Thread breakage after quilt is done
07-05-2020, 05:19 PM
#21
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: The Deep South near Cajun Country, USA
Posts: 5,385
Another thing to consider....Quilting in a straight line leaves no give in the seam. Extra stress will always be on the seam every time you have to stretch that seam. Unless the thread is excellent, sooner or later it has the potential to break.
A wavy line of quilting or meandering, which I have never mastered, gives room for the quilt to stretch some without the stitching breaking. I quilt on a long arm, and no matter how close the batting says I have to quilt the item, I never go more than about 2.5" without some type of quilting. That distributes the weight of the quilt over many more seams and this will help prevent the thread popping.
Since you have already quilted the item with straight lines, then I would suggest adding some extra quilting in the middle of some of the squares. Free motion flowers are fairly easy to learn. Find a coloring book page with a flower you like or just wing it in the center of the 4 inch open areas. Maybe do every other one. Or, do a square in a square in each block. DON'T do another straight line all the way across the whole quilt, especially on the diagonal. You would be doubling up on the problem you are already encountering. Each different little set of quilting adds extra support.
Edited to add. I use Glide Polyester 40 weight to quilt most of my quilts. I like the 50 weight cotton threads for piecing, but am a fan of a 40 weight for the actual quilting. The 40 weight just seems to be stronger. Also, I use a dry, very hot iron to set my seams and piecing with a polyester would put an end to that. Polyester thread will melt.
A wavy line of quilting or meandering, which I have never mastered, gives room for the quilt to stretch some without the stitching breaking. I quilt on a long arm, and no matter how close the batting says I have to quilt the item, I never go more than about 2.5" without some type of quilting. That distributes the weight of the quilt over many more seams and this will help prevent the thread popping.
Since you have already quilted the item with straight lines, then I would suggest adding some extra quilting in the middle of some of the squares. Free motion flowers are fairly easy to learn. Find a coloring book page with a flower you like or just wing it in the center of the 4 inch open areas. Maybe do every other one. Or, do a square in a square in each block. DON'T do another straight line all the way across the whole quilt, especially on the diagonal. You would be doubling up on the problem you are already encountering. Each different little set of quilting adds extra support.
Edited to add. I use Glide Polyester 40 weight to quilt most of my quilts. I like the 50 weight cotton threads for piecing, but am a fan of a 40 weight for the actual quilting. The 40 weight just seems to be stronger. Also, I use a dry, very hot iron to set my seams and piecing with a polyester would put an end to that. Polyester thread will melt.
Last edited by Barb in Louisiana; 07-05-2020 at 05:23 PM.
