As most machines do these days, mine picks it up when you start stitching. And when we (in class) were making our quilt tops, we didn't have to do anything with it, just sew.

When we starting quilting our tops yesterday, on each seam, the teacher had us manually pick up the bobbin. (Which made me crazy, as sometimes I had trouble with it). Why did she have us do this?

Thanks and sorry for the newbie question!

I think it is because some of the older machines would make a little thread "nest" at the beginning of the seam if you didn't hold on to the thread.

Yes, what she said. And it does it on my newer one as well.

Any hints as to how to do this without getting frustrated? Sometimes it was easy to do and sometimes I just couldn't get the loop or it was too tiny to grab.

Thanks!

You might want to keep a pair of tweezers by your machine when doing this. It helps to be able to reach under the foot and grab a thread that just isn't being cooperative. :)

The more experience you get, the easier it gets. Just get in the habit of pulling that thread through and it won't be long and you'll be doing it in your sleep.

There's an easy way to do it. Place your fabric, take one stich then use a needle to pull the bobbin thread through. Here's a video... Ignore the 1st part. Towards the last third it has a demonstration. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDERq...eature=related

Thanks for the video link.
And thanks to everyone who responded! :)

I bought a Juki for machine quilting and if I don't pull up the bobbin thread first I'll be picking a mess out of the back.

You don't have to. I have not been doing it with my SID (because I didn't know to) and you can tell all the stops and starts due to the little lumpies - not bad, just annoying. A few weeks ago I read about the bobbin thread being pulled and have been playing with it. As long as you have a flat something to help pull the thread up it's not really a problem. I can hardly wait to dump the lumpies.

it's the whole nesting mess thing

on my juki with the thread cutter I can just cut, move to another area and start sewing....on my older machines I have to pull the bobbin thread to the top or big nest

I use a stiletto to pull up the bobbin thread. It is one of the handiest tools I own.

I keep a straight pin handy to pull the bobbin thread up. Another plus to doing this, is you only have to cut threads from the top of the quilt :wink: :D:D:D

OK, I was hoping someone would ask, but evidently everyone knows the answer to this really obvious (at least, to me) question. What do you do with the two threads once they're on top?

You bury them between the quilt layers :)

Stupid question here, but by bury them do you mean you put them on a needle and pull it through to the batting?
My machine can stitch in place and lock the threads, it may be wrong, but I just cut them close.

I'm going blind and hand threading any needle is nearly impossible. My sewing machine has a needle threader or I wouldn't be able to sew at all.

I never bring the bobbin thread to the top. If I'm quilting a bed quilt and need to bury the ends later I want to do that on the back of the quilt, not the front. If I'm quilting a wall hanging with invisible thread I want the bobbin thread on the back, not the front. My machine doesn't make thread nests as a rule.

Hold them until you have done a back tack or tie and bury so that your stitching won't come undone.

My machine (1992 or older) does this. I usually turn the wheel so that the needle goes down into the fabric. That stops it. And since I try to chain piece a lot, I do not have to do it very often.

When all done you knot these threads close to the quilt top and then thread them on a needle and pull them between your layers to hide them and then your sewing won't come undone. Some people use the feature on their machines that sews a stitch in one spot but this will leave a little bump on the back of your quilt. Working your threads between the layers gives it a smooth look on the back so your quilt can be reversible

good video on you tube. saved it to favorites. :)

When I start quilting I push the button to take the needle down, push it to bring the needle up, crab the top thread on each side of the little dip and pull it up, it brings the bobbin thread up and I take tip of the scissors and pull the bobbin thread to the top. I stitch a stitch forward and backward to lock the stitch and continue on my way. I then cut both threads close to quilt and it never comes down, I end the same way. Make sure you don't try to start where there is a seam allowance, it won't work, too thick . This way always works for me.

If you put your presser foot down before you go after the bottom thread, it will come up each time...

Thanks. You see, I'm still at base level on a lot of things. One is never too old to learn.