How to Pick Your Quilting Thread Colors - Quilting Basics Tutorial #8 with Leah Day

[@PeleLua1]

I have to say, I keep coming back again and again to your videos for help and directions. You are so evenly paced, and easy to understand! Just wanted to say thank you for all these videos on even the most basic techniques. They have helped me correct some bad habits, some bad previously given info, and all around become a better quilter. 🎈☀️😊

[@LeahDay]

Thank you very much for your kindness. I really do appreciate it. I had some negative comments this morning that were like being stabbed with a seam ripper, and your comment reminded me why I do this and keep sharing new videos.

[@PeleLua1]

Leah Day From one teacher to another … how we choose to give instruction and/or what we choose to instruct on … is not something every person will want or like … but that’s THEIR issue, not ours. Keep on doing what you are doing! ☀️🎈❤️

[@melissaorona2834]

Good morning, Leah! Choosing thread colors when quilts have various colors in them is the toughest thing for me. Your videos, ALL OF THEM, are more helpful than you likely know to quilting laymen like me. Thank you for all you do for the rest of us!

[@LeahDay]

Wonderful! Thank you so much for watching Melissa!

[@sharonharwell1732]

This is the third video I have watched of yours. You definitely have a talent for teaching as well as quilting. Thank you for making it so easy to follow and understand. Looking forward to many more of your tutorials.

[@jinnywessel7442]

Thank you Leah, all your videos are excellent, comprehensive and super helpful

[@lizryan6289]

"No machine has absolute perfect tension." Wow, I needed to see this video. Thanks Leah!!!

[@LeahDay]

I'm so glad you found this helpful! Nope, sadly tension isn't a guarantee on any machine!

[@janspenno2241]

Really interesting video ! I was asking myself the question as to what colours were better when I have a predominately white top and a pale brown backing. The last time I had this situation I had a white ‘ish top and a navy backing. I fiddled with tension but I do see tiny specs of navy on the top. More noticeable on the top than any white on the backing. So I was VERY interested to hear your advice about keeping both the same. Thank you. That’s really helpful!

[@LeahDay]

My best advice is to use the same color binding as your block border color and backing if you want it all to match. I don't like mismatching thread colors because no machine holds perfect tension all the time (and that's a recipe for a lot of fiddling). So be more focused on your fabric colors before you start and find thread that matches perfectly too.

[@RIACards]

Great video! Do you have a suggestion if using the matchstick quilting method? Or might the same suggestions apply?

[@LeahDay]

Yes, this would hold true even for matchstick quilting. Do a test and see how it looks on something small before tackling your whole quilt.

[@linndagogojewicz3414]

Thanks so much

[@madhumitakayal8396]

Hi Can you please share us the white fabric you used in this video between the two cloths

[@LeahDay]

That is batting - probably Quilter's Dream Polyester batting.

[@mindyflint3986]

may i ask, im at the cutting stage and im preparing everything to sew. im cutting my print fabric and everything is great but i start cutting my solid color fabric and its fraying. am i doing something wrong? maybe im cutting off grain? thanks for your help, i love love love your videos. they help me so very much.

[@LeahDay]

It sounds like the solid may be off grain. Try squaring the edges again using this video as a guide: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o5yrfYqKhrisZ68 Also did you starch and press the fabric? Odd as it sounds, starch can help stick the fibers together so they don't fray as badly.

[@inesucrvenom]

I simply love your videos, your explanations are so clear and through so I don't have many questions left :) In last several days I've been binge watching dozens of your videos, bought a book for piecing amd I can't recall if I ever heard you saying which color of thread to use for piecing? I know you're happy with aurifil 50wt, but just couldn't find anything about its color? I googled a bit and found that people tend to use white, beige/light gray and dark grey/black, as their 3 go to options. However, many of them are pressing seams to the side, so color has no chance to peak out between two pieces. Since your way is pressing them open, and I find them more logical as well, color can peek out, no? Maybe I could answer myself if just test it, however, I need to buy aurifil first to be able to follow all steps, plus I find it more helpful if I load some information into me first, before I try something :)

[@LeahDay]

I usually match one color of my blocks with my piecing thread. So if I'm piecing blocks with a black background, my piecing color is black. If it's mostly blue, I'd piece with blue.

[@inesucrvenom]

@@LeahDay thanks!

[@linndagogojewicz3414]

Thanks

[@carmenbailey1560]

👍❤️😊

[@jenmcginnis3989]

does it really matter if you use cotton or polyester thread? Some I have heard use only cotton some has said it doesn't really matter. What is your opinion??

[@LeahDay]

I think you can use ANYTHING you want so long as it works in your machine. Seriously. I quilt with polyester thread that's designed for machine embroidery. Some people have silly rules about using all cotton materials that is just plain silly. If I'd stuck with cotton, I wouldn't be able to quilt because the thread kept breaking and driving me nuts! Use what works and make more stuff. Usually when you look closely, the most opinionated people are accomplishing the least, I think because they've set so many rules on themselves they can't get anything done!

[@jenmcginnis3989]

Thank you so much for giving me your opinion so that I could make my decision. It seems that finding only cotton thread is very difficult where I live and also I am on a fixed income and the polyester cost less for sure. I think I will buy some polyester to have a lot of different colors on hand, and that way I can buy some cotton a little at a time so if I want to use it on certain projects I can.

[@MsJamble]

There is an online shop called “Connecting Threads” they make and sell all kinds of thread and the prices are very affordable. For instance a spool of CT 50w 100% Cotton thread is $3 versus a spool of Aurifil 50w 100% cotton machine quilting thread that has an msrp of $13. The CT thread is really nice thread, very strong and easy to sew with.

[@gaylegrupenhagen987]

So you say to use the same thread in the bobbin. So does that mean when you use more than one tread color on the top you would change to bobbin too each time you change a top color?

[@LeahDay]

Yes, anytime I change my top thread color, I also change my bobbin thread color. This is why I don't change thread colors much unless it's a very special quilt. It's time consuming!