A friend has a Juki TL 98E that she has hooked up to a Handi Quilter. The needle keeps breaking- does anyone have experience with this machine and can tell us why the needles keep breaking? We were trying to quilt today and used up a whole little package of six needles in about four hours. Is this normal?

I would check the tension.

quilt might be too tight on the frame and hand machine coordination might be too fast for the stitching moving too fast/slow.

I have a Juki TL98Q on a HandiQuilter frame. I have never had a problem with the needles breaking. Make sure the feed dogs are down. Make sure the bed of the machine and rails are not touching. It could also be a timing problem. Is this a new machine? Also, make sure the throat plate is set properly. The needle could be striking the plate. That's all I can think of right now. Hope it helps.

Thanks, everyone, so I have to check the tension, yes, the feed dogs are down. It is a used machine but was just in the shop recently getting a tune-up. I think the needle may be grazing the throat plate as we keep finding little metal shavings. I am sorry, I just remembered that little fact...

This may sound silly, but if it is a new to your friend machine be sure the needle is in the correct way. On some of these machines the needle is put in a little differently than normal.

I think it will only go in one way, with the flat side on the right... thanks for thinking. I am going to go and tackle it again tomorrow...

I had the same problem with my Juki on a Grace frame. It happened when I moved the machine too fast. I had to remind myself to slow down. Hard to do though. I just got a stitch regulator and it seems to have fixed that problem. Now I can sew as fast as I want.

I had the same problem with my Juki on a Grace frame. It happened when I moved the machine too fast. I had to remind myself to slow down. Hard to do though. I just got a stitch regulator and it seems to have fixed that problem. Now I can sew as fast as I want.

Thanks, Little Hud. I will try slowing down... It is hard, but I will try it. How much was a stitch regulator?