Machine eats my fabric
 

I have a Husqvarna Sapphire 870 which I am very happy with except it eats the fabric at the beginning of the seam. I was wondering if I bought a straight stitch needle plate (the one with one small hole) would that help the problem?

That does help but it you start with a leader fabric, and start in the middle of the piece it will take care of it too. Also, avoids any nests underneath with a leader piece.

I use the leaders and enders method. I just know if I put my single hole plate in, I'd forget and zig zag over it or something and throw my machine out of whack.

Change your needle, use a good quality one and it might work better. I have the exact same problem with my machines and it's usually because I have an dull needle. I tend to be a member of the "oh, needles need to be changed? I just sew until they break" club. And I would buy the cheapy needles whenever I'd come across them. I once found a store that had 4 packs of 5 needles for $1.00. Just a few years ago, I found out why they were so cheap. Oh well lessons learned. Leaders and enders are a great way to assist with the problem also.

A straight stitch plate will help, but as an earlier poster said, it's risky if you do any other kind of stitch. Leaders/enders work, starching works also.

I just finished piecing a top that had lots of pointy tips so I used my single hole stitch plate, but normally I also worry that I'll switch to zig zag or some other stitch and forget, then break a needle. Typically I rely on leaders and enders, and I'm always trying to get better about changing the needle.

It is a good idea to use leaders or pigs as we call them. I saw Jennie Rayment starting stitching a straight row and she began about an inch in went backwards to edge then straight . I thought it was a good idea as I forget beginners and Enders.it ma also stop nest if you pull the bottom thread up as in quilting.

Just remembered something I read here. Someone said if they use their straight stitch plate they put a little sticky note on their stitch changer knob (or whatever their machine uses). That way they remember. My luck the sticky note would fall off. Maybe it was masking tape.

Leaders and Enders. I always use one.

All of the above and this too. I keep packing paper close by and tear a bit off to use as a leader. My quarter inch foot has a small opening for the needle that helps stabilize the fabric underneath. Keepsake Quilting packs the boxes with the packing paper. Being frugal, I reuse it whenever possible, have found that it makes great pp foundations, it tears away nicely.

I have a Viking and there is a setting, I think it's called "straight stitch safety switch", that you set when you put on the straight stitch plate. I put a sticky note on the plastic bag I keep the plate in. Anyway, you choose this setting when you switch the plate and it beeps at you if you select a zigzag stitch. Just have to remember to set it

Use a leader. Bonnie Hunter has a whole book showing you how to make a whole quilt using these "scraps".

I tend to just use the same piece of fabric over and over til I throw it away.

It's all been said:
Leaders and enders,
Good sharp needle,
Single hole throat plate and then somehow put a reminder on your machine if you feel you need it. I only change stitches when there isn't any material under the presser foot. The is one of my best practices.

I love my single hole (straight-stitch) plate and also use leaders and enders.

We all have small piece of fabric we throw away, perfect for "leaders and enders."

My new Janome has quick change plates. It also has a sensor that won't allow the machine to stitch anything that isn't cohesive to the plate thats on it. Very cool.

Using a leader I think is the easiest way to eliminate the nesting and eating of fabric.

I have a pad of paper beside my machine to use when I piece half square triangles, if I did not use the paper underneath it would feed down into the machine. It rips off easily when I am done. If I am putting together two strips of fabric do not have a problem and no need for the paper.

Sewed for years without a straight stitch plate....could not understand why anybody would want one....started quilting and was encouraged that it would help my piecing so I got one for a 30 year old machine. Love Love Love using it for piecing and yes leaders and enders will solve that problem in combination with a straight stitch plate.

I had the same thing happen when I first purchased my pfaff and I bought a straight stitch needle plate which did help. Quiltingcandy is right that a leader fabric will help too - especially when you are sewing very small pieces.

