Hi everyone,

I seem to be breaking a lot of needles when doing free motion quilting. I have lowered my feed dogs, put my pressure foot tension down as far as possible. What else can I do? The owner of my local Husqvarna shop suggested using a hoop. Any other suggestions.

Thanks

are they hitting something and breaking? maybe your moving the fabric while the needle is down? we all have trouble geeting our timing right at first

I guess my 1st question would be what kind of needle are you using? Sometimes I use the denim...sometimes the quilting....sometimes the topstitch.

Then it just might be a timing issue on your part. It is hard to find just the right rhythm sometimes...

Are you using a hopping foot? I had given up on ever being able to do free motion quilting until I starting using a hopping foot for free motion quilting. I'm still no expert but it's one hundred percent better than it was before.

that would also be my question. Are you using the right foot? I just started fmq myself and I have a very old husqvarna too. My needles break if I pull the fabric the tinyest bit.

What size needle are you using? It may be too fine. I usually piece with a size 80 needle but fmq with a size 90.

Is a spring loaded darning foot the same as a hopping foot?

I was told by a knowlegeable friend that a certain Husqvarna would not do free motion quilting so I didn't buy this used machine. It was a machine about 10 years old or so.

Yes, the spring loaded darning foot is the "hopping foot" Marge

I am using the foot that hops. I have been told by the store owner that this machine is a good one for fmqing. I have a machine quilting needle in it right now that is a size 80. Maybe I need to try a 90 instead, and then maybe I should try some different size needles.