I have always wondered about the need to cut the threads. Do you cut your threads shorter or leave them dangle on the back of a quilt?

If you cut them - why?
I know this is going to make me sound crazy - maybe I am even lazy, but if the quilt is sandwiched and quilted and bound - who sees the threads and who is going to open it up to look?

I understand when there is dark thread and light fabric - it can show through.

I guess what I have wondered about is if there is a practical reason for cutting them? Would they cause the fabric to wear out or maybe it would someday work its way out a seam?

I cut my threads .. I just hate working with an un-tidy block. I was raised in a family of sewers , when ever I made anything... they all flipped it to look at the back first , then the front. It was stressed that a good sewer's work was as clean and free of threads as the front. I just can't bring myself to not trim the threads.

I cut all of mine, because I think it looks nicer/cleaner

Trim them off as I go.

Then before final pressing and quilting, I cover every inch of front and back, and trim off all the extra threads as well as any frayed edges.

As I do the final pressing, I watch and trim any that avoided me in the other passes!

Are you my long lost sister?
That was drilled into us too ... must trim and keep it tidy.

Annnnnnnnnnnnd you never re-did a seam (widened, straightened, etc.without taking out the previous stitches. And every time I don't do that now, I can hear my Mother chanting at me from beyond!! :)

It's especially important if you're sewing with dark thread and have some light fabrics in the quilt as well. You don't want the threads showing thru the light fabric.

if i reading this right it after you quilt your quilt i take the front thread and bring to the back knot it twice like you tie a shoe string then thread both threads on a needle and go close to the end of thread into the quilt then go threw the layer then make sure the knot go thread you hear it pop then about a inch pull thread out then cut but if it the back of the blocks i cut it off

I cut them short or I go nuts just knowing they are there.

After sewing for MANY years, clipping threads is a habit I just can't quit!

thanks