Holice

If you are using regular thread then that might be part of the problem. Hand quilting thread has a finish applied to it to give it strenth and keep it from tangling. Regular thread doesn't, to my knowledge, have such a finish.
Suggest when you go to JoAnn you look in the bin for Americana thread. It is very good for hand quilting and is ony .99 a spool. Not a wide range of colors. If not that then look for a thread that says hand quilting. Then use bees wax or Thread Heaven to run your thread thru, even tho it has a finish. I use Thread Heaven or the Tacky Finger from the office supply store that you use for sorting paper. This works better than anything I have ever used for preventing thread tangle. I also suggedt a #8 Between needle. Not a long skinny one you suggest. the long skinny one will bend or break.

GayleM

Oh oh - I think the lightbulb just went off in my head. The quilting needles I am using are "self-threading". They have a triangular head with the wide end at the very top of the needle. It has a small slit so you just have to pull the thread down from the top to get it into the eye. Definitely GOT TO be the needle. I am going to JoAnn's tonight and replacing them !! Do you have any suggestions for coaxing the batting back into the sandwich other than removing all the stitching (Please!!)?

Hinterland

How big are the tufts? You could cut them off at the surface and hope that once the quilt is washed it won't be noticeable...for after all, it's the back of the quilt.

Or you could try running a needle between the batting and backing, and swooping the loose batting in. I do that with thread ends when they're sticking out.

Janet

GayleM

Thanks Janet! Good suggestions all. Think I'll wash the quilt first since I need to wash the quilting marks out when it's done. If that doesn't do it, I'll give "swooping" a try. I am putting the quilt on a Grace EZ quiting frame tonight - (no more little hoop!) and hope to finish the quilting by Monday. It's just a 40" square table topper. For a change I thought I'd start learning on something small (not my usual approach - I could tell you some really good stories..... ). I REALLY REALLY appreciate your sharing and caring. Many, many thanks!

NJ Quilter

I agree with Holice. I've never had an issue with W&N and I only hand quilt (except under duress for charity quilts). I've only ever used W&N. I also use 'between' needles - Roxanne, specifically, although I've used others. I also agree about the Americana thread - I love it, although just about any hand quilting thread will work. I've never worked with 'regular' thread to hand quilt. I also use Thread Heaven to condition my thread before stitching.

I think when you wash your completed quilt you will be fine wtih your poking batting. If not you can address after that with the suggestions that others have made.

M.I.Late

I have had the same exact problem with warm and natural (guaranteed not to beard). My backing was also dark. In my case black on black. Mine was machine quilted by a long arm quilter. Two at the same time. My twin black, white and brights quilts. She said she changed needles a dozen times, called Warm and Natural mfg. showed them to other quilters while they were on the machine. No one was able to figure out what was going wrong so she just continued. She called me and said there was a little bearding going on, but that I should be able to use a lint remover to get them off. I said well, ok. She sent them back to me totally bearded. I mean it was bad. I ended up ripping both quilts all the way out. It was just too unsightly. My solution? I changed to a black poly batting. The problem with it though was that I had some whites in the front. I didn't want those to appear gray, so I lined the entire quilt. My sandwich had 4 sections. I hand basted the white lining to the black batting so it would still go on the long arm in three pieces. It was beautiful after that and no visible bearding at all. It may have been there - but you couldn't see it. Wish I had better news. But you did say the back was hunter green. That's pretty dark too...

I hope changing the needle from the "self threading" works...

BTW I'm Gayle M too.

Holice

it might be more difficult to pull the tufts to the inside afer the quilt is washed.

d.swindle

I have used bonded polyester batting with great success inmy hand quilting of four quilts
one quilt I used ployester batting that wasn't bonded and was sorry,the batting came through as you are haveing on your quilt.
hope you find a solution to your problem and happy quilting.
d.swindle

117becca

i hand quilt - and I use YLI glazed cotton handquilting thread. I've not had a problem - Quilting fabrics are also a looser weave than broadcloth, I wonder if those 2 things have something to do w/ it....

Go get a hand quilting cotton thread, it'll be a bit easier.

GayleM

Many thanks to you all. You have broadened my knowledge of hand quilting and I truely appreciate your sharing. I just finished quilting my table topper and will attach the binding today, then, into the wash. I am praying all the little tufts of WN disappear! I will definitely look for Thread Heaven next time I'm in the fabric store. My next quilting project is waiting in the wings for it's chance on the quilting frame. I am grateful for you all !! :-D