringe when I hit the red..after all my DGS will love it no matter what and he has been so patient thank you everyone for helping me to decide...

Me too! I just did a QOV red white blue and golds and it looked fantastic with the red white and blue. Didn't think I would like it but it came out extra nice.

Just to answer your question about the monofilament thread: As long as you use a good quality thread it will hold up well. I quilted my first quilt with this stuff in 1990 and it has been washed to death. The binding is wearing thin but the quilting thread is holding strong. One of my current projects uses monofilament in the top and a coordinating color in the bobbin. This quilt is multicolored and I didn't want the quilt lines to show. (Let's just say that my FMQ is not worth looking at closely quite yet.

My vote would have been for the variegated red, white and blue.

Ok it is done, thank goodness, the ivory worked out well and of course my DD said to me Mummy couldnt you use the white on the white and red on the red, NO she doesnt sew let alone quilt. This was one of the most simplest quilts I have made but also one of the trickiest since my sewing room was dismantle last November due to DD, not the same one, moving in. My work space to get this done was approx 3 feet. LOL DH is going to finish remodeling the sewing room for DD moved out and now it is mine again! He is even putting in built in cabinets and counters on the long wall, I cant wait! thank you once again for all the imput

forgot the pic

Thank you Mad for this info for I wanted to go with it but I was scared it might not hold up, I have Guttermans mono and I should have just went with it, but luckily I am not unhappy with this the way it is and I am sure he will be thrilled... California here it comes.

Looks great to me and DONE is always the best feeling! Thanks for sharing the picture. I bet he can hardly wait to get it!

The thread worked out to be perfect. It looks really nice. Thanks for sharing.

I would quilt in the ditch down each strip then do a diamond pattern the size of each strip down the strip in the color of the background. Then an X with radiating lines outside the x for the blue/star.
Then you don't have t worry about white over red, red over white etc etc etc. The diamond border like design down each strip witll continue the horitzonal shape of those areas. The x's in the blue star will confine that area and continue the overall look of an original flag.

I did stitch in the ditch down each stripe for i didnt want the red to flip on me when quilting and the seam to show through. The rest would have taken too long due to a pulled chest muscle and I really wanted to get this to him Holice but it sure would have looked nice that way..