I keep breaking needles

[Lynn K.]

I have been trying to quilt on my new machine. It peices and embroideries great but yesterday while I was trying to quilt with it I broke 4 needles. This is starting to get me a tad angry. I have played with tension. That doesn't seem to be the problem. I have put a call into the service person but she is out of town until thursday. Any ideas on what I might be missing?
Rachel

[Lynn K.]

Are you moving the quilt in such a way that the needle is being slanted and hitting the throatplate? I know everyone suggests using a single stitch throatplate but I have better luck with using my general purpose one (the one that allows you to do zigzag). Just gives me a little more room for my needle clearance. Just an idea. Sally in sunny but chilly NE Ohio

[Cheryl K.]

First of all, what are you working on and what size and type of needle are you trying to use?

Does the needle seem to bend as it pierces the fabric?

Does the needle seem to hit something as it stitches?

Generally, the world doesn't end when you break a needle but sometimes you can throw off the needle position and your tech will have to adjust it at the dealership.

Keep us posted.

[Eileen K.]

Rachel,
When you say you're using it for quilting are you talking about piecing or actual quilting of 3 layers? If you've got 3 layers, you could be deflecting the needle if you're moving too fast.
eileenkny

[Eileen K.]

I also have a tendancy to move the quilt a little too fast with the single whole plate and break needles, so I switched back to the regular plate and have much better luck. I tried slowing down, but inevitably I end up full speed ahead.

CHeryl

[Eileen K.]

I am quilting three layers. It is my mothers quilt. I seem to be doing ok on my old machine but not my new one. I wanted to do a vine like pattern and then embroider small roses on the vine. However now I think that I may have damaged the automatic threading part of the machine because it will no longer do it. The needle size is 75/ 11. It seems the that I just can not get the tension right on the new machine when it come to quilting. DH says we can take it to the repair lady when he gets a day off work. It probably is just something really simple. The pattern that I am trying to quilt is also more complicated then anything I have done before as well. Usually they are very basic and this one I wanted to be more special. I think the first needle may have broken because it shifted and hit the plate. I don't know. All I do know is that I had to rip out every thing I had quilted because it was very uneven and loose. Definately not attractive. Rachel