Oops. Ripping out.

[EHonour]

Yes, we all make mistakes.  It takes a few seconds to stitch a beautiful curved pattern of 6-10" in length - and then discover that I did it wrong!   So I am curious, if you're willing to share, how you rip out those few whorls or feathers or curves when you have to do it again.

I'm not at all confident that my method is best, but here's what I do:

- end the line wherever I am

- pull up the bobbin thread and then cut both threads with about a 2" tail. 

- repeat:

   . pull on the top thread to expose the next bobbin stitch or two

   . use the point of a seam ripper to pull that exposed bobbin thread up to the top (without cutting it)

- when I've pulled out what I want, then I cut the threads close and restart new stitches overlapping the old stitches to lock them in place 

This works okay when the stitches are even, but it gets rather hard when there is a tight turn or when the stitches are on top of each other.  A few seconds to stitch it, and several minutes to unstitch it.  Is there a quicker way that's still safe for the material?

[mamu]

There is a way called 'skinning' which is like skinning and animal hide.  What you do is pull up the top away from the batting, till you see stitches and the you run a blade across those stitches clipping them, continue to do this till all stitches are clipped.  Then remove thread bits.  You do have to be very careful that you do not cut your fabric top!  that is a problem when doing this method.  I only resort to doing this when I have very large areas or even a whole quilt that I need to pull all threads out of.  I also flip the quilt over and pull the backing away from the batting while blading the threads...this way I don't stretch the quilt top and I am not as freaked if I clip the fabric as it can be repaired easily.

[quiltmonkey]

Hi Eric,

Laura has a great suggestion when you need to completely rip out a huge section of quilting (skinning) but it's a little tricky and it's something you might want a partner to help you with.

Anyway, to answer your question, which is more around how to restart quilting where you've removed a small amount of quilting - and to start out again. This is what I do:

I use what looks like a dental tool, not a seam ripper. My favorite one has more a blunt end to it, not super sharp tip. The sharp curvy tips can easily get caught in the fabric. I've attached an example. 

When I need to pull out stitches and start again, I don't remove all of the excess threads until I've backtacked to start stitching again. I hold on to these threads, along with the new starting threads, to keep things taut. Then, I carefully backtack several stitches, tiny tiny stitches, to hold in place, then I clip those threads off and start again. 

 

 

[jimerickson]

I use a set of curved tipped KAI embroidery scissors.  Pull up the top thread to expose the bobbin thread, clip the bobbin thread, pull top and clip the bobbin thread about six stitches further along etc.  It's easier if you follow your stitching backward.  That way wherever you've stitched over other stitches, you're clipping the top stitch, not the one underneath, and the pull up process will continue unobstructed.  Jim 

[EHonour]

Thanks for the thoughts.  I've heard of skinning before, but frankly it scares me.  I've accidentally cut through fabric even when simply ripping a piecework seam, and I would hate to do so on a finished top or bottom!  The idea of using something without the seam ripper blade is a good one, and idea of cutting the bobbin thread every six stitches or so also sounds quicker than what I've been doing.