I have no problem remembering to change the stitch plate from the small hole to the other for decorative stitches because the quarter inch foot won't allow me to change the stitch width anyway or the needle will break. Having a sharp needle is essential. I have switched to titanium needles and really like them-they stay sharp a long time. I try to never stitch over a pin as that really ruins needles. I like the idea of using a piece of paper to start pieces that have sharp angles-see you learn something new on this board most every day!

In my HS home ec class eons ago we were taught to always hold on to both threads when starting a seam. When I remember to do so, it really helps!

Same thing I was taught. I always hold on to both threads before stitching so the thread doesn't get sucked down into the hole. Seldom have a problem no matter what plate I use.

Yup, I was taught to 'hold my tails'. It's a habit now.

Why didn't I think of this? While watching a video on working with silky fabrics I discovered this tip. Place a piece of the frosty looking tape over the needle opening slot. Haven't tried it yet but the video showed it being used in the video.

Gale I have a bright pink clip that I put on the extra thread holder on my machine when I have the single hole plate in and believe me it has helped a lot. I take it off when I remove the plate and attach it to the plate when not in use. Never lose it that way.

Cut out a second quilt which can be a simple 4 patch and use that as a leader and an ender. Never stop sewing with nothing under the needle. I started making two quilts at a time years ago and it is so nice. Read Bonnie Hunter on the Internet about leaders and enders.

I have the same machine as you and spent the extra $$ on the straight stitch needle plate, it really doesn't make a lot of difference. Because this machine "allows" you to just start stitching without holding the thread, or putting down the pressure foot, etc. it doesn't always work the best. One problem I find with doing it this way is sometimes the first few stitches in the seam (if chain stitching) don't always hold.
And I do put a sticky note on my machine when I put the single hole plate on..... but I still manage to forget it's there & break a needle or two. I try to remove the plate & put the regular one on every time I'm finished sewing for the day.

I find that if I put the needle into the fabric (before lowering the foot) it doesn't bunch up the fabric or eat it. Put the needle down, lower foot and then sew.

Hold the threads as you start and that helps keep it from being eaten

One more tip: check the "hole" your needle goes through to make sure there are no rough edges on it. I had to sand with an emery strip to remove a rough place on one plate. Good luck.

The single hole needle plate helps but also, make sure you have a new needle in and start with a leader piece of fabric.

A straight stitch plate is the best accessory I bought for my machine - I would hate to sew without it. It will ABSOLUTELY help! I tried that little 'leader' and ' ender' thing, but that's too annoying for me. The single needle plate was the fix for me. The only thing, I have had to put a label on it that I can easily see, so I can remember to change the plate when I'm doing a wide stitch - zig zag or whatever. I've broken several needles forgetting the single needle plate was one!

Machine eats my fabric
 

If you hold on to the bobbin and top thread when you start to stitch that will also solve the problem.

I have a straight stitch plate with the single hole. I always worried about forgetting it was on and switching to a zig zag stitch. I took some bright pink nail polish and put about a half inch line of it down each side of it. Works pretty well to remind me.

http://quiltville.blogspot.co.uk/200...-and-hows.html this will explain and solve your problem.

I agree with Charity Crafter; change your needle and use starters and enders I have a Sapphire 870 also, and it is the machine of my dreams. She is a little particular about leaders and enders. Have fun

I would suggest, as others have below, that a single hole plate might help, although whenever I've done that, I will forget and decide to use a zig-zag stitch and then break the needle. The best way is to use leaders and enders so that you sew off the leader onto the fabric, and end the same way, as that solves that problem.

charity-crafter, I love you. I say that because I am the exact same way. I was having trouble with some quilting and my sister said to change my needle. I thought, oh yeah, I haven't broken one for a while now. :-)

Thank you so much for all your helpful suggestions! Holding the threads to start does help as does using leader fabric. Also, purplefiend, thanks for the tip on how to prevent the machine from zigzagging. I will really have to have a better look at my user's manual!! By the way, what is the difference between the Sapphire 870 and the 875?