After spending a gazillion dollars to get my quilts quilted, it would be ridiculously stupid not to do the finishing touches and get those babies on my beds, right? One of the finishing touches is making the binding, machine stitching it to the quilt, and hand sewing it down. On a big quilt, such as the one pictured above, this alone can take many hours of hand work. I buckled down this weekend and launched into the quilt I am most eager to begin using.
My favorite quilter does a magnificent job, and you all know how I sing her praises. However, when she does a custom job, such as she did for me in the pictured quilt, she leaves numerous threads hanging that need to be tied and then buried into the body of the quilt. The threads are at the points where she stopped one design and started up another. With a custom quilt, you have quite a bit of this, which you do not have with an all over pattern that just loops along all over the quilt top, not stopping till the design has filled the entire top.
I felt a bit like the girl in Rumpelstiltskin, having to spin a room of straw into gold before dawn. An impossible task. I would finish a vast area of tie offs, think I must be done, and then my heart would sink, as I realized there was at least an acre more of the little rascals. Tie the threads, thread them in a needle, bury them in the fabric of the quilt, clip the threads. Over and over and over.
So, I am posing a question to all of you who are expert machine quilters. When you custom quilt for others, how do you hand the issue of tie offs? It is very time consuming to do the dozens, maybe a hundred tie offs that occur on a large custom quilted quilt. Personally, I find it horrendously tedious work, and can't fault my quilter for pushing the job off onto me. But is that what everyone does? I haven't ever had to do this before when I have had custom work done, and wonder if it is "standard in the industry"? What do the rest of you do? Just cut the miserable little threads off? Charge extra for doing the handwork?
I do not mean this in any way to be a criticism of my favorite quilter, who is worth more to me than a ton of chocolate, diamond earrings, or a dozen cases of chardonnay. It is the way she does it, and I am content to live with it. I know she doesn't do it to torment me. I am just curious about this whole tie off thing. It never came up ten years ago, so why now? Let's talk.
72 responses to “Can We Talk About Tie Offs?”
This is the first time I’ve heard that a machine quilter left threads for her customer to tie. WOW! This must be an agreement you’ve made with the price she is charging you? If you don’t mind…what did she charge per inch?
As you can see…it is taking time to bury your tails…it is her time or yours.
It looks like a very pretty quilt. Oh…and looked at your “about me”…I’m originally from the Bay area…such a small world.
This is the first time I’ve heard that a machine quilter left threads for her customer to tie. WOW! This must be an agreement you’ve made with the price she is charging you? If you don’t mind…what did she charge per inch?
As you can see…it is taking time to bury your tails…it is her time or yours.
It looks like a very pretty quilt. Oh…and looked at your “about me”…I’m originally from the Bay area…such a small world.
Since I do my own long arm quilting, I cannot answer your question. I do have a suggestion, however. Get some self-threading needles. You tie the knot, slip both threads into the needle and then bury the knot. Makes it much faster since you don’t have to try to get the thread ends through the eye of the needle!
Since I do my own long arm quilting, I cannot answer your question. I do have a suggestion, however. Get some self-threading needles. You tie the knot, slip both threads into the needle and then bury the knot. Makes it much faster since you don’t have to try to get the thread ends through the eye of the needle!
There are special “easy threading” needles that have a slit in the side of the eye that make the job a little bit faster, as you can just slide the thread into the needle. The only other thing I can recommend is a good movie on TV!
There are special “easy threading” needles that have a slit in the side of the eye that make the job a little bit faster, as you can just slide the thread into the needle. The only other thing I can recommend is a good movie on TV!
