tortoisethreads

I'm working on my first t shirt quilt and im having tons of issues machine quilting it. I'm not new to quilting so this is really bugging me. I'm dealing with skipped stitches and shredding and breaking thread. I'm using a new needle and have run the gamut on tension. Is there some secret to quilting these?

Tartan

Avoid the decals if possible. The plastic grabs the needle and keeps the stitch from forming. As for breaking thread, try a needle with a larger eye and check that the thread path is clear.

cindi

Agree with all the above, and check that you have your needle in correctly (it happens to all of us, lol!) and re-thread your machine.

soccertxi

I concur on the larger needle and avoiding the plastic logos. I would stay away from lighter threads also. I like a poly or poly cotton like Permacore or Omni. You might think your tension is ok, but try dialing down some anyway. If you are snapping or shredding, there is something going on.....clean and oil your machine as well...Bring on the practice piece!

yel

my first question would be what if anything did you use to stablize your shirts

PenniF

Also....you might want to try a ball point needle for "knits" .... and definitely stay away from the logos / pictures on the shirts.

ManiacQuilter2

Yes, what did you use for your interfacing?? I used featherweight fusible interfacing by Pellon. You also need to avoid the vinyl logos on t-shirt. You can outline them but don't stitch thru them or let you iron touch the vinyl otherwise it will melt onto your iron.