Tie a quilt with a curved needle?

Question

Do you know of a website or video that shows how to tie a quilt with a curved needle? I've searched high and wide. But no luck. Thanks!

Answer 1

I don't know of any websites but this is very easy to do.

First you have to secure the three layers (bottom, batting, and top of the quilt). You can do this with quilters safety pins or straight pins (I like the safety pins since you don't get poked).

You simply stitch in the same place twice and tie it. (tacking)

Poke completely through the layers, go back through and repeat this step (two times).

I have seen this done with yarn, embroidery floss, or quilting thread. It can be done in the center of each block, or the corners of each block, or both. I have also seen this done in a pattern.

Answer 2

I only use a curve needle when I tie off a quilt. Just use it like a reg needle to get the thread thru all 3 layers, cut and tie it off.

Answer 3

I've tried using a curved needle for tying my quilts but it's just harder to use than a straight needle.   The curve makes it hard to hold onto and to guide and push with, compared to a straight needle.  (I've found that a  # 20 “embroidery” and/or “darning” needle works best because it has a tall eye, a sharp point, and slender-as-possible shank needle so that I can get yarn/etc. through its larger eye* ).

I also use a self-healing mat underneath the quilt sandwich so that when I push the needle through the lyaers, it won't scratch anything;  then I just scoot the needle along the mat a short distance, and turn the needle upward at an angle to finish pushing it through the layers and back to the front.

*quick tips... to easily pass a piece of yarn, perle cotton, etc., through the eye of an embroidery or darning needle, and also pull it the needle through the layers, here are a couple of ways I do it (from my files):

“NEEDLE THREADER” for tying quilts

…it’s deadly hard to thread yarn through a needle… regular needle threaders don’t work because they have to double the thread over as it passes through the eye, making it too fat...

so instead make your own "needle threader":

fold a piece of ordinary thin paper in half... cut a strip of it (still folded) that's just a tad shorter (narrower) than the needle eye is tall... trim the strip to about an inch long...then trim one end of the folded strip at an angle (the longer and pointed part of the strip will now be the folded edge side)

...now, open the pointed strip of paper and lay the yarn/etc. into it with the loose end almost to the point... close the strip around the yarn, then push the whole thing through the needle's eye starting with the pointed end of the strip... once the strip is all the way through the eye, just remove it from around the yarn... voila

Having a “NEEDLE PULLER” is also helpful ... the thicker the yarn/etc, the harder it is to pull the needle and yarn through the quilt sandwich, so sometimes I need a helper (but just wiggling the needle while pulling hard  can pop it through sometimes)

…some kind of rubbery material works the best since it grips the needle really well…rubbery drawer liner work great, but in a pinch you can even use a wide rubber band or a pair of pliers

HTH,

Diane B.