Question about "knotty" floss...

[kat15108]

I'm pretty new to cross stitching (and this forum).
Is there a trick to keep floss from knotting up as it is being pulled through the cloth? I've tried using shorter pieces of floss and pulling it through slower. What really gets on my nerves is that once it has knotted and I've un-knotted it, the same area seems to knot up every other stitch. I'm impatient, so going slower drives me crazy.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

[MaggieM1750]

I haven't noticed if pulling through the fabric faster or slower makes a difference.. but every few stitches I will let my needle untangle. I once heard someone say dangle to untangle. Also, using Thread Heaven, beeswax will help with that.
If it is just one piece that keeps knotting, I toss it and start with a new piece. Its not worth the hassle of having to untwist and work out knots all the time.

[Imme]

I also let a thread dangle a few times during stitching to prevent this problem, but it still happens. The worst is when it tangled on the backside and you weren't aware of it, then later when you flip it over you discover this big mess of thread on the back .

[Rose]

Yes I agree when it starts acting up the best thing is to let it dangle every few stitches as it tends to twist up and knot.

[Mystonique]

It helps a lot if you let your thread dangle (and untwist itself) and just give it a tug to pull it straight before you start stitching. After that you are doing all the right things (keeping it short, not pulling through too fast). You do need to get a stitching style that doesn't twist the thread as you go too - some people have a habit of twisting threads as the go - it's really noticeable if you are using two or more strands in the same stitch. If that's you it's a hard habit to break!

[debupnorth]

I've been stitching for at least 30 years and it's only in the last 5-6 months that I've hit on a solution that works (for me). There has been a dramatic decrease in knotting & the top appearance of my stitching looks much more even

Here's what I do:
1) I start stitching at the bottom of a color area and work my way up,
2) I cross each stitch as I go (started when I was using overdyed's & continued when I started stitching on 22 ct - eyes were getting so bad I couldn't tell what had been crossed or not if I did all one way and then tried to go back the other),
3) the bottom of my stitch goes / and the top goes \,
4) 98% of the time my needle is coming up at the top of the stitch (usually an empty hole) and going back down into the fabric at the bottom. If I have to work downwards in an area, I just reverse this - up at the bottom (/), down at the top (\),
5) I use this method whether stitching from left to right or right to left on the line. It does make the back of my work look not quite as neat as it used to - there's more coverage & the rows alternate in appearance (back only).

If anyone else tries this, please let me know how it works for you. Good luck!

[Nachstenliebe]

If the length of floss is too long I find it knots a lot for me... I find that the kits I've working with always cut the length too long for my liking and it would constantly knot
Faith

[Raine]

I make sure to use DMC, if working with cotton and something else comes in a kit, I railroad my stitches, dangle, comb with my needle, and unthread, smooth the thread and then rethread the needle if I don't like the look of the thread, that is, if it looks like it's getting too twisted. Since I stitch in hand, I can feel immediately if the thread has knotted on the back, but it doesn't happen often because I'm so compulsive about keeping my thread straight.

[Tabbz]

i have this issue aswell. i just wanted to thank the OP for posting this thread.
It has been very useful.

Tabbz

[freelady]

I ususally manage to cure this by switching to a bigger needle. Sometimes it's one thread and I just bin that length and start again with a new one and it's okay, but I do keep Thread Heaven for those times when nothing else works.

[Pengwenn]

I don't know why but I find myself getting more knots in brown colored thread than other others. Reds knot up occasionally but not very often. Blues and greens are just fine for me. I've tried to think if it's something I'm doing but I haven't changed the way I've stitched in years. And I don't know why one color would be any different than another. It's gotten to the point where I loath it when I see a brown color coming up in a pattern I'm working on. I remind myself to go slow, be careful and dangle often.

I also noticed that the end that I threaded the needle with gets knotted most often (I use lots of different needles) so I just snip off a little bit off the end if things start getting troublesome.

[Mystonique]

pengwen you aren't crazy - different colours do have more or less tendency to knott than others - it's got to do with the viscosity (or being really layman the stickiness of the dye used.

So some dye don't fluff the material up as much and therefor are less likely to snag if that makes sense.

[katydid]

Hi eveybody! I have found that some of the knotting comes from the fact that as we stitch some of us unknowingly turn the needle a little bit with each stitch. When your thread starts to look a bit like it's starting to curl it's time to dangle your needle. Also, I've noticed that some colors of threads seem to be more prone to knotting and curling as you work. I don't know why this is, but it's another thought on what might cause some of the problem.

Also, with the loops on the back of your stitching--If I find a loop when I turn over the cloth, I cut the loop and pull out a few stitches on either side of the looped area and just restitch that area making sure the ends that were pulled out get covered over with the new stitches. Hope this helps!

[BizzieLizzie]

The worst is when it tangled on the backside and you weren't aware of it, then later when you flip it over you discover this big mess of thread on the back .

I get round that by placing the second finger of my non-stitching hand against the back of the fabric when I'm pulling the thread through to the front. That way I can feel whether or not all of the thread has come through and can deal with any knots on the back before it's too late.

[MaggieM1750]

You know.. I think this is what I do as well. Its wierd to think about the way I stitch because I just do it and don't really pay attention. I get knots in the back, or front, just like everyone does.. but I usually catch it within 2-3 stitches because of my hand on the back.

[Mermut]

I pull out each strand separately, letting them untwist, then recombine to the number I need. For bigger projects I also use Twin Pointed Needles. The eye is in the middle and each side has a standard blunt cross stitch point. I have one hand on each side of the fabric and just pass the needle back and forth. This eliminates the 'turning' of the needle to put it back through the fabric and eliminates the added twisting to the strands the turn causes.
The twin pointed needles do require the stitchery be in some sort of standing frame so you don't need to hold the piece and can easily put one hand on each side of the fabric. If you have that kind of set-up though, it is amazing how much faster the stitching goes.

[curly sue]

I have to stop and untwist now and then. I'm usually not aware of what is going on on the back of my work.....when I'm ready to fasten off my thread, I may discover a knotted loop. I really need to pay more attention to the back.

[LadyS]

I work in hand, mostly with sewing method, and sometimes depending on the row I to twist the needle a bit, so every once in a while I fix the thread, I don't dangle though, I usually pull the needle all the way to the fabric, leaving the entire length of thread free, then I run my finger over the thread to get both strands aligned and untwisted, then pull needle back to working position and keep going. It's automatic for me to do that and I barely notice it anymore.

Oh, and working in hand I always know if my thread doesn't all come up.