This is a wonderful trick I learned in a millinery class. It’s one of those silly things that someone shows you and you wonder why you never thought of that…. It’s simply the fastest way to tie a knot at the end of your sewing thread. I mean, right at the end, every time, without the knot slipping off the end of the thread.
Start with a threaded needle. Hold the end of the thread and the needle in the same hand, so that the thread makes a giant loop.Grasp both thread and needle between your thumb and index finger. Hold them towards the eye of the needle. There should be about 1/4" of thread tail hanging past your thumb.Wind the thread around the needle three to five times. The more you wind, the bigger the knot. I usually use my other hand to do this, but it's holding a camera.Shift your grip slightly so you're pinching the wrapped thread and the needle. Grasp the needle with your other hand, and pull it as though taking a stitch. This will slide the little coil of thread onto the main thread (seen here).Continue pulling the needle, until the thread has all been pulled through the coil. Let go of the end. You have a knot.If your knot is not large enough, simply repeat the process. Make sure that the original knot is somewhere in the middle of the thread you're wrapping around the needle.Pull the needle through, as before. Now you have a larger knot, because your original knot is in the middle of the new knot.
Teehee…. That is *exactly* what I thought when I learned it. I’ve never gone back to knotting off thread (starting or finishing) with anything but a bullion knot. (Well, except when I forget to leave myself enough thread. That’s a whole different thing, though.)
JeanneJune 2, 2011
One of my college costume instructors could tie a knot with one hand–although she showed me more than once, I never could figure out how she was doing it. I will have to try this method! (enjoying all your postings!)
Yep – down with that. ;) I’ve learned to do a lot of sewing tasks one handed, mostly because I lack the planning skills to to obvious things (like threading needles and tying knots) in advance. *laugh*
Glad you’re enjoying the site!
LizaJuly 17, 2011
Oh, I will SOOOO have to try this! I’ve never been able to master the ‘loop the thread around your index finger a few times, slide it off and pull” technique… I wind up with a HUGE snarl, not the neat little knot that everyone else under the sun seems to get. Thanks for the pointer. :)
It would have been nice,if you had used a darker thread for contrast..it was difficult to see the light colored thread. Thanks
missaAugust 13, 2015
Sorry, Matia – sometimes these things come up while I’m actively sewing something, and then I just take pics of whatever I’m working with.
HCJune 4, 2016
Thank you for this post. I’ve read about this method on other sites but just didn’t get it until now. You made it easy.
cathyMay 18, 2018
awesome trick thanks!
missaMay 18, 2018
You’re welcome, Cathy! :)
DZOctober 14, 2018
It helps to explain to your readers which end of the loop of thread gets wrapped around the needle. I often try to remember this trick, but I don’t make a knot. This time, when I consulted your website, I failed the first time. The second it worked when I wrapped the thread loop at the side closest to that little tail hanging out between thumb and forefinger. If it’s already in your instructions, please accept my apology for not reading carefully enough. Thank you for posting this!
missaOctober 14, 2018
Hi, DZ – I will recheck the article, and update it if I left that out! It’s easier to remember if you visualize it as a big loop (I always think of the Norse serpent eating its own tail), then wrap the loop part of the thread around the needle like some sort of fancy calligraphic O. I think in pictures a lot, though. :)
AmyDecember 1, 2018
OMG…You are my HERO!!! I am a fairly intelligent person, but my mom hasntried showing me the “grip the thread and wrap around fingers and pull” method a zillion times and I just cannot do it. I tried your tip andngot it on the FIRST try!! Thank you, thank you, thank you.
missaDecember 1, 2018
You are very welcome, Amy! I’m glad it helped! :)
missaJanuary 13, 2019
Amy – I am glad it helped! Also, my apologies. I thought I posted a response to this a month ago! Your comment made me smile a lot. :)
Kathleen RisaJanuary 13, 2019
Also called a quilters knot. Been sewing mostly apparel for about 60 years, had same trouble with knots described by other commenters. Started quilting a few years back, and learned this knot in quilt classes. A godsend!
missaJanuary 13, 2019
Ooooh, I didn’t know it was used in quilting, Kathleen! It’s the best little starting (and ending, with a little mod) knot I know!
