Need advice re: bobbin quilting

[Kati]

I have finished this quilt top, and had in mind to do a big stitch hand quilting on it. I bought different colors of 12wt thread (beautiful thread). And off I go start quilting. After 2 inches of quilting, my fingers, elbow and shoulder hurt and my back is not too happy. My needle is fighting me every step of the way and to be honest, I think I would prefer the quilt finished and get on to finishing other projects.

So my planB is to machine quilt it with the pretty thread in the bobbin. I know I would need to sew some guides (either ties or using water soluble thread)

I have done a little sample, shown in picture. The red thread was a practice hand quilting. The bright blue thread is bobbin quilting, using my 1/4 inch foot (I would use a walking foot for the real deal). From left to right, I have used 3.0 4.0 and 5.0 stitch length. I like the longer stitch. I wonder whether the tension is ok? This is the back, obviously, and I can see a little bit of my top thread at each stitch (off white). On the other side, only the top thread is visible. I used Aurifil 50 wt for the top.

My question is do I need to adjust the tension on top? I cannot adjust the bobbin tension on my machine.

Any tips? The quilting pattern is super simple, straight lines.

Thank you.

[Helen W.]

Plan C from HelenW... Hi Kati, Your post was so timely for me. I too plan to do big stitch quilting, but on my Homeward Bound
quilt. The comment about the aches and pains made me go OH NO!!! Then the comment about bobbin work with 12 wt.
thread will be very frustrating on a whole quilt. I do some bobbin work with speciality thread that can't be used in the needle. The thread on the bobbin, means lots, and lots of bobbin winding. I bought
a box of 12 wt. Spaghetti thread by Susan Cleveland. She uses it in the machine and has a show here on The Quilt Show
that talks about using it. Just google her name in the search bar at the top. If you want to be an expert, she is the host
on a you tube video by Wonderful Threads. It last 1 1/2 hours and is everything you need to know. Type in Thread Talk
on Spagetti 12 wt. thread and you tube, and it will come up. Tips for hand quilting with it:Use a sashiko tulip short sharps needle.
Use a needle puller, and a thimble. Don't pop your knots, She has a stitch over your tail method. Now for machine tips,
Use a 100/16 top stitch needle. She sometimes uses 90/14 for the smaller hole, but if it is not a perfect stitch she goes
up to 100/16. Top stitch needles have a bigger eye. She uses a 3.5 stitch length. She says you do have to play with
the top tension. She had her Bernina set a 5.25 top tension. She engages the walking foot on her Bernina. I have only watched the first hour, but I will go back
and finish watching it. She is so vibrant and funny. It is a blast to watch the video. The introduction by Wonderfil
takes about 5 minutes or 10 minutes. Just fast forward until you see Susan Cleveland. Please post a picture
of your quilt. Bet you don't use plan B. HelenW

[Kati]

sorry, all my the photos I upload here are upside down, and I can’t change that in edit. I hope you can turn your screen upside down!

Helen, thank you so much for your answer. I did not know that you could use the 12wt on top and it simplifies things exponentially for me. I am playing on my sample, using a 16g jeans needle and with an increased tension it seems like I could make it work. There is still top thread poking in the back, which would signal to me that the problem would be solved if I used a same color thread in the bobbin but I suspect that it would disappear with a bit of manipulation.

[Helen W.]

sorry, all my the photos I upload here are upside down, and I can’t change that in edit. I hope you can turn your screen upside down!

Helen, thank you so much for your answer. I did not know that you could use the 12wt on top and it simplifies things exponentially for me. I am playing on my sample, using a 16g jeans needle and with an increased tension it seems like I could make it work. There is still top thread poking in the back, which would signal to me that the problem would be solved if I used a same color thread in the bobbin but I suspect that it would disappear with a bit of manipulation.

Kati, Beautiful quilt top. What are the measurements? It looks like it will be tight when it comes to getting it rolled with half
of it in the throat plate area. Have you ever spray basted a quilt. I use 505 and it really help things from shifting and prevents
puckers or pleats especially on the back where you can't see. If it were my quilt I would lay the backing down on a blue
tarp on the floor. Tape the edges with painter tape so it won't shift, lay the batting on the backing, make sure you can still
see the backing (so it is a little larger than the batting). fold 1/2 of the batting back on itself, spray baste the exposed
1/2 backing with the spray, carefully put the batting back in place (easiest to do if you take one side and a friend takes
the other side, lift it up the corners and walk it to the end the backing, let it down and then smooth out any wrinkles.
It can be lifted up if you don't get it right the first time. Then do the same thing with the other half. Now you are ready for
the top, like your sample be sure to make the batting and backing larger than the pieced top so you will have something
to hang onto when stitching. Lay the top out on the batting, fold back 1/2 and spray the batting, then get the corners of the top and
walk to the front and smooth it out. Same for second half. Don't spray too close to edge of the batting or it will be sticky
for a long time. You can use a rolled out piece of freezer paper or newspaper or anything to lay on the area you don't
want to get spray on. I would machine baste all the way around the edge to keep it from getting folded under while stitching.
You should stabilize by ditch stitching all the big blocks seams. Now you will have a quilt that is the least like to get out of shape
while quilting. Another tip on straight line quilting. It is best to alternate directions of lines to keep it from curving to one
direction. If your first line is diagonally top left to bottom right, the next line should start bottom right to top left. Were you
planning on lines all the way or are you planning on quilt each block, one at a time?
HelenW

[Kati]

Thank you Helen. I already basted it on my kitchen table that is about 5’ x5’ with the extension. I cannot use 505 because I am owned by a lovely parrot and fumes like these are toxic to them, and live in a small condo, I am also living with a disability so working off the floor is out of question.

It should measure 76.5 inch square. After watching the Wonderfil video I will stitch in the ditch around the squares with either Invisafil or a white cotton, though some of my seams are pressed open. The quilting will be a serie of vertical and horizontal lines, from edge to edge using different shades of red and blue threads. I decided to use bright threads to create interest in the white alternate squares.

[Helen W.]

Kati, Is the picture on your posting name the parrot? Pretty bird. Glad you got your quilt basted. I am using
Invisafil on a mule deer applique and really like the thread. How many of your seams are pressed open? That can be a problem is the needle pops the threads in the seam as you stitch in the ditch.
Invisafil recommends you use a short stitch. If you used white thread you could use regular length.
Most of the time it is not a problem but I have seen a couple small holes in a seam from it. I usually
cut strips of Pellon 906 sheer weight fusible interfacing 3/8 wide and lay it over the open seam
on the back side. Fuse it and you can't tell at all that it is there. Then when you ditch in the open
seam the fusible holds the fabric so it can not pull open if the threads pop. Another idea would be
to top stitch with the Invibafil right beside the seam. I would do a test on your sample to see
how it looks. If it is only a few places you could get away with not ditch stitching them. The main
idea is stabilization so things don't shift. Let me know how things are going as you get to it. HelenW