free motion quilting with the viking #1+
 

I am new to the board. Thanks for accepting me. I am trying to learn free motion quilting and live in a rural area where there are no classes. I am spending a fortune on free motion feet with no good results. I bought the viking darning foot for my viking #1+ but am having no success using it. Today the spring thingy that fits over the needle screw popped off and I can't get it back on. Wasn't having any success with it there either. When I finally got a stitch I couldn't stop the quilt from bunching up. I have watched tutorials, followed instructions to not avail. Anyone out there with this machine who can help or should I just give it up? I have been sewing for many years--learned to sew using books--but this has me stumped. I am 80 so investing in a new machine seems to be overkill. Thanks Anne

I am at a sewing/quilting expo in Florida. I will try and remember to go by the Viking Booth and describe your problem and see if they have any suggestions. Is there a number on the foot you are using? That might be helpful. If the foot is faulty the company should replace it.

Did you drop the feed dogs or cover them? Did you decrease stitch length to zero? Can you try a couple different brands of threads? Are you sure you are using machine quilting thread or all purpose thread, not the hand quilting type? I really like the craftsy classes for learning. I would work on a very small quilt sandwich to practice and get used to it. I also have to dramatically change the tension on my machine when I go to do FMQing. I don't have to change the tension when I use the walking foot

I did some on my #1+ with the feed dogs down, stitch length at 0 and just stitched that way and it came out ok. I did go and by the foot (jumping) have not used it yet. I would try this and see if you can make it work.

The # is 411-73-90-45

I appreciate the help Holice

I've done it all LOL. The instructions in the book, tutorials, you name it. When I changed to a polyester thread I got a decent stitch but the quilt just keeps bunching up. I guess I am going to drive 60 miles and take it to the shop for help. I've been sewing most of my life. You'd think I could do this. I taught myself to sew using books but the books are not helping so I'm thinking something must be off with my machine. Thanks everyone for the help.

Have you read your machine manual? some of the Vikings there is a setting on the machine in the menu for free motion. On my Sapphire I also had to manually adjust my tension.

Dont' get discouraged! Free motion is VERY different from sewing! Its a spatial thing and kind of like playing a musical instrument. You have to match the tempo of the machine with the speed of your hands. maybe speed up your hands a bit. Machine quilting has a higher learning curve..but oh so worth it!~ Did you check out Leah Day?

www.daystyledesigns.com LOTS of great info here for quilting on a DSM. Hang in there!

I took a Free Motion quilting class about a month ago at my Viking dealer, using my Sapphire. I have the springy foot and bought a "Sew Slip" mat to help the quilt glide. After the class I wondered why I had not wanted to do my own quilting (on smaller items). Maybe this would help. Also having a large flat area so the weight of the quilt doesn't get hung up. Good luck.

Linda in Missouri

Dear Annel, first, welcome to the board. The information here is endless and there is always someone who can answer your questions. I don't have a Viking, so I,m no help there, but PLEASE, do not give up. Hang in there and I,m sure you will find the answer to your problem, SOON. Again, Welcome.

After I broke the "jumpy" thing off (not on purpose) it started performing a little better. My machine is shredding the thread. I was using the last of my Zwicky cotton (I know that was the best thread ever made) and switched to Mettler polyster and the machine still shreds the thread so it must be something to do with my machine. There is not a certified Viking technician withing 100 miles of where I live and since the machine was sewing fine but needed a good cleaning I took it to the Pfaff dealership with the understanding that he would ONLY clean it. I only know that he did not put the back on the machine correctly and charged me $20 more than the estimated fee which was $69. But I suspect I paid for my machine to get messed up. In over 20 years, I had two reliable sewing machine technicians who were so honest that I never checked anything when leaving their shop. The first had to retire due to Parkinson's disease and the other finally retired. This was in New Orleans and I now live in a part of North Carolina where services, including medical, are hard to find. I have an Elna 9000 and have found a dealer in VA who is helping me find the right foot for that. It is a workhorse and I am sure I will be learning FMQ on that. I may pack up the Viking and send it to TN or I may retire it. I won't give up on FMQ, I will just change machines. The same tech serviced my White serger and I am afraid to see what it will or won't do now. Thanks for all the responses.

