So…I need some helpful tips!
I’ve been working on a small quilt and decided to be brave and quilt it myself.
Because the quilt front has several large pieces of contrasting solid colors, I’ve had to change out the top thread color of my machine several times. I used a needle to bring all the top threads to the back of the quilt. Here are a few examples.
I tied the loose threads in neat little knots and snipped the thread close to the knot. Now I have lots of knots that look something like this: 
The knots got fuzzy from the quilt being flipped from front to back while I tied off all the loose threads.
Should knot(s) be seen? Are there haves and have knots? How do you deal with the knots in your quilting life?
I want to see how people answer this question.
I am never happy with anything I try to quilt.
I have a lot to learn in this area.
I think we will get some good tips!
I use the method shown in this video:
http://the-littlest-thistle.com/2017/05/how-to-bury-thread-ends-in-a-quilt-and-only-thread-a-needle-once-quilt-making-basics.html
It took me a couple of times to get the hang of it — now I really like it.
Thank you!!!! This is a really great way to bury threads and I am going to practice until I get it perfect! She has some other cute tutorials!
I bury all of my threads–although I don’t change colours of thread and I do simple quilting, so I have less to bury. I don’t think I could stand knots on the back of my quilt!
Also, is your tension off? Or will the purple thread from the top disappear when you wash the quilt? I use the same colour in top/bottom so I’ve never experienced that.
Good question on the tension…I was using a white bobbin with a purple top thread so I will take a look at my machine. I am bothered by the knots on the back as well. I did get some great tips on how to bury them in the future. If you would like to read them, you can click on the comments section.
I do the same thing I do when hand quilting “buryinh the thread in the batting”:
– Put thread into a hand sewing needle
– Take a couple small stitches on top of each other to “lock” them, only thru backing fabric,
– Then run needle/thread thru backing fabric into batting for several inches, bunch up fabric a little to get further along if needed
– Do not go thru to front/top!
– Bring needle back up thru backing fabric, clip thread closely so it buries itself back under the backing fabric when all is released and smooth back out.
Perhaps takes more moments to do than knot and clip, but invisible if done carefully
– Btw, some do at the beginning tie an overhand knot in the thread, 1/2″ or so from where it has ended sewing, then thread needle & “pop” the knot thru fabric into the batting when doing those steps
– Hopefully this is at least as clear as mud?
Great tips, thank you! My future projects will be knot free ( I hope! )
I am waiting to see what others say! What I did with the piece I hand quilted earlier this year was to hide the knots in the batting. It is a trick I learned from another art quilter.
That seems to be the consensus….bury in the batting! Different techniques accomplish this and I am going to practice a lot to get this right (says Ms. Type A personality).
I love this question and hope to hear what others are saying. I’m a newby and need all the help I can get.
I got so many good tips! Check out the comments to read through them and see what might work for you. I am going to practice burying my threads on my next project.
I would like to tell you I bury all my threads, but I don’t it depends on the piece. However, if you don’t want to see them, That is what I suggest.
OK, thank you Lori!
I bury the thread like in the demo and I usually use only one color, you never see the knots in my quilt, and if it’s buried correctly, it lies deep in the batting. Nothing like that little click when the knot goes through and if it doesn’t because I made the knot too big, I rebury.
Works every time.
Thanks, Janet! I will give this a try.
Love the skeleton quilt!!!! And your photos are exquisite – can I come hiking with you?? It’s gorgeous countryside.
About knots – your machine looks fairly sophisticated. Does it have a knot-making feature perhaps? My machine (not a Bernina) will make a tiny knot on the back side and cut the threads to about 1/2″. I just cut them down to the knot and they’re hardly visible. I don’t get much in the way of fuzzies with this method. Alternatively, I’ll pull the quilt away from the machine enough that I can cut the threads at about 5 inches. Then I use an ordinary needle threader to pull both threads through a large eye embroidery needle at the same time, push it through to the back, knot them as close as possible to the back of the quilt, and “bury” them in the body of it. If you do it right, sometimes you can get your little knot to pop under the backing. This way is more time consuming but if you hate seeing any fuzzies on your quilt back, this will prevent them. I mostly use the machine function because I’m a stingy old lady and hate to waste thread.
Granny G: Thanks for the tip about knots! I’m glad you like the skeleton quilt — need to get that pattern written 🙂 — Sandy @GBD