by Serena Smith

Note: Click on the photos for a larger image

You have just finished the perfect satin stitch on an applique heart! Everything is perfect, the purple stitching smoothly guides over the curves of the heart. But as you go to trim the stitching thread...your beautiful stitches start unraveling! With just a little tug, more and more of the satin stitches are pulling out of the fabric! You know that you backstitched at the beginning and end of your stitches, so why are they unraveling?

Has this happened to you? It certainly has to me and it can be very frustrating!! The reason it is unraveling is because it needs a securing stitch at the beginning and end of your stitching. With satin stitching, backstitching is not enough to hold the stitches in place to keep them from unraveling. The thread needs to be secured by little, tiny stitches before you begin and after you finish the satin stitches.

For newer machines, there is a knotting or securing thread feature that automatically ties off the thread when the button is pressed. This makes it simple and easy. Press the securing button, stitch the satin stitches, and press the securing button when finished. But what do you do if your machine doesn't have this feature? Here is the method I use to secure my satin stitches, decorative stitches and quilting stitches.

You will use one stitch setting for the securing stitch and another stitch setting for the satin stitch. The stitch settings may vary for each machine, so try it on a scrap before stitching on your project.

Stitch #1 - Securing Stitch - This stitch will be sewing before and after the satin stitch.
Width - 0
Length - 0.5
Needle position - 2-3 notches to the left

Stitch #2 - Satin Stitch - This stitch will cover the edges of your applique heart.
Width - 3.5
Length - 0.3
Needle position - in the center

Place your fabric under the foot of the machine and set your stitch settings to stitch #1. Sew 5-6 stitches. These will be tiny straight stitches sewn on the inside of the heart.

Set your machine settings to stitch #2. Start stitching the satin stitch, following the edge of your applique fabric. Continue until you reach the place where you want to stop or you are back to the beginning of your stitching. Stitch over a few of the previous satin stitches. Switch to stitch #1 and sew 5-6 stitches. These little stitches should be just inside the satin stitch. They will secure the thread so it will not unravel and at the same time be hidden by the satin stitch.



Basically this technique is the exact same thing that happens when you press the securing function on your machine. The difference is that most machines will sew the securing stitches in one place, which can create a knot on the back that can come through to the front of the fabric. With the method I use, the stitch length of stitch #1 - the securing stitch - is set to 0.5, which moves the fabric a teeny, tiny bit with each stitch. With 5-6 stitches, the fabric has moved no more than 1/8". This eliminates the knot that is formed with the securing stitch.

Yes, all my machines have the securing feature! But on satin stitching and other decoratives, I usually prefer to use the method above. I also use it when I am machine quilting. I don't want a knot of thread on the front or back of my quilt.





With my machine, it is so easy to flip between the two stitches. Some, but not all machines will be able to remember stitch settings as you flip between stitches. Give your machine a try and see if it will work for you! I set stitch #1 and stitch #2 to the settings described above. I touch stitch #1 and sew 5-6 stitches. Then I touch stitch #2 and sew my satin stitch. When I am finished, I again touch stitch #1 and tie off the thread. The machine remembers my stitch settings in each stitch as I flip back and forth, until I change the settings or I turn the machine off. It works great and saves lots of time!! Try it on your next satin stitching project! :)