What color thread would you use?
 

What color would you use on a quilt with a white backround and multi
color blocks for FMQ. I have used white in the past but have not been
always happy with the white on the colors.
Thanks in avance.
Elaine:confused:

Pictures help. ? Without seeing the first color that comes to mind - Gray. Probably a light colored gray to a medium shade.

When I have multi color blocks, no matter the background I use a color that isn't in the blocks. Usually I find a lavender color works great. I do not like pieced quilts quilted with white or neutral color thread much at all. There are too many beautiful colors of thread to use those.

I'm going to be using Aurifil's Bari thread to quilt my Sunbonnet Sue quilt with 1930's reproduction fabrics (pink, green, blue, purple, yellow & red). I have the applique on RK Kona Snow & then have a scrappy Irish chain with all the colors plus the snow.

http://www.hawthornethreads.com/imag...fil/a/4651.jpg

Maybe something similar would work for you. Partly it depends on how saturated your colors are.

I agree with Onebyone. When I first started quilting on a track frame, I was all about the matchy-matchy. Now I tend toward thread that shows up on everything but does not hog the limelight. Occasionally I will use a lime green or bright orange. They like to shine! I have a favorite green...spearmint Omni. I am not really a pastel girl, but this green seems to compliment alot of fabrics but not take over. I also like a tan- Mother Goose Permacore. try laying out the thread and laying it on top of the fabric. I have an easier time picking out a thread when its stretched out. I cannot pick when I am looking at a whole spool!

Varigated in the fabric colors. It's a bit of a concern when you start doing the solid areas, but in the end, it works. I'm doing a batik with black sashing right now and when the red thread hits the black, I take a deep breath, but I know I will like it when it's finished.

It helps to post a photo. Daunting task you finally are able to do it. I change thread when I am quilting because I don't like distractions from my quilting. I want people to enjoy the piecing that I have done. On my avatar I changed thread quite often. People were amazed because you couldn't easily see the machine quilting. You have to do what works best for your taste.

Clear monofiliment thread. I use YLI brand for all of my quilt tops. I like the quilting to be texture and not competing with the piecing.

I have gotten so I do not use only one color in the top thread. I use a color in the bobbin that matches the back and change colors on the top to match or blend with whatever block I am quilting. That being said I find this only works well with walking foot quilting...when I try it FMQ...I am not as successful with the thread from the bobbin not pulling up. You might just stitch in the ditch for the light sashing in white and use a darker color for the blocks.

I also use YLI monofiliment. I don't like ripping out quilting & I have a couple times when I got brave & used a colored thread. I just don't want the thread color to take over. I see others quilts that use colors or variegated & they are beautiful but I can't do it to make it look good in my opinion so I stick with the clear. My safe haven! lol

When I had a bunch of colors on a quilt, I had the same problem..........what color to use. Someone in the past had suggestsed using a beige, pale green or pale gray. I went with the gray and love it. My backing was a solid peach color too so it really showed. I had no white in this quilt but I think sometimes a completely off the wall color sometimes does the trick.

I only have three colors for sewing quilts. White ,cream and gray. Gray seems to be the answer for everything.

My first thought is do you want the quilting to show or do you want the piecing to show. Is it necessary to cross the colored blocks? Like everyone else a picture speaks a thousand word.

I am using Gutterman invisible thread on top and and a color that matches the backing for the bobbin. Have been having good luck with it.

Off white, or beige works for me on multi colored quilts.

The quilting stitches will be most obvious in the background, and for that reason I wouldn't stray too far from the background color. Stitching isn't as obvious on printed fabrics, so I consider the background and backing first when choosing a thread color.

There are so many variables, including how densely you plan to quilt, your skill level, the thickness of the thread you choose, the particular fabrics, the pieced design.

My best suggestion is to take some scraps and make an improv block. Then try out a variety of thread and see what looks best. you can then use this block to make a pillow or a storage bag for the quilt. Or if it's really bad, you can designate it for animal shelter use. But taking that time to do some trial runs will give you confidence not only in your planned FMQ moves, but also the thread, tension settings, batting performance, etc.

Meant to add -- I am not a fan of high contrast threads for FMQ -- with very few exceptions. I like to match or go lighter. A pearl gray is often my favorite choice, or a creamy off white.

RST has some good advice. If I'm doing very dense quilting, I like to use a matching color so that the texture is visible but the heaviness of the thread does not distract from the piecing (unless you are thread painting!). This might mean changing threads several times. If you have a great deal of white, especially if it links together so you could FMQ from one background area to another, I'd probably go with white there. Then depending on your colors, a tone (grayed) color would look good with gray or taupe or a sage green, more saturated colors will be trickier--pull out several colors and puddle some of each on the quilt top, overlapping the colors you want to quilt to see what looks best. I'm always surprised when something that I really didn't think would work, does! In a class with Jamie Wallen this summer, he said that he often used a tone lighter than the colors of the block so the quilting doesn't overwhelm the piecing.

I go with variegated also. Pick one that has at least a bit of blend, rather than clash, with your block colors. It will add interest to your plain areas and not detract from your blocks.