Help! Not just anybody...someone that can save my sanity and help me figure out what is wrong with my free motion quilting on my home machine!!! It is a Pfaff Hobby and I have a free motion foot for it... The stitches keep skipping, but the tension seems to be okay...the stitches look fine on both sides, when it is not skipping an inch or so before continuing on again... It is so frustrating! I have changed the needles, the bobbins, cleaned it, changed thread...it goes fine for a bit and then skips again. Will I have to bring it in for a service? When I do regular sewing/piecing it is just fine, it only skips when I use the free motion. I am trying to quilt my Christmas tree skirt and just don't know what to do. I am scaring our local patchwork ladies, lol. They consider me some what of a quilting expert and gadget guru, and don't like to see me stumped, lol!!
On a cheerier note, I got these lovely cards last week as a thank you for some of the patterns I gave away! Thanks very much blogless Kate, they are gorgeous!!
My Dear Jane is coming along well...I am one block away from the last row!!! I should be done all the square blocks in the next few weeks and then have the triangles to start!! Here is a photo of my latest blocks quilted.
I have my mom's present to sew and I have my dad's quilt waiting to be quilted too, I need to sort out this sewing machine and soon!!!
I am actually always knitting, believe it or not. But at the moment, it is the bath scrubbies and striped funky tea cosy for Dave's mom... I am using that photo as a guide, as the instructions were ridiculous...it is obviously stockinette stitch in the photo, yet the pattern has no purl rows... I am doing just stripes all the way up!
Not many photos of the girls taken this week, but here is a funny one I found when trying to climb the stairs with laundry one day. The girls were putting on a "Barbie Show" these were members of the audience, LOL!!
Dave has been away all week and I have a scary schedule till Christmas, so things have been hectic and not as much done as I'd like. I've got Aine's birthday in a little over a week, then our American Thanksgiving here with 2 other families the next Sunday, then DH's 40th birthday the next weekend, then a trip to Oregon the next week... That brings me to the week before Christmas. I am tired just thinking about it! HELP!!!
20 comments:
Kathy, you didn't say if this was a new problem. I never was able to freemotion quilt on my sewing machine without skipped stitches until I bought a big foot - then I didn't have any problems. My first Autumn quilt still has all the long stitches in it that came from using the darning foot that came with my machine.
I know nothing about long arming .... but that is the best looking Dear Jane!! Great job - can't wait to see it finished.
Cathi, I haven't tried machine quilting on my domestic machine but on my longarm I occasionally get skipped stitches. It usually is caused by tension or on my machine the sensors for the stitch regulator. What I always check are these: clean the hook where the bobbin case is inserted; clean the bobbin case; check (change if needed) my needle; rethread the machine; try a different bobbin. If your machine has a stitch regulator, check to see if there is information about maintenance. You might try a different spool of thread even. There are so many variables on the longarm and at times I throw up my hands and quit, then try again later. Sorry you're having so much trouble!
Don't know how to help you on this. Mine did the exact samething on a wallhanging that I was stippling. It skipped to whole time. I tried everything, but nothing helped. I just wanted to cry. I finally gave up and changed projects the next day. I started quilting another wallhanging and it was perfect. I don't know what it was, maybe the fabric, because the batting was the same and I didn't do anything different.
Kristie
There are times that I get skipped stitches on my domestic machine. It is usually when I am going around a loop too fast. When I slow down my hands in relation to the speed of the motor everything settles down.
I don't have any clue about the machine, but your DJ is just fantastic. What an accomplishment to get it quilted so quickly! I'm really looking forward to your visit!
Can't help you on the skipping, but just wanted to say your DJ is looking brilliant.
You wait. DD used to have Barbie weekends. Friends slept over and they took over the whole house! If you got up to use the "facilities" in the night you had to watch where you stepped in case you broke a miniscule tea cup. One plus point of her growing up - no more Barbie weekends!
hi there, on the free motion quilting:
1. this might be basic, but sometime the obvious happens. (In fact once I forgot and couldn't why my thread was tripping): Are your feed dogs down?
2. Are you using different weight thread for bobbin and top thread? I find that can send it into a frenzy sometimes.
Let us know how you get on!
best luck!
Take a deep breath and just enjoy each day as it comes. Whatever doesn't get done won't be noticed unless it's the turkey. I love seeing your DJ on the frame. Hope you can solve the skipped stitches mystery. I'm no help there, sorry.
Hi,
I just had my Bernina serviced and it came back with a note that said: "Different threads in top and bobbin =bad" "Same threads = good" Hope you solve the problem!
jan
Have you tried test stitching on a different fabric - like a calico sandwich? Sometimes if a fabric is particularly tightly woven it can cause this problem.
yes I was going to echo Kate - try a different fabric. Mine skips if I continue to sew but have forgotten to put the foot back down - I use a Bernina 29 foot which is quite a big circle. As for different threads I never have a problem with that - always use Bottom Line underneath as the bobbins last for ages and it gives off less lint - on the top I use a whole pile of different threads for quilting and piecing. Other than that have you tried threading the bobbin thread through the tiny hole on the arm of the bobbin case - I don't but have read somewhere that it can help. Hope you find a solution - it's very frustrating when you can't make progress
Beautiful quilt Cathi!
Tomorrow/ sunday, you can see Beertje Zonn I made of your fabrics
Kind regards,
Sonnja, from the Netherlands
I have the same problems on my little Janome... It just doesn't like a lot of layers. I have noticed in my Janome that sometimes the bobbin comes unseated and if I clean around it, that can help.
Sometimes.
Oh- and the tip about going slowly when it is working correctly is a good one. And I also found a little divot in the side of the bobbin case once- it was catching the thread as it went around. That was a pain.
I hope you get it figured out.
Oh blow. I've left a comment about this post, but because I didn't understand Wordpress, have left it on the last post instead of this one! Sorry!
I can't help you with the quilting issues -- just wanted to say hang in there, you WILL make it through all of the craziness! (now whether your sanity will still be intact is another issue -- for that, no promises).
HELP! That sounds like me too thesedays...I think with Christmas racing up soon, we'll all be hollaring for help--LOL! Love the Barbie Staircase Show happening there...sooo sweet! But don't break your neck ;o) Wish I could help with the free motion quilting issue you're having. I don't even have free motion, still doing all hand quilting...Hope you get it sorted out. Taking it for service might be a good idea. Let us know how it goes. And super new that DJ is in the home stretch! Happy week to you all ((HUGS))
You may try working with a 14" square of muslin sandwich (muslin + batting + muslin) and play with your free motion without going over any seams. Just ramble in all directions. If it skips intermittently while holding the pieces steady, I'd say it needs servicing. Or it could be the way you are moving the layers. I have the same problem when I cannot get a tight enough grip. Also try some very snug neoprine gloves. E-mail me via my blog if it does not work and I may come up with some new ideas.
Is it possible the cozy was knit in the round with a steek?
I LOVE YOUR DEAR JANE ITS GREAT I CANT WAIT TILL I GET THIS FAR !
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