How to Bury Threads for Stopping & Starting Machine Quilting
When machine quilting, there are many ways to deal with thread ends. Some quilters simply backstitch for a few stitches, then forward stitch the rest of the stitching, but this can end up adding unwanted bulk to the finished piece. Other quilters like to begin their row of stitching with extremely short stitches, then gradually move up to the size stitch they'll use for most of their quilting. This looks better, but some quilters find it too troublesome. A better way is to use an old hand quilting technique called "burying the ends."
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Instructions
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Take your first machine quilting stitch, then stop the machine. Pull the bobbin threads to the upper side of the quilt, leaving a tail of 3 or 4 inches. Continue stitching.
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Quilt to the end of the line of stitching, being careful not to stitch all the way to the edge of the cloth. Instead, leave ¼ inch or so unstitched.
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Cut the machine quilting thread after making sure you have long tails (3 or 4 inches long) at the end of the row of stitching.
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Cut a piece of hand quilting thread around 24 inches long. This thread must be stronger than the type you use in the machine.
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Thread both ends of the hand quilting thread through a crewel embroidery needle or another large-eyed needle. You should have a large loop on one side of the needle and 2 3-inch ends on the other.
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Insert the needle through the quilt, precisely where the machine quilting thread with its long tail starts on the quilt.
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Take a 1-inch stitch, making sure you only stitch through the top and batting. The needle or thread should not come out the back of the quilt.
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Pull the needle (and the hand quilting thread--loops and two ends) until the needle just barely appears on the backside of the quilt. There is now a loop of hand quilting thread on top of the quilt.
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Place your hand through the loop of hand quilting thread and grab the machine quilting thread (i.e., the thread you wish to bury).
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Pull the needle, making sure you're still holding all the hand quilting thread (loop and ends). Allow the hand quilting thread in the needle to slide over your hand. It should catch the machine quilting thread.
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Continue pulling. The loop of the machine quilting thread will pull the machine quilting thread ends below the surface of the quilt and into the batting, where it cannot be seen.
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References
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Comments
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cre8tifgal
Aug 12, 2010
It would have been really nice had you given credit to my friend that actually wrote this article. Perhaps you can do it now. Thank you.
