Originally Posted by PaperPrincess

Another way to do it is 'skinning'. Lift the backing up from the sandwich and carefully clip the thread between the backing and batting. There should be a tiny bit of give in the batting so you can get your thread snips in there. If you work from the backing side and slip, you may cut the backing (which you can easily patch) but won't damage your top. Just take your time. It's a great task to do while watching TV.