😤Quilting problem - please help!
 

I don't know where to begin!
I normally stipple my quilts but want to try something different and have encountered major problems
- my top thread keeps on breaking - I changed the needle 'Bernina Q 90 but now I have big needle holes in my fabric ???? Should I change to 'Jeans' needle?
-I am trying to do leaves and when I go round the top thread is not catching the bobbin thread?
- I am using my free motion foot with f/d down - is that correct?
- I have a Pfaff expressions 4.0

your help and advice would be so appreciated as I have just over a week (it's a wedding present)

Try changing the thread. I use a bernina 440 and it dislikes some threads and constant breaking shows as my problem.
Also change needle as well and retread all over machine clean and oil.

I would change the thread both top and bobbin. Is the bobbin winding tight enough. It took me a fair bit of sewing to figure that a tight bobbin thread made all the difference.

This is the reason why I don't machine quilt! Hand quilting is slower but a whole lot let frustrating when the machine refuses to cooperate.

Can you adjust your quilting foot down a little so it barely skims the fabric? I was having the same problem a wk ago, just all of a sudden . I think maybe the foot changed position when I had swapped for regular sewing. I can't tell you how many times I re-threaded top and bottom--until I adjusted the foot lower--and the thread breaking stopped for me.

Try slowing down a bit when you go around the top......it might make a difference....

Strangely, machines are picky about what threads they like. Thus far, I have seen no rhyme or reason to it. Try a different kind of thread and see if that helps. Good luck!

Thank you for asking this question, as I hope to practice FMQ for the first time this week and now I know what to watch for and what the "experts" are saying up front. Thanks,.

I have a Pfaff (not 4.0) and I had the same problem. Whenever I went "around" something the thread would not catch the bobbin thread. I took my machine in to be serviced twice and after the second service, the owner of the quilt shop sat down with me and did some fmq. The machine worked beautifully. However, at home, it happened again and again. Since I am quite sure it is not the machine (bought new bobbin holder, used larger needle, used many different threads with same in bobbin, used different fmq feet). I believe that it is me but couldn't seem to figure out what to do to make it work. The frustration was unbelievable. Perhaps I was pulling the fabric too hard when going away from me; turning too fast. Never did master the Pfaff. One thing I do now is, I place my fingers over the bobbin while it is winding to stabilize it because it seemed to "wobble" and when I looked closely at my bobbin, the thread appeared to be "loose". Doing this worked beautifully and my bobbins wound tighter and fuller. Now for my fmqing - I was able to buy a new machine and I bought the Brothers Innova. I am having much greater success now when fmq. This machine has a speed button and I keep it on slow to medium so I quilt much slower with much more control and have been very successful. I am no expert by any means but at least I can fmq when I need to. Also, (sometimes I forget to do this) always, always use a sample of the exact fabric, batting and backing and practice for a 1/2 hour before tackling your quilt. It really does help you to finally relax and get the feel of the machine, the fabric etc. For the quilt that you are now working on and your time frame, you may want to just SID. Pfaff has a built-in walking foot and they work great. Doing it this way, will speed up the process and maybe you can figure out what is going on with you and your machine at a later date when you are not in a "crunch" mode. Good luck.