No loose threads everywhere
I've been watching videos on Bargello for current project. This video shows a guy using a "leader" piece of fabric before beginning the stitching of the strips in order to catch the threads. This works great! No loose threads everywhere-they're all attached to "leader"! (He starts sewing at about 7 1/2 minutes) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTsW80EANKI
It's probably not a new idea, but it's a new tip for me. |
Leaders and have been used for decades. It's a great habit to start.
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And if you want, you can pick a simple block and use it as a leader and eventually you will have enough for another quilt! for example. Cut up your scraps into 2.5 inch squares, stitch a light and a dark together until you have a bunch of them. Then make a simple four patch. Now you have four patch blocks to make a simple four patch quilt if you alternate them with a plain block.
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Another probably obvious benefit to user a leader/ender is that there is less thread waste. Saves money on thread!
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Bonnie Hunter has two books out on using leaders and each summer issues a fun leader/ender group project.
Saves a Ton of thread! https://quiltville.blogspot.com/2005...-and-hows.html |
OK.....I am familiar with the terms leaders and enders, and did some research after watching Aashley333's link. Maybe I'm missing the obvious here, but I'm confused. I get the premise, and understand the chain piecing, but what keeps the seam you are sewing from unraveling? I always tack my seams when piecing, and honestly never gave thread waste a thought. I must be on the wrong thought track!
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I use a "spider" that is a scrap where I start in the middle and reuse many times -- the hanging threads are the legs of the spider. The way my brain works is I would need a leader for the leader. I only start, typically don't feel the need for an ender. I use the spider each time, but it really helps when you are piecing triangles to help keep the points get sucked down or edges chewed up.
I also was amazed when I switched from my old vintage machine to a modern machine with an auto-thread cutter. I am much less covered with threads than ever before. I've seen posts from people who are unhappy with their machine's cut, but with all the problems I have with my Bernina it is one thing I'm super happy about. It also made a big change in my willingness to do patterns with partial seams which I used to rather avoid. Anniedeb, if I'm answering the question I think you are asking, any time we are using the modern chain/strip piecing techniques where you cut through pre-sewn strips, you use a small stitch length. My machine defaults at 2.5, which I think is a nice stitch for garment construction, but I bring it down to 1.9 for piecing. No problems with unraveling. Really, the only time I backstitch is when I'm putting on a mitered border, and that is mostly to help deal with the weight and pull of the top. |
Originally Posted by Anniedeb
(Post 8541100)
I get the premise, and understand the chain piecing, but what keeps the seam you are sewing from unraveling?
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Ditto what Iceblossom said. small stitches to start and end on quilt edges.
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I chain stitch a lot, but I also back stitch at the end and the beginning of each piece. It doesn't affect the chain stitching momentum, at least not a lot.
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