I have hand quilted before and know how to pull the knot through, so it's inside the sandwiched quilt. I am big stitch quilting this one with pearl thread, which is a little thicker. I made my knot as small a possible, but it won't pull through. Or it comes all the way through. I guess it is also called primitive quilting and some say it's ok to leave know on back of quilt, but I dont want to. Also don't remember how to do the end of the thread, knot it off.

Any help would be wonderful.

Thanks

This is a great question.

I've been handquilting a lot lately. I read that to finish the thread, you should take the needle through the batting, back up, stitch through the same spot (where it won't show) and stith through batting again, bring needle up, cut thread at surface and it should stay snug-seems to be working.

I can imagine the trouble you are having trying to bury a knot using perl cotton. I don't think it is possible to "pop" it in with that heavy a thread. I think I would try bringing my unknotted thread tail into the batting then taking a backstitch as my first quilting stitch then quilting as normal. I would try leaving a fairly long thread tail buryed in the batting. For ending I would do the same, take a back stitch then take a stitch that is extra long that is buried in the batting. I would bring my needle up in the back and trim the tail very close to the backing then you can ease the tail back into the batting layer from the back.

You do it as though you are embroidering, not quilting. In embroidery, you never use a knot. Leave a long tail buried in the batting. Then, do 2 tight stitches to start. Then do your quilting. When you get to the end of your thread, do 2 tight stitches and bury the thread.

One gal I know goes an extra step. She buries the thread in front of where she stitches so that she can catch the buried thread up in the stitches for added security. I do that in cross stitch and it helps, so it seems reasonable to do.

Thank you all. I remember doing that now. I havve crossed stitched yrs ago. :)

to tie the end of the thread I make a french knot and pop it thru to the inside