What happened here????
 

I am just sick to death over this quilt!! The top quilting is beautiful but underneath it looks like the batting tried to come out with almost every stitch. I blew the picture up so you could see the stitches. It could also be the backing fabric that caused it. But, to me, it takes away from the whole quilt! Someone please tell me what happened here and if it has ever happened to you??

I have had this happen with W&N batting when I loaded it upside down. When I cut and flipped the batting it was fine. I always check underneath after the first 12 to 14" of stitching to make sure nothing is going wrong on the backside. Then I check with every advance and every bobbin change. I have had tension go off because a blob of lint got stuck in the bobbin spring mid row so that is why I check early and check often. Usually with every advance.

In your case I would bet the batting was W&N and it was loaded wrong way up.

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Other things that could cause this is a dull needle or it had a burr on the end which pushed pokies of batting through. Unfortunately nothing will correct the problem. You can camoflauge it by taking a black permanent marker to the pokies. Washing will sometimes get it to draw up but it won't make them disappear entirely. The only real solution is not a pretty one. Either rip the entire thing out or completely "skin" the quilt (which will sacrifice your backing), and start over. I am sorry you had to experience it. Pretty much every longarm quilter will at some point in their quilting journey.

The only time I had this happen to me was when my needle had leftover sticky gunk from sewing through some self-stick interfacing. And fortunately I could hear it was sewing funny so I didn't get too far before I corrected it.

Did you do the quilting on a long arm or on a domestic machine? I have heard this happens more with longarms because the needle is so much larger. I don't have a longarm myself though, so that's just what I've heard.

If possible, using a black batting if you have a dark backing might help at least disguise the issue.

My first thought was batting in upside down....when using w&n I always tell myself, Eyes(brown specks) up...meaning they are looking at me in the sandwich.......next might be a burr in the needle......use a piece of crocus cloth to get that off...or just change the needle!......

How sad. I had read previous posts on these problems with W&N. I just bought a king size batting of W&N since it was on sale at JAF. Will have to send this info onto my new LAQ. Thanks for the post. I normally use ONLY Hobbs 80/20 batting and never had a problem with that batting before.

I was using Hobbs 80/20 . I had the bumpy side up like I thought was the way to place it. I just did another one with the bumpy side down and it is doing great. The back is not black though. I have some warm and natural batting. I'll have to remember this tip on it. So, far my quilting with it has been great! My needle was new.( not to say it could have been defective. It is a size smaller than recommended for the machine so that it doesn't make the larger hole. Thanks for the info so far.

How do you place the Hobbs? bumpy side up or down?

Wow Leesa, I feel for you. I haven't had this happen yet so I am grateful I read about it here. I use both WandM and Hobbs.

Hobbs 80/20 does not have a bumpy side. Either side can be up. Your problem is sometimes caused by the backing fabric. What fabric did you use for the backing, and was it pre-washed?