I thought I would be smart and make up some squares to practice my free motion on. That part was okay. I continually kept breaking the thread and had to keep re-threading the needle - I tried everything. the machine did fine with regular foot and sewing, just when I dropped the feed dogs and started free motion I ran into trouble. I changed the needle, cleaned the bobbin case, re- threaded needle (only about a 100 times) fiddled with the tension, up and down. Changed thread, twice. Then finally put in bobbin thread for the top thread and so far so good. I don't know what in the world caused this, nor what else could of been done. Anyone have any comment? or input of what I was doing wrong.

Practice practice practice!! You'll get it...I always have to refer to my manuel to get the settings for free motion just right....

Maybe your machine just doesn't like that one brand of thread for FMQ? Maybe it isn't strong enough?
I have read that other members have trouble with certain brands...
Maybe someone else will have better advise... :wink:

Were you using batting and a backing for your squares? Maybe this could be it if not.

This may seem stupid to ask but are you using a free motion foot?

Can you slow down really slow and see what happens? I know when I get too fast I have problems.

I noticed when I first started quilting that when I didn't use a thread stand the thread would get wound around the stem. It would just wind tighter and tighter and then break. Especially since you are going pretty fast when quilting. Also, if you are trying to move the fabric too fast it pulls on everything and will cause the thread to break and can also cause you to break needles.

I found going to a large size needle stopped the thread breakage for me. Even when the charts all say a certain size needle for a certain size thread, it never works out for me. One tip that will save you tons of frustration:

Keep a notebook of what brand name and size of thread and what needle brand and size you used when you find a combo that works. I have found C&C thread will work find for super fast quilting but the expensive King Tut will give me fits.

You are so right BellaBoo. I use size 90/14 needles for quilting.

Sometimes when I'm sewing with spool thread, the thread gets caught in the slit made at the bottom of the spool to keep the thread from unwinding.

i was hand trouble yesterday with freemotion my top thread was all loopy on the underneath side....I ended up having to set the top tension as high as it would go and then it worked fine.

If you are using a hopping foot, try not dropping the feed dogs. See if you can still freemotion.

Thanks all for your help.

You don't say which needle you were using - try using one with a bigger eye which causes less stress on the thread - like a Topstitch 90/14 or 80/12. I keep a note of which threads "like" which needles.

Could possibly be a "burr" on the one of the areas the thread runs through?

like mentioned above, larger needle eye, catching on the spool, tension. is the thread "old"?

what machine are you using? maybe someone here has the same machine and can give you some tips..

You mention using your regular foot. Are you changing this to your darning (free motion foot) before dropping feed dogs and doing free motion?

Leah Day's blog has an article on thread tension at http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.c...-tangles.html. Check out her 365 days quilt designs--she has made me think outside the box for free motion quilting. I used to just look through pattern books--now I don't have to do that. It is much more fun not always having to trace the patterns onto paper and then tear it off the quilt.

jpg, when I clicked on that link, this is what I got:
Page not found
Sorry, the page you were looking for in the blog 365 Days of Free Motion Quilting Filler Designs does not exist.

In Leah Day's site, http://www.daystyledesigns.com/index.htm go to Free Motion quilting blog and scroll down to the 2009 blog archive and click on Tension tangles for December.

Your question and my correction crossed--don't know why the copied addresses sometimes don't work. Enjoy her quilting designs--I did one quilt with 30 different patterns for the 30 blocks--turned out real nice.

Katrine thanks, I am using a 90/14 needle

Watterside I am using a Brother Innov'is 1500D

Believe it or not, (that's the same machine i had at the time) mine did the same thing. Anyway, after a couple of frustrating days of it, it just stopped.
I believe it has something to do with the way we move our machine. Maybe we have to just get everything in sinc. I don't know. Crazy huh!!!
I haven't had a problem since.

I have a Pfaff... and it will not even on pain of death... work with invisible thread in the bobbin....so it may be your thread....or your needle... you need to match the correct type and size of needle to your thread. If you sew 50, 60 weight thread...an 80 (Size 12) will work fine. If you use heavier weight thread... 40, 30,... you will need a larger needle... a 90 or even 100. If you have 60 weight in both top and bobbin..you can use a 70 needle. Hope this helps... and good luck. :mrgreen: :lol: :mrgreen:

I think it probably is just me. I want to do this so bad. I also think there are little gremlins out there that say ok let's get her frustrated. lol

There are so many variables in this thing. I keep trying though. None of the videos I watch explains thread - needle etc.

Well, one more time. I took bobbin case apart again, and lo and behold there was a big "wad" of stuff in it. Put back together and I have been able to quilt a pattern (sort of ) on a big square. Go figure. I hope it continues to do right.

are you using a free motion foot? it's a darning foot that has a spring on the shaft. this helps keep your needle from breaking.

Hi ManyCraft,

Sounds like the bobbin thread in the top is the clue.

Your needle eye/point size may have been too small for the top thread to move as freely as it needs to move when doing free motion in all those different directions.

You can have good results with a needle and thread when sewing in a straight line, but get a mess of trouble when you want to free motion or do complicated zig-zaggy things.

A the correct needle/bigger needle eye or finer thread can help.

Thankyou jpg, for mentioning Leah's blog. 365 days of free motion quilting. I really loved looking at her designs and will definitely be trying some of them in my upcoming charity quilts.

Yes Nativetexan I am using a free motion foot.

Are you pulling your bobbin thread through the top layer before you start quilting?

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