Free Motion Quilting Issues
 

I'm experiencing skipped stitches and thread shredding and breaking at the needle. I adjusted tension after straight stitching with a walking foot, changed the needle from an 80/12 to a 90/14, and changed the thread. It helped but I still have some problems. I'm using a Brother 1500S with an extension table and I'm using a Supreme Slider. My machine is not set into my table. I'm not an advanced quilter and this is the first time I've free-motioned a quilt this size (47x54"). I can draw and write script on a baby-sized quilt and I've thread painted something small. But I'm trying to advance my skills. Any suggestions?

It could be the "drag" of your quilt ..... the larger mass of quilt compared to what you have done before is hanging off the extension table and creating weight, and preventing you from getting the slide you want/need and are used to when doing your other FMQ work.

To check if that is the issue, my suggestion .... make a practice sandwich and see if you can FMQ without the problems you are experiencing on your current and bigger project.

Good Luck!

Thank you QuiltE! Yes, I can, mostly. I did need to change the thread to completely eliminate the breakage. Here's the problem: I can't learn to quilt on a bigger quilt without actually quilting a bigger quilt. The seams on the quilt also create an issue for me. The machine chokes a bit and it throws my line off and sometimes breaks the thread. The learning curve on this is tough. On ward and upward!

Well, that was fast!! Good for you Mitch for getting right at it! :)

Yes, FMQing is a long slow learning curve, and sometimes you feel as though it is two steps forward and three back, but with persistence you will figure it out! I have a notebook at my machine and I keep notes with each project, so I can emulate it later .... kind of thread, needle size and type, setting adjustments, batting used, etc. At a time like this, then you can go back to what worked. Or can see if there is something different.

The seam issue could be partly the drag issue. Also might be the needle you are using. There are a lot of different types of needles, and some find one type works better than the other.

As for the drag problem .... some build up the area around it, to give a larger table than the extension gives. Another thing to check, when you are FMQing, is the quilt on top of your table that the machine is on? Or hanging off the edge, towards the floor? If so, that can create a whole lot more drag, than if it is all scrunched up on top of the table, and you only have that 4" or so, of drag from the rise from that surface to the extension table.

Keep smiling Mitch! .... and cheer yourself along, that you know you can do it, if you keep at it!

If your quilting foot has a height adjustment, look at that, too.

Too low and it drags on the quilt.

Too high and it lets the needle deflect too much as you move the quilt and can cause the skipped stitches and shredded thread and broken needles.

Play with speed, too. Too slow of a stitching gives you too much time to move the quilt and pull on the thread. It takes a bit to get "in tune" with what speed the needle moves to what speed you move the quilt and to find the sweet spot that works best for your quilting "rhythm".

You might check out Leah Day's post Why Am I Skipping Stitches When Free Motion Quilting:

​​​​​​https://freemotionproject.com/2009/0...-stitches.html

Thank you! Your enthusiasm is encouraging. I only have a 3” drop as I keep the quilt scrunched on a big table. Tomorrow I will try putting heavy boxes around the extension table and hope for more ease of movement. :D

Thanks very much! I will ASAP!

FMQ does take a lot of practice, I would suggest looking up other members "suspension" system on here and that might help you.