I heard about this tip that came fron a Brother tech-Use a Stretch needle for free notion, the longer scarf in the needle prevents loopies & thread breaks. Since I heard that several years ago I have come to love free motion & have free motioned many, many quilts.

stretch needle? never heard of it, but then i don't do any clothes sewing..i will look for it in the shop, and giv eit a try.

did you try not dropping the dogs. I know all things say you should, but you don't have too. Also if your machine has 1/2 speed use it. Sometimes are foot thinks it driving a car instead of a sewing machine.LOL

I've been using a slider pad on my sewing table. It makes it easier to move the fabric and discharges any static electricity that makes the fabric hop. I had never seen it "hop" until after the lecture. It's very impressive and really distorts the stitching. I heard about during a lecture at the Chicago Quilt Show. I wish I could remember the instructor. She was explaining that we tend to push the fabric around and don't get the rhythm of the sewing machine. This stresses the tension of the thread. She also explained the needle bending. Both of these cause breakage. If the thread is unwinding from the spool and rewinding on the spindal the tension increases exponentially. The slider pad helped to control my hand movements; a thread guide to keep it coming off the spool and not rewraping has made free motion so much easier.

I found that I was moving the fabric sandwich a little too fast and breaking thread all the time. When I slowed down a bit, it really helped. I just keep telling myself "take your time, take your time, take your time." You might try it

I'm far from great when it comes to FMQ but it sound like you're moving your fabric too fast for the speed of your machine?? The hardest part is to coordinate the speed with your hands! Try slowing your fabric down or speed up your machine. :roll:

I do, too. I don't have much trouble with breaking thread, unless I use the same needle too long, then it does start breaking. And also those darned weak spots in thread.....uggghhhh!!!!

Today, while FMQ my monafilament kept winding around the stem of the thread holder. (The spool is narrower at the top end and fatter on the base.) I turned the spool up side down where in the thread fed off the bottom. Seemed to solve my problem - at least for now. Suz

just tried the blogspot above, the msg. said it does not exist. is there another way to contact her?

when i had that problem i changed my needle to one with a bigger eye it worked also try not to move the quilt to fast or jerk it around also is the thread new? if you get a hold of some old thread it will break i hope when you said reg foot you meant a darning foot or one for free motion try to slow down and practice going a little faster till you know you have control and stick with what makes you comfortable and works best