Originally Posted by
Jan in VA
I begin my machine quilting line by taking one stitch, then pulling the bobbin thread to the front before taking 4-5 tiny stitches, then dialing to the regular stitch length.
I end the line of quilting by taking those same 4-5 tiny stitches, lifting the presser foot, moving the quilt out from under the needle 8-10", first cutting the bottom threads under the quilt, THEN cutting the threads on the front/top of the quilt AFTER I've given the bobbin thread a little tug to pull the last bobbin thread stitch thru to the top - it's just a little 'bump' feeling - and then cutting the front threads.
This seems to eliminate thread clumps on the back of the quilt for me.
Jan in VA
Well! I am definitely going to try this next time! Most of what I am doing is FMQ, and my machine can't drop its dogs so I've got a stitch length of 0, and a (somewhat jiggly) plate over the dogs to prevent snagging - my tiny stitches will have to be at my own discretion...but I think this could work for me! And having all the ends to tuck, or clip, on the same side of the quilt will also make life a little sweeter. Thank you!
Originally Posted by
DogHouseMom
If you are committed to burying them though, there is a great cheater needle on the market that I recommend. It's not the Clover - that one works by *popping* the thread through a tight gap in the top of the needle, I've broken too many threads with those needles.
Try the "Spiral Eye" needle - they are great! I use them for almost everything now.
http://www.spiraleyeneedles.com/
Sometimes when you can make just one little part of a big chore easier (threading the needles - especially when you are using short threads already connected to the quilt), the whole chore becomes that much easier.
Thanks DogHouseMom! This looks very useful, especially as I get ever more nearsighted. I shall try this too.
The quilted things I am working on right now are to go into a craft sale and I very much want them to be well done, especially as I would like to get my name out there for possible future commissions, so for the moment I will continue to bury the threads on my already-quilted items. But the NEXT ones will be done differently! Thank you all.
Alison