Which end of thread?
 

Hi all,

I have a question about which end of the thread should be threaded into the eye of the needle. Years ago I took a hand quilting class and was taught to use the freshly cut end of the thread through the eye. I was just watching a class on needle turn applique and the teacher says that she threads the needle while the thread is still on the spool, opposite of what I learned in the hand quilting class. So that leads me wondering which is the correct way to thread the needle, freshly cut end or end that is already on the spool?

Thanks!
Victoria

Hmm! I thread while the thread is still on the spool. Never really thought about it.

I learned to have the thread "grain" to be smooth as you go through material. Take a piece of thread and run it through your fingers both ways, you can feel the rough and smooth of the grain. The smooth should be in the length as you sew. That also goes with the off the spool method, or they say, that the thread is wound that way. My problem is as I work I loos track of what I am doing so the finger method works better for me.

I asked this question of an owner of a thread co. He said it didn't make any difference.

I find that the freshly cut thread, as it comes off the spool, is the easiest to thread. The other end seems to fray out, depending on the thread of course. I also believe that if you are hand sewing (quilting, binding, whatever) that the thread does not twist up as much if you keep that thread in the correct direction as it goes through the fabric over and over (the direction that it came off the spool). Therefore, as soon as I thread a needle I put a knot on the trailing end so I know what the leading end is. If I don't need the knot, I just cut it off as necessary.

On the other hand, whatever is easiest to thread and sew with is what is best.

I hope this helps.

Aileen

I think the freshly cut end reason ... is just because sometimes the end becomes a little frayed. That too, might be something that might vary from one brand/weight/type of thread to the other.

And too, sometimes when working with the freshly cut end, and I've had problems threading it, it will have frayed and need a new cut to get it threaded.

That being said ... lots of times I have threaded successfully from the old cut.
Honestly, I never think of which end I thread ..........


In the end, I don;t think it really matters what end you thread ... just do it, and enjoy the project you are working on! :)

The discrepency is probably because hand quilting threads are apt have a final S-twist (left twist) while machine quilting, embroidery and all-purpose sewing threads mostly have a final Z-twist (right twist). When threading a needle from the bobbin, however, remember the ends are reversed.

The foolproof way to decide is with the 'grain' method mentioned earlier. As long as the nap runs needle to knot, you'll have fewer tangles with less fraying and breaking of the thread.

I've learned to moisten the needle instead of the thread! Works for me.

I have a little story about this subject. A few years ago I was with a group of quilters and garment makers who had been invited to visit a thread manufacturer in Germany. Various heads of departments gave their speech about the manufacturing process. I was itchy to ask the question about which end to thread the needle. So I finally got to ask. His answer was " makes no difference". One in our party was a very high profile quilter, teacher, Internet star etc. when we herd his answer she blurted out. " you just took a lot of my expertise away from me"