Thread Color?
 

I am new to quilting and to FMQ on my domestic machine. I see all of the beautiful quilts that are posted and wonder what color of thread they are quilted with.

If the quilt has light and dark fabrics with light sashing and borders, do you use a light thread to match the sashing and borders? Won't the light thread look strange sewn through the dark fabric?

I was always told to go darker.

I like variegated, but a light grey or taupe seems to blend well. If you use a fine thread, like 60 wt or more, the thread blends more no matter what the color.

Welcome to the Quilting Board!

As is often said ... it's your quilt, do what you like ... there are no rules! :)

Some will change the threads for different sections of their quilt.
Some want the thread to disappear into the quilt, thus matching the colours.
Some want the thread and thus the quilting to be quite noticeable, and will choose a contrasting thread.
Sometimes when you have both dark and light fabrics in a quilt, a variegated thread will do the job.

Just as you audition different fabrics, audition your thread.
Pull off a few feet and let it fall randomly on the quilt top, to give the effect it would have, if quilted in place.

Another consideration is the weight of the thread ... a finer thread will be less noticeable than a coarser one.

Welcome to the board from Northern California. Good information QuiteE. BrendaK

I do all my quilting on a domestic machine. As on my avatar, I audition many shades of colors and see what looks most pleasing. I want the beauty of the quilt to outshine my machine quilting. I prefer my quilts to look more like hand quilting in style. What will work most often is a slightly darker shade then lighter. A darker shade tends to blend much better. Good Luck and welcome to the board !!

Welcome to the board. I sometimes match the thread, but if I want it to stand out, I use varigated thread.

Ah! A question up there with "do you wash your fabric" (::::shudder:::: that question could cause a riot! lolol). I am a long armer, and sometimes, the thread choice is one of my hardest decisions. I have to look at the fabric - some are so busy, you won't see ANY color, solids- you will see EVERY bobble if it contrasts. I need to look at the piecing - are there large open areas where I want to see the texture and maybe a thread color contrast? Do I want the piecing or fabric to shine? then I could shoot for a neutral. (you would be surprised at what can be considered a neutral. I have a spearmint green that I use ALOT> It adds texture and you can see the quilting, but it does not smack you in the forehead) It is a kids quilt? (those are just 'git 'er dones'.) I open my thread drawer and pull out some choices- couple blenders/neutrals, a varigated, some wildly contrasting....see what I DON"T want. Then I can narrow it down to one or maybe one for the middle and another for a border. nd yes, there have been a few times that I started with one thread and before I made one pass, I knew it was the wrong color. It happens... One time I frogged that row and started over. Another time I just finished the quilt...it was not going to get a ribbon, but the recipient LOVED it. And LOVED the thread color! Go figure!

I use solid color fabrics for a lot of my quilt backs. Using a contrasting thread or threads creates a quilted back that can be just stunning, especially after it's washed and starts a little crinkling. I do have a long arm and mostly do pantographs because I am not good at all with free motion. I like a heavyweight thread that will show up. Often the thread color will blend into the pieced top because I want the piecing to be the center of attention on the front, and the thread color will pop on the solid color fabric back. Okay....I am a little showy! I love brights and contrasts. As anyone will tell you....quilting is all about personal choice.

FYI...because my long arm is old and capable of some tension problems, I always use the same color thread on the top and bottom. You don't notice the stitch issues as much with the same color.

I've attached a back that I did with a Hearts pantograph. If you looked at it closely, you would see all kinds of mistakes in my following the pantograph, but everyone who sees it loves it and so do I.