Here I am, just quilting away on DD's Littlest Pet Shop quilt...I'm getting into my groove with FMQ and really enjoying it! I made a great heart today in my loop to loops (of course, there were a whole lot of BAD hearts lol). But Yay for progress! So I'm quilting away, I have my tunes on my iPod, everything is going smoothly...

But...all good things must come to an end.

The unfortunate series of events started with my spool of thread nearing the end...where the tail of the thread started to come loose...then wrap around the spool pin. All of it unnoticed as I was quilting my little heart out. Once it was wrapped tightly enough around the spool pin, it jammed, with the needle still down, where I pulled with the quilt unknowingly, and pulled the needle just enough to hit and gouge the needle plate, break the needle and *almost* rip a hole in my quilt.

At least the quilt was there to prevent the needle tip from jumping up and poking my eye out or something. And what had the potential to become a giant rip is just a somewhat stretched out needle hole that I'm sure will disappear with washing.

I decided to call it quits for now. Instead of re-threading with the almost empty spool, I'm going to go buy a new one to prevent the thread tail fiasco from happening again...I knew I'd need to get a new spool anyhow.

Ok, that's all. I'm sure some of you can relate. :D

I can relate! I have been learning how to FMQ too :) I had my top thread spool run out and the bobbin thread made a birds nest on the bottom. No harm no foul, just frustrating. I took a break and when I came back to it was able to fix it with a clearer head and keep quilting. Do you have a picture?

Thanks for your story - it makes my own frustrations seem OK. sorry you're having problems but it sounds like you're still a happy quilter!

I've discovered that the hardest part of quilting is remembering all those things you have to check out and watch for!!! Like, has the bobbin got enough thread to make it to the end....is there enough thread on the spool, did I oil the machine........etc etc etc.

Keep on quilting...........ENJOY!

Remembering all the details is hard! I happily stitch away with no bobbin thread sometimes!

On my last quilt, my bobbin kept birds nesting on me and I thought I was going to throw the machine out of the window! I'm new-ish to quilting in general, but especially to machine quilting. My last two were the first I have done mostly on a machine - I hand quilted stars into one and butterflies into the other.

Can you help me understand what causes the bobbin to do that, or what I can do to prevent it?

Thank you!

Yes, this is me also!!!

Thanks for bringing this up. I need lots of help with my new venture :)

Bird's nests on the bottom are usually caused by your top thread. Nests on the top are caused by the bobbin thread.

Do you bring your bobbin thread up to the top? I find if I bring my bobbin thread up, and gently hold both threads when I start quilting, it prevents the nests. :) Good luck! I hope you get it figured out.