Which needle? help, desperate!

I was merrily stippling my hummingbird quilt. I kept pinging and popping
needles. Changed many times. My sweet Bernina will stipple on a sandwich (a
sandwich of just ordinary cotton fabric with the same batting) just fine so
the problem is not the SM. I have decided the needle popper is Kona Bay's
Dragonfly Woodcut that I used for the hummer's background. When I cross a
double thickness of the Dragonfly, ping and then clunk on the next stitch.
The Dragonfly fabric is a gorgeous white on ivory print. I suspect they got
too much thickener in the paint or whatever they used on the print.
The green band quilt needle will not survive many inches of this mean
fabric. I am wondering what else to try. Would you think a jeans needle or a
metallica or a stretch needle might have more success drilling through? Just
curious, I tried hand needling and found the same situation. You need a
hammer to get through.
This story gets worse. Not only are my hummingbirds surrounded by this
killer print, so is the baby quilt I recommended so highly for beginners.
Anyone who needs some fabric to rip up for kite tails is welcome to the
balance of my supply. Polly

Hullo Polly
This is me under a new alias!
If you have one, I would try a jeans needle. I use one for all my
quilting (and piecing for that matter!)
Just a thought.
Pat (in the basement!)

The HairyFacedOnes 'N Me- My dogs aren't my whole life...they make my
life whole.

RCTQ- Houston 2004..... A good friend will come and bail you out of
jail.... but, a true friend will be sitting next to you saying, "Damn...
that was fun!"

Okay, I don't have a Bernina, or much experience with machine
quilting...but...when I do machine quilt on my old Kenmore, I use a #18
needle, same as I would use for jeans or something else quite heavy. Which
is probably overkill but it works for me.

That fabric sounds awful to work with...but pretty!

--
Carolyn in The Old Pueblo

If it ain't broke, you're not trying. --Red Green
If it ain't broke, it ain't mine. --Carolyn McCarty

If at first you don't succeed, switch to power tools. --Red Green
If at first you don't succeed, get a bigger hammer. --Carolyn McCarty

"Polly Esther" wrote in message
ink.net...
I was merrily stippling my hummingbird quilt. I kept pinging and popping
needles. Changed many times. My sweet Bernina will stipple on a sandwich
(a
sandwich of just ordinary cotton fabric with the same batting) just fine
so
the problem is not the SM. I have decided the needle popper is Kona Bay's
Dragonfly Woodcut that I used for the hummer's background. When I cross a
double thickness of the Dragonfly, ping and then clunk on the next stitch.
The Dragonfly fabric is a gorgeous white on ivory print. I suspect they
got
too much thickener in the paint or whatever they used on the print.
The green band quilt needle will not survive many inches of this mean
fabric. I am wondering what else to try. Would you think a jeans needle or
a
metallica or a stretch needle might have more success drilling through?
Just
curious, I tried hand needling and found the same situation. You need a
hammer to get through.
This story gets worse. Not only are my hummingbirds surrounded by this
killer print, so is the baby quilt I recommended so highly for beginners.
Anyone who needs some fabric to rip up for kite tails is welcome to the
balance of my supply. Polly

There I was, Pat. Trying to help you "Be Prepared" for all possible problems
on your trip and I never even thought about Leslie and her depravity. Just
no telling what you have learned from her. I sincerely apologize. Polly

"Leslie in Missouri" wrote in message
...
Hullo Polly
This is me under a new alias!
If you have one, I would try a jeans needle. I use one for all my
quilting (and piecing for that matter!)
Just a thought.
Pat (in the basement!)

Overkill? Yes. That sounds good. My mood is more like "kill" and I am so
slow to anger that you might wonder if I am breathing sometimes - but I will
give the jeans needle a shot at this. "A shot". I like that. Polly

"Carolyn McCarty" wrote in message
...
Okay, I don't have a Bernina, or much experience with machine
quilting...but...when I do machine quilt on my old Kenmore, I use a #18
needle, same as I would use for jeans or something else quite heavy.
Which
is probably overkill but it works for me.

That fabric sounds awful to work with...but pretty!

--
Carolyn in The Old Pueblo

If it ain't broke, you're not trying. --Red Green
If it ain't broke, it ain't mine. --Carolyn McCarty

If at first you don't succeed, switch to power tools. --Red Green
If at first you don't succeed, get a bigger hammer. --Carolyn McCarty

"Polly Esther" wrote in message
ink.net...
I was merrily stippling my hummingbird quilt. I kept pinging and popping
needles. Changed many times. My sweet Bernina will stipple on a sandwich
(a
sandwich of just ordinary cotton fabric with the same batting) just fine
so
the problem is not the SM. I have decided the needle popper is Kona
Bay's
Dragonfly Woodcut that I used for the hummer's background. When I cross
a
double thickness of the Dragonfly, ping and then clunk on the next
stitch.
The Dragonfly fabric is a gorgeous white on ivory print. I suspect they
got
too much thickener in the paint or whatever they used on the print.
The green band quilt needle will not survive many inches of this
mean
fabric. I am wondering what else to try. Would you think a jeans needle
or
a
metallica or a stretch needle might have more success drilling through?
Just
curious, I tried hand needling and found the same situation. You need a
hammer to get through.
This story gets worse. Not only are my hummingbirds surrounded by
this
killer print, so is the baby quilt I recommended so highly for
beginners.
Anyone who needs some fabric to rip up for kite tails is welcome to the
balance of my supply. Polly

