Hand Quilting: Tip for Burying Knot

I'm still working away on my circle hand quilting.  I'm using Perle Cotton, 5 weight, in various colors.  It's always challenging enough to bury a knot when quilting, but to bury a perle cotton knot - a BIG challenge.  I'm working with Cherrywood fabric, which is very tightly woven, making it even more challenging.  

As my work has progress on the quilt, I've been experimenting with different techniques to make the knot burying process easier.  And I found a winner!  I can't begin to tell you what a difference this technique has made the entire quilting process!

Here's the how-to.

Step 1:  As with any hand quilting, knot the thread and put the needle in the quilt about an inch away from where your stitching will start.  The needle should come up at the point you stitching will start.  The needle is NOT going though the entire quilt!  It only goes through the top fabric and batting - you should not be piercing the backing fabric.

2.  Step 2:  Bring the needle and thread though until the knot is sitting directly on top of the quilt top.
Step 3:  Insert the needle directly above the knot, with approximately a 1/4 inch gap between where the needle go in and comes out.  IMPORTANT:  Make sure the needle does not pierce the thread just under the quilt top.  The part of the needle that is under the quilt top just be OVER the thread.  At this point you can gently pull on the thread above to make sure the thread is not caught on the needle.
Step 4:  Place a thumb on top of the needle.  Use your other hand to give the thread a good pull.
TA- DAH!  You will feel the knot pop through to the inside of the quilt.  Pull the needle back out and you're ready to start quilting.  I use the exact same technique to end off.