The Quick and Easy Way to Thread a Needle and Tie a Knot

July 18, 2025

Pop quiz! What are the steps involved in hand sewing a line of stitching?

Thread the needle
Tie a knot at the end of the thread
Bury the knot to begin stitching (if you are quilting)
Stitch
Tie a knot at the end of your stitching.
Bury the tail of your thread. (If you are quilting)

With practice, everyone discovers their preferred methods for each step, but let’s face it, threading needles and tying knots are often the most frustrating steps in the process. Today, I’m sharing the quickest and easiest methods for threading a needle, tying knots, and burying thread tails at both the beginning and end of your stitching line.

Threading a Needle

When you thread a needle, do you move the thread towards the eye of the needle? If you do, you are not alone. Moving the thread to the needle is the method that most people use. However, the easiest way to thread a needle is to hold the thread still and move the eye of the needle over the end of the thread.

Let’s take a look at how I thread my needles:

Cut the end of the thread with sharp scissors or snips to ensure a clean end.
Optionally, run the end of the thread through thread gloss or wax to make it slightly smoother and easier to thread. This step is invaluable when using thicker threads.
Press the end of the thread between the thumb and index finger of your non-dominant hand.
Hold the needle in your dominant hand and push the eye over the end of the thread. Pull several inches of thread through the eye of the needle.
Cut the thread to your desired length. I find 18″-24″ works well for most applications.
If you are using thread gloss, coat the entire length of the thread at this point.

Tip: Thread the needle using the end of the thread that comes off the spool first and knot the end that comes off the spool last. The twist of the thread makes sewing easier and reduces the likelihood of your thread tangling when using this method.

Watch How to Thread a Needle

Tie a Knot in the End of the Thread

You want to make a knot at the end of the thread that is large enough so it won’t pull through the fabric while you are sewing, but small enough that you can still bury the knot and thread tail.

Hold the needle with the point facing out between the thumb and middle finger of your dominant hand.
Place the end of the thread on your index finger of your dominant hand and hold it in place with the tip of the needle. The location where you position the needle is where the knot will be tied at the end of the process.
Using the central part of the thread (not the short tail hanging over the tip of your finger), wrap the thread around the needle 1-6 times. For thick thread wrap 1-2 times. Standard-weight threads typically require 3-4 wraps, while very thin threads usually need 5-6 wraps. The more wraps you do, the bigger the knot. If you find that a knot is too big or too small, cut it off and tie a new knot, adjusting the number of wraps as needed.
Pinch the wrapped portion of the needle between the thumb and index finger of your non-dominant hand and, holding firmly, slowly and smoothly pull the needle and all of the main thread length through the thread wrap using your dominant hand. Keep pinching the wrapped thread until the knot forms at the end of the thread.

Watch How to Knot Your Thread

Bury the Knot

If you are sewing a seam for clothing or piecing, you are ready to sew, but if you are quilting, you may want to bury your knot before you begin stitching.

If you want to use an exposed knot as a design element, you can skip this step, but in most instances, a buried knot creates a more secure finish and can improve the longevity of your quilt because it is less likely to rub and catch on surfaces that could cause the knot to come out.

Here is how I bury a knot when quilting:

Determine where you want to start stitching. About an inch away from this spot, insert the tip of your needle. Travel the needle between the layers of the quilt to the desired starting point for stitching. Your needle will be under the quilt top, but it doesn’t show through to the backing of your quilt. You may or may not have gone through some of the batting.
Pull the needle and thread through until the knot catches the fabric at the initial entry point.
You want to pull the knot gently through the fabric at the initial point, but allow it to catch at the beginning of the stitching line. Using the tip of the needle, take a large stitch through just the quilt top near the knot and between the knot and the beginning of the stitching line. Use the needle in this position to create resistance and tug on the central portion of the thread to pull the knot through to the start of the stitching line.
Back the needle out of your fabric, and you are ready to sew.

Note: If you are using a thicker thread, you can use the eye end of your needle directly next to the initial entry point to gently open the fabric weave slightly, allowing the knot to pass through. Then, massage the spot with your fingertip to help the weave close back up.

Tip: You can easily bury your thread tails at the edges of a quilt sandwich by sliding the needle under the quilt top at the edge and starting to stitch.

Watch How to Bury Your Thread Knot

Tie a Knot at the End of Your Stitching Line

Tying a knot at the end of your stitching line is similar to tying the knot at the beginning, but this time, you have some helpful resistance since the thread is anchored to the quilt.

Near the surface of the quilt, position the tip of the needle next to the thread holding the needle in your dominant hand.
Using your non-dominant hand, wrap the thread around the needle the same number of times you wrapped it for the initial knot.
At this point, you can slide the needle up or down the thread to select the final position of the knot. You don’t want the knot extremely tight to the quilt’s surface because you want to have a small amount of slack when you bury the knot.
Holding the knot in place with a finger pressed against the quilt, slowly and smoothly pull the needle and thread through the wraps to create the knot.

Bury the Ending Knot and Thread Tail

Burying the thread at the end of a stitching line is similar to burying it at the beginning of a stitching line.

Starting as close to the final knot as possible, travel the needle between the layers of the quilt to about an inch away from the end of your stitching line. Your needle will be under the quilt top, but it doesn’t show through to the backing of your quilt. You may or may not have gone through some of the batting.
Pull the needle and thread through until the knot catches the fabric at the initial entry point.
You want to pull the knot gently through the fabric at the end of the stitching line. Using the tip of the needle, take a stitch through just the quilt top near the knot and between the knot and the end of the thread. Use the needle in this position to create resistance and tug on the thread to pull the knot through the top layer of fabric. Remove the needle once the knot is buried.
To trim the end of the thread, gently tug it to create a small bubble of fabric in the quilt top. Snip the thread as close to the quilt top as possible without catching the fabric. When the quilt top relaxes, the thread tail will hide between the layers.

Watch how to bury a Knot at the End of a Quilting Line