This week it has been one thing after another (several non-quilting things but a few quilting things as well). The newest issue is the BSR is not doing right on my brand new 440 QE. It's skipping stitches really badly and I have done everything to try and figure out why. It'll stitch a dozen or more perfect stitches, then it'll skip four or five. Looks horrible. I did a total cleaning of my machine, rethreaded the upper and bobbin threads, put a new needle on (I only have the Universal ones that came with the machine, tomorrow I'm picking up some topstitching ones hoping that might help) and nothing seems to be helping. Here's the kicker, I can sew on a small sandwich of the EXACT same material and not have any issues but put the quilt back on the machine and it goes to skipping right away. I am being really careful to make sure the quilt isn't pulling or dragging on the machine at all and keeping it supported on table and off.

I called my store this morning that I bought the machine from (I really like those ladies at that store) and she told me to try threading the bobbin thread through the little arm that sticks up from the bobbin case (she called it a pigtail). I did that and the stitch regulator started working perfectly. It did great for about half an hour then out of nowhere started skipping again. I took the quilt off my machine, opened everything up fiddle with it for a minute and then put the quilt back on. Skip, skip, skip. I turned my machine off and walked away. I'm past the point of crying from frustration.

The lady I talked to this morning did say if the rethreading of the bobbin didn't work to bring my stitch regulator in tomorrow and they would plug it in and make sure it had some update or something on it. She mentioned she had a machine that was skipping and that's what fixed it. That all sounds great and I really hope and pray that that fixes my issue but why would my machine just be skipping on my quilt and not my little sandwiches? Seems like it must be operator error but I can't for the life of me figure out what I'm doing wrong. I'm FMQ'ing the exact way I did on my little cheap Brother and it never skipped a stitch.

Anyone had this problem? I'm so bummed about this. I'm worried there won't be anything found wrong with my machine so it will be assumed I'm causing the problem. :(

I have had mine do that a couple of times too. I'm not sure what I did to get it to work right. I think a time or two I moved the fabric too fast. I do remember re-threading both the bobbin and the top as well as cleaning the machine of all the Lint I could find. Never tried using the little "arm" on the bobbin case. I do thread my bobbin thread through that "arm" when using the embroidery unit.
I don't have a lot of experience with my BSR foot, I've used it several times but I haven't used the BSR for a couple of months due to shoulder surgery and not being able to do the actual quilting yet.
Hope you get the issue figured out soon!!!

I have the 440QEE and find that sometimes the BSR does not like certain threads. Try going to a different brand.

I was going to come back and say something about thread as well. Try using a different brand of thread and see how it does.

I'm using the Mettler thread that the store sells where I bought my machine. That's what they recommended. The only other thread I have is the cheapy Coats and Clark. It probably really wouldn't like that. :) I've read nothing but good things about Superior Threads and I've thought about ordering from them. Do stores sell their thread or can you only order it online?

You can buy Superior Threads at shops that carry it. I have a couple shops around me that carry their thread.
Mettler is a good thread, your machine should not be having a problem with that one. Don't use the Coats and Clark, it will lint way to much and is not a good thread.

By "skipping stitches" do you mean that some stitches are longer than others? This would indeed be the BSR not working as it should. When I first got my machine, the BSR occasionally had trouble if I was moving sideways across a seam. After an update was loaded, that problem went away. I always take my BSR in with the machine for servicing, just in case there are updates for it. I bought an extended service policy, so I can take the machine in as often as I want to be cleaned and checked out.

If you really mean that the machine is skipping stitches, meaning that the needle is going down but no stitch is being formed, then that is not the BSR and you might see the same thing happen in regular sewing. It could be that you're pulling the fabric too fast, causing the needle to be deflected slightly, so it bends (at least temporarily) and cannot form a good stitch. Or it could be that your machine has a "new machine" problem and needs adjustment. The best thing to do would be to take the whole thing, machine and BSR, down to the shop and tell them you need it checked out.

Good luck. I hope you get the machine and/or BSR fixed soon. The BSR is a wonderful tool to have, and it's too bad you're having problems with it.

great idea.

I do mean really skipping stitches, as in the needle goes down, 4 or 5 times, and doesn't make a stitch. I honestly am trying my very best to be slow and steady with my movement. I don't know how to do it any better than I'm doing. I pieced this whole quilt on this machine and it never missed a beat while piecing. That was using the patchwork foot and walking foot though.

I really am down to thinking it has something to do with the quilt because like I said before, I can put any fabric sandwich on there and the BSR stitches away no problem. As soon as I put that quilt back on, it'll start skipping one or two stitches in. I've barely had time to move the quilt before it's skipping.

Even though the lady at the shop told me I only needed to bring in the BSR, I'm going to load up my whole machine AND the darn quilt and take it in tomorrow. I sure hope there is something that can be done to fix it. I can't begin to imagine how sad I would be to have this new machine that I can piece whatever on, but can't quilt a darn thing on.

Could it be because "that" quilt is thicker than your quilt sandwich? You might need to change to a larger needle or adjust the presser foot's pressure. From what I've read, it's usually the needle at fault when you're skipping stitches.