Thursday Thread - Doubling Up with Superior Omni and Brytes

I've been playing a lot with doubling up my threads when quilting on both my domestic and longarm machines. I'll write a separate post about doubling threads on a domestic machine. This post I want to focus on combining 2 threads from Superior Threads.

I've used Superior Brytes, which I think has recently been discontinued** and Omni #3157, Indian Paintbrush. The Brytes is a 30wt 3ply polyester thread that is nice and shiny. Since I can't get anymore of this, I don't want to start quilting a large project and run out! Thus it is perfect for a project this size. The Omni is a 30wt poly wrapped poly thread. It looks and acts like cotton and is not shiny.

**EDIT: since writing and posting this blog this morning, I've since found out that BRYTES has been re-named SO-FINE 30!!! That is good news.

I bought a new longarm earlier this year. I needed to get to know my new AMY-JOY, Handi Quilter Amara. I loaded some Soft and Stable batting and some black/navy batik fabric on top. There was no need for a separate backing, just loaded the Soft and Stable to the fabric leaders on my frame.

I just started stitching across the quilt. I drew in a few lines with a marking pencil to give myself some guidelines and filled each spacing with a variety of fills. I am finding that combining threads gives more definition to the quilting/stitching lines.

I have long wanted to create my own signature feather design and used this opportunity to experiment and play with a variety of feather designs.

I started stitching with the OMNI thread and thought that adding a bit of shine would be nice. So, out came the cone of BRYTES and I simply placed the spool on my 2nd spool pin and threaded it through the same thread guides. I often find that I'm OK with using a size 18 needle on my longarm for either or both threads. I don't often need to use a larger needle.