I’m a longarm quilter and I would rather do a three stitch knot on the quilt rather than have so many threads to have to hide. Sorry but if that quilt is going to be used and washed why not make sure the ends are secure. If it is a show quilt I understand the need but not for a quilt that is going to be used and loved. My 2 cents. Others will think different but that is what makes the world go round. PattiO
I’m a longarm quilter and I would rather do a three stitch knot on the quilt rather than have so many threads to have to hide. Sorry but if that quilt is going to be used and washed why not make sure the ends are secure. If it is a show quilt I understand the need but not for a quilt that is going to be used and loved. My 2 cents. Others will think different but that is what makes the world go round. PattiO
I’ve only had one quilt machine quilted, and it was custom done. My quilter makes a few tiny stitches to end an area, then brings the bottom thread to the top and cuts the threads REALLY close. Only if I try and find her starts/stops will I be able to see them.
I’ve only had one quilt machine quilted, and it was custom done. My quilter makes a few tiny stitches to end an area, then brings the bottom thread to the top and cuts the threads REALLY close. Only if I try and find her starts/stops will I be able to see them.
Some longarm quilters prefer to leave the long tails that need to be buried, others prefer to backtrack their stops and starts and cut the threads as they go. It’s a debate that the longarm quilting community has had amongst itself for a long time. Personally, I backtrack,and think that that is adequately secure. Plus, I abhor (with a passion) knotting and burying.
I know some longarmers do the burying as they go, some leave it to the end, and some leave it to their customers. I think it becomes a balance — of how much you hate doing it. Do you hate it enough to pay someone else to do it? Or would you hate the extra expense enough that you are willing to keep doing it yourself?
Some longarm quilters prefer to leave the long tails that need to be buried, others prefer to backtrack their stops and starts and cut the threads as they go. It’s a debate that the longarm quilting community has had amongst itself for a long time. Personally, I backtrack,and think that that is adequately secure. Plus, I abhor (with a passion) knotting and burying.
I know some longarmers do the burying as they go, some leave it to the end, and some leave it to their customers. I think it becomes a balance — of how much you hate doing it. Do you hate it enough to pay someone else to do it? Or would you hate the extra expense enough that you are willing to keep doing it yourself?
I have had many quilts done custom and have never seen this. The knots are backtracked and pulled to the top as far as I can tell like Kristie’s explanation above. Seems like alot of work to pay $$ and then have to deal with threads. Personally, I would pay extra to knot deal with this. Hee. Pam in Chico
I have had many quilts done custom and have never seen this. The knots are backtracked and pulled to the top as far as I can tell like Kristie’s explanation above. Seems like alot of work to pay $$ and then have to deal with threads. Personally, I would pay extra to knot deal with this. Hee. Pam in Chico
I’m a backtracking quilter as well. I feel it’s more secure and much easier on me. Occasionally, I may miss clipping a thread and then the quilter can just clip it off when she finds it. When I return a quilt I want the quilter to just be able to bind it and use it!
I’m a backtracking quilter as well. I feel it’s more secure and much easier on me. Occasionally, I may miss clipping a thread and then the quilter can just clip it off when she finds it. When I return a quilt I want the quilter to just be able to bind it and use it!
I have many quilts custom done and I have never even heard of the tying and burying of the knots. I’ll have to ask my quilter what she does and get back to you!
I have many quilts custom done and I have never even heard of the tying and burying of the knots. I’ll have to ask my quilter what she does and get back to you!
I’m a longarm quilter and have never given a quilt back to a customer with thread tails. I like to do them before I advance the quilt.
I’m a longarm quilter and have never given a quilt back to a customer with thread tails. I like to do them before I advance the quilt.
I quilt my own on my domestic machine and I always backtrack a couple stitches, or if doing line quilting I get to the last few stitches and change my stitch to very tiny size and finish the line. These are locked and are horrid to try to remove so I know they will stay.
NO way would I bury all those after paying someone. Look at her price compared to other local quilters. If you get a significant savings, then maybe. But if you aren’t getting a good deal off for having to do this then switch people!
I quilt my own on my domestic machine and I always backtrack a couple stitches, or if doing line quilting I get to the last few stitches and change my stitch to very tiny size and finish the line. These are locked and are horrid to try to remove so I know they will stay.
