Free motion quilting. I have practiced before and all was fine so I am doing my first free motion quilting on the Star Bright quilt and I can't get my machine to stop skipping stitches. I have messed with the tension a ton, re threaded it a ton, changed the needle (using a 90/14) I am using 100% cotton thread (same in top and bottom). I am really not sure what else it could be.
I am going to try to oil my machine tonight or tomorrow while I am taking out a TON of quilting because I just figured I cannot live with it. Then I will be going to the store tomorrow to try to buy more needles and try a different thread. I might try a polyester but I really wanted a cotton. I cant find the variegated thread in any other brand than the one I have (Signature from Jo Ann's) I may have to just get a yellow in Guitermans.
Completely frusterated at this point!
Friday, March 5, 2010
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9 comments:
Really, I suspect there are gremlins that live in our machines. I just went through the same thing with my most recent quilt.
I thoroughly cleaned ALL the lint out of the bobbin area AND in between the metal pieces of the bobbin. After oiling all the manufacturers recommended holes and reassembling the machine I got a balanced stitch. I suspect it was not just one of those things I did, but a combination. Like you did, I just do everything that I can think of and then cross my fingers.
Buy a bottle of Sewers Aid and put a couple lines up and down the spool of thread and it will lubricate it, so you won't have the skipped stitches. Also try using a Topstitch 14 needle as the groove is bigger and will allow the tread to go through without fraying and breaking.
How do you mean "skipped stitches"? does your Janome have a stitch regulator especially for free-motion? When I free-motion, I have my feed dogs down, stitch length at zero and my free-motion foot on my machine, then the stitch length is determined by how fast or slow I move the quilt, I have a Brother machine. Skipped stitches usually mean needle trouble or threading issues.
Good luck with solving the problem!
How frustrating...
The only place Janome machines are to be oiled is under the bobbin case. It looks like a piece of lint in the center ... one drop that's it. And yes keep the bobbin case and etc. clean from lint. You're getting lots of lint from the cotton thread.
There' nothing wrong with using poly to quilt with. Go to http://www.superiorthreads.com and read up about thread under Newsletters. My favorites are SoFine (top) and BottomLine (bobbin).
Good Luck.
I own 5 Janome machines ... love them all.
Forgot to add check out
http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.com/
and
http://www.patsythompsondesigns.com/
You probably know about both of those sites but just in case I thought I'd point you there too.
(Helen) By skipped stitches I mean that the machine is stitching there but the thread is not taking...so basically its not my movement its the machine that doesnt want to stich. I have tried to slow down and that doesnt help. It still does it every few inches or so.
Thank you for everyones advice and comments. I took advice from many of you and went to Jo Anns today. I got some 14 needles and some sewers aid. I also oiled the machine. I am going to let it set tonight while I try to take the quilting out (still have a lot to go) and hopefully I can get some quilting done on it tomorrow. I will update!
Thanks! then I would suggest the problem is in the bobbin, as that is where the stitch is picked up so to speak. Depending on how old your machine is, it could mean your shuttle case is having issues or it could just mean like all the others have suggested, clean, oil, speak nicely and try again:-) I use Signature thread all of the time, my Brother machine loves it! Maybe your machine is unthreading itself in the bobbin, that has happened to me in the past and I ended up having to buy a new shuttle case. So, I hope that's not the problem here, as they are not cheap:-( Good Luck! Keep trying!
Sounds like some good advice. I'm sure you'll be able to find some resolution with one of the things you are going to try. But having Mom's Janome is not one of the solutions .
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