Thread breaking... sob...

[Acorn]

I am quilting littlest goddaughter's quilt.  I have done the centres of the blocks, with the walking foot on my Megaquilter.  No problem.

Now I am stippling the sashing and corners of the blocks.  I started on my Megaquilter, which has a nice big harpspace and stitches beautifully.  I love quilting on it.  However, it has been a serious pain.  The top thread is breaking, sometimes after an inch, sometimes after 6 inches.  I don't think I managed a stretch of more than about 4 feet.  Everything else, absolutely fine.  I loosened the top tension to the point where I had to tighten it again because it was getting loopy.  I changed the needle (although the thread wasn't getting shredded, so I didn't really think it could be the needle).  I checked the bobbin case and needle plate for burrs.

I have had this problem with it before, and didn't find a solution, but it wasn't this bad.

After a while I changed to my Husqvarna Viking Topaz.  The harpspace is smaller (although not bad), the stitching is fine, but not as nice, it has a slight tendency to skipped stitches (which the Megaquilter never does), but I decreased the pivot height and reduced the top tension (this always needs doing for anything other than normal stitching) and it was OK, but... then it started shredding the thread.  I tried an embroidery needle, an anti-glue embroidery needle (it really hated that one, although it loves it for embroidering), a top stitch needle (very, very bad for shredding) and finally, a quilting needle (not a make I know, which is why I left it til last).  That was a bit better, but it was still shredding.

Is there an answer?  If there is, please tell me before I throw two machines that I generally love out of the window... 

[fajita]

Could it be the thread itself?  Reel off a quantity and see how it goes then. Or try an alternative reel?

Best of luck!

[Ohsewsimple]

I was also going to suggest the thread.  What make is it?

[Gernella]

I'd say thread as well, have you changed to something other than what you normally use.  The use of Coats for only eight minutes is for ever etched on my mind, a little wrecking ball.

[annieeg]

Not that I know anything about quilting , but I'm wondering if this could be a bad "batch" of thread.  Is it a new reel ?

[Deafoldbat]

What thread are you using? I used to swear by YLI until they moved the factory to Mexico a couple of years ago. Now I won't use it - skips and breaks.

[Acorn]

Ah - it's YLI.  The Topaz is very fussy about thread for embroidery (Gutermann, some Madeira, but nothing else - and it doesn't much like cotton thread from anyone) although it will sew normally with anything I give it.

I've done around half the quilting, including the walking foot stuff, and it's variegated, so I've really got to push on with this one or it won't match.

The previous problems with the Megaquilter were with Madeira quilting thread though.

What thread do you use @Deafoldbat - and others?

[Lowena]

I quilt by hand. Big stitch with Perle 8 so not much help 

[fajita]

I quilt with guterman cotton or polyester threads generally.

[Acorn]

I have just ordered a sprung free motion presser foot for the Topaz - the one on the Megaquilter is a sprung one, and I prefer the action of it.  I have been using the embroidery foot, which the manual says is also for free motion quilting.   

There is a different setting on the machine if you are using a sprung foot.  No idea whether it will make any difference to the thread issue, but you never know...

[BrendaP]

If the same reel of thread is misbehaving on two different machines it has to be a rogue thread. 

That can happen if the manufacturer moves to a different factory or it has been known to happen after a poor cotton harvest which leads to a price hike at the beginning of the chain and the spinners try to cut costs by buying inferior fibres, or it could be a different dye formula or just maybe a duff batch.  Whatever the cause I think you need to try the machines with a different reel of thread.

[b15erk]

@Acorn , I'm sure I read somewhere about a silicone(?) spray that you can use on difficult thread.

It is quite possible that I dreamt it though...

Jessie

[Greybird]

You can use silicon spray on yarn for machine knitting. It works extremely well. I have just bought a new can from BSK Bedford. It makes no apparent difference to the appearance of whatever you spray it onto.

[Acorn]

Ooh - no you didn't dream it @b15erk - I googled and found it recommended for embroidery machines that shred thread!  As @Greybird says, it doesn't alter the appearance of the thread, and generally seems to be considered to be a good thing.

The nice people at Amazon are bringing me some on Monday.    

[Deafoldbat]

@Acorn King Tut 40wt machine quilting thread - you can usually find a variegated very like YLI shades, or Aurifil 40wt, though they don't have as many variegated shades.