After I pop the knot, I sew an inch or two through the batting. I've never had anything come out when I do it this way. I feel like it is extra precautions.
Sue

I have been hand quilting for years and I have used a lot of the quilts on beds, so they have been washed often. They are all still intact, so far. Some of the fabric is very thin, but the stitches remain. I usually pull the thread through about an inch, then make a back stitch, complete the area and back stitch again. I also run the end through about an inch at the end.
I find hand quilting is very relaxing and satisfying.
Have fun!

I've been hand quilting about 30 yrs. Here's my various ways to end. I usually end by tying a knot close to my last stitch and pop it through, not by pulling straight through to the back, but by running the needle sideways between the layers before exiting, so I have about a 1/2 in. tail buried along with the knot. (Of course I snip the thread right where it exits the quilt.) But if my ending thread is too short to tie a knot in, I take a backstitch and then run the needle between the layers before exiting, so that about 1/2 in. or more of thread tail is buried between the layers. Sometimes I will do a backstitch or two duplicating my last two stitches, so it doesn't show as a back stitch and then run the tail between the layers of the quilt. Sometimes my thread is just too short to do anything with, then I simply slip my needle between the layers as far as it will reach before exiting and leave a long tail of thread between the layers. I've never had problems with any of these ways coming unsewn after it is quilted. The main goal is no knots or thread tails on the surface.

That's the way I do my stitches. I find it works better than knotting.

OK, if I'm following you correctly, at the end I would insert my needle at the end of my line and go about an inch, do a backstitch, go back to my starting point & quilt as usual ending in a backstitch & bury my thread? Am I complicating this more than it is? I'm typically a knot-popper, myself. :)

No, just pull the needle up, hold onto the thread that is buried in the batting and start quilting as usual. Not really necessary to take an extra stitch still you'll be catching the buried thread when you quilt over it.

I basically do the same...except I make sort of a candlewick stitch to pull through. (Sort of like a French knot, but not exactly)

WOW never thought of this before. I just pop it. I will start using the small backstitch though.
Thanks everyone!

I do that a lot and sometimes if I'm at a seam I will stitch around a thread that connected the pieces and then make a knot and pop it through a seam. Once quilts are washed I think the thread just buy themselves in the batt, don't you?

I have to feel safe, I take two little backstitches then knot and pop.

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