NO way would I bury all those after paying someone. Look at her price compared to other local quilters. If you get a significant savings, then maybe. But if you aren’t getting a good deal off for having to do this then switch people!
my long arm quilters bury all the threads for me
sorry but I can’t believe she doesn’t do this especially with a custom quilt prices.
Kathie
my long arm quilters bury all the threads for me
sorry but I can’t believe she doesn’t do this especially with a custom quilt prices.
Kathie
My longarm quilter does custom work and panto work for me. Either way, there are no threads to tie off when the quilts come back to me ~ ever. And almost all of my quilts are used – only a very few hang on the wall without ever having been laundered and/or used.
My longarm quilter does custom work and panto work for me. Either way, there are no threads to tie off when the quilts come back to me ~ ever. And almost all of my quilts are used – only a very few hang on the wall without ever having been laundered and/or used.
Looks like you have been given some good advise. I’ve never received a quilt back that I had to go further and tie off. Sounds like you just need to talk to your machine quilter. Backtracking sounds like the easiest solution. If she has a really good reason for not doing it or it would raise the price too much why not have some friends over and make it a party. Lay it out on the dining room table, put on some music, have dessert and wine waiting in the kitchen and have a sewing bee of sorts. If I lived closer I’d help!
Kisses to the pups.
Looks like you have been given some good advise. I’ve never received a quilt back that I had to go further and tie off. Sounds like you just need to talk to your machine quilter. Backtracking sounds like the easiest solution. If she has a really good reason for not doing it or it would raise the price too much why not have some friends over and make it a party. Lay it out on the dining room table, put on some music, have dessert and wine waiting in the kitchen and have a sewing bee of sorts. If I lived closer I’d help!
Kisses to the pups.
My long arm quilter backstiches as she quilts, but I need to cut them.
Luckily that doesn’t take that long.
My long arm quilter backstiches as she quilts, but I need to cut them.
Luckily that doesn’t take that long.
What a fascinating topic. I do my own quilting but someday would love to pay someone to do it for me; this will be a question I know to ask.
What a fascinating topic. I do my own quilting but someday would love to pay someone to do it for me; this will be a question I know to ask.
I’ve never had to bury threads, even with custom quilting. Did she offer you a price break for having to do it yourself?
I’ve never had to bury threads, even with custom quilting. Did she offer you a price break for having to do it yourself?
“who is worth more to me than a ton of chocolate, diamond earrings, or a dozen cases of chardonnay.”
That being said…can I only be worth a half ton of chocolate, the diamond earrings and 6 cases of chardonnay? My way would be a lot cheaper. 🙂
“who is worth more to me than a ton of chocolate, diamond earrings, or a dozen cases of chardonnay.”
That being said…can I only be worth a half ton of chocolate, the diamond earrings and 6 cases of chardonnay? My way would be a lot cheaper. 🙂
I honestly have no clue what you mean since my quilts, custom or not, always come back ready to bind with no strings anywhere. I would think that would be the job of the person doing the machine quilting. That looks like one task I would certainly not enjoy. Nancy in WI
I honestly have no clue what you mean since my quilts, custom or not, always come back ready to bind with no strings anywhere. I would think that would be the job of the person doing the machine quilting. That looks like one task I would certainly not enjoy. Nancy in WI
I only bury the threads for show quilts, although 3 years ago I took classes from Linda V. Taylor at her ranch outside Dallas,TX. She’s won numerous awards for her quilts and is a nationally-recognized longarm instructor. She taught just take a few tiny stitches at the end, and cut the threads really close.
I’ve done longarm machine quilting for 8 years and now only do custom work. I take tiny stitches and secure the threads and cut. I’ve never had any complaints from my customers. I do it so it’s hard to find my starts & stops and I feel it is very secure.
Perhaps you could ask your longarm to do this.
I only bury the threads for show quilts, although 3 years ago I took classes from Linda V. Taylor at her ranch outside Dallas,TX. She’s won numerous awards for her quilts and is a nationally-recognized longarm instructor. She taught just take a few tiny stitches at the end, and cut the threads really close.
