Can you be stupidly excited over how to tie a knot at the end of your thread? Sometimes it’s the little things that make the biggest impact!
Can you be stupidly excited over how to tie a quilter's knot at the end of your thread? Sometimes it’s the little things that make the biggest impact!
For years I didn’t know how to tie a knot in the end of my thread easily. And if I needed a larger quilting knot that wouldn’t come through my fabric, I would spend aaages trying to get all my knots on top of each other in one spot – often without much success.
The result of this meant I used to cut stupidly long lengths of thread to stitch with, so I could stitch for longer without having to stop and tie another knot. You can guess what this led too – thread that was always getting tangled and snagging and making my life even more frustrating.
But sometimes it only takes one little piece of information to fill in a big piece of the puzzle. This simple 2-second quilter's knot is one of those little pieces. You might have grown up knowing how to do this – or it might be completely new to you!
Let me know in the comments!
The Step by Step 2-Second Quilter’s Knot
Here’s how to tie this knot for sewing for a right hander:
Start with a threaded needle.
Step 1: Pinch the shaft of the needle between your thumb and finger on your right hand.
Step 2: Place the end of the thread behind the needle by about ⅜" (1cm) and pinch between your thumb and finger.
Step 3: Take the other end of the thread (the 'working end') and wind it counterclockwise around the needle
Step 4: Pull the 'working end' down between your thumb and fingers and pinch it as well.
Steps 5 & 6: Keeping your fingers pinched (firmly but not too tightly) slide the shaft of the needle up out of your fingers with your other hand and slide the loop of thread down the length of the thread until you feel it stop.
One knot tied! Once you’ve practiced this a few time, you can tie this knot in 2-seconds easily!
You can watch this quilter's knot demonstrated in real time here as well:
If you’re left-handed (like me!) you reverse this process and wrap the thread clockwise instead.
Make Your Knot Larger
This knot is useful for all hand sewing whether you’re hand quilting, appliqueing or just sewing on a button.
You can tie this knot with regular sewing thread, or heavier weight thread like perle 8.
For me, the beauty of this needle knot is that you can make it as big or small as you need, simply by increasing the wraps of thread around the needle. The amount you can successfully wrap and slide will depend on the type of thread you’re using and the weight, but wrapping 5-6 times is not usually hard.
The more times you wrap, the bigger your quilting knot will end up! You won’t be struggling anymore with your knot popping through your fabric, or having a huge knot when you really don’t need one.
Total game changer!
Trouble shooting
As with any new skill, you might find this takes a bit of trial and error to make it work smoothly for you.
If you find your loops are not sliding over the end of your needle nicely, it could be that you’re wrapping the thread too tightly or pinching too tightly. Try loosening your grip a little bit and you should find this knot slide down the thread much easier.
Also, make sure your thread is not twisted when you come to tie a new knot as this can make it wind up on itself and be prone to tangling as you slide the loops along the thread. I like to run the length of my thread between my fingers to untwist any extra tension that might have developed before tying a new knot.
I hope this little tip for tying a quilter's knot has been useful. Let me know in the comments below if this little knot is new to you, or you’ve been tying this know for sewing forever!
As always, happy sewing!
FAQ
Q: What is a quilting knot?
A: A quilting knot, sometimes called a "quilter’s knot," is a small, secure knot tied at the end of the thread when hand sewing or quilting. It helps keep the thread from pulling through the fabric and is essential for many hand sewing projects.
Q: How do you tie a quilt knot step by step?
A: To tie a simple quilt knot, start with a threaded needle. Pinch the needle between your thumb and finger, then place the end of the thread behind the needle by about ⅜" (1cm) and hold it there. Wrap the working end of the thread counterclockwise around the needle, pull it down, and slide the knot down the length of the thread until it stops. Once you’ve practiced a few times, this knot can be tied in just a couple of seconds!
Q: How do you tie a knot for dummies?
A: If you're new to hand sewing, tying a quilter's knot can be simple! Hold the needle with the thread end behind it, wrap the working end around the needle a few times, then slide the knot down to secure it. This knot can be tied in just seconds with a little practice.
Q: How to do a quilter knot?
A: To tie a quilter's knot, start by holding the needle between your thumb and finger with the thread behind it. Wrap the working end of the thread around the needle, then slide the loop down to form a small, secure knot at the end of the thread.
Q: How do you make a quilt knot larger?
A: You can make a quilt knot larger by wrapping the thread more times around the needle before sliding the knot down. This creates a bigger knot that’s less likely to pull through the fabric, making it ideal for thicker or heavier fabrics.
Q: How do you tie a knot at the end of a quilt?
A: To tie a secure knot at the end of your quilting thread, follow the steps for a quilter’s knot. Wrap the thread around the needle and slide the knot down to the end. This creates a small, tight knot that holds the thread securely in place.
Q: How do you tie off quilting threads for beginners?
A: For beginners, tying off quilting threads is easy with a quilter's knot. Wrap the thread around the needle a few times, then slide the loop down to the end of the thread to secure it. This quick knotting technique helps keep your thread in place without slipping through the fabric.
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