[QUOTE=annel;5932749] I have an Elna 9000 and have found a dealer in VA who is helping me find the right foot for that.
Not sure what part of NC you are in but Bella's Fabric in Carrolton VA is great; it's close to Newport News Va. They are a Viking rep and have a repair tech on site so some of the things can be fixed there without being sent out. I take classes there for my machine and after over 2yrs of going there I still haven't met anyone there that hasn't been friendly and helpful. They know the machines; old and new. Check out their websites.

Welcome to the board. I am also trying to learn the Free Motion quilting. I love Leigh Days website http://www.daystyledesigns.com/ She also sells a generic foot, but she also shows how to modify the foot for every machine. I'd look at the video on how she motifys the FM Foot and see if that would help with you. Also, I purchased the bobbin Washers. They helped a lot. Hope it helps. Crafty http://www.craftsy.com also has a on line free motion class that you may find interesting.

Welcome to the board. You say the material is bunching up. Did you bring both threads to the top.?
Have you sandwiched the pieces together back batting and top, securely ..?
Foot don't buy any more for a while. Put the darning foot on ot do you have a foot with a round open front use that.
Release tension and zero. Now if your machine has a speed control on the mine try this, put the speed up to nearly top speed. Press start button and try. Oh forgot have you practiseda million times to do the shape holding a pencil upright on a paper,simulating the f pattern puts it in your head. Now try. I
It want be perfect few of us have an easy time learning to do FMQ. Look how many topssome have to finish.
Craftsy is good with Leah day.

Have a large glass of wine and breathe.

Tried FMQ this afternoon and I think I did ok. I used the hopping foot on my Viking#1+. Think I will try it on my quilt real soon. I did it with the speed on low, feed dogs down and top tension on 0,now see on here put it at top speed. Will try that before i quilt.

I talked with a Viking dealer at the Original Sewing and Quilting Expo here in Florida. In fact, I copied your original post and had her read it. She looked at one of the FMQ fee she had and noticed that the spring thingy does not come off the new ones. So difficult to judge the foot without seeing it. Does the wire at the top of the spring come off or it welded into the shaft of the foot? It was her opinion that possibly what is happening is that since the spring has been disengaged then the foot no longer jumps up and down as it should but stays in a down position and presses too hard against the quilt prevent it from moving. Let me suggest that you look on the internet for the Viking website and see if they have an address where you can write a question. There should also be a place where you can make an inquiry or a site for their headquarters. It appears that the foot should not break and it might be useful to take the problem directly to headquarters.

On Vikings website at the bottom there is a link to get help; one for hardware and one for software. They've always responded in a short amount of time when I've contacted them. Are you sure the foot you bought is for that machine and not a universal one; those can cause problems.

free motion on the #1+
 

When I do free motion quilting, I use the "R" foot (the foot that we put on to do embroidery). I looked into purchasing the spring foot that is supposed to hop and grab the fabric, but the sales person told me that if I was successful with the R foot, then I should stick with that foot. Here's a couple of hints that I have found have helped me.

I set the speed to the lowest position - this makes sure that my machine doesn't take off and go to fast. It helps to keep my stitches even.

Make sure that you have lowered your feed dogs - I know it sounds obvious, but I've forgotten to do it!

I set my machine at a straight stitch. I haven't ever done anything with my stitch length.

This last time, I did set my sewing adviser for heavy fabrics - I was sewing a quilt top, batting, and flannel.

I set my presser foot just low enough that it almost touches my fabric. I want to be able to move my fabric freely under the presser foot, but I like the presser foot to be able to help keep my quilt from bunching up under the needle. If my presser foot is up too high, I have trouble feeding the quilt evenly.

I wear quilting gloves.......This last time, I couldn't find them, so I used a knit winter glove with non-skid "bumps" on the palm and fingers. This helps me to be able to grip my quilt and move it easily.

If you have an extension table, that is helpful. The only other thing that i can think of is that it is helpful to keep your quilt up on the table top, so that you don't have the pull of the weight of the quilt.

Hope this helps.........once you get it figured out, free motion is a lot of fun!

Check out yahoo, there is a Viking #1 group up there and I'm sure you could get some help there.