Ok another weird thing, I can make a pass going left to right and it won't even break a thread....but when I got for the right to the left going back to the other end it will snap it 4 times! I'm at a loss. :'(

Now that is not unusual, I've heard many a quilter - including excellent, experienced, award-winning quilters - discuss this. Most of the time they simply avoid going right to left. Weird, huh? :)

serger/overlock threads are not as strong as regular threads, which may be part of the reason you're getting fraying/breakage. I know that may will use it for quilting/piecing, but it's not something I use because of the difference in strength. In addition, it's not only the size of the needle that makes a difference , it's also the size of the eye and the scarf on the needle. Several professional quilters report that they use only a topstitch needle for all parts of quilting - a topstitch needle has a slightly larger eye and scarf and the eye isi more rounded than a other needles, which means less stress on the threads.

I am using a brand new topstitch 90/14 needle.

Yes I have it on a quilting frame, I am doing a meandering/stippling pattern so going back and forth doing passes going right to left then back left to right is what I want to do instead of trying off trying to connect threads again if that makes sense. It just makes no sense at all why it snaps going one way and not the other, its soo stressful :( and to take it in and have it looked at its $60/hr which I can not afford right now :(

Whether your needle is new or not isn't the point. Please try a larger needle.

Sorry, I didn't realize the Janome is on a frame. Now I understand the recommendation for a size 18 needle.

I have a Voyager 17 on a frame with a size 16 needle and it has handled Signature and King Tut with no problems. I have ordered some titanium size 18 needles, though, as I have read that they flex less and therefore should produce a nicer stitch; plus it should stop the only occasional shredding/breaking I get when using Glide (60wt poly thread).

What I am wondering is if the bobbin tension is too tight. That would explain thread breaking, as it would require the upper tension to be too tight also. Here is a link to a Youtube video about tension in longarms, which helped me achieve a balanced stitch on my midarm:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1mRh...664A7&index=13
I think the principle would be the same for any machine on a frame. Loosen bobbin tension as much as possible first (I couldn't get mine as loose as he shows -- screw is too short and falls out!), then gradually adjust top tension. Because of the speed with which thread travels when quilting on a frame, I think both tensions need to be as loose as possible to prevent thread problems. That's my theory so far...... As for peeps, I don't mind a little as they seem to get buried in the batting once the quilt is washed.

Edit: I just re-read the original post, and it occurred to me that perhaps you are making your quilt too taut in the frame. This would explain why you don't get the thread breakage problem on flannel quilts -- flannel flexes and stretches more easily than cotton. The rule-of-thumb is that you want to be able to grasp with your hand a finger that is poked up from underneath the quilt sandwich. In other words, you want the quilt fairly loose in the frame -- nowhere near drum tight.

Thanks for the video link, I am going to check my bobbin tension right now. I am also going to pick up some size 18 needles tomorrow.

Sounds like a needle size problem to me.

It may be that your Janome is my Janome's evil twin. I have not liked my machine and have had a lot of problems with it. Less than a month ago, I bought a Juki TL-98Q and the difference is unbelievable! I am on my 10th quilt tonight with no thread issues, tension problems, skipped stitches, jamming, bunching or growling. The Juki was cheaper too!