I’ve done longarm machine quilting for 8 years and now only do custom work. I take tiny stitches and secure the threads and cut. I’ve never had any complaints from my customers. I do it so it’s hard to find my starts & stops and I feel it is very secure.
Perhaps you could ask your longarm to do this.
I’m another that’s never had a custom quilted quilt come back with tails to bury. Even when I request the tedious stopping-starting of the baptist fan design, my quilter buries each thread herself. If it’s another type of design, then she does the tiny stitches and clips it close. :o)
I’m another that’s never had a custom quilted quilt come back with tails to bury. Even when I request the tedious stopping-starting of the baptist fan design, my quilter buries each thread herself. If it’s another type of design, then she does the tiny stitches and clips it close. :o)
On the quilts I have had longarmed, the LA quilter has backtacked the starts and stops.
If I’m quilting for myself on my domestic machine for a quilt to be used, I do the same or just start with a few very tiny stitches that never unravel.
However I must admit that I don’t like the look of it (leaves a little knot looking thing on the quilt) so I so tie in the starts and stops like you are doing if it’s for a wallhanging or a fancier/show quilt.
On the quilts I have had longarmed, the LA quilter has backtacked the starts and stops.
If I’m quilting for myself on my domestic machine for a quilt to be used, I do the same or just start with a few very tiny stitches that never unravel.
However I must admit that I don’t like the look of it (leaves a little knot looking thing on the quilt) so I so tie in the starts and stops like you are doing if it’s for a wallhanging or a fancier/show quilt.
Tie-offs? Having seen pictures of your quilted quilts, there is no question that your machine-quilter does beautiful work. But with all the quilts I’ve had machine-quilted by a dozen different quilters, I’ve never had to tie-off threads. And on the rare occasion than an errant thread was seen while we were oohing and ahhing over the quilting when it was being picked up, the quilter always just clipped the thread very closely. If I had to do tie-offs, I think I might start gaining appreciation for large-scale stippling… okay, not.
Tie-offs? Having seen pictures of your quilted quilts, there is no question that your machine-quilter does beautiful work. But with all the quilts I’ve had machine-quilted by a dozen different quilters, I’ve never had to tie-off threads. And on the rare occasion than an errant thread was seen while we were oohing and ahhing over the quilting when it was being picked up, the quilter always just clipped the thread very closely. If I had to do tie-offs, I think I might start gaining appreciation for large-scale stippling… okay, not.
I have had only two quilts custom, one tied off, one didn’t I had to bury them.. one is for the wall (very large quilt) unlikely to get washed frequently.. its been backtracked.. the other, it has had me spending about 2-3 hours burying threads, its a horrid job, but if you were going to pay someone to do it, how much would be reasonable? I just sit and bury threads while watching television.. if I had quilt I finish of quilts this way, i dont mind knots..
Most of my quilts are edge to edge now.. much cheaper! LOL
Lissa
australia’s laziest patchworker…
I have had only two quilts custom, one tied off, one didn’t I had to bury them.. one is for the wall (very large quilt) unlikely to get washed frequently.. its been backtracked.. the other, it has had me spending about 2-3 hours burying threads, its a horrid job, but if you were going to pay someone to do it, how much would be reasonable? I just sit and bury threads while watching television.. if I had quilt I finish of quilts this way, i dont mind knots..
Most of my quilts are edge to edge now.. much cheaper! LOL
Lissa
australia’s laziest patchworker…
I do free motion on my Pfaff and on custom quilts I always tie off and bury the threads as I go. I can’t imagine leaving that for a customer to do!
I do free motion on my Pfaff and on custom quilts I always tie off and bury the threads as I go. I can’t imagine leaving that for a customer to do!
My experience has been that I never had to do any tie offs unless I got a big break in price. Its kind of an old school thing really, most do the small stitches in place now days. When I do it myself on something I super care about I pull up the threads then tie off as I go. I use those self threading needles for speed. If its just utility quilting, I do three or four stitches in place. Intersting topic.
