I wish there was a "like" button on here! When someone gives good advice or when its just something I strongly agree with, I'd like to hit the "like" button! lol!
My grandmother taught me the same thing about the end to knot. I use YLI thread. I still get the loops sometime. I just pull as much slack as possible out, put my needle directly under and against the thread where the knot is, and carefully lift upward. Most of the time, the knot always, always pops out.