I'm working on my first Bargello and thought I would try machine quilting so I ironed seams as instructed and used high loft batting. Well, being a hand quilter, machine quilting turned out to be to stressful for me. I am hand quilting the quilt. Now, since my loft is high and seams are not ironed open, I am having a very hard time getting my needle to go through all layers and keeping a small stitch. I have bent many needles. Are there any short inbetween needles out there that do not bend so easily?

I don't recommend high loft batting for machine quilting, but what do I know?

I haven't had the problem of bent needles before. When I hand quilt, I don't worry about keeping my stitches tiny. Someone told me that consistency is more important than tiny.

The first thing that came to my mind was that you have the quilt in the hoop too tight. Do you have at least a fist of play in it. If not, loosen it up. I use John James Betweens size 10-12.

I usually don't handbquilt with a high loft though also.

Hope this helps.

My stitches are not so tiny, but small. However, over the seam areas, they cannot be even small. I use a quilt frame so quilt is not that tight. It is the bulk at the seam areas.

Try these. They come highly recommended by experienced hand-quilters and they're pretty new on the market:

http://www.quilt-kits-online.com/pro...p?prod=6893-10

http://www.quilt-kits-online.com/pro...p?prod=6893-11

Thanks. I'll check it out.

Thank you. I did order some of these needles.

Hi Ganny. Can't wait to see pictures. I have all my ripping done and have been doing the decorative stitch. I should be done tomorrow then I will only have the binding to do.
Good luck on yours. Sorry the machine quilting didn't work for you. The high loft would have shut you down. Especially as a new experience for you. But I love quilts with the high loft. They stay snuggly for their lifetime I think.

Hi Dorothy,
Do you machine quilt? Be sure to show the finished product. I thought I read somewhere that machine quilting was best on high loft. So much for my memory! I think I will try to machine quilt again...sometime maybe. I really want to get this one finished especially since it is not what I started out to do. Have a great evening!

Whenever I handquilt and I get to a seam, I do a stab stitch to get through it. :wink: