I have the BSR and I also have the quilt frame. I am having trouble with the stitching skipping stitches. It will stitch along fine for awhile and then all of a sudden it will skip several stitches (top thread is not picking up bobbin thread). So I have a very long piece of thread inbetween the regular stitches. Hope this makes sense. Does any one have the BSR and have this problem. I'm thinking maybe I am moving the machine fine and then maybe I'm moving it too fast for the top thread to pick up the bobbin thread. I'm am getting really discouraged. Any help would be appreciated.

I had this happen. I keep sewers aid on hand. I found it worked on other old machines I had. I put two or three lines of it on the thread and on the bobbin thread. I bought it at joanns. It conditions the thread so it slides better?

I don't use mine. I found I had more control of the starts and stops without it. Shhhh! Don't tell my DH! Begging for the BSR was how I got my Bernina. Well, that and my Pfaff had a fatal tension flaw.

I have the same problem with mine. There is actually an issue with the spring not being tight enough and it needs to be replaced with a new spring.
I have explained this to the repair person at my LQS and he (in broken English not too good) tells me that's not the problem I need to buy a new BSR Foot. Well, that ain't going to happen. I do not like this guy!!! I am going to speak to the owner of the shop again.
There was a whole thread on this issue. use the search feature and type in BSR Foot and you will see a lot of discussion on this matter.

Gayle is right, there was an issue identified with the spring, your Bernina dealer should be able to fix that, and, make sure your BSR has been updated, dealer should be able to do that also. This may help. Make sure you have the correct needle and thread. I can't think of any other tips right now. Did you just get this? If so take the foot and maybe your machine back to the dealer and use it while you are there so they can see what it does. Good luck.

Yes, agree with the above. A new spring and washer is in order. I'll be bringing my BSR foot in to the dealers soon for the replacement. Mine hasn't been giving me too many issues, but I figure a stronger spring and washer can't be a bad thing.

Here's the thread I started that got a lot of response. http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-35440-1.htm

In a nutshell here's what I came up with that really helped the skipping;

1) Get the hardware and software update done at your Bernina dealer. If they don't know what needs updating tell them to contact their Bernina rep and they should be able to tell them what needs done.

2) I have found a 90/14 needle works best for quilting with my BSR. I have used an 80/12 with a applique wall hanging, but the fabrics were batiks and the top had no seams. I didn't want very big holes so that's why I went with a tad smaller needle. But for regular quilt tops, 90/14.

3) Even though the manual says to lower the presser foot pressure to 0, I only lower it slightly from the standard 42. Somewhere in the low 30's to high 20's, just depends on the quilt top and how big the seams are. When you lower the pressure to 0 the fabric tends to "tent" up around the needle and cause the top thread not to catch the bobbin thread. At least that's my theory. :)

Those three things are what I think has helped my BSR to work pretty much perfectly. Good luck! I know it's frustrating when something doesn't work right, especially something as expensive as the BSR!

Thanks everyone for the information. Glad to know that I'm not the problem that the BSR has a problem. I'm going to go to the dealer that I got it from and see what they will do. I've only had this machine with the BSR for a little over a year.

When Rachel was having her problems with the BSR it was noted by someone that the instructions in the manual to lower the presser foot pressure to 0 was incorrect. I checked with my dealer and with Bernina directly and they verified that you should leave the pressure at the normal setting or do as Rachel does and adjust it according to your quilt sandwich. I have a 730 and have been doing a lot of FMQ lately, and never touched my pressure. I also went to a lecture and demonstration by Sue Nickels sponsored by Bernina and she said the same thing. Also she recommended that if you are going to be doing a lot of loops and curves to lower your stitch length too. I used 1.8 the other day and that worked well.

What is sewers aid? Sounds like a liquid you put on your thread (while still on the spool)? So the thread slides through the machine better?