I make things that make people smile. . . and you can too!
Tuesday, August 02, 2011
How to Tie Off Thread on the Back of Your Embroidery
So - one of the very first videos I made showed how to tie a knot in your thread, for sewing or embroidery. A reader recently asked me how I knot off the thread on the back of my embroidery. Good question! Here's the answer.
I've been doing this but also doubling my first and last stitches before I weave the floss. I'm glad to know this might not be necessary.
It was also helpful to see the back of your work. You hear a lot about making the back of your work look "as nice as the front," but there's not much about exactly what that entails. I never know how far of a jump I can make across the back of the fabric. What's your opinion on the maximum distance you can "jump" before you should tie off and restart?
Jenny - I don't buy into the whole "back of your work should look as nice as the front" thing. Why? I'm all about making the extra effort when it makes a difference. I bind all my quilts by hand. I use ladder stitch to close my softies.But I don't worry even a tiny bit about what the back of my embroidery looks like. :-)
For me it's all about function. Carrying a thread even a short distance behind lightweight and light-colored fabric will show - so I don't do it. Carrying a thread more than an inch or so inside a garment or on the back of a tea towel is easy to snag fingers and toes on - so I don't do that either. But carrying a thread behind a heavyweight or dark fabric that is going to be framed in a hoop and hung on the wall? No problem. :-)
My opinion, of course. At heart, I'm really a very lazy stitcher. I take the time on the things that matter to me and I don't worry too much about the "right" way to do things. It keeps my heart happy and my blood pressure low.
thanks. I wish I'd asked earlier. I'm making an embroidered quilt in which the embroidery is on white quilting cotton, each block a different color (a gift for a teacher). I have indeed carried the thread short distances, and sometimes with dark thread! No more than 1/2" I'd say, but still. Maybe it won't be too bad. Perhaps the beauty of the hand binding will distract . . . .
That short a carry probably won't be noticable at all - especially on a quilt. It's most noticeable on a softie, where the stuffing pushes the threads really firmly against the fabric. Things are looser on a quilt and that helps a lot. Have fun with it!
I've been doing this but also doubling my first and last stitches before I weave the floss. I'm glad to know this might not be necessary.
ReplyDeleteIt was also helpful to see the back of your work. You hear a lot about making the back of your work look "as nice as the front," but there's not much about exactly what that entails. I never know how far of a jump I can make across the back of the fabric. What's your opinion on the maximum distance you can "jump" before you should tie off and restart?
Jenny - I don't buy into the whole "back of your work should look as nice as the front" thing. Why? I'm all about making the extra effort when it makes a difference. I bind all my quilts by hand. I use ladder stitch to close my softies.But I don't worry even a tiny bit about what the back of my embroidery looks like. :-)
ReplyDeleteFor me it's all about function. Carrying a thread even a short distance behind lightweight and light-colored fabric will show - so I don't do it. Carrying a thread more than an inch or so inside a garment or on the back of a tea towel is easy to snag fingers and toes on - so I don't do that either. But carrying a thread behind a heavyweight or dark fabric that is going to be framed in a hoop and hung on the wall? No problem. :-)
My opinion, of course. At heart, I'm really a very lazy stitcher. I take the time on the things that matter to me and I don't worry too much about the "right" way to do things. It keeps my heart happy and my blood pressure low.
thanks. I wish I'd asked earlier. I'm making an embroidered quilt in which the embroidery is on white quilting cotton, each block a different color (a gift for a teacher). I have indeed carried the thread short distances, and sometimes with dark thread! No more than 1/2" I'd say, but still. Maybe it won't be too bad. Perhaps the beauty of the hand binding will distract . . . .
ReplyDeleteThat short a carry probably won't be noticable at all - especially on a quilt. It's most noticeable on a softie, where the stuffing pushes the threads really firmly against the fabric. Things are looser on a quilt and that helps a lot. Have fun with it!
ReplyDelete