Can't Machine Quilt...Why Does Machine Skip?

[OHhappychicks]

Do you see any improvement in this one? It's a larger piece. I know you can see where the machine got away from me in places, but I think maybe this one flows better than the others I've done? I'm almost ready to try it on a real quilt...almost.

Hello Speckledhen! Just popped in on this thread as I too am just getting to learn machine and fm quilting. I'm starting small though. On a mug rug. I've been practicing but am having a few issues with getting things to go smoothly. I didn't think about the thread being an issue. I use coates and clark from walmart. When I make another project, I will try a better quality thread. I did change my needle to an 80/12 and that seemed to help. I think you are doing a great job on this piece. I also think you are very brave to do such a large piece!

Is this a practice piece or a good project? I'm going back to read the rest of the pages and see what more I can learn!

 

[speckledhen]

Quote:
Oh, that was just a practice piece. YES, do change your thread! That makes a huge difference! Though the walmart stuff is fine for piecing, free motion seems to put a lot of stress on the thread and needle and it doesn't work well. I use a 90/14 needle and either Gutermann or Signature thread, same in top and bobbin.

I am having trouble on my rooster bed runner with the border, staying in a defined space so I quit on it until later. I did do this table runner piece and put it up for sale in my Etsy shop and my cousin saw it and I think she's going to buy it from there, or so she indicated today.




The back. Stitches are not entirely even-I call it "rustic, free-form", LOL. The loops and leaves are fairly easy to do and I think I'd do much better if I could just see in that throat space of the machine better.

 

[OHhappychicks]

Oh, that was just a practice piece. YES, do change your thread! That makes a huge difference! Though the walmart stuff is fine for piecing, free motion seems to put a lot of stress on the thread and needle and it doesn't work well. I use a 90/14 needle and either Gutermann or Signature thread, same in top and bobbin.

I am having trouble on my rooster bed runner with the border, staying in a defined space so I quit on it until later. I did do this table runner piece and put it up for sale in my Etsy shop and my cousin saw it and I think she's going to buy it from there, or so she indicated today.




The back. Stitches are not entirely even-I call it "rustic, free-form", LOL. The loops and leaves are fairly easy to do and I think I'd do much better if I could just see in that throat space of the machine better.

That is beautiful!!! Great job on fmq! Do you trace the pattern on first or just free hand it? I'm going to start quilting my mug rug today. I'm so nervous, as this is a gift. I'm going to practice some before I start, just to get an idea of what I want to do. It's going to be simple. I love the leaf work in your piece. Also love the front fabric!

 

[speckledhen]

That is beautiful!!! Great job on fmq! Do you trace the pattern on first or just free hand it? I'm going to start quilting my mug rug today. I'm so nervous, as this is a gift. I'm going to practice some before I start, just to get an idea of what I want to do. It's going to be simple. I love the leaf work in your piece. Also love the front fabric!

Thank you. It isn't perfect, lots of slightly too long stitches, but on you can't really see them looking on into the fabric pattern on the front. I can't follow a line with my free motion foot, not very well anyway. I can follow a straight or slightly curved line with a walking foot, but that's why I'm having trouble on the border of the rooster bed runner, trying to make a line of swirls down the edge, following a line. It's so hard for me and it looks messy. Thankfully, it's my own bed runner and I know eventually, I'll get the hang of it.

 

[speckledhen]

I want to machine quilt this but I may wait until I get my new machine. Still trying to save money for that. This started out to be only a bed runner, but I may make it the pillow tuck area of a bed quilt.

 

[OHhappychicks]

Speckledhen~ I really like that! Love that material!! What kind of machine are you looking at? I may look into a better machine in the near future. Just don't know what kind. I started looking at reviews today a little. So many to choose from!!

 

[speckledhen]

Speckledhen~ I really like that! Love that material!! What kind of machine are you looking at? I may look into a better machine in the near future. Just don't know what kind. I started looking at reviews today a little. So many to choose from!!

I'm leaning toward the Juki TL 2010Q, though I originally was going to get the Brother 1500, an almost identical and less expensive machine. The difference, other than price, is this Juki has a speed control and from reviews, handles tension a tad better than the Brother, though most folks love that Brother model. Both are straight stitch machines, no computer, both made to handle free motion quilting. The throat space on them is about 9" compared to only 5.5" on my little Brother CS6000i.




And the Brother, which I can get for about $600, but neither have a distributor around here. Quilt shops around here sell Janome and Babylock. The Juki is around $900-1000. You can see how similar they are.

 

[OHhappychicks]

Those look like very nice machines! I want one with the speed control. My dh attached a dimmer switch to the plug of my sewing machine and yesterday I finally got to where I can control the speed while I practiced fmq. It was wonderful! I did so much better. My sewing machine is a singer simple 3116. A cheap one from walmart. It does ok, but you have to turn the wheel to get it started, which is hard to do when you are fmq. So with the slower speed, it turned out much better.

 

[speckledhen]

http://jukihome.com/products/quilt_tl2010q.html

Those look like very nice machines! I want one with the speed control. My dh attached a dimmer switch to the plug of my sewing machine and yesterday I finally got to where I can control the speed while I practiced fmq. It was wonderful! I did so much better. My sewing machine is a singer simple 3116. A cheap one from walmart. It does ok, but you have to turn the wheel to get it started, which is hard to do when you are fmq. So with the slower speed, it turned out much better.

You're probably going to have the same issue with throat/harp space that I do on my Brother. Plus, they dont go through thicknesses very easily. Mine is a great piecing machine, certainly.

I wish there was a dealer closer than Chattanooga where I could try the machines out that I'm considering. Because there are two dealers close to me, thought about a Janome. The closest Janome machine to what I want is the 1600, but it's as pricey as the Juki, almost $1000, and you can't even lower the feed dogs, have to cover them with a plate to free motion! That's nuts, if you ask me, for that much $$.


Read here about the features of the Juki 2010 and you'll see why I'm leaning toward it. The Brother does not have speed control, though it's almost an identical machine and less expensive.
http://jukihome.com/products/quilt_tl2010q.html

 

[OHhappychicks]

http://jukihome.com/products/quilt_tl2010q.html

You're probably going to have the same issue with throat/harp space that I do on my Brother. Plus, they dont go through thicknesses very easily. Mine is a great piecing machine, certainly.

I wish there was a dealer closer than Chattanooga where I could try the machines out that I'm considering. Because there are two dealers close to me, thought about a Janome. The closest Janome machine to what I want is the 1600, but it's as pricey as the Juki, almost $1000, and you can't even lower the feed dogs, have to cover them with a plate to free motion! That's nuts, if you ask me, for that much $$.


Read here about the features of the Juki 2010 and you'll see why I'm leaning toward it. The Brother does not have speed control, though it's almost an identical machine and less expensive.
http://jukihome.com/products/quilt_tl2010q.html

That IS a very nice machine. I spoke with my friend who does a lot of quilting projects and she LOVES babylock! I looked on their website and found one I really liked. It was babylock Aria. Of course it doesn't give the price, but she said she would go to the dealer with me, so I may go look at one soon. I want to keep it around $5-600. Don't know if I can get what I want for that, but will go see. That price for the Janome is crazy for the options it doesn't offer. Yes, my singer is a nice little everyday machine, but I really want one with speed control and a larger throat/harp space. Like a little more room to change the needle/change out feet. I can barely get my fingers in to unscrew them. I have had to lay it back to get a clear view of what I was doing. Its also loud.