Now I've done it. Threads too short
 

I am DM quilting a baby quilt. When I went to hand bury the threads I discovered I cut a few of them too short to thread the needle. Yikes!
I am thinking I could use a perm type glue to make sure they dont come out. Is there such a product? It would have to be perm. washable, and dry clear. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated....


Cindy in Tn (who is feeling pretty dumb right now)

I have done that. What I did was get the needle as close as possible to where I want to bury it. I go ahead and stick the needle in about 1/2 way. I use a needle threader to pull the thread through the eye then pull the needle the rest of the way through the fabric. I use the tiniest drop of fabric glue to seal the hole.

This works especially well when the thread is much shorter than the needle. Meant to say was get a needle for hand sewing.

Do you have any of the needles where you just pop the thread into the eye from the top, rather than threading it the conventional way? With one of those and some tweezers, I can thread and bury thread as short as a half-inch long. Put the needle most of the way into the fabric, pop that little thread tail in (grab it with the tweezers) and pull the needle the rest of the way through. Taa-daa! Thread tail gone.

Not sure what you could put on there to keep it from working its way back out, though. Not sure how likely that is, if you bury it close to the original knot. Maybe a dot of fray check?

I like Tessagin's answer best, it's what I would do. However, if you decide to go the Fray Check route, make sure you get the soft flexible kind. I believe Fray Check dries hard, but there's another Fray product that dries soft, I can't remember what it's called. Someone else will be along soon to tell us what it's called! :thumbup:

Peckish, you might be thinking of Fray Block. Here's a link to a discussion of Fray Check vs Fray Block on Stitcher's Guild website.

http://artisanssquare.com/sg/index.php?topic=5412.0

I do what Tessagin suggested. Just finished pulling in threads on a baby quilt and had to do that a couple of times.

Do you use the needles (Fons and Porter) that have an opening in the top and you just put the thread in the top - I have threaded 1 inch pieces of thread. They are wonderful when you have bits of thread to try and get in a needle. Here is a link:
http://www.amazon.com/Fons-Porter-Th.../dp/B000J3X5YG

There's a newer "brush on" version of Fray Block that probably makes it easier to apply than the older tube version:
http://www.amazon.com/June-Tailor-JT...dp/B00D4VM4OC/

(Fray Block is the soft version of Fray Check.)

This was the first thought that came to mind what I would do. No need to panic.

It's very easy to stick an empty needle into your quilt along the same path you want the buried thread to run. Leave the eye sticking out close to your thread 'stub' and use a simple wire needle threader to thread it. Once threaded, just pull the needle through the top/batting as usual. The short end will bury itself as it pulls out of the needle. If you can run it back through the quilting line, it'll be more secure. I've done this with ends as short as a half inch and they are still buried after five years.

You could make a "sinker". Thread both ends of a short piece of thread in a needle so there is a loop of thread. . Insert into fabric, etc. and catch the loose end of the thread you want to bury inside the loop of the sinker. Pull the sinker thru. Your thread end will follow and be buried.

I do what Tartan said - un-do a few a few inches, enough to tie it off and bury the thread. Then, if needed, I've even hand quilted a few stitches to fix it up. When the quilt is washed, it's near impossible to find the boo boos.

Yes! That is exactly what I do too. Those needles are worth their weight in gold! Mine are John James Easy Threading needles.

The cheater needles (I use the John Flynn brand - found them in a quilt store) work well in burying threads. If the thread is short, I insert the needle part ways into the quilt and then put the thread into the eye opening and pull it through the quilt. If this is not possible, a fine crochet hook does a good job of pulling the thread into the quilt.

If you can un pick the stitches you can go back a few inches and bury them and start a short section.

I use a self-threading needle for short threads. Insert the needle into your quilt at the point where you want the threads buried, then pop the threads into the top of the needle, and pull through. As long as you have at least an inch of thread, you should be okay.

Use a dental threader, put the needle 1/2.way in, thread it and pull it through.

I have had threads as short as 1 1/2 inches buried. Push the needle part way into the fabric and then thread it.

That's what I do, works for me.

there are self threading needles for your problem, they have a tiny slot in the eye where you can slip the thread in and then you can bury the thread.

I agree with Sewnoma. Love those needles you don't have to thread. They are a great way to bury too-short threads.

Fray BLOCK dries SOFT, Fray CHECK does not.

Unless the quilt is to be judged, I would, also, just remove the quilting stitches for a couple of inches, bury the thread and requilt the last few inches. As my grandmother would say, "Nobody'll notice it on a galloping horse!"

http://www.joann.com/june-tailor-fra...z/4649497.html. I've used this product. It dries soft. A small dot where the thread enters the fabric might be enough to keep the thread from popping out, if it's really short. Warning...the stuff is really runny, so applying with a toothpick after you squirt it out might give you more control on the amount you want and where you want it.

I've used this method. It is quick and easy and at least you don't have to worry about your threads pulling loose.