Sewing Q&A
July 2002 Q&A
How can I keep my thread from tangling and knotting when I am hand sewing?
Steph M.,
Portland, OR
Shorten your thread to a length of about 18" to 20". The longer the thread, the more apt it is to twist, tangle, knot and fray.
- Wax your thread. This stiffens the thread slightly and helps prevent tangling. Pull a thread length through beeswax. Fold a scrap of muslin or a paper towel around the thread, place an iron on the scrap and pull the thread through. The wax will melt into the fibers
and won't rub off on your fingers or fabric.
- Because of the way thread is twisted as made, threading the needle with the end that comes off the spool first will help prevent tangles. When taking a stitch, pull the needle in the direction you're sewing.
Sew News "Sewing Q&A" is a growing archive of questions answered in the print edition of Sew News since January 2000.
To submit a question for possible use in "Sewing Q&A," click here. Although we can't make individual responses, those of general interest will be published.
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