HELP SKINNING!!!!!!!

[Farmland Quilter]

I need all the information I can get on best way to skin a quilt. Never had to before. SHORT ON TIME. I need to know best tools and exactly how to use them with lots of details. The stitches are smaller and making using a ripper very slow. My tension was awful and everything needs to come out. I have it off the frame now.

Thanks for any help you can give.

[Quilting Heidi]

Flip the quilt upside down and go at it from the backside. I like an Xacto knive or scapel. I put the blade toward the batting so that way I don't have to worry about putting a hole in the backer but I'd rather a hole in the backer than the top . Good luck.

[dpsquilter]

You can also do like Heidi does but use a small rotary cutter just have to be really careful. I have done it and it is a pain but much faster than using a seam ripper. Then you have all the pesky threads to deal with. I have found that a large pencil eraser works great for that. Good luck.

[Bekah]

I use a little gizmo I get at my local sewing center or the tiniest rotary cutter. I am getting ready to skin a border. Not my favorite thing to do.

[JBQuilts]

An eyebrow trimmer that you get at the beauty supply store works well from either front or back. Lift up the thread and run(shave) the trimmer close to the bobbin thread just like you would use a rotary cutter except you don't have to worry about cutting the quilt; plus, it's fast.

[marycontrary]

Timely thread for me. I'm just about to go downstairs and do the same thing.

[Bekah]

I do leave the quilt on the frame though. I like the tautness I can get that way. Just skinned a border with the tiny rotary cutter in 30 minutes.

[nanbrug]

Most be the day for this I'm doing the same thing.

[Farmland Quilter]

What do you do when you nick a small thread of the backing? Is it going to fray? I'll probably have trouble finding it now.

[Beachside Quilter]

Cheryl;

When I have little nicks, I put a pin next to it so I can find it, then when I am finished "skinning", I take a tiny piece of fusible stabilizer and fuse over from the backside. On the front, if there are stray threads, I use a tiny dab of Fray Check. Skinning is no fun, and unfortunately, sometimes there are unintended victims!!

[Dustee]

I too have to skin a border. I have never done this before. It does mean to remove all the stitching? I don't quite understand how to use a rotary cutter to do this. Can someone explain so it is clearer to me. Thanks so much.

[Farmland Quilter]

I think someone needs to post a tutorial with pictures on this. People with different methods could add to it so we could all learn from it. NOT that this is something I desire to have to learn but into each life a little (lot) of rain must fall. I have really benefitted from everyone's help. I'm almost halfway done. My eyes get tired and we are also busy picking corn. Trying to make this deadline is getting stressful.