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I am quilting across a baby quilt with a decorative built in stitch. It is sort of swirly, but not very open. I'm using a walking foot. I pinned excessively. But as I'm going across I'm having to reposition the pins as the cloth is bunching up. And then when I get to the other side the top is not inline with the backing anymore. It is actually extending beyond the batting and backing.
What am I doing wrong?
SVAL
Try using a walking foot!!
You say you are using a walking foot, but I have never seen one used other than for straight stitching. I wonder if that is the issue? Another thought is that your walking foot is not working properly. Are your feed dogs up so that the walking foot can work with the feed dogs to move the top and back together?
What kind of batting are you using?? Cotton batting usually stays put with a cotton top and backing. Maybe your walking foot isn't working properly.
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I like to use a darning foot when I use my domestic machine for FMQ. It makes it so much easier. I threw my walking foot in the drawer. But, no matter what you use, you will probably have a little bit of stretch. That is why I always make sure I have extra backing fabric on. I can always cut it off. But, you can't always add it on.
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I'm not doing FMQ. Just using a built in stitch. It has a little bit of a swirl to it. It would be ok if it stretched some, but it is totally getting out of shape.Originally Posted by #1piecemaker
The batting is polyester. I actually thought of that. But I buy the batting in huge rolls at a discount to use for charity quilts. The thing is I've been using it for years.
I really think I have a lemon of a machine. It has caused me nothing but grief. Sucking the joy out of quilting. There are days I'm ready to throw it out the window. today is one of them.
What type of machine is it? Did the walking foot come with the machine or is it a generic one?
Have you tried doing that same stitch on just two pieces of fabric with no batting?
The problem you are having.....I have it all the time with polyester backing. I don't often buy cotton batting.
My straight quilting goes great as long as I don't try to cross my previous quilting.
Just yesterday, a friend that learned of my dilemma, suggested that the problem may be the quilting foot...it may not be working quite right. I plan to buy a new walking foot to test this theory.
I have more than one walking foot. 2 different widths. They both do the same thing. I'm not even going to try to quilt it in the opposite direction. Once I force myself to do the last 4 lines of stitching, I'm calling it done.
At this point I'm afraid to try anything I care about for fear some new weird thing would start happening with the machine or the results. It's one thing to have these things happen to donation quilts, but another entirely for it to happen on a big project.
As silly as this may sound, try checking your presser foot pressure. Mine is adjustable and solved the same kind of issue. Your fabric and batting layers are thicker than normal so it takes more room to move everything together. Your walking foot, has to have room to make each little leap to advance the fabric. If it doesn't lift enough for everything to move, everything gets scooted instead of advanced, resulting in what is happening to you. Also, you must slow down to use a walking foot, especially if your machine, like mine, says you must! Sewing fast with some walking feet can also be a real hazard since they can actually be rattled apart by fast sewing, causing the needle to strike them and sending needle parts flying! I wear glasses to sew but if you don't , the risk is not worth it. Good luck dear.
Last edited by madamekelly; 10-28-2014 at 09:16 AM.
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