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Some time ago, I posted a topic on the trouble I was having with my thread breaking while FMQ and got TONS of great advice. I did all of the things that were advised and finished the quilt. I hadn't had a problem (and have done quilts with lots of FMQ) until this current project. On this quilt, I have completed all of the straight quilting, but now my thread is breaking when I FMQ. In the middle of the night, I realized something and hope someone has an idea to fix it! Both projects that had breaking threads, have areas to FMQ that have many seam allowances. The projects with no trouble had very few seam allowances to FMQ over. I have slowed the machine down but the thread finally starts to bunch and breaks. I am so close to finishing this baby quilt (of course!!!) Any suggestions? I am going to talk to my Janome dealer today and see if there are any needles that might work better. I have tried both a 14 and a 16 hoping that that would ease some of the stress. I also wonder if the fact that I used spray baste is causing some additional stress on the thread, but I used spray baste on the quilts I had no problems with!
Thanks in advance,
Susan

I am having this problem with my Janome on occassion too! It is very frustrating. If everything is working well except when you come to the bulky seams (you have adjusted your foot pressure and other tension correctly and the thread is feeding through nicely), and you are too far to change the quilting pattern to avoid quilting over these seams, then I resort to this: when I get to a bulky seam, I stop with the NEEDLE UP and move the quilt one stitch and then lower the needle-raise the needle and repeat until I get over the area (it is like doing this one stitch at a time with your control). I also take a few smaller stitches before and after "the problem" area just in case the stitches break here, the quilt will still be secure. I surely understand your frustration--I have been there too!

I just got back from talking to my Janome dealer. She is a big embroider-er (I know that isn't a real word!) and doesn't quilt. She gave me a couple of top stitch needles to try. I think I need a single hole throat plate and she would have to order one. Of course, they are going on vacation for two weeks!!! The oval hole on my throat plate may just give the quilt too much room to move and then the thread breaks. I WILL finish this doggone quilt today!!!!!
Susan

I finished FMQ and as I began to sew on the binding, realized that I had caught the outside edge of the quilt in my FMQ! Are you kidding me???!!! I will pick out the extra backing and batting rather than take any FMQ stitches out! I feel so dumb! I am going to order the single hole throat plate. I used two pieces of electrical tape to make my oval hole smaller and I think it made a big difference. Of course, the extra thickness in that one area from catching the backing didn't hurt either!!!
Susan

My Janome does well with the top stitch needles, but unfortunately it still does not go over those bulky seams. I have a single needle plate on my machine--I don't use it all that much--I'm not convinced that it will solve the problem. My Janome is a new machine and I feel that it is much more sensitive than my older Bernina with minimal features/technology. This machine just does not handle bulky seams the way my old Bernina does. I still piece on my Bernina and it handles bulk with ease (with or without a single needle hole plate). It is true that even with the older machine (Bernina), actual "quilting" over bulky seams was more difficult than piecing--but not nearly as much of a problem as it is with this new machine. When I construct blocks, I'm always thinking about bulk. More often than not, I press seams open when I piece if I anticipate bulk as I know the "quilting" process will be an issue with bulky seams. When I plan quilting designs, I also keep bulk in mind--if it is an issue, I choose something that I can work around those areas. If it is only an infrequent occurance, I use the method described above (one stitch at a time). I absolutely love my Janome Horizon machine, but thread breakage over bulky seams is an issue. The other issue I have with this machine is that it is very sensitive to the way the spools of thread are wound, if there is any tightness in an area (usually at the base), there is a big chance of a problem. Some thread spools will even have "spots" of tightness that the machine reacts to! Sometimes, I will wind thread from a spool to a bobbin and then use the bobbin like a spool to get me through a difficult area. This machine is also sensitive to any threading errors (must be done correctly) and bobbin winding issues. My machine has lots of technology that I absolutely love, but along with that it is much more sensitive! One more thing--thread choice, some thin threads break easier even if you don't stack stitches on top of each other (for a thinner thread 50 wt. Aurifil works well for me will all my machines). Thread is a whole topic in itself! There are lots of choices and combination of options to consider throughout the whole process. As you continue to quilt you will find the ones that work best for you and in which cases which particular options work the best. There is always a way to work around an issue! Take a deep breath (or two!!!) and you will get through it.

My Janome 6500 as well as most Janome machines do not like or handle bulky seams very well.It is a major complaint from users. I have answered the issue with using a bigger needle,bigger stitch and go slow. I just did a quilt this weekend(finished for a late friend) and talk about BULKY pinwheel seams...Jeez it was a bear but no broken needles or thread. I did use the single needle hole plate and a large Jeans needle.

For the money these machines are the greatest but "balking at bulk" does make me swear/cuss out loud...

May--pinwheel seams are the kind I have problems with too. With pinwheel type seams, I find it worth the effort to pick the two stitches in the seam allowance out and then fan/swirl the center. When done correctly, the very center is open and flat and the two seams surrounding the center will be pressed in opposite directions (one up and one down). Doing this at the time of piecing has really has helped me during the "quilting" part. Here is a great video showing the technique:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17YE82WZ9tw

Ima...I'm finishing up quilts and doing FMQ on quilts that belonged to a friend of mine that was killed in April this past year...I had put this one off for so long because I did not want to re-do every one of those 3" pinwheels attached to all those tips of the larger HST's...UGH...its done now and just need binding....The one's I have finished were to go to family & friends so went to the head of the list,except this one. The recipient is a 87 year young neighbor of hers and all I can say is it is alive with colors....

I think about my seams as I quilt but when doing what I'm doing,its a pain.....

May--you are an angel to finish those! It must be a mixed blessing to be working on them--feeling close to her while working on them and yet sad that she has died. I hope that all the recipents and you will be comforted with these completed quilts. The world needs more people like you!