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From: Midwest Quilt Builder
Date: 02-22-2006, 10:33 AM (1 of 12)
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Hi Everyone, I'm having problems quilting. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I've been a quilter for about 6 years - have made numerous twin size quilts and wall hangings. I always use a walking foot to quilt however now my walking foot is "snow plowing" (pushing the top fabric over too much - not moving all the layers evenly). My walking foot is only about a year old - I use a Janome machine that is about 2 years old. I had this same trouble with a singer walking foot and had to replace it after a year. My MOL said that her walking foot has lasted about 10 years without replacement and she uses it a lot too. Is it common to have to replace a walking foot after a year? I've also tried to learn free motion quilting - practiced and read books - but I can't seem to make the stiches come out as I'd like them to. So, now I'm trying to quilt with just a regular piecing foot - not the best either. I'm left with trying to learn hand quilting or having my quilting done at a local shop. Two choices that I don't particularly like. Any suggestions or tips would be forever appreciated. Thank you! MQB |
User: Midwest Quilt Builder
Member since: 12-03-2002 Total posts: 17 |
From: plrlegal
Date: 02-22-2006, 03:44 PM (2 of 12)
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Sorry but I have to ask this question. Are you sure your walking foot is properly installed on your machine? A walking foot should lift up and move forward with each stitch and not be pushing the fabric at all. That's why it's called a walking foot. Sorry, but that is the first thing I think of when someone's tells me their walking foot is shoving the fabric. Patsy Patsy
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User: plrlegal
Member since: 05-19-2001 Total posts: 318 |
From: Dustbunny01
Date: 02-22-2006, 05:30 PM (3 of 12)
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If that is not it, It may be the walking foot you have, I have noticed that some walking feet are not as good as others. esp. if you bought it from eBay. Sears.com has a good walking foot you can try, they should work with your Janome, and are not very high. free motion quilting takes a Lots and Lots of practice, don't give up on it. They are coming out with more goodies for free motion all of the time. DB
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User: Dustbunny01
Member since: 11-11-2005 Total posts: 159 
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From: plrlegal
Date: 02-23-2006, 08:52 PM (4 of 12)
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I just reread your e-mail regarding your walking foot. If you are trying to free motion quilt with a walking foot then that is what your problem is. Free motion quilting should only be done with a darning or free motion foot. Unless I'm totally wrong, you should only be using your walking foot if you're straight line quilting as in cross-hatching, etc. Can somebody else give me some feedback on this, please? Patsy Patsy
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User: plrlegal
Member since: 05-19-2001 Total posts: 318 |
From: Hogmami
Date: 02-24-2006, 01:13 AM (5 of 12)
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You are so right. I tryed free motion with the walking foot once and it doesn't work. Should add when using your free motion foot or darning foot, put the feed dogs down.
Carolyn
Michigan |
User: Hogmami
Member since: 09-30-2004 Total posts: 800 
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From: HeyJudee
Date: 02-24-2006, 07:38 AM (6 of 12)
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MQB, Welcome to SWN. I have been quilting for a couple of years now but I do more free motion quilting with my darning foot than stitch-in-the-ditch quilting with my walking foot. I have never experienced any problems with my walking foot but have found this web-site that gives some info on stitching with the walking foot (Stitch-in-the-Ditch (http://www.quiltindex.com/ATQF/q_and_a_single.asp?QAID=49) . When I read this I thought of a couple of things. What kind of batting are you using? Is is low or high loft? Using a high loft batting could cause it to push the fabric. What stitch length are you using and have you changed the pressure on your foot? I usually use a longer stitch length and set my foot pressure dial around 1. It is possible to damage a foot...once I put the foot on without putting the lever above the needle screw and started to sew....Boy did that scare me as it jammed my machine. I was lucky and finally managed to get it out and everything was OK. Another option is to try your foot on another machine. Do you know anyone who would have a similar machine or have you thought of taking your foot to your dealer and asking if they would be able to check it out for you. My dealers are great and would test it for me and/or tell me if something was wrong with it. Then as to free motion quilting...getting the stitches right takes practice, practice, practice. I took a couple of classes and still did lots of practice. Basically you need to prepare some quilt sandwiches - I used 18" square pieces of muslin top and bottom with cotton batting in between. Practiced stippling, making loops, then loops and stars, greek circles, flowers, etc. The more you do the better you get. It also helps to have a machine that has a speed control and that you can set it to always stop with the needle down. These two features have definitely helped my free-motion abilities. Here is a previous thread that I posted some links for free-motion http://sew-whats-new.com/vb/showthread.php?t=17906&highlight=stipple Hope some of this helps TTFN from
Judy |
User: HeyJudee
Member since: 01-25-2005 Total posts: 1366 
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From: Midwest Quilt Builder
Date: 02-28-2006, 04:48 PM (7 of 12)
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Thanks for all of your great suggestions. Sorry I didn't reply sooner - work really gets in the way of sewing! Yes, I'm am sure that the walking foot is installed correctly. No, I do not free motion quilt with it - I use the darning foot to free motion. Yes, I have made about 10 - 18" quilt sandwiches to practice on. I think I need to make about 100 more sandwiches though to practice on! I also have a Diane Gadinski (sp?) book that I've read and re-read. She is just too good. The batting that I use is low loft... generally all cotton. I think that the suggestion about the stitch length and the very light tension will help me. I'll try that. Thanks again, everyone. Happy sewing! |
User: Midwest Quilt Builder
Member since: 12-03-2002 Total posts: 17 |
From: Chrysantha
Date: 02-28-2006, 06:28 PM (8 of 12)
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I own 5 Janomes...make sure your top knob is in the correct place...3 for embroidery, 2 for sewing and 1 for very light fabric... If it's a 6500-6600 you will have a knob on the front to make sure the foot pressure is correct. Try a lighter pressure...
