Originally Posted by
tranum
Grandma used the “tie on the needle” method.
I’ll attempt to explain: take a stitch and leave a 3” tail. Repeat stitch. Now you are ready: hold tail with one hand and circle the tail once and come through the loop you just made, bringing loop to a closure by pulling on needle. This completes first half. Hold tail again and with needle, circle tail opposite way from before, bring needle through loop and pull needle until loop closes up securely. Cut thread, leaving a tail equal in length as other tail. Done. In essence, this is a square knot.
This is basically the same knot my grandma taught us and that we use for Lutheran World Relief quilts going to disaster areas and refugee camps. The only difference is that we don't change directions on the last half. I can see the advantage of how you do it!
P.S. You don't really need an extra long needle for this type of knot.