White on white - how?
 

I apologize if this is a question which comes up often but I had no luck with the search engine. :)

What tricks do you have for quilting with white thread on white background? I'm going crazy trying to see my thread and where I've been. Stippling is almost impossible! I have an extra LED-light attached to the machine and there is plenty of light in the room but it's still difficult to see the thread. I also have perfect eye-sight so there should be no issues with this.

In my attempts I've used cotton thread on cotton fabric. Is there more contrast if I was to use poly thread instead? I have a twin size quilt on which I'd like to use a lot of stippling. It might get difficult...

Any tricks that you could share would be very much appreciated...

And Merry Christmas of course (in Sweden we celebrate on the night of the 24th so today is a bit like the day after).

there are so many colors in the white you could try a light grey

Merry Christmas. I'm no help to you. I use contrast thread that matches some other color in the quilt. The contrasting thread creates a design element and I can see it. Black gives me the same issues.

When I quilt white thread on white fabric I place a light/lamp to the side of the quilting area so it throws shadows on the stitching. This allows me to see where I have already stitched.

I have one of the old Ott folding flip lamp that I use to cast a shadow. Wait until you stitch with Black! I found THAT to be difficult. Good Luck !! Stay warm !!!

Agree ... light on an angle or less light. Try a light with a soft yellow light as opposed to a daylight/blue light.

Turn off the room light and light the quilt surface from the side.

Thanks! Excellent tips! I'll try the side light tonight or tomorrow. If it doesn't help I'll try using a faintly colored embroidery thread. I don't have any off-white thread and I live a good hour from any reasonable sewing shop.

www.superiorthreads.com are you listening? We need a colored thread that turns white when washed.

Great idea!!!

This happened to me a few days ago, so I switched from white thread to pale grey. It really doesn't appear any different, but at least I could see it!

Awesome idea!!!!!!

I over came this problem by marking the white with a coloured line and worked in it. I use a coloured chalk on the black. Both were free motion so lines were free hand.
Worked great as it was a guide to follow. I also work in short 30 min time sections. This kept strain down

Here's a bit more info, but it looks like most of it was covered:

http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...d-t233206.html

If you could use a very, very faint tan thread or a very, very pale grey or blue thread, as previously suggested, you would be able to see the thread much better, and once completed, it would look like matching thread, but with more definition, as if you had used a loftier batt.

God Jul to you. My father's parents came from Varmland, Sweden. I was always referred to as the Svenska Flicka. First granddaughter born, I guess!

I get my thread from Connecting Threads and they have sets of threads and if I am not mistaken there is a package of "whites" - ranging in color - (it comes in whites to black and pale pale tan to dark brown) For what it is worth. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Edie

I use a thread that is called corn silk on lot of light quilts or silver.

xcellent idea I was practicing feathers and thinking of some kind of light like a black lite or something tht would cast color on the stitches something like the light that looked for lice (ewe!) in hair I'm likeing your idea better

I had that problem with a dark brown thread on mostly darks, so I stippled from the back, which had a lighter side. Worked beautifully.

If you will use a cream thread as you stitch it will end up looking sort of like shadowing. I think you might like it. Try on a sample.

I use a black lite on my longarm when doing white on white....turn all other lites off

And one the turns black as I think that is as hard as white on white

I use a lot of light gray.

This sounds logical - - believe it or not, sometimes you can get too much light! :-)

Marysewfun

I had the same problem when I was FMQ'ing black on black. Drove me nuts! My solution was to take a piece of colored WASHABLE chalk which i gently rubbed against the quilt top. It breaks the color up just enough that I could see my stitching. It is a bit dusty to work with but it worked for me. Washed the quilt top afterwards and every bit of chalk was gone! Very important to use washable chalk...and do a sample piece, of course. Hope that helps!

Amen to that!

I would try a machine embroidery thread - the threads are strong and they generally have a lot of shine which makes them show up. They are great for quilting and you can get them in 5000 m cones

That's actually what I ended up doing! I have an embroidery machine so I have a stash of threads at hand. I had a 1000 m reel of variegated pale pink/white thread that I ended up using.

I decided against the stippling though so that means that I don't have to worry too much about seeing the thread. Next time I'll do stippling though!

This is a great idea! I am going to experiment with different lamps I have. Thanks for the tip!

Or,what I have done is,turn the machine light off.The light in the room gives just enough shadow that you can see where you are going and where you have been.