Omni V varigated longarm thread
 

Has anyone used this thread for longarm quilting? I would like to try it as the price seems to be better than King Tut varigated. I wanted to find out if someone has used it - did you like it? What thread did you in the bobbin? Did you use regular Onmi thread or something else in the bobbin? Thanks.

I've not had much luck with using variegated thread for quilting, no matter which brand. It seems to shred fairly easy. :(

Also, you need to really consider your quilting design when using variegated thread. If there are a lot of places where you need to backtrack, you loose the variegation as the colors pile up on each other. I've only used king tut and connecting threads brands. I didn't see any additional shredding. I usually used a solid color in the bobbin.

I used it for a stipple and it looked great, was thinking of using it for a satin-stitch...not good. You can quickly see the repeat pattern.
I've used it a fair bit in different projects and never noticed it shredding, myself. Always used King Tut.

Watson

Omni is less expensive than King Tut because it a polyester thread as opposed to long staple Egyptian cotton. I have never used Omni as I prefer a high sheen polyester (Omni is a matte finish) and when I want variegated I use King Tut. The only variegated I ever had a shredding problem with was Superior's old line called highlights. Apparently it was a universal problem as they discontinued the product.

As Paper Princess recommended,you definitely do not want to use a variegated in a quilting design where you have to back track. It gets unsightly very quickly. But it looks wonderful in designs where they are continuous and have no or very minimal back tracking.

If you like using a variegated in your longarm you should give the Omni a try. Other peoples experiences with the product may not be the same as yours. I know some people who love using Omni and others who can't stand it.

I went back and looked at my variegated threads (no idea why I kept them). I wanted to check the brands, and discovered that they were either unlabeled or were Superior's Highlights. The unlabeled ones were given to me by a friend, so I asked her if she remembered what brand they were. She said she thought they were Highlights. So I take back what I said about other brands of variegated. ;)

I use it with my Handiquilter Simply Sixteen. I love it! Use it all the time.

Is there a certain wt of thread needed for longarm? I bought a machine but need to find what works

Wellllllll, that sort of depends. If you want the piecing to stand out (not the quilting), then use a finer thread like Bottom Line, which is a 60 wt thread. If you want the quilting to stand out, go for a heavier thread like a 40 wt. I have several friends who do a lot of customer and charity quilting, and their go-to is a 40 wt.

As an aside, a 60 wt thread in your bobbin is a plus because you can get a lot more thread on the bobbin, which means less reloading. :thumbup: And yes, you can use a 40 wt on top and a 60 wt in the bobbin.

I haven't tried the Omni variegated, but fine myself using the Omni for customers that want a matte finish and little thicker thread than SoFine. I do like it and it sings along in my Gammill real well.

King Tut is my preferred brand but I do use Omni and haven't had any problems.