I machine quilted this quilt top and now am hand quilting it. However...in 3 different places (so far) I have found where areas of my seams have come unsewn...IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SEAM...not at the end of the seam by the edge of the block. :(

I don't know why this has happened! I have taken my hand quilting thread and using small stitches have whipstitched the seams closed. They are all in the same part of the block...in the off-white triangles at the end of the black star points.

I also found a small hole in the fabric at one point and whipstitched that closed, too. (I've found this in other quilts from time to time and had to repair it the same way, so I'm not as concerned about that.)

However...this quilt was supposed to be a gift and now I'm beginning to wonder how many seams I can whipstitch closed before it is no longer "gift" quality. :(

I don't have a picture of the repairs, but here are some pics of the quilt...

Maybe your tension is off? I have no idea, it's so odd that it is coming apart in the middle.... I hope you figure it out!
Sorry I'm not much help!

I had this happen to me not too long ago an several different tops. I changed the needle in my machine (thinking the thread could have been shredding in the needle's eye) and started piecing with better quality thread instead of the cotton/poly-blend serger thread that I was using. I don't really know if the thread was old or if it was melting when I pressed the seams or if the stitches weren't properly hooking together to make a sturdy seam. However since I upgraded the quality of my piecing threads, I have not had any more problems. I currently use Masterpiece thread from Superior Threads for all of my machine piecing. Good luck! Sherry

Is it just the stitching that has come out?

Or are the seams frayed apart?

You can do a ladder stitch sort of thing and the stitches are almost invisible for repairing a seam that came apart.

It's not fraying...
the stitches have come apart for a short area...usually about .5-1" in length. The seam is sewn up to that point and after that point...

This really sounds like poor quality thread. Once the sandwich is quilted, there will be less stress on the piecing threads. The closer the quilting lines are to each other, the less stress there is on the seams.

Personally, you could whip stitch *all* of the seams closed and I would still consider that quilt to be gift quality!

My machine was "skipping" today. I replaced the needle and everything was fine.

Hmmmm. I'm thinking that if the thread at the open seams is broken, then poor quality thread is likely to be the problem.

However, if the thread at the open seams is not broken -- just continuous and loose -- then this problem of skipped stitches is more likely to be the cause.

I have had problems with this in the past. I too can say that putting in a new needle and using a better quality thread made all the difference in the world. I use threads from my Bernina dealer. King Tut quilting thread I find is the best. I have also bought thread from Connecting Thread. Theirs is good stuff too. It just always seems that I need or want my thread now and that means a trip to my B-dealer. How ever if I plan ahead I have no problem with Connecting Threads.
I have made it a habit to use a new needle for every project. If I am working on a big project I may even put in a new one during. I would rather be safe then sorry.

Hope you have gotten to the bottom of your problem. And happy quilting.
Karol

Can't help you with the problem but the quilt is absolutely beautiful.

I no longer use coats and clark thread due to a similar problem. I try to use Gutterman, aurifil or superior thread. Although I have a lot of metzler thread I am using for piecing too. But as it is used up, I will switch to superior or aurifil.
I also only use 100 percent cotton for my piecing.

Are most of the thread breaks on bias seams? If so, sounds like the bias is stretching a bit and breaking thread. I've had this happen while loaded on the longarm. I have loosened the quilt while on the frame and no longer get this problem. Hope this helps.

You can use the blind stitch that you use on the back of the binding rather than the whipstitch and then it wouldn't show so much. At least that's what I'm thinking.

The thread this was pieced with was 100% cotton Aurifil...so I don't think it's the thread...if it was the thread it would show up in more placed than just in the same area in the blocks where it keeps showing up at.

The seam is not a bias seam, but I will try loosening the tension on the quilt in the frame. It is always a seam that runs horizontal to the bars of the frame, so I might have too much tension on it. This is the first time I've used this frame.

Hope it all works out! The quilt is very pretty!

I made a pair of lounge pants for my son and the same thing happened to me. So strange!! Can't figure it out.

Good quality thread pays for itself. So far I haven't found any problems with Connecting Threads Essential thread. I sewed all my small projects and table runner with it before using for piecing quilt blocks and was satisfied with the quality.I buy all the good brands when I find them on sale. I have YLI, Superior, Aurifil, FilTec, Robin Anston, Metteler, Sulky, Guttermann, and InvisiFil. If it's on sale and a quality brand I buy it.

Wow, sure sounds like the thread...

are you using old thread?

I'm not sure why the thread is acting like that but your quilt is just gorgeous! I hope loosening the tension on the frame helps!

I had this issue with a quilt top that just started coming apart for what seemed like no apparent reason. Well .. come to find out my iron was over heating and the thread became brittle. I had used a poly cotton for the piecing. I had not realized what was happening withthe iron until the problem became extreme and I saw the thread literally disappear before my eyes as I was pressing a block on the next project. Then I knew what was happening with the quilt I had just completed that different parts just seemed to have the thread vanish.
Needless to say that iron was in the trash so fast.

No...it's a spool I picked up about 6 months ago. 100% cotton Aurifil.

Your Alphabet, Math Quilt is Adorable !!
OMG you may get to keep it for yourself, :) then can mend when snuggled up in it this winter, eventually you will have the whole thing done by hand. Easy Peasy ;)
(just teasing) Good luck with it.

Only thought to why or idea why it's doing that, have ran across dropped stitches at higher speed, and they stopped at lower speeds may be time for a service.

