How to Wear Out a Seam Ripper

Frogging; unsewing; ripping out. Whatever you call it, sometimes you just have to 'Do It'!
Everyone needs the right tool to get the job done right. I've got several laying around...

 This one is the prettiest, by far! Isn't it gorgeous? Hand made, and a gift from my good friend, Cindy. I adore it. To be honest though, with it's rounded tip, I use it as a stiletto more often than as a ripper.

 Now this one; this one is my fav! It's made by Fons and Porter: ergonomically correct, sharp point and great cutting edge.  I just bought myself a new one for the Big Rip that I'm in the middle of! I wanted the sharpest tool I could find.

 Before my new one, this was my go-to seam ripper.Same brand, but see those little holes on the handle? Well, a certain dog actually stole it off of a table twice and I found her chewing on it! Scary! Now the metal part has a barb on it, so it's a bit annoying to use.

 "What's the Big Rip?" you ask. Well, here it is....stipple quilting....

 Yep! I'm removing all of the background stippling from my Farmer's Wife quilt. I'm almost halfway finished....Yay! It's slow going, but I just know that it will be worth it in the end.

 Each of the 110 six-inch blocks in this sampler quilt are beautifully and uniquely professionally quilted. Each one is different and I just love them. LOVE THEM!. While I have nothing against stipple quilting, and use it on many of my quilts, it just didn't work for me when paired with all of the custom work on the rest of the quilt. The professional quilter has agreed, graciously, to redo the background with something a little more creative.(Any ideas?) But first: The Big Rip must happen!

 After I'd spent several hours frogging, I learned from another quilting friend, that there was a more efficient way than my 'cut every fourth thread and then turn the quilt over and pull out the loose thread, then turn it back over and pluck out the small loose pieces' way that I was doing it. Here's what she taught me. 
First, slip the ripper under a thread and cut it. Pull out a few stitches...

 Grasp the end of the thread you just pulled out, and give it a tug, revealing the bobbin thread underneath...

 Now, use your seam ripper to cut that exposed bobbin thread...

 Keep pulling on the top thread and cutting the bobbin thread...you will be able to pull several stitches out at a time. As the top thread gets longer, I wind it around my fingers. You can see the little trail of hairs threads that are left behind. You will have to go back and remove these, but won't have to turn the quilt over to the back to remove anything.

 To keep my spirits up, I am collecting the ripped out thread in a pretty bowl. I usually set my timer for 30 minutes intervals and try to work when the light is good for these  tired old eyes of mine.

 The quilt looks pretty on my dining room table anyway. I hope this never happens to you, but if it does, now you know how to wear out a seam ripper! (Thanks, Sherri, for setting me straight!)

Oh, and I see that I need a manicure as well!