Thread your needle with a ca 70 cm long thread. Tie a knot at the end; often multiple knots on top of each other are needed to stop the thread from escaping through the fabric.

If the length of the thread is cumbersome, try to place the needle more toward the middle of the thread so it kind of looks like you’re working with a double thread. As you work and the thread becomes shorter, then you can shift the needle along the length of the thread.

However, do NOT leave the extra thread in the actual stitches; you will not easily be able to pull it out again.