quilting stitches 'popping'

16 years ago

The turtle quilt I made for my new daughter is thankfully being used on her bed. HOWEVER, I've noticed that if there is ANY stress put on the quilt in any direction, I hear the quilting stitches pop (not the seams). I looked over the quilt & there are areas where I see the thread laying on top where the bottom stitches broke. I used 100% cotton thread for the quilting.

Anyone know why this is happening? And what I can do to avoid this in the future?

I think I'm going to have to go over & reinforce the quilting lines with nylon thread so I don't have to be exact. I'm just frustrated because I spent so much time on that quilt & now the quilting is falling apart after not even 2 months of use. :(

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Comments (8)

Islay_Corbel
16 years ago
I'm wondering if you didn't have a "bad" reel of thread because I've never had this problem with our well-used quilts. What a shame!
foxykitten350234
16 years ago
I'm also thinking it was a bad batch of thread. That is a shame. The only suggestion I have for future quilts is to be sure you threw out any thread you had left from that project.

Foxy.
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crafteedee
Original Author
16 years ago
I'm ready to use all purpose thread again (never had any problems with it) & just say forget it on the 100% cotton stuff.
laurainsdca
16 years ago
Wow that is definitely odd from my limited experience. I'm wondering if it could be a tension issue? But still, to have the thread actually BREAK like that -- it does sound like a weak thread.

At least it is the quilting and not the seams -- maybe you can quilt over it if it gets bad enough. Of course, once you finish a project it's pretty tedious to put it back "under the needle" so to speak.
bozogardener
16 years ago
I notice that my quilting will "pop" if I did not lock down the beginning and end of the stitching by reversing a few stitches. Are these at the ends? The top thread just slides out. Otherwise, I would think bad thread or a tension issue. Sorry for your pain!
foxykitten350234
16 years ago
I use 100% cotton and have not had a problem...yet. I use to use all purpose thread all the time and ran into a bad spool. In that case it kept breaking while I was sewing. At least with the timing I was able to change thread and save my self further aggrivation. I still use the all purpose thread from time to time and haven't had a problem since.

I think bad spools can happen to any kind of thread. From my experiences and what others are saying it isn't common. I say use the thread you are most comfortable with.

Foxy.
crafteedee
Original Author
16 years ago
The threads are "popping" in the middle of my stitching, not at the ends. I think I did a good job of securing the ends.

For those that know...how would tension problems cause this type of problem?
mary_c_gw
16 years ago
I think it is the tension. If your bottom (bobbin) tension is too tight, those stitches will "pop" and break. The thread is stretched to the "nearly-breaking" point, and then any use will cause it to break.

You _may_ have had a bad spool of thread, but that's really not likely, unless you bought the thread in your local grocery store next to the shoelaces, LOL.

quilting stitches 'popping'

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quilting stitches 'popping'

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Islay_Corbel

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