Stencil - FMQ - votes needed!
 

Hello again my fellow quilters!

I just did all the tracing for this pattern - it's 36x36.

What would look better

1 - black thread
2 - grey thread
3 - different colours

I'm getting the hang of this FMQ on stencils and the only way to get better is to practice!

I'm going to start on it tomorrow night, so cast your votes!

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I think gray thread. black might be good too if you just want the impression of designs. should be very nice!!

I guess it depends on your goal or end result. If you want something very subtle, you could use the black. Having quilted a mainly black quilt with black thread, I can tell you that if is hard to keep track of your stitching because it is hard to see. If this is a practice piece and you want to improve your stitching, I would not use black, although I liked the effect on the quilt I did. Same thing with gray thread, subtle but not fun. Different colors would be much more interesting and fun to work with. Help you see what is going on with your FMQ. So, I would say #3 for this project.

[h=3]If it were mine, I would use a variegated rainbow thread. Just MHO[/h]

I vote for variegated gray.

Totally Agree, in every way!!!!

Different colours may be a challenge to decide where to start/end with each.
Plus demands more thread changes!

Depending on your lighting (and eyesight), working with black on black can be a real challenge.
Might I say, a real brute?

One thing to keep in mind ... stencils were made more so for the hand quilter.
While they can be used for FMQing, there are some limitations/complications that they can present.

Love that design ... oh so intricate!

Black thread on black is very difficult to see. It will, however, hide mistakes and wobbles. I love lots of different colors on black. A dark purple would be subtle and still show enough that you won't feel like you are quilting blind (which tends to happen when using black thread on black) and still camouflage mistakes well, as would any dark color like a navy. Gray would work nicely but I would stay away from any variegated because the stencils you have chosen will require a fair amount of backtracking and variegated threads look best when there is no backtracking.

Other colors that look really nice on black are just about any shade of red, from fire engine primary red to deep burgundy. Teals and turquoise also look very pretty on black. And if you want to get really adventurous you could use different colors for the different motifs.

When I did my Agave Garden https://www.quiltingboard.com/pictur...l-t270708.html I used a lot of different colors on black but viewing this quilt may give you a good idea of how much contrast you want in the thread against the black fabric. This quilt has black, dark purple, light purple, a deep red, orange, yellow, a grayish blue and a variegated rainbow all on solid black.

Variegated Red.

Gray would like nice but so would a bright variegated color.

I’d use the gray or variegated thread. I did some practice quilting with black thread on black fabric. It was hard to see where I was going and the quilting doesn’t really show up.

Personally, I would pick a color just slightly darker than your markings. If the markings are in white then I would go with a medium gray. Or a silver metallic would be awesome. Superior threads brand metallic runs well through my machines.

Still undecided, but Feline Fanatic ... holy cow! That is one heck of a quilt! I can only hope to be that good some day! The details in the quilting are amazing!!!

Marion, you could use anything really, but the idea of variegated sounds good to me. Can't wait to see what you do!

Depends what you are going to do with when you are finished, I love brights with black, turquoise, cerise, purple orange, or even white to give the sashiko type contrast, whatever you choose it’s going to be stunning.

May I ask what you used to mark your stencil on the fabric? I always find it challenging to mark dark fabric.

Outstanding stencil work! My first response would’ve been a bsroegsted rainbow metallic, but after studying it more, I think I’d choose one color for each motif. Jewel tones on black are my favorite!

For example, turquoise for all the large medallions in each square, for the interlocking arches, fuchsia for the flowers, and so on. I’d color it all in a rough sketch on paper first. It’ll take extra work to change, but the result would be eye-popping cool!

your "drawing" looks gray and I think it looks very classy. Gray would get my vote.

Grey/Silver or variegated.
It is a beautiful quilting pattern, it will be lovely whatever you choose. :)

Janelle

I think different colors would be very interesting.

I used a chalk pencil. It's just like a mechanical pencil, instead of lead, it's chalk!

And yspur stencil is beautiful!!! Can't wait to see what you do!! !

Thanks for answering. I'll have to try that!

I vote for grey as the marking looks sort of grey & looks very good on the black. That being said, is this a "practice" piece that is not meant for anything in the end? If so, why not try each of the 4 sections in a different color & see which one you like. I can't imagine you NOT planning on using such an intricate stenciled piece for just practice & that's all but you didn't say what your plans are for it when you have finished. You are really going detailed with your stencil work to get the hang of FM. I wish I was as brave as you. Be sure & let us see then end results.
Can you give us the brand of that marking pencil? I have such a hard time finding something that I like that will give me a fine line like yours.

I think grey would look best.

I like the idea of a metallic teal, variegated or plain.

Black on black is very difficult to see - so - for a practice piece, I would not do that.

Other than that - it's your project - I think gray or silver on black is a very understated, sophisticated look. Plus, any bobbles and wobbles would be relatively inconspicuous.

If you want sharp contrast, use a lemon or canary yellow - then every little bobble will show.

I would, too.

Variegated gray is my vote also.

Black would be very nice. You would need a “side light” so you could see where you had stitched. If not black, then a dark gray. I would not use verigated thread. Just my personal choice.

If you use the white or a light color thread, you will see every hic-up. I like my practice pieces to not look like practice pieces. :-)

Since it is a test sort of; do 4 quadrants each in a different color. Then you can make a good decision in the future.

Marcia

I went with a bunch of different colours. I don't mind the switching of threads, I have a fancy machine LOL so it does all the cutting and threading for me.

Here's what I have so far ... still not close to perfect, but I'm figuring out where my "issues" are ... I don't give myself enough room when I am holding the fabric and I end up bumping into my machine. Have to learn to make my sewing area smaller, or at least stop more often and adjust!

I will probably end up removing the stitching on the sides of the square between the red flowers and see if I can do a better job!

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I vote # 3 maybe Red.

So I took out the white horrible sewing LOL and slowed down my machine, made my sewing area smaller, did a bit of embellishments, and here we go:

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close up

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just have to bind and wash!

Thanks for all the votes!

Wonderful!!!!!!

That's beautiful! You did such a good job & I love the decorative stitches that you used from your machine. What is the brand of the chalk mechanical pencil that you use to mark your stencil with?

Thanks! The writing is faded off the chalk pencil. But it is basically a mechanical pencil that has chalk for "lead" It's red and white!