Monday, January 9, 2017

10 Sewing Notions You Need to Know About: Clover Self Threading Needles

Today, I'm very excited to share a notion I consider to be a free-motion essential (along with a free-motion foot, Machingers gloves and Supreme Slider). I prefer to tie off and bury my quilting threads, and Clover Self Threading Needles make this feasible. Alternatively, you can make several tiny stitches in one place, but I (and quilt show judges) don't like the knotty mess this can create on the back of my quilts. While I try to make my lines of free-motion stitching run from edge to edge, or as continuous as possible, sometimes I end up needing to tie off mid-quilt, so  Clover Self Threading Needles are a must.
I've started quilting the modified Snowflake Shimmer Quilt Along top I made using Act It Out from Sarah Jane's Let's Pretend collection for Michael Miller. You can find the Quilt Along on Yvonne of Quilting Jetgirl's blog, or purchase the full pdf pattern with four size options.
I'm using matching thread and starting on a star in the middle of the quilt. To tie off the thread endings, I pulled up the bobbin thread, made a square knot, and popped the two strands through the opening in the top of the  Clover Self Threading Needle
I poked the needle through the hole where the threads originated, tipped it horizontally, pushed it through the batting without going through the backing, and pulled it back through the top before snipping.
 Burying the thread tails in the batting layer makes for a clean finish, and isn't as tedious when it takes no time at all to thread your needle. The self-threading needles come in a 5 pack of assorted sizes, which is handy in case you use different thicknesses of thread.
Have you attempted free-motion? How do you secure your threads?
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6 comments:

  1. Using these needles has saved me sooo much time, and I wouldn't want to bury threads without them now. I bury my threads just like you, and try to do them as I quilt so I don't have a ton to bury when the quilting is finished. I have found that I need to be a bit careful when using invisible thread - it will sometimes break if I use too much pressure when snapping the threads in place.

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  2. Oh man, you hit the nail on the head. These are amazing. I don't think I have Clover ones but will look for them when I rebuy at some point. I also use them the same way to bury threads, though I'm still perfecting my finesse. Sometimes it's hard to pop the knot into the quilt (maybe too much quilting around it? not sure).

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  3. I still haven't used and self-threading needles BUT I definitely bury my thread tails when free motion quilting. I agree with Beth above - I try to buy my ends as I quilt along. I don't know how people can quilt in areas with lots of tails left to bury!

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  4. I've been burying my threads for a few years now. Game changer was discovering the self threading needles! I have these very ones! I also have some 'John James' self threaders.

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  5. One of my favorite notions, for sure.
    Cool fabric, BTW. I just finished one for my nephew's wife and it was really fun to work with.

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  6. These needles are game changers for sure! I love them! Especially when you have a mishap and a broken thread and the tail is very short.

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