Comments on: Gadgets

By: Hosea Machen

Hosea Machen — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 05:01:32 +0000

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By: marc burt

marc burt — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 22:05:37 +0000

My mother who is visually challenged has been trying to purchase the Clover Compact Self-Threading Needle Set without success. Can you give me a website where I can purchase them?

By: started quilting « by small means

started quilting « by small means — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 23:59:07 +0000

[...] in the past i have always been a backstitcher on my quilts that had quilting that didn’t flow from one end to another, but was never happy with the results. when i started this quilt i remembered this post over at pink chalk studio. my plan is to give it a try. in the comments of that post she gave instructions to bury the knots, which i plan on trying as well. i have only started the quilting and am a bit nervous about all the knots i’m going to have to bury, but maybe it wont be too bad. [...]

By: so pleased « by small means

so pleased « by small means — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 23:58:18 +0000

[...] the quilting made such a hugh difference and burying all those strings was not painful at all. it did take a couple of hours but i could do it while watching tv. thanks again kathy for the tip. if i ever make a robot like this again i will probably do a bit more quilting on the robot itself. but i do love him as he is. [...]

By: April

April — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 18:19:19 +0000

thanks for posting about this. i have always been disappointed with backstitching on quilts but didn’t really think about there being a way around it. i have started quilting on a quilt and have lots of little strings all over and am a bit nervous about having to bury all them. however, i know i’ll be glad i did
oh and i plan on using your tutorial on burying a knot as well.
thanks again.

By: Dacia

Dacia — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 00:13:50 +0000

wow, am I jealous of your straight lines and flat, no crumpled fabric. If I took a close-up of my quilts, you would be horrified! looking gorgeous.

By: Daphne

Daphne — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 19:43:48 +0000

I was wondering what the application for self-threading needles would be — now I know. I’ve been doing a lot of hand-sewing lately (I even used a little bit of the fabric you gave me!) and now I know what needles to look for (the sharps, not the self-threaders). But also, now I know when I’m ready to do my next quilt[s] (probably for the boys) (do I get a prize for incluing a record number of parenthetical statements in this comment?), that I’ll want to follow these hints for finishing the quilting threads.

Oh dear, and here I thought I’d convinced myself not to do any more shopping for a while.

By: Administrator

Administrator — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 00:44:31 +0000

To answer Jo Ann’s question:

I actually do have a tutorial for burying short thread ends: http://pinkchalkstudio.com/blog/how-to-bury-thread-ends/

The link was incorrect on my tutorials page so I’m glad you asked and I was able to fix it!

I think I’ll be updating that tutorial soon. The tutorial is really focused on burying thread ends that are too short to thread into the needle therefore you have to put the needle in first and then use a needle threader. This is all before I had my handy-dandy auto-threading needles.

My new approach is to pull the bobbin thread to the top of the quilt before beginning to stitch (this is in the middle of the quilt, if you’re starting from and edge which will be covered by the binding you don’t have to worry about anything). After all your machine quilting is completed, you’ll have threads hanging loose on the top of your quilt. I tie mine twice with my fingers, thread the two ends through your needle, put the needle into the hole where the thread ends came out and take a stitch about 1/2 inch or further away. Tug a bit to pull that knot down through the hole where the needle went in. Trim the threads close to the fabric where the needle came out. Threads are now buried and the knot securing the stitching line has also been pulled inside the layers never to be seen again!

Let me know if anyone needs more clarification. Happy sewing, kathy

By: Jo Ann

Jo Ann — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 20:05:39 +0000

Your work is always lovely and inspirational. Now I’m starting to make quilts and I’d love to bury my threads, but I can’t figure out how to do it. Do you have a tutorial somewhere that explains the process?
I’d really appreciate the help. thanks,

By: Alice

Alice — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 15:54:49 +0000

Self-threading needles are great for ordinary hand sewing… ask my 80+ year-old Father about trying to sew on a button when he can’t see the eye of an ordinary needle and you’ll have enough material for a one hour comedy act. I got him some of the self-threading ones and he got excellent results. I now keep a stash of them around for buttons, popped seams and hand applied linings and zippers. Send off a package to elderly relatives – they will love you for it!