Helen6869

I had a beautiful quilt I had pieced machine quilted by a longarm professional. The only thing "un"professional about it, he failed to tie the threads or pull them through to the back. My question is: do most longarmers tie off the quilting threads? If not, how should I do it? Most of them are too short to tie off or pull through, so I wondered about pulling them to the back and touching just a bit with Fray-check. Any thought on why to do it or why not? Thanks so much for all the input here. Love this board! I have learned so much here. Thank you all! I should add that the binding doesn't cover the end of the quilting. It stops just short of the outside edge of the quilt.

mighty

I would have buried them, but thats just me. I do not think fray check would hurt anyting. I would try it.

Lori S

Many Long Arm pro's will leave all of the thread tales, as many quilters who "show" their quilts will want tails long enough to bury, using a needle and working the thread back though the batting and then clipping.
The answer to how to deal with these threads is if the long armer took enough "in place" stitches to secure the quilting threads. If they did , and it's not a show quilt or competition quilt , I just snip them off. If it is a show or competion quilt they should be worked back , buring the threads in to the batting so as to give no indication of starts and stops in the quilting.
If there are not sufficent in place stitches as to secure the quilting, then a square knot needs to be made with the two threads. And then you can snip or bury . I would not trust fray check to endure for the long use and repeated washings and heat from the dryer. Fray Check does dry a bit hard or stiff, and over years of use the fray check can crumble or break the bond.

Lois-nounoe

If the tails are too short to thread on a needle thread the needle with another piece of thread with a loop not a knot. Put the needle through the fabric next to the tail and thread the tail through the loop. Pull the needle through the fabric and batting pulling the tail along and burying it into the batting. Do that all the time cause I usually don't leave enough thread to knot and pull through.

Divokittysmom

June Tailor's Fray Block has a softer 'hand' to it than Fray Check. Just a little tip if you decide to go that route.

BellaBoo

If you use him again put it in your written instructions you want long thread tails with the stitches locked in place if he asks why take the quilt and leave. Fray Check seem to leave hard spot where it is used.

Helen6869

Thanks for the great replies. Unfortunately, some of the threads are so short they will barely pull through to the inside. I thought some extra help with the fraycheck would work. I will try the June Tailor fray block if I can find it. I really am afraid the threads will come loose after a couple of washings. Thanks again! I hope you're quilting today!! I have a new project I am dying to start and can't get to it! Maybe after the gym and lunch!

omaluvs2quilt

I think I'd get a similar colored thread and take a few handstitches to keep in place before I'd use fraycheck. I tried fixing an old store bought quilt that kept coming apart after the first washing and it was not good. It dries hard & scratchy. I finally just machine tacked down the split areas.

Kitsie

Think I would call the LAQ'er and ask him how you should deal with the thread ends! If he's done others, there must be a reason he's left them so short. Please post his answer here for us!!

Good luck!

ckcowl

ive been long-arm quilting for customers for 8 years now- i start off with tiny-in place (locking stitches) so the threads can be clipped at the quilt surface- once in a while i miss clipping one- i try to catch them all-
i would call him and ask if he locked the stitches- if it's ok to just clip them- or try one near an edge and see if it starts to (un-stitch) if it is secure you can just clip them