Starting Or Stopping A Line Of Machine Quilting Stitches

Menu

• Home
• Get Started
  • Free Quilt Block Patterns
  • Free Paper Piecing Patterns
  • Beginner Quilt Blocks
  • Quilt Design Inspiration
  • Quilt Sizes Recommendations
• Techniques
  • Machine Applique (Invisible)
  • Paper Piecing
  • Machine Quilting 101
  • Free Motion Quilting 101
  • Quilt Binding
• Tools & Supplies
  • Quilt Fabrics
  • Quilting Tools/Supplies
  • Best Sewing Machine
• Search & Find
  • Quilt Guilds
  • Quilt Stores
  • Show and Tell
  • Site Map
• Q&A
• What's New
• Quilt Patterns

This post contains affiliate links for which I receive compensation

Starting or stopping a line of machine quilting stitches

by Kelly (West Chester, PA)

I'm about to start machine quilting my third quilt...How do I start and end a line of quilting stitches. I'd like to do a large amount of echo quilting on my current project and I know that will require a lot of stops and starts. I have a fairly new sewing machine that back stitches very cleanly right over the forward stitches. Should I just do a couple of back stitches at the beginning and end or is there something else I should do? I've heard a few different ideas. Thank you!Kelly

ANSWER:

Good question, Kelly! Like everything in quilting, there's more than one way to start and stop lines of machine quilting stitches.I would personally not recommend using either a back stitch or a "tie-off" stitch that many newer machines have. Back stitching can result in unsightly thread build up. Using a "tie off" or "fix" stitch that is programmed into today's machines leaves a knot on the back that I find annoying AND I'm not sure that it'd stand up to much use.In my humble opinion, the best ways to start and stop lines of quilting are to either use "micro stitches" or to hand knot and bury your thread tales.Since you plan to do a lot of echo quilting using micro stitches would probably be more efficient.The micro stitches work equally well for both quality cotton and monofilament threads. (I use both extensively.) These links will take you to descriptions of both methods:

• How to Start and Stop a Line of Stitches

  • If you are free motion quilting, you will move the quilt sandwich very slowly to create the micro stitches.
  • If you are quilting with a walking foot and the feed dogs are up, set your stitch length to 0.5. The machine will create the proper stitch length.
• Hand Knotting Thread TailsI would choose to bury my thread tails if I was using a shiny rayon or Metallic thread because you'll lose the shine of the thread in the micro stitching.

Use this link to find additional machine quilting techniques that might be of value to you.Your third quilt? And you're quilting it yourself!You go girl! Quilting is so much fun.Please do post your quilt pictures and stories on our on line Show and Tell. We'd love to see them!Thank you for your question!Julie BairdP.S To our readers, if you have another suggestion, please do use the comment form and join in the discussion. There's never just one way to get things done in quilting!

Comments for Starting or stopping a line of machine quilting stitches Click here to add your own comments

Starting and stopping by: yvonnr My Tiera III Babylock quilting machine instructs me to stitch in the same place two or three times and that this will be enough to tie my threads. Wrong. This is a mess. Stitches unravel and I have threads balled up...I have a very bad looking backside. Help. How do I keep this from happening????From the Editor: I recommend either using the micro-stitching to start and end a line of quilting or hand knotting the thread tails and burying them with a self-threading needle, because it's faster than a regular needle to thread.I've never been a fan of the stitching in place for a few stitches because, as you have found, it can leave a mess on the back of the quilt.Julie

Starting or stopping a line of machine quilting stitches by: taylorsoutback Thank you so much for sharing this info with us! I have been doing the slow, tedious hand tie off on the back too. Wasn't happy with the way my back stitching was looking and as for the tie-off knot feature on the Bernina - love the machine but they have a ways to go on that particular function. Thought I was doing something wrong when I got the same knot on the back you described so I gave it up. Comforting to know it just doesn't work well as of yet. Will definitely give the micro-stitching start and stop a go.And because of all the quilting bloggers out there, I continue to learn - life is good!

Click here to add your own comments Return to GQP's Quilting Forum.

This article was printed from Generations-Quilt-Patterns.com

Print Article

Share Us

FacebookPinterestTumblrRedditX

Follow Us

Find a free pattern to download and make a quilt for your favorite person Get inspired with these lovely fresh fabrics Show your special someone how much you love them with a handmade quilt Is a snuggly flannel quilt in your future?

Nifty Notions

Need a needle?Pull it and replace it with a pin to tell you at a glance what needle is in your machine.GENIUS!Available from Amazon.com Grippy Non-slip CoatingTurn all your quilting rulers into non-slip wonders!Read more... Oh Sew Clean Brush and Cloth SetKeep your sewing machinein tip top shapeChoose from Teal, Pink, or Gray This silly looking tool is perfect for cleaning up threads, snips, and fuzz on your cutting mat.

Site Admin

Contact

AboutPrivacy Policy

Copyright

FTC/Amazon Disclosure

Useful Pages

'How Many Blocks Do I Need' Chart

Standard Quilt Sizes Chart

Setting Triangles Chart 

△

By Julie Baird

Copyright © 2008-2026 Generation Quilt Patterns, LLC

All Rights Reserved

Generations-quilt-patterns.com does not sell any personal information. (See Privacy Policy)