Quilting Thread

Wind several bobbins before going to the class or retreat.  Saves a lot of time and you are prepared.

I hope this is the right category.

When I am quilting I keep a plastic bag near my sewing machine so that when I cut threads I put them into the plastic bag and save them for the Spring.  I slowly empty the bag out on my deck for the birds.  The love to pick up the threads and small snips of material to use for their nests.

I've always emptied my bag of clipped threads with a heavy heart knowing that I should be doing something with those ends.  If you've felt that way too keep them in a bag and in the spring put them outdoors for the birds.  The birds will use the threads in their nest building.  Think of all the nests decorated with threads of red, yellow, blue and every color in-between creating a warm haven for new chicks!

I love to have one of those sticky rollers for removing pet hair near my sewing area. It works great to pick up any little threads that have been cut, and small needles that are hard to pick up.

There are some wooden silverware storage trays that are the right size to store thread in.  They stack up beautifully and also fit perfectly on the 14" x 21" unit made by Elfa.  Instead of drawers I use the shelf unit and set the storage trays on top of the shelves.

Put a scrap piece of batting next to the sewing machine to lay cut pieces of thread on. The thread adheres to the batting and you don't waste time looking for the trashcan with each snip or it doesn't go on the floor.

When your machine quilting and have to fill 10 or 15 bobbins, .to keep them from becoming a mess, I took a bobbin and went to my local hardware store and bought a dowel  (28 cents). Take the dowel and attach it to an old thread spool with a glue gum, then attach the spool to where ever you want you bobbins.  Mine are right next to my frame, slip all your bobbins onto the dowel and everything is neat and within easy reach.  I have several, one for the quilt I'm working on, one for empties, 4 more for different colors.  You can spend an hour or so and fill all of your bobbins for your projects and then you ready to go, no stopping to fill bobbins or trying to untangle messes.

Debbie Pataky

I always seemed to mix up my cotton bobbins with my poly bobbins with my embroidery bobbins. Now I use colored dot stickers. Cotton bobbins have one color, poly another and so on. The best part about using the stickers rather than a permanant marker is I can always remove the sticker and replace it with another color if nessesary.

When I make a quilt, I always hand quilt my quilt tops.  I learned years ago that I have a desire to work non-stop for two or three hours at a time, not realizing how cramped my muscles were until I would stand up at the end.  It's so easy to lose track of time when quilting.  I came up with a timing method that works for me.  I thread two needles onto the spool at once and pull off the length I need, usually around 20".  When I have finished the thread on the second needle I stand up and do some stretching exercises for my legs, arms, back, hands and fingers.  I have found that forcing myself to take these short breaks allows me to quilt for longer periods of time.

If your thread spool is too large for the spindle on your machine or sticks when unwinding from the spool, put it into a coffee cup or jelly jar behind your machine.  It works like a charm!