Gramie bj

I'm not experenced with the longarm yet. When you finish with an area do you just cut your thread short or do you hide the thread end like hand quilters do?

DebraK

I do a little stay stitch and hide the thread, but I am a novice. There may be a better answer out there.

bamamama

I just secure the stitch then cut the thread. I try to keep the thread as continuous as possible. If I am doing a customer quilt and they are paying me for all the bells and whistles then I would bring up the bobbin thread, thread a needle and bury both threads in the batting. Its very time consuming so I reserve it for the really nice stuff.

Shelley

If the start/stop will show, I will tie a knot and bury the thread. I use a spiral eye needle so it's fairly quick.

If it's in a seam or a busy fabric I will secure and cut the thread.

DebraK

Thanks for the spiral needle tip.

Rose L

I usually take a stay stitch and then cut the thread.

quilter1430

I don't like the thick look of going back-and-forth to secure the thread, so I bury my threads using a self-threading needle (John James brand). I haven't used the spiral-eye needles yet, but I would think they would work even better because you don't have to "pop" the thread into the hole, which sometimes causes the thread to break if I'm not careful. I run the thread through a couple of times to make sure it's secure, coming up in different areas and then burying it again.

ckcowl

when starting and stopping i take a few tiny tiny stitches..then after moving along i clip the threads close.

jljack

I do the same.

Gramie bj

Thank you all! will look for john james and a spirel needle and try them both.