I’m thrilled to say that I have finished the quilting on Pulsar and the pattern will be releasing this Friday. I can’t wait to share the finish and get the pattern available for you. While I’m doing the hand binding and putting the finishing touches on the pattern, let’s take a look at the mound of Dark Navy Aurifil thread tails I clipped from the quilt top.
Thread Tails
I purposefully didn’t empty my thread bin while I was doing the background quilting because I was really curious how much thread I was going to use and how much of it was going to be trimmed away after I buried the thread tails. I fully used up 2 large Aurifil thread spools, which is equivalent to 60 grams / 2600 meters or 2.12 ounces / 8,530 feet / 1.62 miles. That ball of thread next to a new spool of thread is pretty densely compacted, so in order to figure out just how much I trimmed away, I pulled out my scale.
Thread Tails
The thread tails I trimmed away weighed in at 26 grams, which is about 87% of one of the large spools that I used. That means between the two spools of thread, 57% remains in the quilt or 34 grams / 1473 meters or 1.2 ounces / 4,834 feet / 0.92 miles.
In total, the navy background quilting required 24 wound bobbins on my Juki. My quilting plan was ambitious, but I’m so glad I stuck with it! I’m definitely ready for a change of pace; time to get back to a few simpler piecing projects before diving into another big project for me.
Have you ever tracked how much thread you have used quilting a quilt?
That is crazy amazing. I haven’t ever tracked my thread use, mainly because my quilts are so small. Looking forward to seeing Pulsar!
Incredible! Your findings are so interesting! Thank you!
Wowzer, that is amazing, too much math for me, but I asm fascinated for sure. Thread is so expensive, sometimes when just a little left on the bobbin and I need the bobbin, I put it off, sometimes use in art projects, but mostly used for nothing….
Wow! That is so interesting to know and I really appreciate your scientific approach to testing this and sharing. I also love seeing this beautiful blue ball of threads clippings. All you need on it are eyeballs and it’s practically a muppet! Heeheehee
Either that, or spray it with some hairspray (to hold it together), leave off the eyes and tuck a little sound button thingy inside that makes a cat-like purring sound – Bingo! You have a purple Tribble! (giggle!)
Fascinating! My non-engineering mind could never have figured that out!
I am totally amazed! That is quite the amount of thread and a fun way to figure it out. I always mean to make some notes about stitches or those things and forget to do it. I love the way that ball of thread looks, and yes, the birds would make lovely nests. Yes, small projects are the way to go after something like this!
Oh my goodness! I never even think about how much thread I have used, but I will now.
Woh! That’s a lot of thread. I’m very curious to see the finished quilt!
Wow – that is really interesting. I always thought about the thread that ends up in the waste basket but never measured it before!