Your piecing looks gorgeous. If the tension is tighter on one thread than another, I could see how it could snap. If that were the problem, though, I would have thought you'd have caught it when you were pressing.
Skipped stitches sound more likely, but again, you'd see that in the pressing.
Strange. Must be the quilt gremlins.

I have a Bailey and I find some times I tend to push my machine faster than it is build to do. And when I do the stitches do what you are saying yours did.

Your thread could be too old, I had this problem with some of the thread I had for years, I threw it out.

Probably it is either aged rotted thread or poor quality thread that is just not holding up to the stress of being in the quilt. Old thread is weak thread. It will rot from sun and time just like any fabric will. Also I do not use Serger thread to piece with as it is just not as strong as regular thread if used singly, it is meant to be used in concert with two or three other threads in a totally different type of seaming. You don't have to spend a lot of money on thread though, the standard brands like Coats and Clark, Gutterman, etc. the kind you find in chain stores is good strong thread. If you sew a great deal and want to really save then go to thread on cones. I buy mine from Newark dressmaker supply, they have a web store. I get some cream, medium gray, and a dark, and that will do for most piecing, But I do buy colors too for machine quilting. Here is how to test your thread, take about an 18 length and get a firm hold on each end. Give it a sharp tug, sort of quick pop, if it breaks it is rotten. Now pull strongly on it, good thread should stretch a little but hold, cheap thread will not. I also invest in Bottom Line thread for the bobbin. It is more spendy but.....it is very fine and will go twice as long in a bobbin than regular thread, it is super strong, you must cut as it will not ordinarily break, the cones are very cost efficient. I buy a light Grey, almost a silver and use it for machine quilting. It just disappears into the back with very little pokies. Remember you are the most important tool in your sewing room and you labor is worth more than any other of the supplies you have. You deserve to have the best fabric and thread you can afford. Cheap thread is no bargain when your wonderful creations fall apart too soon.

the quilt is beautiful. And I love the quilt frame. I would like to have room for a full size frame.
I have made machine pieced tops and there are holes in the stitching. not really holes but gaps. I have to go over it after it is quilted and washed and do a major repair job. no fun.
but have found with a hand pieced top no gaps. maybe I am more careful or maybe the thread is better not sure. But I like the quality of hand pieced and hand quilted.

Sounds to me like a tension problem. You are using good thread, and I assume that you didn't notice skipped stitches??
We all know that bobbin and top tension needs to be balanced, and when it is the interlock of the stitch is centered in the fabric sandwich. However, you can have what looks like a great stitch and still have tension problems.

Are your gaps where you have a cross grain sewn to a lengthwise grain piece? Probably are. Cross grain has some give/stretch, lengthwise doesn't. So if tension is put on the seam the thread can break. (and you really want the thread to break as opposed to the seam line ripping!!!)<G>

It may be your bobbin tension is not holding well. I recently had that problem. The spring that holds the bobbin in the bobbin case had worn. So I had some real problems with my stitching. Things like bag handles, which I make a lot of, were suddenly having popped seams. Forget trying to get a good stitch on bias edges. and so forth.

Once I had the bobbin case fixed, the problems went away. <VBG>

Hope you find the culprit,
Pati, in Phx

Rather than the whip stitch, use the ladder stitch for closing seams that have come undone. You might be putting too much tension on the fabric, and also the pins might be putting the holes in due to the same extra tension. Just a suggestion.

I one time had that happen to a quilt (luckily before it was quilted) and I think that the thread actually melted. Don't remember what thread I used, but either it was poor quality, had too much polyester or my iron was too hot. Have made sure to use only all cotton thread since then.

Thread is a major concern. Make sure it's fairly new and good thread. Also your needle should be changed about every 40 hours worth of work. Make sure the needle is the right size for the cloth your working with. If it was an anywhere problem on the same cloth, I would say you got some poor quality cloth. I always take a little magnifying glass with me to be able to check how close the threads are in the cloth itself. Checking thread count. If it's not good quality higher thread count the seams will pull apart.

That is strange. Is the thread of a good quality? Is there something wrong with the eye of the needle or something else ripping the thread apart?

I believe I may know why this is happening. If your thread, cotton right? is breaking mid-seam, you may have left the cotton in a sunny place long enough to degrade the cotton in the sun. Sounds strange, but I had to get rid of a bunch years ago for doing the same thing. The side that faces the sun, is weakened by the sun's rays and creates a weakness every so many inches, viola! breaking threads every so often. Do not give the thread away or you are passing the problem on to another. Where are those quiltzillas when we have 'gifts' for them.... :thumbup:

Beautiful quilt,can't help you with the problem,but I wish you luck in figuring out the problem.

The quilt is beautiful, and I am sure the person reciving this gift will be very honored. God bless.

I think this lady is on the right track. Even without the sun, thread can dry out. I put any thread that breaks too easily into the freezer. Leave for a couple of days then put somewhere to defrost. It may not work for poly/cotton but I've had no problem with 100% cotton.
I have some embroidery thread in the freezer at the moment but am not sure if it will help. If not into the bin.

If you used 100% cotton to sew your quilt, how old was the thread that you used? If it was of poor quality or exposed to the sunlight for a long period of time it can be weakened. If you are noticing little holes in the fabric, I would suspect the dreaded moths or silverfish had been at it.

I cannot help with the thread problem but I wanted to tell you that I love your use of color with the blue amd red and beautiful work. You are a inspiration.