My experience has been that I never had to do any tie offs unless I got a big break in price. Its kind of an old school thing really, most do the small stitches in place now days. When I do it myself on something I super care about I pull up the threads then tie off as I go. I use those self threading needles for speed. If its just utility quilting, I do three or four stitches in place. Intersting topic.
With all the beautiful edge-to-edge patterns available today I think it’s silly to pay extra for custom unless you are going to enter your quilt in a show. You must be one patient woman to tie off all those threads!
With all the beautiful edge-to-edge patterns available today I think it’s silly to pay extra for custom unless you are going to enter your quilt in a show. You must be one patient woman to tie off all those threads!
I do not bury my threads on my quilts or on customer quilts and I have won many International awards… Linda McCuen who won the $100,000.00 challenge with her quilt ” Bella” does not tie and bury as she says life is too darn short… I take several small stitches to tie off then cut the threads….. Life is too short and it really is not necessary in my opinion….. If one of my Customers wanted this done then she would have to do it….. If the starts and stops are done correctly then you would never know it….
I do not bury my threads on my quilts or on customer quilts and I have won many International awards… Linda McCuen who won the $100,000.00 challenge with her quilt ” Bella” does not tie and bury as she says life is too darn short… I take several small stitches to tie off then cut the threads….. Life is too short and it really is not necessary in my opinion….. If one of my Customers wanted this done then she would have to do it….. If the starts and stops are done correctly then you would never know it….
The back-tracking at the start and end of custom quilting can be too obvious and detract from the overall effect. I actually enjoy burying threads on my own quilts, I sit and watch a DVD with a good light on my work and use the self-threading needles. However, as a longarmer I charge $1 a square foot to end threads off, it takes time and I have to charge for it. Many customers choose to do it themselves to save the money, some are happy to pay extra. Either way, it’s their choice.
As long as the longarmer makes you aware of the options then it’s perfectly reasonable. I might be a bit surprised if it was handed back to me with thread tails and I’d had no warning.
The back-tracking at the start and end of custom quilting can be too obvious and detract from the overall effect. I actually enjoy burying threads on my own quilts, I sit and watch a DVD with a good light on my work and use the self-threading needles. However, as a longarmer I charge $1 a square foot to end threads off, it takes time and I have to charge for it. Many customers choose to do it themselves to save the money, some are happy to pay extra. Either way, it’s their choice.
As long as the longarmer makes you aware of the options then it’s perfectly reasonable. I might be a bit surprised if it was handed back to me with thread tails and I’d had no warning.
The back-tracking at the start and end of custom quilting can be too obvious and detract from the overall effect. I actually enjoy burying threads on my own quilts, I sit and watch a DVD with a good light on my work and use the self-threading needles. However, as a longarmer I charge $1 a square foot to end threads off, it takes time and I have to charge for it. Many customers choose to do it themselves to save the money, some are happy to pay extra. Either way, it’s their choice.
As long as the longarmer makes you aware of the options then it’s perfectly reasonable. I might be a bit surprised if it was handed back to me with thread tails and I’d had no warning.
The back-tracking at the start and end of custom quilting can be too obvious and detract from the overall effect. I actually enjoy burying threads on my own quilts, I sit and watch a DVD with a good light on my work and use the self-threading needles. However, as a longarmer I charge $1 a square foot to end threads off, it takes time and I have to charge for it. Many customers choose to do it themselves to save the money, some are happy to pay extra. Either way, it’s their choice.
As long as the longarmer makes you aware of the options then it’s perfectly reasonable. I might be a bit surprised if it was handed back to me with thread tails and I’d had no warning.
I have never had a custom quilt done, so I’m no expert, but for the quilts I’ve quilted myself, I do the tie-offs as I go along. As the other commenters said, I do hope you get a price break for doing the tying yourself. Your quilter does an absolutely beautiful job, so I guess this is a small ‘price’ to pay for an exquisite quilt.