Chrys
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User: Chrysantha
Member since: 09-06-2002 Total posts: 2414 
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From: Clarkia
Date: 03-01-2006, 06:35 AM (9 of 12)
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I am certainly no expert, having just done enough free motion quilting to know that it is going to take practice. I have a Quilt Designer II that I have yet to attempt free motion on, but I was doing some reading in the book yesterday and found you can use the embroidery foot for free motion. That will be good because the QD has a speed control. I have done (attempted) some free motion on my Janome 392, with a Big Foot presser foot. I think with lots of practice it will work out for me. That is a neat foot, a strange looking purple affair, and they come in sizes for different machines. Kind of pricey, though. I still need to look into a hoop of some kind. As you can tell, I am just barely starting free motion. Re. the walking foot, I have used a walking foot lots and lots. No trouble. I do put a wee tiny drop of oil in it from time to time if it starts to squeak. It should work on even quite puffy quilting. Did it work originally for you? Kay
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User: Clarkia
Member since: 05-05-2003 Total posts: 23 |
From: Midwest Quilt Builder
Date: 03-01-2006, 08:50 AM (10 of 12)
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Hi Kay, Yes, the walking foot has been working fine for about a year - lots of use. Anyway I'd love to become proficient at free motion quilting. There is a Bernina machine out now that (I think) has a laser guided foot that one uses for free motion quilting that AUTOMATICALLY sets stich length and tension - one just has to move the fabric and not worry about anything else! Does anyone have one of these? MQB |
User: Midwest Quilt Builder
Member since: 12-03-2002 Total posts: 17 |
From: vasallese
Date: 03-02-2006, 07:55 PM (11 of 12)
Hi, yes I bought the Bernina 440 Quilter's Edition with BSR & I love it! I feel that the quilt moves smoother on the sewing surface. I have had to play to remember all the steps (which tension to lighten up on, lowering feed dogs, getting into the groove with rate of motion) & it is fun. I free motion a 45 x60 quilt in about 4-5 hours. It's fun to do the meandering, instead of just straight stitching. I do not hand quilt. I figured it's time I have a machine that I like & can do the things I want to do. I don't have a notebook so I have not set up the embroidery attachment I bought, but that is definately planned. I think it's been money well spent. 
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User: vasallese
Member since: 03-01-2006 Total posts: 6 |
From: JeanneK
Date: 03-11-2006, 06:42 PM (12 of 12)
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Hi, yes I bought the Bernina 440 Quilter's Edition with BSR & I love it! I feel that the quilt moves smoother on the sewing surface. I have had to play to remember all the steps (which tension to lighten up on, lowering feed dogs, getting into the groove with rate of motion) & it is fun. I free motion a 45 x60 quilt in about 4-5 hours. It's fun to do the meandering, instead of just straight stitching. I do not hand quilt. I figured it's time I have a machine that I like & can do the things I want to do. I don't have a notebook so I have not set up the embroidery attachment I bought, but that is definately planned. I think it's been money well spent. Sorry for the thread drift, but... may I ask whether you did free motion quilting before on a non-BSR machine, and how much easier the BSR really is compared to the old-fashioned machine quilting? Thanks, Jeanne |
User: JeanneK
Member since: 03-11-2006 Total posts: 4 |
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