Originally Posted by Boo
Dorothy, first of all are you using a jeans needle? These are slightly larger and made for the heavier fabric. Secondly, you are probably breaking and bending needles because you are pulling the fabric and not allowing the machine to do it. This will cause the needle to hit the metal of the machine and break. I would suggest you not use any existing jean seams in your quilt. If you have a walking foot, use that to help feed the fabric.
Do you know anyone who sews? They may be able to help you set up your machine for sewing on the four thicknesses of denim. If not try these tips.
1. Denim or Jeans needle.
2. Increase or decrease the foot pressure. You need to allow the machine to feed the fabric for you. Find the pressure that will allow this to happen. Check this with the needle out of the machine.
3. Look into a walking foot if you do not have one. This is also called an even feed foot and will feed the top of the fabric at the same rate the feed dogs are moving the bottom fabric.
Try these tips and let us know how you are doing.
Ruth shared this link to a source for specialty machine needles: http://www.shiboridragon.com/Notions.htm
They don't just list the needles they sell. They tell you clearly what they're good for and why. They sell needles for working on denim. A bit pricey - especially after shipping - but if i can't find these sizes locally, i will consider it well worth the expense to know i finally have the right needles for the right job.
if your machine doesn't permit you to adjust the pressure of the presser foot, see if you can lower your feed dogs just a little. that might help.
there's a reason most jeans are made in factories. there are many home-use machines on the market that promise you can sew easily using heavy denim. HAH!!! it's the most typical overstatement of machine capabilities out there.
if your machine won't go over the seams easily, then don't go over the seams at all. sew until you get as far as you can, then backstich a few times. lift the needle and foot, then start again at the nearest possible point, topstitching again at the starting point. if you have gaps when you're done, close them up with a few hand stitches.
if that sounds like a lot of extra work and fiddling, remember that you will end up with a sturdy, attractive project AND a machine that still works. it's worth it.