twinstitches

Hello Everybody!

I am very new to free motion quilting and very interested. It looks beautiful and like a very fun art I'd like to try. I've research, watched, read, etc, etc but I am stuck. I finally got my embroidery foot but I can't seem to make things work. I have a Singer Ingenuity 7436 and I got my darning foot on Ebay. I found out from Singer they don't make a darning foot for my machine so I had to get a generic one. Even though the one I got said it was for my machine I think it's wrong. Here is what is happening...

I drop my feed dogs, set my stitch length to zero, start the first stitch, pull up my bobbin thread and hold it, then I try to make a few stitches and nothing takes. The machine acts like there is no fabric there, no stitches are formed. My machine does a great job of punching holes through my fabric sandwich but not a single stitch catches the bobbin thread. I have tried different threads, changed my tension, and used different needles. I am working with a 100% cotton fabric sandwich (cotton-batting-cotton), not on any projects. I though I should practice first before I try to make something.

I have done a bit more research today and I think I know the problem but I wanted to ask you ladies first. My embroidery/darning foot sits about 1/4" above my fabric and does not have a spring that goes up and down. Could this be my problem??? It seams the foot stays 1/4" above the fabric the whole time I am trying to sew. This in turn makes my fabric come up a little while I am trying to sew. Where does your darning foot sit while you are sewing/stippling???

Thank You!
Elayne

dkabasketlady

Hi and welcome from the sunny state of Florida!!
I can't help you with the problem as I'm a hand quilter, but I'm sure someone will come to the rescue!!!

craftybear

Welcome, waving from Indiana, USA

sorry I can't help you but someone on here will be able to, good luck!

sharon b

Still waiting to try this , hope you get your answer . then when I try if I have the same problem I will know how to fix it :thumbup:

grandma1

Have you tried changing the stitch length off of zero
using 5.0 on top and 4.o on the bobbin.

Sadheart

I am new to Free Motion Quilting also. There is a thread talking about it . The ladies were talking of using a "walking foot" Now I am not sure what the difference is but am to understand that it keeps the fabrics from slipping as you sew.
I will be posting my efforts tomorrow to show what happens using a regular sewing foot. I love the front. Ha ha But the back *blinks* O my
O well lessons learned. Will be a while before I can get me
a "walking foot"
Try practicing with a regular foot if you do not have a
walking foot.
Happy sewing.
Hello and welcome from Utah * waves *
Sandra

earthwalker

Is your presser foot in the down position? It's easy to forget when you are fiddling around with different attachments.

Vanuatu Jill

Hi from Southern California-sorry I can't help, I am a hand-quilter too. Someone is sure to help here, though

sam_98

Make sure your pressure foot lever is down. Then move the fabric a little. I have only started and am still practicing, but I too pulled the bobbin thread up to top. Hold both threads as you bring sewing. My machine doesn't pick up bobbin thread when I try to stitch in place to lock the stitches. But start moving the fabric, and the stitches work fine. You might have tried moving the fabric, so this might be of NO Help!!! Someone mentioned a walking foot. My understanding is you do NOT use it for FMQ, but works great for doing straight line machine quilting, but not for the free motion quilting. BTW the machine I have been using is a Singer from the 70's. Ready to get back to use my Pfaff!

sam_98

Typos abound.... "As you begin sewing......" and I am new to FMQ, not quilting. Also typing with iTouch isn't as good as with computer keyboard.