Hi everyone, I am new to quilting and I just sewed my first quilt together and then did stitch n ditch. I used invisible thread on the top and black thread on the bottom. I dont know if it is my machine or using invisible thread but it seems like the invisible thread wound up on the underside when I turned it over to cut the threads. There was both the black and the invisible threads to cut on the underside. Any suggestions?

Invisible thread is very tricky to use, even to the most experienced quilters. The tension has to be perfectly adjusted and even that doesn't assure you it will sew right. Is it too late to switch to regular thread? I avoid using it as much as I can.

Yep too late I have all the seams already sewed. I probably will never do that again. Do you have any suggestions as to what color thread you would use for the stitch in the ditch when you have used multiple colors in the quilt? Thanks so much for letting me know that.

I've used the "invisible" thread once, that's all it took. I really like to use variegated threads for my quilting. I pick something that has several of the colors from the quilt in it.

That sounds great. I will definitely try that on the next one. I am going to attempt to practice stippling. I have borders on the quilt. If the back of the quilt is black and white would I use black thread in the bobbin?

Depends on how much you want your quilting stitches to show. If the fabric is mostly black, black thread would blend in more, if mostly white, then white thread would blend in more. If you want your quilting stitches to show a little more, contrast the thread. If you want it to really show, stitch in another color entirely, such as red! It would really make a statement!
I have a black and white variegated thread that I have used a couple times in that instance.

Thanks for the wonderful advice!!! I am so afraid to ruin the quilt after all the hard work.

One thing that may help if you need to use the invisible thread again, sometimes it needs time to "relax" I have put it in a jar set off to the side of my sewing machine and then taped a safety pin on that side of the machine and thread the thread though the safety pin then thread normally. Sometimes the extra length gives it a little time to relax and sew a little better.

i used it on my FAL quilt because there were so many colors. it was on my quilting machine. i didn't get rat's nests, but i hated it. i used it top and bottom. i couldn't see what i was doing and i didn't like the feel after it was done. i'll never use it on that machine again. i haven't tried it on my janome or viking.

I love using varigaited that picks up some of the colors in the quilt.

I think it also makes a difference on which brand of invisible thread you use. I like the YLI but I tried sulky and it was sucky. Heeheehee

that's what i ended up with, but first i tried superior and it wasn't.

i also tied the yli and didn't like that either. i just don't like them and the feeling is mutual! :hunf:

Same here. I decided that I want my quilting to show - even if it isn't "perfect." So my Stitch in the Ditch (SID) is more like a Meandering Around Ditch (MAD) lol - at least it meanders in pretty colors.

i use it a lot. i pice with reg thread and quilt with the invisible thread i tried it in my quilting machine and frame and i did a whole quilt with it its hard to see when threading the machine but no problems with it not once.

I almost always use a neutral thread. Neutrals are in tones of grey and beige... in different values from light to dark. When all is said and done they look pretty good.

Forgot to say I hate invisible thread so don't use it. I use just cotton thread.

You guys are the best on this site, you are so helpful and so quick to help. I just say a video on you tube saying that you should always bring up the bobbin thread to the top and hold both threads on top and start sewing. I didnt know how to do that and the video showed me.

This is a technique that I learned in a class Harriet Hargrave gave to my quilt guild. I don't have her book in front of me but I believe it's covered in her "Heirloom Quilting" book. Also, use the Search feature at the top of the page to look for other threads on invisible thread. Good luck!

I am hooked on varigated thread.

I have used invisible thread on more than one queen-sized quilt. You have to watch the tension and the pre-tension. If your machine has the multiple holes at the top for the thread to pass through (Pre-tension), use only 1 hole for invisible thread. Using more than 1 hole will cause stretching and possible breakage of the invisible thread. It also needs to be used with an upright spool holder, so the thread can unwind. If used with a sideways spool holder, the invisible thread will twist and cause knotting.