submitted by M. Parfitt
from Threads #98

It’s easy to overestimate the amount of thread needed to complete a hand-sewing project. So when there’s a foot or more of thread left on the needle, try moving it into a large-eyed tapestry needle that you can keep in your pin cushion.

These accumulated short lengths of thread come in handy when you need to quickly sew on a button or make a minor repair in a garment. Just pull a thread of the right color off the tapestry needle, transfer it to a sewing needle, and you’re ready to stitch. To keep the strands from getting impossibly tangled, try to keep fewer than a dozen strands on the tapestry needle. It’s amazing how convenient these thread ends are when you’re in a hurry.