I butt one block up against another when I chain and I don't even lift the presser foot. Just feed 'em through one right after the other. I usually end up with about 1 stitch between each block. Don't have trouble cutting them apart.

Chain Piecing
 

I have a Bernina and the same thing happens to me. 8 times in service and all they can tell me is to sew slower. I now use my 50 year old Pfapp for chain piecing and my thread never brakes between pieces even with 6 stitches.
I hate the Bernina Love the Pfaff

Perhaps if you butt the squares up next to one another, it should minimize the thread breakage, although that's nothing that has happened to me when I've been chain piecing. Hang in there, it should get better.

Thank you for mentioning that. I did end up needing to change my needle shortly after because it was skipping stitches. I'll remember that if I ever get the "cats cradle" thing again. :thumbup:

Thanks for the new replies quilting folks! It seems that some machines are a bit more finicky about chain piecing and in my case if I go slowly and carefully, butting the pieces closely together, it's ok. It was very interesting to find that I'm not the only one to have issues with this.

I have 2 Janome machines. One chain pieces like a dream. The chain piece between blocks doesn't seem to matter, Neither does the speed I sew. My other machine does not chain piece very well. I have to put the pieces really close together and can't sew as fast. Not sure why.

I sew quite a few stitches in between my pieces, just to be sure I have room to cut them apart and the stitches can't come apart, never had a problem unless I'm trying to put a pointed piece under the needle. This doesn't happen though with my Vintage Singer 201. No thread breakage either.

You need to stop with your needle up to avoid the cat's cradle and a lot of thread break and thread nests. BUT the needle can be up and the take up lever still not all the way up - in that case the thread could be still around the hook - so check that to be sure the hook has gone all the way around to complete the stitch. Check to be sure the thread in the needle isn't pulling too hard on the needle - in other works check the tension.

I would think if you butt them up against each other you seams would unravel with only one stitch at the end.

How are you doing it?