Batting poking through on back

[Marie0722 72]

I have been fiddling with my thread tension for hours now and suddenly realized that the tension is not the problem. The backing is an extra wide black cotton print, and the batting is a bleached cotton with scrim.The top thread is a light colour (Glide Linen), and the bobbin is a Magna Glide in black. I was thinking the whole time that I was seeing the top thread at the bottom but just realized that it is actually bits of batting poking through.

I did pay attention to the "dimples and pimples" but I tried both directions, and no matter what I do, I keep seeing the batting poking out on the back. And yes, I have put in a new needle. Doesn't change a thing.

The last quilt I quilted had a white backing, and I used turquoise thread on top and magna glide white in the bobbin. I had no tension issues at all, and no top thread showing at the back, it would have been very obvious with the colour contrast. So I am thinking my thread tension is just fine. Is there anything else I can try? Or is it the quality of the backing fabric and/or the batting, and there is nothing I can do? Any ideas?

[dbams 395]

What brand of batting are you using?  Has the backing been washed?

[Marie0722 72]

No, she didn't prewash any of the fabrics. And I don't know what brand of batting it is. If she bought it at the same store as her backing, then I would assume Hobbs Heirloom. Although it doesn't really feel like it but I have never used the bleached one, so I am not sure. But it is definitely the batting, probably in combination with the quality of the backing, I figured that out in the meantime. I took the quilt off of the frame and did a little sample stitching with her backing and my 80/20 batting. Looks much better. Not perfect but something I could live with. So I guess I will have to call her and see what she wants to do. Unless there is a fix for this problem that I don't know of.

[dbams 395]

Definitely sounds like the batting is the issue.  Good job figuring it out!  Hopefully she will agree to you using a different batting. 

[jimerickson 454]

Beatrice:  I've had similar problems in the past.  I prefer providing the batting unless the customer insists on supplying it.  I used to use Hobbs 80/20 black batting when I had dark or red back.  Now unless the customer refuses, I use Hobbs wool.  It doesn't beard, is light weight and, and has a beautiful loft.  Give it a try.  Jim

[Gator 448]

I use Quilter's Dream batting, without pokies.  I prefer to provide batting for customer's quilt and charge them a fair price.   Most of the time the pokies will pull back into the quilt when washed. 

[Marie0722 72]

Thanks, Jim and Connie! Yes, I prefer to provide the batting too because then I know what I am working with. But I prefer a lot of things in a different way than other longarm quilters in the area, so I can't always get what I want... too bad, I know I will just keep working on it, and I will definitely find out what brand of batting this was and put it on my no no never list.

[mamu 147]

I have had alot of issues with this problem too.  Things that I try are smaller needle size and making sure that the tension on the back/top is not too tight.  These things seem to help.  But there is always that one quilt where no matter what you do you end up with some pokies on the back.  I have found that Warm and Natural all cotton batting is becoming notorious for pokies

[hbuchwitz 11]

Is the batting maybe upside down?  I think you get more poking through when it's down side up loaded on the machine. 

[Cagey 753]

This is from the Hobbs Batting webpage, it may help fix some issues.

Cagey

 

What are “pokies”?
This term usually refers to small bits of batting fibers appearing on the back of the quilt during the quilting process. This is most common with cotton or cotton blend battings and the bits on the back will wash away during laundering. Occasionally seen during the long arm quilting process, it is most often a result of an oversized needle or a needle that has a slight burr that is not visible to the eye. Changing the machine needle will usually correct the issue. Thread choice can also be a factor. Cotton is a dry fiber and occasionally cotton threads will pull at the cotton batting fibers during the quilting process. Changing to a polyester thread can alleviate the problem. Using high quality thread is very important to successful machine quilting.   Lower quality threads generate a great deal of lint and break easily at the high speeds used in machine stitching.