I have never had a custom quilt done, so I’m no expert, but for the quilts I’ve quilted myself, I do the tie-offs as I go along. As the other commenters said, I do hope you get a price break for doing the tying yourself. Your quilter does an absolutely beautiful job, so I guess this is a small ‘price’ to pay for an exquisite quilt.
I’ve never had that happen on my quilts. My quilter always tucked it in with a self threading needle and I do the same now that I am quilting. You are paying enough I’m sure for the quilting and shouldn’t have to do that too.
I’ve never had that happen on my quilts. My quilter always tucked it in with a self threading needle and I do the same now that I am quilting. You are paying enough I’m sure for the quilting and shouldn’t have to do that too.
I am a longarm quilter, and do custom work. There are times that I would definitely want to hand-knot and bury the thread tails — on a show quilt, or when using slippery polyester threads, since these do not stay put when just finished with a few backstitches. But I’ve never returned a quilt with thread tails hanging, I’ve buried them myself. If a customer was willing to bury the thread tails, I would charge less for the quilting. The last quilt I buried threads on took me 6 hours just to bury the threads.
I am a longarm quilter, and do custom work. There are times that I would definitely want to hand-knot and bury the thread tails — on a show quilt, or when using slippery polyester threads, since these do not stay put when just finished with a few backstitches. But I’ve never returned a quilt with thread tails hanging, I’ve buried them myself. If a customer was willing to bury the thread tails, I would charge less for the quilting. The last quilt I buried threads on took me 6 hours just to bury the threads.
I am a longarm quilter, and do custom work. There are times that I would definitely want to hand-knot and bury the thread tails — on a show quilt, or when using slippery polyester threads, since these do not stay put when just finished with a few backstitches. But I’ve never returned a quilt with thread tails hanging, I’ve buried them myself. If a customer was willing to bury the thread tails, I would charge less for the quilting. The last quilt I buried threads on took me 6 hours just to bury the threads.
I am a longarm quilter, and do custom work. There are times that I would definitely want to hand-knot and bury the thread tails — on a show quilt, or when using slippery polyester threads, since these do not stay put when just finished with a few backstitches. But I’ve never returned a quilt with thread tails hanging, I’ve buried them myself. If a customer was willing to bury the thread tails, I would charge less for the quilting. The last quilt I buried threads on took me 6 hours just to bury the threads.
I do mostly custom quilting and always bury the threads for my customers. I do it as I go and it does take a lot of time but it part of what I charge for custom quilting. I can’t imagine leaving them for a customer to deal with. I do use the self threading needles.
I do mostly custom quilting and always bury the threads for my customers. I do it as I go and it does take a lot of time but it part of what I charge for custom quilting. I can’t imagine leaving them for a customer to deal with. I do use the self threading needles.
Hmmm . . . the quilters I know either do the tie offs themselves and figure it in their pricing or they do a bit of backstitching. I always do a wee bit of backstitching – but then I hardly ever do custom for customers and when I do it’s very simple custom. So far I do some backtacking and it seems to work fine. No one has ever complaained. But then I’m still a beginner and can’t begin to do the incredible heirloom work that so many longarmers to now.
Do you have self-threading needles to use? That makes a HUGE difference. If you don’t, send me your address and I’ll mail you a package of them. I bought a box wholesale – not realizing I’d never use even one package full in my lifetime.
Hmmm . . . the quilters I know either do the tie offs themselves and figure it in their pricing or they do a bit of backstitching. I always do a wee bit of backstitching – but then I hardly ever do custom for customers and when I do it’s very simple custom. So far I do some backtacking and it seems to work fine. No one has ever complaained. But then I’m still a beginner and can’t begin to do the incredible heirloom work that so many longarmers to now.
Do you have self-threading needles to use? That makes a HUGE difference. If you don’t, send me your address and I’ll mail you a package of them. I bought a box wholesale – not realizing I’d never use even one package full in my lifetime.