First time FMQ and top thread kept breaking. Don't know what I was doing wrong? Do yall have any idea?

Maybe, if I kne4w what FMO meant. As far as top tention breaking, generally thats because of the runs that the thread goes through.

This may help:

Thread Breakage
There are three common reasons for your thread to break on you;

A. Stress Break
B. Clean Break
C. Hook Break

Stress Break

Stress breakage occurs when your thread is snagged and can not be pulled as you quilt. There can be several reasons for this;

a. Thread unwinding unevenly from the spool causing it to wrap around something on the machine.

b. Thread snagging on one of the thread guide.

c. Top tension set to high.

d. Thread is old


Whichever the reason, you can generally tell a how a thread has been broken by looking at it. The figure to the right illustrates a stress breakage.

Clean Break

Clean cuts generally occur most often when cut by a burr. A burr is a sharp edge that has been caused by the needle striking another metal object. The thread looks as if it has been cut by scissors. The figure to the right illustrates this type of breakage.


Hook Break

A hook breakage is fairly easy to determine. Generally a few fibers will be hanging to the side while another group of fibers are bunched up a little higher on the thread. The figure to the right illustrates this type of breakage. This occurs most often when your timing is off. The hook may be too far from the thread when it tries to grab it, and only catches the outside fibers. A burr on your hook point can also causes this to occur.

Some fixes for the breakages above include placing small scraps of batting in the thread guides to maintain thread travel. Always use all of your thread guides when quilting, but don’t add new ones.

Remember that the proper tension is set by the machine being threaded correctly. Some people have purchased added gadgets to set their tension, that’s usually not needed if you follow the manufacturer’s guidelines.

Hope that this helps,

Lanny

also use cotton thread and perhaps a larger eye needle.

I had that problem when I first started free motion quilting & it was often because I was moving the fabric faster than the needle & the thread was stretched too tight. I tried to slow down the fabric movement, but I found it was better to increase the needle speed. I sew much better fast than slow.

Don't be afraid to put your foot down! It takes time to get an even stitch length (unless you have a stitch regulator) but the more you practice, the better you'll get.

Also, I avoid free motion quilting on batiks. Their heavier thread count often causes breakage.

It sounds like a hook break. No pictures showing. I rethreaded each time it broke and used cotton thread. I don't understand what you mean by adding batting.
Regina

It could be that I was moving quilt too fast. I was scared to sew too fast. Thanks

Loosen the top tension, put some sewer's aid on the spool and use a new, bigger needle. Some people swear by the larger eye needles or topstitch needles.

Check the needle. Use a top stitch. What weigth thread are you using? Adjust your tension. Is your thread on a thread stand? How old is the thread?

I had that problem when I was using Coats and Clark thread on the spools with the notch cut to hold the end of the thread when it wasn't being used. Due to the way the spool needs to unwind on my machine, the thread would get caught in the slot whenever it got near that end of the spool. I finally put a tiny piece of painter's tape over the slot. End of problem! I've recently switched to thread from Connecting Threads that comes with no plastic ends to the spools. Love it!

Sue

.
new thread and 50wt. needle was for quilting