Question about auto thread cut machines
 

I'm wondering how much of a thread trail is left after the machine cuts the thread. If one is quilting in the center of the quilt and wants to bury the thread ends is there enough to do that? my new machine will have an automatic thread cutter and there are times when one would want some thread tail.
I'm also wondering how it cuts the thread in the center of the quilt, such as if one is free motion quilting, without knowing how it's done it seems like it would cut the fabric too.
Thanks

I can only speak for my Brother VQ3000, but the automatic cutter leaves thread tails that are about 3/4" long, definitely not enough to bury easily. When FMQ'ing, I pull up the bobbin thread and hand-cut them. Then all my tails are on top, easy to keep out of other quilting and easy to find when it's time to bury them.

No problem with automatic cutting--it does it inside the bobbin housing, so there's no danger to your fabric.

I don't think it would work the way you want in the center of a quilt. I use the auto thread cutter a lot when piecing, but it doesn't leave any tail of the bobbin thread at all. It would cut the top thread underneath the quilt, so that would work okay, but you'd have no bobbin thread at all to tie it off.

I don't think that any of the auto cutters leaves much of a tail.

I never use the thread cutter when quilting. I bring both threads to the top of my quilt and then bury them with a needle. otherwise I would have all these little whiskers all over my top which are too small to bury. :)

on my machine that cuts thread, it cuts it under in the bobbin case.

If you want to bury the thread then I would recommend that you bring the bobbin thread to the top and cut both threads with scissors. I sew locking stitches and cut with the automatic cutter. At the end, I make one path with scissors and trim off the little whisps.

I have a Brother 1500 and the auto cutter leaves about 1/4" lengths of top and bobbin thread. It's fantastic to use when paper piecing, saves a lot of thread. I use it for quilting too. I turn the stitch length to 0 for the last few stitches and then auto cut. It's easy to snip the tails so they won't show. I have won Viewer's Choice in several local shows so I don't care if the judges like it or not.

It depends on the machine but I know that mine has a setting where you can turn off this feature if you want

My Elna has a button that you hit for it to auto-cut. I find I don't use it much--I tend to string piece as much as possible and I also don't like the way there seems to be a little nest on the start up of the next piece after I auto-cut.

I agree my Bernina 830 leaves too small of thread tails to bury them. I always bring my thread to the top when quilting then it is no problem to bury them while watching TV.

I love this feature on my Juki. It leaves 1/4" thread tails that I trim close to the quilt later. I have never worried about tying knots or burying ends and my quilts don't fall apart.

My Janome doesn't not leave enough to bury. I don't use the auto thread cutter if I want to bury threads but it is nice when you are piecing.

Lift the needle Draw the quilt out about 3 inches and cut.
Merry Christmas

I love my thread cutter on my Janome, use it a lot, not when quilting though.

I sew on a Janome Horizon 7700 and Berninas. The threadcutters on any of my machines leave only a half to three-quarters of an inch thread. When I need to bury threads I pull the threads out to give me five inches or so and then cut by hand. When I have time I go back and pull the top thread to the back and bury the threads. A pain but I do not like the looks of locking the threads by machine or backtracking on the beginning or ending of my design.

Just because you have an automatic cutter does not mean you have to use it. My machine leaves about an inch of thread. So if I want to bury the threads I simply pull my sewing out and manually cut the threads.

I don't believe that any of the auto thread cutters leaves much of a tail. The tie is very good though, and unless you are going to put it in a competition you would be fine.

Same for me I stitch in place a few times or go back and forth a few times and trim.

I love the thread cutter when I'm piecing, but I wouldn't use it if I wanted to bury threads as there isn't enough to do that. IMO, that's the point - no stray threads.

I do not use my auto thread cutter when quilting except when I finish a seam or after doing a long row of blocks. Polyester thread also stretches and the tail is shorter. Using it does not damage the fabric. Usually when I use it the bobbin thread is cut below the surface of the machine and I turn the fly wheel to bring up the bobbin thread as I always like to start with both threads having a tail.

Don't use the thread cutter ... It cuts a very short thread and it is not tidy. I made that mistake on one of my quilts. If your machine has an auto cutter, test it .

Sandy