victoriasews Posted August 21, 2007 Report Share Posted August 21, 2007 The state fair judge says I need to work on my tension on the black star quilt with metallic thread. I tightened it as far as it would go without breaking the thread, but little bitty points of metallic shows on the back. Dawn C. said I could use invisible thread on the back because it is stretchy and would work well. I will try that sometime but was wondering if there is a tip for using regular thread in the bobbin. The quilt is In the Beginning. A pic is in Pictures and Inspiration section...<a href="http://www.apqs.com/quiltboard/viewthread.php?tid=7192#pid59810">click here to view</a> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patch Posted August 21, 2007 Report Share Posted August 21, 2007 Personally, I just think the front of that is so fabulous it would only add to it if some showed on the back. Just MHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted August 21, 2007 Report Share Posted August 21, 2007 With metallics, sometimes the "shine" you get coming through on the back is the tiny bump of thread contrasting with the bobbin thread and winking through the needle hole. Did that make sense? So I guess if you used Monopoly in the bobbin, that shine would not be as noticable since the poly has a shine to it as well. I bet the judges had wonderful things to say about the quilt besides the "twinkling" on the back. As far as what to do if you want to use regular bobbin thread with metallics, I think using a thicker batting (maybe a cotton/poly blend) may help bury the stitches deeper and thus they would show less on the back. That is a wonderful quilt--all around! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltjunkie Posted August 21, 2007 Report Share Posted August 21, 2007 Victoria, I would suggest you invest in a Towa Gauge, I just recently broke down and purchased one and what a world of difference. I was having problems with the tension looking good on the top and then too tight or a regular basis and if I loosen the top then I got the loops. This has changed everything, when you know the bottom tension is correct you only have to play with the top. I'm using my Rainbows again and just did a quilt using the Superior Metallic Silver and no problems. This has made it fun to quilt again. I thought I "knew" when I had the bottom tension correct by the drop test..WRONG..and I can't believe how minute of a screw turn can change the tension so drastically. It was worth the $70. I invested if I never have to frog another quilt because of tension problems. I got it from Columbia River Quilting;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoAnnHoffman Posted August 21, 2007 Report Share Posted August 21, 2007 My secret for metallic is I leave my tension disk alone but when I thread it into the 3 hole bar above the tension disk I just go up the first hole, skip the second hole, then feed in down into the third hole. That loosens up the tension perfectly. I use 100% cotton, mustard color, Signature thread in the bobbin. It is soft and doesn't break the metallic, it is also the same color as the metallic gold. You might want to use two layers of batting, sometime I use a thin poly on top and 80/20 or 50/50 on the bottom. Your guilting really shows up and the 80/20 gives you the weight you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xtraquilts Posted August 21, 2007 Report Share Posted August 21, 2007 I've had good luck using Madeira metallic twist and use it on top as well as the back-looks fabulous that way too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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