My boxer dog likes to sit near me when I quilt. The other night I was SID on my granddaughter's quilt and he ran in the room and in his exuberance he stepped on top of my foot on the pedal of my machine and the result is very "tiny" stitches that went way out of the ditch into the quilt which I now need to remove. However, the seam ripper I use is not able to get into those tiny stitches. What is the best seam ripper I can get to remove those stitches or is there anything you can recommend to help me fix it. It affected two blocks. It is funny until I start trying to remove those stitches. Needless to say, he won't be sitting by me anymore much to his dismay.

Hummmmm....Hard to say which kind would work best. I would think the standard pointy ripper would work best to get under the threads. Use a strong light and bend the area over one finger tightly to try to flatten the area as much as you can.

Good luck!!

And I know about how exuberant boxers can be....we have 2!! :-) Gotta love 'em!! LOL

If you have a Medical Supply store near you, I would get a pair of Suture Removal scissors. They have a little sharp hook on one blade that slides under even the smallest stitches. I did notice my LQS had hemostats for sale; maybe they've added suture removal scissors so that's another option. I just had to rip out quilting on long borders so I feel your pain!! It would have been a lot more difficult without my suture removal scissors. Oh, also check with a pharmacy-they sometimes have medical supplies. Good luck and no treats for your boxer today.

Here's what I created to help remove cross stitches. I took a long regular cross stitch needle (which is blunt at the need) and threaded it, I then took a bunch of beads and added to the thread and then tied a cute coin/button at the end.

If I have to remove stitches I use this. By having the beads on the end of it it's easier to hold and I also don't lose it in my pincushion.

I'd do the same with a long regular sewing needle. That way you've got a sharp point on the end.

Good luck!

WHAT A GREAT iDEA ! in the past I have had to use needles to get under those tiny stiches but would have never thought of using the beads, off to the craft-sewing room, I know I have small beads somewhere! LOL

Janice,
Thank you so much for your idea of bending the area over my finger to flatten the area. I will definitely try that and you are right about having a bright light. I use a tabletop Ottlite so I'll see if that helps.

Great idea! I would never have thought of the Medical Supply place so I will contact them and see if I can get the suture removal device. If I can get that to work it will be my new favorite tool.

Go to www.tooltron. They have mini seam rippers that are amazing . Like miniature scalpels. I buy them by the dozens. The price says $1.50 but they gave always come through at $1.00. Maybe because I buy so much! I use them especially for taking out tiny stitching mistakes in paper piecing. I pick out the first couple of stitches with a conventional seam ripper then finish the job with the mini. Our guild bought a hundred of them for part of the member gifts for our Christmas party. When I teach paper piecing I always give one to each class member.

I used a clover to get out tiny stitches. Use patience. I would work on it for half an hour and then give it a break as the frustration can really eat at you.

I use a #12 disposable scalpel. It has a crescent shaped blade with a very pointy tip; the back of the crescent is not sharp, just the inner curve.

All you'd have to do is pick up a stitch with the point, then rotate the scalpel slightly to cut that stitch.

Be VERY careful, scalpels are incredibly sharp.