Welcome from Milwaukee, Pattia

thank you Christine, I have yet to go over to introduce myself on the board officially
=)

I agree with quiltE. Once the batting is in place, that's the background for the white.

I have had this problem also. I do look for ones that are not "too" transparent, usually with a white on white print. Washing/drying first definitely helps and once you sandwich it with white batting, it comes out beautifully. Once the piecing is done it helps to make sure there isn't any darker fabric peaking out from under the white on that occasion when you have to press to the light side, if it does, it doesn't hurt to trim a little off so it stays behind the white. You will also want to make sure your darker threads are clipped from the back so they don't show through.

When you wash the completed quilt for the first time, don't be alarmed when you see the darker colors through the white while wet (ask me how I know), once dry it'll be just fine!

Thank you all, such good advice.
Patti

I haven't found a white fabric, not even Kona, that you can't see a seam thru.....best idea is to try to press away from the white if you can

Definitely try to press away as much as possible. I know that once you get a quilt layered and quilted, and then if you wash it up after it'd done you definitely don't notice any seems peeking through. I make a lot of quilts with white (bella solids more than kona) and haven't had any issues with those solids. I don't know about the white on white prints, I just never like the feel of them because it feels more like a screen print tshirt than typical print fabrics, and I don't like that.

Thanks to all about the information on washing the white fabric to make it denser. I've avoided white fabric for the reason mentioned (too shear) but may give it a try now.

I use white on white quite a bit as my background canvas in MOD quilting and have never had problems with it being to thin. I buy by the bolt every few weeks. I consider what I buy of good sturdy quality.

I wonder if the dyeing of the fabric has anything to do with the denseness.....the added thickness of the various dyes would, I think, bulk up the weaving threads, and possibly because the white is the "natural" color of the thread, they are thinner in the weaving process. Just a thought, don't know if my thinking process is reasonable....