Originally Posted by meemersmom
You really will get the hang of it. Just keep at it. My first practice piece started out a disaster, but ended up kinda okay. I could definitely tell where I started and where I finished...LOL!! Next couple of pieces went great. Now, I'm trying to FMQ (just stipple) a queen sized quilt, and I have been thru 4 pkgs of needles -- I keep breaking them, and I can figure out why. Have rethreaded, changed needles, checked/adjusted tension, quilt not caught on anything, etc (I even tried another machine!!!). The needle keeps hitting the throat plate and breaking. So, I put it away for now, and will try again another day.
Maybe you are pulling(without realizing it) the quilt when the needle is still in the quilt which in turn bends the needle just enough that it hits the needle plate then breaks.. Or when you are replacing the needle that you are putting it in high enough before tightening it...