ckcowl

loosen your top tension just a tad, make sure you are using the correct size needle & use a spool 'net' if needed- or place in a cup or holder of some sort & place behind the machine-instead of using on your spool pin. check the charities carefully- invisible thread is generally not recommended/accepted by many charities- those quilts tend to go through commercial laundries- hot water, harsh detergent, invisible threads do not hold up. monofilament (polyester) is always recommended over nylon which stretches, becomes brittle and breaks/disintegrates after a few washes.

toverly

I wouldn't use the invisible stuff on kids quilts, which are usually colorful and easy to highlight the quilting. They require too much washing. Instead I use it on "hanger quilts" that don't have the wear and tear of the washing machine.

squiggie

Thanks for all the tips. I do my fmq on the home machine. I did try using a stand along side of the machine and it has helped. This is Sulky poly and I really like the look. Will try playing with the tension. Hope all your tips help.

Holice

I am surprised there has not been more comment on this thread about using this thread on children's quilt.

Peckish

There were a couple. Not sure if the warnings have been observed or not.

Skittl1321

Why is it an issue? All my comforters from the store have plasticky clear thread.

Peckish

You could ask the charity you're considering donating to the reason for the request. One of the reasons I was told is because of the risk of the thread melting in the commercial dryers the charities/hospitals use. I think this is aimed at nylon threads, not the mono poly, but suffice it to say that if the charity sees a clear thread on a quilt, they may not make the distinction, and your carefully crafted, lovingly donated quilt may end up in the reject pile.

Skittl1321

So it appears it is a charity quilt issue, not a children's quilt issue? The way it was phrased by Holice it sounded like there was some safety issue.

Neesie

Children (and the elderly) also have more sensitive skin and invisible thread ends tend to stick out of the fabric and scratch.

Peckish

It could be a safety issue. I was researching this earlier and I stumbled across a similar conversation on another site about it. One of the factors in that conversation was an experience someone had with invisible thread coming loose (but not undone) on a quilt, and a little finger was tangled and the circulation cut off. I can absolutely see this happening; I have a store-bought comforter and it does have loose loops of invisible thread all over it.

However. These are all anecdotal, so as I said, you might want to check with your particular charity about whether you can use invisible thread, and if not, what their concerns are. They are the only ones who can tell you for sure.