I dont get itDecember 28, 2020
I dont get it. How are you supposed to wrap thread around a needle, pinch it off of the needle and magically get a knot out of that this is really frustrating for me.
missaJanuary 26, 2021
Sorry it’s frustrating! but yes, that is *exactly* what you’re supposed to do for this. If you embroider at all, think of it as a french knot done without fabric. If you don’t embroider…. that’s not super helpful. I have some ideas for explaining this better, but it takes me a year to get to anything lately. :(
Karin SchedelJanuary 27, 2021
I did it, I did it, I did it! Dances around the room shaking her knot in the air, lol. Thank you so much for this and it is quite easy once you do it right duh. The third time was the charm. Thanks again missa love this.
missaJanuary 27, 2021
YAY!!!!! Congrats! FWIW, when a millinery teacher first showed me this years and years (and years) ago, I was actively angry until I got it to work. And then it started working and life was mas awesomesauce!
Kathleen RisaJanuary 27, 2021
AKA Quilter’s Knot
missaFebruary 8, 2021
Lol – I haven’t heard it called that, but it makes sense…. Quilters get all the fun stuff. ;)
You’re a genius! Thanks, Missa!
[And you’re right, I’m all “Geez, why didn’t *I* think of that?”] :-)
Teehee…. That is *exactly* what I thought when I learned it. I’ve never gone back to knotting off thread (starting or finishing) with anything but a bullion knot. (Well, except when I forget to leave myself enough thread. That’s a whole different thing, though.)
One of my college costume instructors could tie a knot with one hand–although she showed me more than once, I never could figure out how she was doing it. I will have to try this method! (enjoying all your postings!)
Yep – down with that. ;) I’ve learned to do a lot of sewing tasks one handed, mostly because I lack the planning skills to to obvious things (like threading needles and tying knots) in advance. *laugh*
Glad you’re enjoying the site!
Oh, I will SOOOO have to try this! I’ve never been able to master the ‘loop the thread around your index finger a few times, slide it off and pull” technique… I wind up with a HUGE snarl, not the neat little knot that everyone else under the sun seems to get. Thanks for the pointer. :)
I nominate your for a Pulitzer Prize!
It would have been nice,if you had used a darker thread for contrast..it was difficult to see the light colored thread. Thanks
Sorry, Matia – sometimes these things come up while I’m actively sewing something, and then I just take pics of whatever I’m working with.
Thank you for this post. I’ve read about this method on other sites but just didn’t get it until now. You made it easy.
awesome trick thanks!
You’re welcome, Cathy! :)
It helps to explain to your readers which end of the loop of thread gets wrapped around the needle. I often try to remember this trick, but I don’t make a knot. This time, when I consulted your website, I failed the first time. The second it worked when I wrapped the thread loop at the side closest to that little tail hanging out between thumb and forefinger. If it’s already in your instructions, please accept my apology for not reading carefully enough. Thank you for posting this!
Hi, DZ – I will recheck the article, and update it if I left that out! It’s easier to remember if you visualize it as a big loop (I always think of the Norse serpent eating its own tail), then wrap the loop part of the thread around the needle like some sort of fancy calligraphic O. I think in pictures a lot, though. :)
OMG…You are my HERO!!! I am a fairly intelligent person, but my mom hasntried showing me the “grip the thread and wrap around fingers and pull” method a zillion times and I just cannot do it. I tried your tip andngot it on the FIRST try!! Thank you, thank you, thank you.
You are very welcome, Amy! I’m glad it helped! :)
Amy – I am glad it helped! Also, my apologies. I thought I posted a response to this a month ago! Your comment made me smile a lot. :)
Also called a quilters knot. Been sewing mostly apparel for about 60 years, had same trouble with knots described by other commenters. Started quilting a few years back, and learned this knot in quilt classes. A godsend!
Ooooh, I didn’t know it was used in quilting, Kathleen! It’s the best little starting (and ending, with a little mod) knot I know!
I dont get it. How are you supposed to wrap thread around a needle, pinch it off of the needle and magically get a knot out of that this is really frustrating for me.
Sorry it’s frustrating! but yes, that is *exactly* what you’re supposed to do for this. If you embroider at all, think of it as a french knot done without fabric. If you don’t embroider…. that’s not super helpful. I have some ideas for explaining this better, but it takes me a year to get to anything lately. :(
I did it, I did it, I did it! Dances around the room shaking her knot in the air, lol. Thank you so much for this and it is quite easy once you do it right duh. The third time was the charm. Thanks again missa love this.
YAY!!!!! Congrats! FWIW, when a millinery teacher first showed me this years and years (and years) ago, I was actively angry until I got it to work. And then it started working and life was mas awesomesauce!
AKA Quilter’s Knot
Lol – I haven’t heard it called that, but it makes sense…. Quilters get all the fun stuff. ;)