Dark Back and White Top?

So, I've pieced my Bricks quilt top (thank you, Quiltville!) and it has diagonal 3" WOW squares. The rest is very scrappy (and looks pretty nice, I think!) For the back I have some royal blue yardage with 4" chartreuse frogs (playing drums and guitars, if that matters ;-) which the recipient would love. Or would she?

I plan to use W&N or some equally thin batting and MQ free motion squiggles. If that's on the back, will the white squares look okay? I know it's not a curtain, so light won't be shining through it, but still....Would you use such a contrasting back? Or should I rootle around for medium or light scraps for the back?

TIA

Dogmom

Reply to
dogmom
Loading thread data ...

I think frogs playing drums and guitars is an excellent choice. Yes, it could become the preferred side, happens to me often and I just don't take it personally. However - you knew this was coming - sounding like a broken record - make a test square of your backing, batting, WOW and the thread you plan to use for the free motion squiggles. The sample doesn't have to be life size; just a 6" square should give you a view of 'see through' or 'just fine'. Polly

Reply to
Polly Esther

Oh Polly, thank you. Here's my question: how fussy should I be about colors/designs showing through? How fussy are you? I never used anything but

*really* light backings (which meant I bought them, because my energetic stash doesn't include plain pastels) until a few months ago when I read here that since light doesn't shine through, what difference does it make?

let's see....TANQP, so I'm my own policeperson. Guess I'm wondering how other cops do it, and you're a prime one! I mean, you gotta do it right so the 'gators don't get mad, yes?....

TIA

Dogmom

Reply to
dogmom

Using Warm and White batting (the natural might shadow the white fabrics just a bit) is usually enough to keep a dark back from showing through to the light squares. If it were a poly batt, that is a different story. I have used dark backs with light tops and had no problems. Do be sure to check the backing fabric for bleeding/running/staining other fabrics though.

[The cotton batts tend to be fairly dense and will keep the back and front separate enough to not shadow through. That is what one of my quilting instructors said at one point.

Have fun, Pati, > So, I've pieced my Bricks quilt top (thank you, Quiltville!) and it has

Reply to
Pati Cook

I confess. I don't buy my backings. There's a beloved friend and World Class shopper who finds them and gives them to me for the children's shelter quilts. There have been a few times that I attempted a dark bobbin for a light top. I never discovered how to adjust the SM so I didn't get teeny pin dots on the top where the dark bobbin thread pulled up just barely at each stitch. No help from the gators. If warming up appeals to those guys, they much prefer basking on the Interstate highways. Such fun . . . and warms the belly. Polly

Reply to
Polly Esther

if the top thread is pulling the bobbin thread up too far its cuz the top tension is too tight? if that is as loose as it goes, then ya need to tighten up the bobbin just a wee bit. what kind of machine? i'm sure someone here can tell ya exactly how to do it on your machine.

i've an old singer, circa late 70s. the bobbin sits flat not on its side. there is a wee tiny screwhead at about 10 o'clock on the outside of the bobbincase. gawd, not done it in so long now i cant recall which way to turn it but its only a 1/4 turn, clockwise i think?? anyone know for sure? we can probly find pix of how to do it on your machine online somewhere... soon as ya tell us what machine it is. fwiw, jeanne

Reply to
nzlstar*

I've had exactly the same problem with bobbins. Tried adjusting the bobbin tension, everything--no success. Finally went to--either Bernina, or the LQS, can't remember but whoever I asked was a *real* pro--and they admitted that they could never get the thread not to do what you're describing, either, so they always use the same color thread in both top and bottom. Made me feel better, in a sad sort of way.

Reply to
dogmom

I just finished a wallhanging last night with black in the bobbin and white on top. I loosened the top tension a great deal, but didn't have to fool with the bobbin. No white on the back and no black on the top. I'm a hapy camper! I have a drop in bobbin. Jeanne, for changing bobbin tension, remember--lefty loosey, righty tighty. All bobbins use this formula. Gen

Reply to
Gen

rofl, Gen, now i'll have to get a screwdriver out and try it on a regular screw somewhere to check it is still the same downunder. we do so many things in the reverse direction....light switches down is on, up is off.... water goes down the sink/toilet hole in the reverse direction, tho to be fair that is natures fault not chosen by the people...drive'n on the left side of the road except for overseas tourists who sometimes forget cuz they're look'n at the lovely scenery out in the country and have head ons coming round the bend, oh dear... anyhow i'll have to check which is which. i did buy my machine down here so for all i know the screws go the other way, argh, silly really, oh well. tis a good way to remember it tho...lefty loosen, righty tighten. i hope i can remember when i actually need to do it. a bit like stalactites and stalacmites. sure tights go up but they also go down so it confuddles me when i need to know, lol.

now where'd ya put pix of your new wall hanging? did you ever put up pix of that gooooooooorgeous autumn jacket you were working on when i was there? omg, that was sooooooo beautiful. if ya dont have pix up, tis time to get a pix of ya in it and put it up for us all to drool over. :) groggy in the south pacific (still early here), jeanne

Reply to
nzlstar*

A suggestion for setting the machine for dark-light thread combo. Set top tension to very,very loose. On a sample sandwich, same light and dark fabrics, same batting, stitch. You should see large dots of top thread on back. Start gradually tightening tension, a tiny bit at a time. Check back frequently. When top thread no longer shows, but barely there, you should still not see back thread on top. If you do, back top tension back a half of what you had been moving it. Keep on until the top doesn't show any back thread. You may still have small show through of top to back, but---- Or make the light thread be the one that shows as tiny dots. Us a pigma pen on the light spots that are really, really bad. Generally, if it is just a tiny dot, it will go away in the wash. yes even thread will shrink a bit, especially the one that has been under the greatest tension, I have found. At least enough to pull those tiny dots through.

Good luck, Pati, > I confess. I don't buy my backings. There's a beloved friend and World

Reply to
Pati Cook

extremely valuable information. Big ol' hugs and chocolate flower bouquets to all of you!

Sunny

Reply to
Sunny

I also find that wayward thread dots vanish in the wash. Or at least, the quiilt develops enough texture that they can't be seen. Roberta in D

"Pati Cook" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news:l8UWh.4225$ snipped-for-privacy@newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net...

Reply to
Roberta Zollner

InspirePoint website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.