Quilting G

My husband and son help me with my quilts. DH goes behind me when I have finished a top and clips all of the loose threads and unraveling ends. They drive me nuts.

So what do you do about them?

G :?:

Shelley

I clip as I go. I worked in a sewing factory years ago, when time = money. I had to be efficient. If it had been more efficient to clip later, believe me, we would have!

I also chain piece when I can, so there is very little thread between pieces to clip. I would guess there is maybe 1/4" between the blocks, so each would end up with about 1/8" of thread.

sewjoyce

I clip as I go also. It doesn't take that much extra time to do it as I go. (I also hate the hanging threads.....)

Quilting G

I started (mid quilt) using scraps to lead and follow the pieces as I chain stich, But now the big culprit is unraveling while I am moving it to press, layout for measureing, organizing, pining and back to sewing machine..

Will starching help stop the fraying??

Prism99

I don't think starching would help.

Have you tried shortening your stitch length? That would make the stitches more secure near the block ends.

Also, are you sure your stitch is balanced on the top and bottom? If tension is too loose, that can make your stitches not hold well.

littlehud

My aim is to clip as I go. Sometimes I miss a few and have to go back. I always leave the house with thread somewhere. Guess thats what they make sticky rollers for. Lol

Quilting G

Prism99
The blocks are not pulling apart the seam fabric in the seam allowance seems to shed as I am working with the quilt. Like when I am stiching the blocks together.

Moonpi

I would think that would be the result of cutting erors. If you are following thr grain, there shouldn't be that much that would unravel. Are you working with a pattern that is cut on the bias? I'd still vote for shorter stitches - harder to rip out if need be, but they do make a solid quilt.

Prism99

Oh! That is a completely different problem! Starching would probably help, especially if you starch heavily (50:50 solution of Sta-Flo and water).

Is the fabric inexpensive or not all cotton? Unravelling is usually not a problem unless the fabric is very loosely woven (inexpensive) or has a high polyester content. Certain types of weave will ravel more too; I think denim is one of those, and also flannel.

If the problem is loosely woven cottons, prewashing the fabrics and starching would likely help a lot. The prewashing (and drying in a hot dryer) would shrink the weave so the strands are interlocked more tightly and the starch acts like glue to keep them together.

Someone else mentioned bias edges, but bias edges actually don't ravel; it is straight-of-grain edges that ravel. If you have the option of cutting on the bias, that could cut down on the ravelling; unfortunately, you then have introduced a potential problem with stretching.