Machine Quilting

I have been machine quilting my January UFO this week (yippee for me not leaving it to the last minute!) and it has gone really well (photos to come soon)...except for problems with the thread. I am using up a spool of Wonderfil Konfetti thread, which you see on my machine here.
Not once, but TWICE, there has been a knot in the thread coming off the spool...as in 2 ends of thread tied together!!! I am machine quilting at a high rate of speed and the first knot snapped my needle in half and scared the living daylights out of me! When the knot got to the eye of the needle and couldn't get through the eye, something had to give! 

The second time I saw a knot coming off the spool, I said some not nice words and was able to stop in time to take a photo! Can you see the knot in the thread there?!? That will not go through a quilting needle! So I have to catch it in time, stop quilting, cut the threads, rethread the machine/needle and start quilting again....or else risk breaking another needle....yikes! I have never had this happen with my beloved Aurifil thread (no affiliation, just a very happy customer!).
I have been thinking about signing up for the 2012 Free Motion Quilting Challenge to practice some new quilting designs. And lest you think that I am out of control with signing up for blogland quilting events, mysteries, sew alongs, etc. go visit Linda's blog and read her posts on some of the quilty fun currently available and FREE to all of us - part 1 and part 2. And you will see how many wonderful projects I have resisted...patting myself on the back over here!
For a very inspiring blogpost on "Quilting Without Fear" (not including when the thread you are using has knots in it that snap your needle in half!!) hop over to the Free Motion Quilting Project. Leah also has a quilt along happening weekly, but I know for sure I can't keep up with that frequency.