On Tue, 27 Apr 2004 02:32:24 GMT, "Polly Esther"
wrote:

I was merrily stippling my hummingbird quilt. I kept pinging and popping
needles. Changed many times. My sweet Bernina will stipple on a sandwich (a
sandwich of just ordinary cotton fabric with the same batting) just fine so
the problem is not the SM. I have decided the needle popper is Kona Bay's
Dragonfly Woodcut that I used for the hummer's background. When I cross a
double thickness of the Dragonfly, ping and then clunk on the next stitch.
The Dragonfly fabric is a gorgeous white on ivory print. I suspect they got
too much thickener in the paint or whatever they used on the print.
The green band quilt needle will not survive many inches of this mean
fabric. I am wondering what else to try. Would you think a jeans needle or a
metallica or a stretch needle might have more success drilling through? Just
curious, I tried hand needling and found the same situation. You need a
hammer to get through.
This story gets worse. Not only are my hummingbirds surrounded by this
killer print, so is the baby quilt I recommended so highly for beginners.
Anyone who needs some fabric to rip up for kite tails is welcome to the
balance of my supply. Polly


Someone suggested that I try jeans needles for quilting and piecing
some time ago, and a nice woman in Canada sent me a packet of Schmetz
jeans needles, when I couldn't find any locally. I haven't looked
back since!


-- Jo in Scotland

I use a jeans needle as my all-over piecing, quilting and everything
needle. Consider other culprits for the problem: the batting, your
ability, and some combination between the two. Already an experienced
machine quilter, I was quilting a friend's quilt and kept breaking
needles. It turns out that I wasn't experienced with the polyester
batting she'd used so my movements weren't smooth, and that made my
needle stick in the batting and break.

--Lia


Polly Esther wrote:
I was merrily stippling my hummingbird quilt. I kept pinging and popping
needles. Changed many times. My sweet Bernina will stipple on a sandwich (a
sandwich of just ordinary cotton fabric with the same batting) just fine so
the problem is not the SM. I have decided the needle popper is Kona Bay's
Dragonfly Woodcut that I used for the hummer's background. When I cross a
double thickness of the Dragonfly, ping and then clunk on the next stitch.
The Dragonfly fabric is a gorgeous white on ivory print. I suspect they got
too much thickener in the paint or whatever they used on the print.
The green band quilt needle will not survive many inches of this mean
fabric. I am wondering what else to try. Would you think a jeans needle or a
metallica or a stretch needle might have more success drilling through? Just
curious, I tried hand needling and found the same situation. You need a
hammer to get through.
This story gets worse. Not only are my hummingbirds surrounded by this
killer print, so is the baby quilt I recommended so highly for beginners.
Anyone who needs some fabric to rip up for kite tails is welcome to the
balance of my supply. Polly

"Polly Esther" wrote in message
ink.net...

The green band quilt needle will not survive many inches of this mean
fabric. I am wondering what else to try. Would you think a jeans needle or
a
metallica or a stretch needle might have more success drilling through?
Just
curious, I tried hand needling and found the same situation. You need a
hammer to get through.

Many swear by the denim (jeans) needle, although I'm a big fan of the
topstitch needle. Either one should do the trick. (crossing my fingers!)

--
Kathy A. (Woodland, CA)
longarm machine quilting, Queen of Fabric Tramps
http://www.kayneyquilting.com ,
remove the obvious to reply

It seems there is no needle that will stitch through this stuff more than an
inch or two. I actually made a sandwich using the Dragonfly and saw very
quickly that when I was stitching on the blank areas, all was well. Once I
tried to stitch across the painted area we were in deep trouble.
Against my best judgment, I decided I would see what would happen if I
washed the quilt in something that might soften it up. I rejected using
gasoline although that does sometimes remove paint. Tried Oxyclean, Biz, hot
water and a long soak. The quilt is in the drier now. I believe the batt
where there is no stitching has survived just fine. I am hoping the paint is
tamed. We shall see. Polly

"Kathy Applebaum" wrote Many swear by the denim (jeans) needle, although
I'm a big fan of the
topstitch needle. Either one should do the trick. (crossing my fingers!)

I think this calls for more drastic measures. You may want to let the
gators soften it up by chewing it up a wee bit. .... or a 2x4 gently applied
to the more stubborn spots. Just trying to be helpful.
Diana

"Polly Esther" wrote in message
ink.net...
It seems there is no needle that will stitch through this stuff more than
an
inch or two. I actually made a sandwich using the Dragonfly and saw very
quickly that when I was stitching on the blank areas, all was well. Once I
tried to stitch across the painted area we were in deep trouble.
Against my best judgment, I decided I would see what would happen if I
washed the quilt in something that might soften it up. I rejected using
gasoline although that does sometimes remove paint. Tried Oxyclean, Biz,
hot
water and a long soak. The quilt is in the drier now. I believe the batt
where there is no stitching has survived just fine. I am hoping the paint
is
tamed. We shall see. Polly

"Kathy Applebaum" wrote Many swear by the denim (jeans) needle,
although
I'm a big fan of the
topstitch needle. Either one should do the trick. (crossing my fingers!)