Loose threads?
 

I am making a DQ quilt for the swap and I am trying to machine quilt it. My first time doing this. The loose ends that you get........I read on here that you pull the strand up so they are together. Tie them together. Then weave them into the quilt after knotting it. Is there another way of finishing off these ends without doing this. I am finding this to be a very consuming job or chore. It makes me like my hand quilting even more. I read somewhere that you can make your stitching smaller when you get to the end. Is that something one does???

Thanks for all your help.

Barb

For hiding threads by hand, you really need a cheater needle. Leah Day has a great video demo about this:
http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.c...g-threads.html

You can eliminate the need for this by taking 4 or 5 tiny stitches at the beginning of a line of stitches, and about 4 or 5 tiny stitches at the end of stitching. In this case you clip the threads close to the quilt. Experiment with this method to make sure you like it and that it works with your thread and design.

Thank you, I am going to try that.

When I took a FMQ class, the teacher told us to set the stitch length to the smallest the machine would go & then take 4 or 5 stitches in place. Then change stitch length to quilting stitch. Do the same at the end of your quilting line. It works well for me. I haven't had to fight with or bury those threads since. My machine has an automatic thread cutter so I only have to trim a short length of bobbin thread on the back. Just clip it close to the quilt. Hope this helps.

Thank you Barb for asking your question and thank you board members for the reply. I did not know that you could end stitching by reducing the size at the end of the seam. Now that I do, it will save me loads of time.

Thank you for all the info!!!!