Backing fabric has broken threads

[Dawn S.]

A few years ago I won a beautiful raffle quilt. All fabric was hand dyed, and the longarm quilter was a professional. I noticed every time the needle went into the fabric, it broke a thread on the quilt backing. (No, she had not used a dull needle.) This is something that cannot be seen without really studying the back.

I am now working on a quilt that I just got back from another gal who longarmed it for me, and I see the same thing happened with this one. This young gal does beautiful work, but is realitivly new to longarming for others. I want to encourage her, and have her learn from her mistakes. Problem is . . . . . I do not know how to advise her. I do not longarm. She has used Bottom Line in the bobbins, and Superior Magnifico on the top. I’m not sure which longarm machine she has, but it is one of the better, we’ll known ones. Do not know what needles she used. The top fabric is perfect!

What can cause fabric thread breakage? Any info will be welcome!

Thanks
Dawn

[Dawn S.]

Dawn,
There could be a couple of situations.
First many times when new to longarming, and if she is being mentored by someone from the ‘old school’ she may be having the backing too taught. When I first learned how to use a longarm machine we actually could bounce quarters off the backing, that is no longer a recommended method.
Second, her needle might not be dull, but it might be larger than needed and if the backing’s thread count is high the needle has to go somewhere, so it will sometimes split the thread of the fabric and then with any push or pull it will finish shredding. Sometimes the shaft of the needle is larger than needed for the thread being used. I have also been noticing that MK from Florida has been promoting the use of ball point needles. I haven’t used them, but it’s a possibility,,,
And the other possibility would be a burr on the needle, not very likely, but if it’s very tiny it would be difficult to see.
I would also look over the backing where there are no stitches, run my hand back and forth a bit, see if for some reason, the fabric itself gives way to a stress other than needle moving through it.
None of these might be a solution, but each is worth checking out.
Tell her I wish her the very best in her side of the creative endeavor of quilting.

[Dawn S.]

A way to check for burrs on a needle that cannot be seen, is to stroke the point across the back of your hand, if it has a burr it will lightly score/scratch the skin.

[Dawn S.]

Thank you Luann and Rosemary. I am still puzzled, though. If the needle had a burr why wouldn’t it also break threads on the quilt top? Both top and bottom fabrics were the very same batik. And, if the shaft is too large for the thread, wouldn’t I also get the breakage on the top, too? I understand the ball point needle debate! It would be interesting to have my longarmer try that! BTW, she does not know of the breakage as yet. I want to come to her with solutions, before shattering her little world. She worked so hard on this quilt.

The second quilt that I had referred to (the won raffle quilt) also had a batik backing and was hand guided FMQ. I’m wondering if the speed at which a hand guided quilter does all of her feathers, and a tight batik backing is the problem? Still searching for answers!

Dawn

[Judith A.]

Rosemary, I have been doing almost the same thing as your needle burr test. I run the needle tip lightly across a fingertip, rotating the needle to test it on all sides. I don't use enough pressure to scratch the skin. I do the same test with pins. It is a quick and easy test that works!