Lately I've been enjoying making stars but have encountered a problem in the chain piecing that I hope one of you will have an answer for. When sewing from a point it is easy for the tip end to get bound up, I understand that beginning with a starter piece of fabric is supposed to eliminate this, but it doesn't always and I end up ripping the end apart. Maybe it's just my inexperience on the sewing machine, still I feel there has to be a simple solution that I'm just missing. Any hints?

I use a starter piece, but also lift the foot when doing points and place the piece to sewn hard up against the needle, eleminates most probs. Is a little bit slower but you still dont have miles of thread ends to trim :D

little bits of paper just under the beginning tip. the thin, shiny stuff from all that junk mail; or

tape a strip of index card over the needled opening in the throat plate to convert it to a single stitch plate.

Hi,

Try starting from the opposite end of the point so that when you sew, you'll finish the seam with the thin narrow pointy part.

Cheers, Helen

a new needle might help. dull needles cause all kinds of problems :evil:

I have interchangeable needle plates for my machine. If you can, put on your "single" hole needle plate. The "zigzag" plate's hole to just too large. Just remember which plate is on when you need to use your decorative stitches or you will break a needle and possibly damage your plate.

Another thing. Try using a fine needle, perhaps a 10 or 12. Fat needles do not pierce the fabric as well as the skinny ones.

Suzanne

Steve, I have had that problem too. Then I heard that if you hold the threads tight before you take your first stitches, this won't happen anymore. It works.

I also sometimes start with a scrap, but I do forget to once in a while. The important thing to remember when you start with a scrap is to make your next piece butted right up against it so no thread can go down into the bobbin area.

Try it out!

Gosh, this is overwhelming, I didn't know I'd have so many helpful responces. Will one at a time try each out and see what works. I think fine tuning the sewing should help me a lot when making the stars. Thanks ladies!

Do try holding the threads, if I forget that on the beginning piece I end up with wads.......and try the new needle. THAT is what I usually forget till I get the thunk sounds.

Happy Quilting,
Sharon

I do alot of star/diamond quilts... I do what Mimisharon and Quiltmaker101 suggested... I hold my threads tight and I do not have that problem at all..

Right now I am finishing up a king size purple Lonestar and it will be all diamonds when it is done.. I will post a pic of it when it is completed..