How do I quilt with 2 threads on my longarm
 

This is only the third quilt to be done on my long arm so I'm pretty new. I would like to quilt this quilt with 2 colours of thread - black in the black and a variegated in the coloured squares. Is it best to start with one , say the black so I can baste and do the whole quilt and then roll it back for the other thread or to change out on each pass? Thanks for any insight![ATTACH=CONFIG]602038[/ATTACH]

Spectacular top. No suggestions for quilting, though.

Since you have to change threads regardless, you can do it either way. I float my quilt tops and baste alongside the beginning section of what I am quilting as I roll to each section. But I, also, don't roll the quilt back and forth a lot. I would do each section as I rolled through it one time. But since you may want to do a certain pattern in parts of the black, you may want to that design in each section, then roll and complete all that design. It just comes down to what you are more comfortable with. Now, hopefully, Feline Fanatic or some of the other much more experienced quilters will give you the real way to do it.

I tend to like to do all one color then roll back and do the other color. Here is an example of a quilt I was doing that way. This post was while it was a WIP
https://www.quiltingboard.com/pictur...k-t269398.html

And here is the completed top: https://www.quiltingboard.com/pictur...l-t270708.html

I don't know what set up you have so you could run into some issues. I know of a LAer who did this and after doing all the first color when she got to the bottom she didn't bother to reload the sandwich from the backer bar to the bar for the top. She ended up with an unholy mess of batting in her bobbin race. This happened to her twice, on two different quilts! Perhaps she didn't know about reloading the bottom portion of the quilt or she left way too much untrimmed batting on the bottom.

When I do this I always unpin the bottom of the backing (which is now sandwiched and quilted to the batting and top) and reload it to roller that is meant for the quilt top. This serves several purposes:
1. The quilt sandwich is now rolling in such a way that the batting is completely encased in the roll, this is especially critical as you start working your way back up to the top with quilting from the bottom of the quilt.
2. The top is protected because it is on the "inside roll" of the sandwich on the bar as opposed to leaving it on the backside roller, which would leave the top on the exposed outside of the roll.
3. The backing bar acts as kind of a tensioner, much like a dead bar

I would like to add, black thread on black fabric is incredibly difficult to see. Be ready for some eye strain. It really doesn't matter how good your lighting is unless you are fortunate enough to have side lighting. Then the shadows created from the side light gives you an idea of where you have already quilted. I also like to mention, I think variegated thread looks spectacular on black. Actually any colored thread looks good on black. You may want to reconsider doing black thread on the black.

Quite honestly, your piecing and all the colors of this quilt make such a bold visual impact I would consider not custom quilting and simply do a panto on it. If this were mine I would choose a very lightweight thread like Wonderfil's Invisifil, Superior Microquilter or silk (Superior Kimono is very nice but spendy) in a very subtle color like a moss green or soft gold so the thread sinks right in and all you really see is texture. Or I would use a monofiliment like Superior Monopoly or Filtec (Glide) Essense or YLI's invisible.

If I were going to do 2 colors, I would do the black areas in one pass, and then go back and do the colored area and only then advance my quilt to the next section. I float all my tops including king size and find it far easier than any other method and I have had zero issues. I agree that black on black will be difficult to see when quilting, and in the end I always weigh effort and results. It’s a betuful top and I can’t wait to see it all completed and welcome to the wonderful world of Longarming, it really is a lot of fun.

Thanks for the tips! My theory when looking at the top is to push the black to the back with heavier quilting and lessen the quilting in the colours. Normally I would use a thread that wouldn't detract but it is for my daughter and she is in love with the variegated thread. Very light quilting in the colour to make her happy. I'm not afraid of the black. I have a light and the last quilt I did, I only used black. Same fabric, different design. Sadly no panto here, can't afford that upgrade just yet :-). Pic of the freshly finished quilt just for fun.[ATTACH=CONFIG]602041[/ATTACH]

Gorgeous work feline fanatic!

Upgrade? Any longarm can do a panto. You don't need to upgrade unless you don't have rear handles on your longarm (although the only one that doesn't automatically come with them to my knowledge is the Bernina). For non-robotic machines, it is a paper pattern laid out on your rear table and you follow with a stylus. Most LA have a laser light to follow the design but you can do it with an oversized knitting needle clamped to the rear carriage.

No rear handles yet. I bought a q'nique 21. Slowly I'll get all the bells and whistles. Had it for a week and bought the ruler plate and foot. Maybe the next purchase will be the rear handles :-)

Agree! Rolling back and forth can create problems.