Do you have the same problem as I do? Balls of thread that somehow come unwound in the box they're kept in? See the top picture for the example! I've found something which may help you as well as myself!!!! I'm sure lots of you must know this already but it's taken me a mere 55 ish years to find the solution - well, an easy one that I now use.
First you'll need a dental floss threader like the blue one in the picture below. The coilless safety pin is there ready to hook it back on to when I've finished as they tend to get lost. I was given these in America but have found that you can get them online here in the UK too. I'll check locally to see if the chemists and supermarkets sell them too but that will be later today.
So, following the direction that the thread is wound in (in this case from left to right in the picture), poke your floss threader through in the same direction and a little way down the ball. See the picture below. It's really easy to do as long as you don't try and go too deep into the ball.
Take the end of your thread and push it through the floss threader 'loop'.
Pull your end through and it will stay where it is until you want to use that ball of thread again!
Don't forget to add the floss threader back on the safety pin - just in case!!!
21 comments:
Fab Jane - or you could use a latch hook! ;)
I usually pull the end through using a crochet hook; sometimes the ends stays and sometimes it doesn't. Naturally, the hook would not go in as deep as a floss threader would. Great tip.
I tried a crochet hook and a latch hook but found that for some reason I often frayed the ends of the thread. With a floss threader you only have the one way to go so it saves time - unless, of course, you've mislaid it like I have done on several occasions. Thus the pin to keep it on!!!!! Also I found I could 'dig deeper' into the ball too.
Nice trick! I was just using some tape at the end of the thread.
Great idea! Thanks for the tip, Jane!
Clever. Thanks for the tip.
As my 7th graders would say "face palm!" This is so simple AND brilliant! Thank you and my thread thanks you!
What a wonderful idea and solution! As soon as the stores open, I'm off to buy a dental floss threader (I do have a few coiless safety pins already)! Thank you, Jane!!
Great idea and I have the pin and flosser - but it is too fiddly for me... I love the idea and unfortunately will never do it. Too lazy!
The blues and greens are so pretty - such a lovely selection in your stash and a nice photo to boot.
You are a clever innovator, Jane!
Fox : )
Gosh, Fox, that's the least fiddly thing I've ever found!!!! Just stick a floss threader through the top of the ball, stick yer end in and pull!!!!
Brilliant! Wish I had thought of it.
Clever as always. I've always kept the bags the thread came in, or use a baggie. I was looking at a series of pictures yesterday. It was a tat day at Zig Zag tatting corner. On one pic a lady had used hair clips to hold the ends of her thread on the ball.
I put some pictures on my blog with the hair clip idea.
Interesting and clever idea, I use my flossing blue things to thread the bead onto thread,
Margaret
Thanks for the tip! I just went through my big drawer of threads this weekend and had to wind a few (a lot) of the balls back up, took quite a bit of time to untangle some. Great idea.
This is a cool idea, too. Saw the picture on your blog
One day I might get around to tidying my thread, until then they will remain a mess! But great idea.
Jane, this involves a lot of steps:
1) Find the flosser which is in a different part of the fisherman tackle box than the pins.
2) Thread the flosser - it takes me AGES to do this. Do not ask me why! 2a)My eyes are fine but the co-ordination sucks.
3)Stick the flosser through the threads of the ball. This is an impossibility. See #2a
4)I hate swearing out loud. It offends Gian and he bites me. See #2a.
5) Put the flosser and the pin back where they belong. I could be tatting instead. See #4.
You see, for me it is an impossible losing situation. I will stick to compulsively straightening my neat-as-a pin thread box the way I do with Type A regularity. Works for me.
Fox
OK, Fox. Let's try to unclutter this clutter!!!
1) dedicated floss threader always kept to left side of tatting chair.
2) no problem threading flosser as it has a huge probably 3" 'eye'. No need to thread it anyway until after stage
3) after this then thread flosser!!!
4) swearing allowed on all occasions but if directions followed then no need anyway!!!
5) move arm slightly to left and replace flosser and pin back on the table to left side of chair.
Brilliant!
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