The quilt I am doing has a black front and a white back so of course I used thread the same but... Well see pictures.
I have changed tension up and down, changed needle, rethreaded needle and bobbin.
Has anyone else had this problem and how did you fix it?
Could it be the thread?? I am using coats and clark machine quilting thread. Its what I can afford right now.

It could be the thread(I have never used it), but I would play with the tension some more.

that's almost an impossible feat to acheive, you may have to choose one color

I had the same problem on some black borders I did. No amount of playing with tension could ever get it right for me, but I just couldn't face using the same color thread front and back.

Promise not to laugh and I'll tell you what I did to "fix it." Promise?........

I got the tension issues to the best point I could, but the little with dots still showed on the front but the black quit showing on the back. I quilted it to the best of my limited abilities and then.....................got out my fine tipped sharpie marker and colored the thread dots on the front black. Several washings later you still can't tell, so in my book it worked.

Just promise not to tell the quilt police on me.

Clever girl!

Just promise not to tell the quilt police on me.[/quote]

I promise. What a great Idea. :-) I am going to try that.

I have to say I have had the tension on every single number there is. I have a Brother QC1000.

AS long as the stitches look right don't mess the tension.Its just the way it is when useing two high contrasting threads.

Have you tried a machine quilting needle for your sewing machine? I was surprised at the difference.

Stitches looks fine.

Arent they suppose to meet in the middle and hide in the batting. LOL

I have been using a sharp 90/14. Didn't think about trying to change the needle other than put a new one in. I will have to look and see if I have one.

I have an entire drawer in my sewing room filled with various colours and brands of permanent markers for things like that. I have even been known to use them when a block is just slightly "off" and I can make it look nearly perfect by colouring in a bit (matching the fabric of course). Sometimes I even blend markers to get it right!

As long as the color is correct, it is a great idea to use a sharpie.

agree- I've tried and have never been able to do it successfully.

Its good to know that I am not just messing something up. I have black sharpies.:-)

Thank you everyone. I had to take a break to take the dog for a walk so now back to the machine

In the FMQ class I took last Saturday, the instructor said that it is impossible to avoid small dots on one side or the other, so pick threads and backing fabrics carefully when machine quilting. I have read the marker idea before, and think it's brilliant!

I like that marker idea! Good thinking!

is it polyester batting? it may be coming through. i did a black quilt and sewed with black thread and had no problems. poly batting tends to do that.
and yes, i have done the colored micron pigma pen idea too.

I have pretty much stopped using poly battings. I used and 80/20 on this one.I find I really like those. And have been using them quite a bit.

I have something to show you all.

Just for giggles I turned my machine sideways. I like it. Much easier to machine quilt except it is a reach. I have the quilt table I got with the machine on, I find I cannot machine quilt with out it , too much drag.
That is the only change I made.
Explain this. :?: picture. Not a white dot to be seen

I did find out I can't follow a line to save my life. I have a retinal vein occlusion, so I have a big black spot in the middle of my left eye. Really a challange on close things. Talk about wonky quilting. lol

I will have to remember this great idea.

Gee, I use sharpies in various shades of brown to fix "dings" in furniture and woodwork. Now I have another use for my rainbow pack of markers. Love this board.

A smaller size needle could do the trick, your needle may be making a too big of hole.

Whar stitch length are you Using? I lengthen my length to acccommodate the thickness of the batting, usually,, .5 higher.

So if Isew at 2.5,, increase to 3.

It appears to me that the tread is pulling, hope that is it and helps.

Some of it may be the batting coming through.
MK

There is pens with fabric dye in the instead of a sharpie, I have used both and have found that the fabric dye works best buttt you must heat set it before washing.

Try adjusting the presser foot, not just the tension.

I finished that border last night.Turning the machine sideways seemed to do the trick until my spool started running out. There are some things that just can't be explained and this is one of the mysteries of life I guess. But I will keep everyones suggestions in mind. Thank you all so much.

I use the laundry marking pens. The ones you use to mark the kids clothes when they go to camp. LOL That way you know it won't wash out.

That's what I was going to suggest. I agree, it works!

try having less pressure on the pressure foot & using a quilting needle. Check your tension on fabric without any batting inbetween & shorten your stitch for less pull on the tensions.(if on 2 1/2 go down to 2) heavy pressure on the pressure foot can sometimes cause the stitches to show on both sides & so can a longer stitch

I do the same thing. In fact it made the flowers really pop.

I need to figure out how to do that. I have a QC1000 that automatically ajusts the presser foot. But does it really matter with FMQ ?? My feeddogs are down and the foot doesn't fit tight against the fabric anyway.

LOL ROFLMBO!!! I've done that too.

Agreed! And I have used the sharpies before, also. :)

Purchase another bobbin case for your machine and have the tension set slightly lighter. Mark it so you know which one you are useing. Janome has one all ready to use with a blue mark instead of a red one. Using a single whole needle plate also helps stabilize the thread. Solves most all the problems.

I agree that it is very hard not to have the dot of the opposite thread showing. Moral to this story is not to use too contrasting backing. Perhaps if you had chosen a black and white print backing you could have used black thread on both sides and it would have not shown on either side. Or use black on bobbin on white backing to show quilting as decorative
stitching.

If your tension is right and it looks good to me, I think it's all about have 2 strikingly different colored threads. I agree, a black sharpie would work well. I know local quilters here that do that out of desperation!

Works every time...I'm here to tell ya!!!

I just knew, when I read half of your post, that that's what you were going to say. Hey, it worked, didn't it.

I was doing a similar thing and having that problem too. Upon close scrutiny I discovered what was really happening was that the batting was coming up through the holes made by the needle. Changed to a smaller needle and it helped.