petthefabric

Back to basics: clean and oil machine. If it's been a while, have it serviced and timed. Change the needle, matching the needle to the thread. Use a sharp/microtex not universal needle. Rethread. Has the machine always skipped stitches when FMQ? Last resort, leave feed dog up.

Nammie to 7

Depends on what thread you are using - I use King Tut and it is recommended to use a stitch needle 90/14. When I had problems with skipped stitches it was using the wrong size needle.

dunster

If you are moving the fabric too quickly it will catch the needle and slightly deflect it, causing the stitch not to form.

ube quilting

Ditto This: You may be moving the fabric sandwich too fast and the needle is bending just enough to miss the take up.
before you do anything else try moving just a bit slower and see if that works.

I do like my top stitch/ metallic needles for all my sewing on DHMs.

If slowing down doesn't work try all the other stuff.
peace

WMUTeach

Thank you everyone for your comments. I tried again last evening and again this morning and got the same skipping results. Frustrating! New needle, dogs up or down makes no difference. I do not have a stitch regulator on my machine, so that adjustment can't be made. This happens whether I am moving the sandwich slowly or quickly and it seems random. I did notice a slight tug on the spool of thread then a release and then.... a skip. Fiddled around with the spool, still the same results, skipping. I'll keep working on this until the quilt is DONE!

I so appreciate all of your suggestions. I will try a larger needle to see if that makes the magic happen.

sewmary

Just one more thing: since you are getting a tug on the spool try feeling around the edges of the spool (both ends) to see if there is a slight burr on it. That is what happened to be my skipped stitch problem. Once I took an emery board and filed down the little burr all worked well.

klgls

I would make sure the thread is not catching on the end of the spool where it has the little cut to place the thread in when storing. I have had that happen before.