How do I tailor tack?

Take 4 strands of fine silk thread (if you have such a thing - if not, cotton is better for this than poly thread). DO NOT put a knot in the end!

Take a small stitch at the marking point... through all layers of fabric. Pull the thread through until you have a 2" 'tail'.

Take another stitch, making a loop... Pull the thread through until you have a 2"-3" loop. Cut of the needle, leaving another 2" tail. You now have a loop of 4" (or a bit bigger) of thread with a 2" tail at either side. This is the tailor's tack.

You can now remove the pattern, carefully tearing it at the dot (actually, if you want to use the pattern again, I find it better to reinforce the area and cut a small hole through the pattern where the dots are, and stitch through the holes!). Once the pattern is gone, you can separate the layers and cut the thread between them, leaving a thread mark where the dots were on the pattern, like this: >

down until you see the second day's work, where the tailors tacks are. :)

I can't guarantee that this is the "right" way but it's how my mother taught me -

Take a long double length of thread and put it through the needle doubled again (you will be sewing with four strands, the thickness holds in heavier fabric more firmly, if you are sewing finer fabrics do this with two strands)

take a small stitch through all layers where you want your mark and leave a good 1.5" tail sticking up from the surface of the fabric

take a second small stitch (I usually form a cross stitch on the back)and this time leave a loop 1.5" long

snip of the thread with a 1.5" tail

now you can "pop" the pattern off the fabric carefully to leave just a small hole

ease the layers of fabric apart and cut the stitches so that there is a "tuft" of thread at your mark on each fabric piece

You will find it best to do all your tacks on each piece before cutting any. You can use different coloured threads for matching tacks if you think that will help. The tacks are a good way to use up cheap cotton threads but be careful about using strong colours as you don't want to have any colour transfer, and I do not recommend poor quality poly thread. If you need to mark four pieces you can make the loops/tails longer but I would then take three stitches for added security. And remember to match your fabric weight to the number of threads and needle size - four strands of cheap thread sewn with a "crowbar" will leave holes in silk!

The cut tacks will easily pull out when you are finished with them, but try to avoid too many machine sewn tiny stitches through them as this can make removal difficult.

There are many experts here who can probably describe this better but this might help get you started until you hear from them.

Angeline, Something I was taught in college in my textile class was to use strands of cotton embroidery floss - one strand for a single layer and two strands for double layer. Just pull it through the fabric and leave 1 1/2 inch tails on top and bottom. The cotton floss will stick to the fabric and you don't need to make a loop. Saves time and floss. I have used this method for 38 years and it works great.

I use a single strand of whatever thread is handy -- same thread for basting, thread-marking, and tailor tacks. Unless I want to color-code.

I leave half-inch loops, take at least two stitches in each place, and always cut the thread after each tack, *especially* when making an X with two tacks. I must be careful to use sharp scissors when cutting between layers, but otherwise have no trouble with slippery threads. I find that short, quarter-inch tufts of thread are less likely to be caught on something and pulled out than longer threads. Also less likely to be mistaken for a piece of thread that was just floating around and get picked off on purpose -- oh, the sinking sensation as the slight resistance informs you just a split second too late!

My home-made patterns have a diamond hole at each tack, made by snipping off a folded corner. Or if I've been using the tracing wheel up until now, I'll cut the paper with the point of the needle before taking the stitch, then pull the pattern off the tack before cutting between the layers.

Tangent topic: I've recently learned to thread mark through a pattern by putting the needle down through the same hole where it came up -- often one of a series of needle-cut slits along the line being marked. If two layers are being marked, one can loosen the stitches, having

*not* cut the thread after marking, so that there is plenty to pull back in. (Sometimes I baste with the thread still attached to the spool.) Then the layers can be separated and cut between, leaving tailor tacks along the marked line

Joy Beeson

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Thank you! :)

Fibro's been biting a bit, and am coping with some evidence of 'the change'. :( But being 50 and at goal weight, and generally fitter than for 20 years has compensations! ;)

Thank you all so much for the detailed instructions! I think I can manage now! I couldn't get how to have it on both sides of the fabric but you all have put good visionals together (thank you thank you) I'm pretty good at following instructions.

just getting back into sewing at 54 - use to sew my clothes in high school on a treadle and old wobbly singer - loved those machines. but stopped sewing and tried to be corporate for about what seems a millions years - that drove me to having neck surgery (years and years of computers.... ;-) so i bought myself a fancy machine several years back - but my ex put it in storage.. yeah ex! ;-) i know you can imagine the reason why when he put my machine in a storage unit while i recovered from surgery - fought with the workers comp system wallowed in and out of depression , finally got a divorce and work comp settlement (9 years later) and i found my machine again - and my fabric - it's been like old home week finding my fabric :) ;) but i find i never learned to use my machine - i have found a few creative blocks - and am trying to learn to sew again! whew... i guess that was kinda an introductions for you all. i haven't been lurking, but i've been offline for about 9 years now also - am starting to come back online again.. i know exactly where to go to ask this question and i am grateful for your help!

take care angeline

Welcome aboard, Angeline! This is a very helpful group!

-Irene