Machine pulls fabric into feed dogs, help
 

I have a Pfaff 2056 and am piecing a quilt and the machine keeps pulling the fabric into the feed dogs, mostly when I start. I use a starter strip but it still happens. What am I doing wrong? I changed needles and cleaned the bobbin case for lint but it is still doing this. Its only 2 layers of fabric and light weight.:(

You need a single needle hole plate for straight stitch. My Janome almost drove me insane until I got one.

Here's a link

http://www.pfaff.com/kr/3482_3427.html

Thanks a lot

is it a 9mm machine, they might be right on the stitch plate. This tends to happen more with 9mm machines

This may not help, but I sometimes have that problem also, and I just recently found that if I started sewing with the needle in the down position, it happened less often. You might give it a try. I have a Pfaff 2. When I am sewing light weight fabrics it happens more often. I use a starter too.

Dina

You can also use a piece of paper as a starter. Start with your fabric slightly on the paper. You'll have to tear it off when you're done, but this always works for me.

Start the stitch further down the seam then backstitch. This works for me and it's best to backstitch at the start and end of a seam anyway.

I use leaders and enders. I've never used my single hole plate. I just know if I do, I'll forget and try to zig zag with it and break my machine. Leaders and enders has solves the fabric-sucking problem for me.
http://quiltville.com/leadersenders.shtml


eta: never mind-I see you already tried this or something like it.

I had this problem sometime until I get into the habit of catching hold of the two threads and sometimes give a gentle pull. Not fool proof but it does help and a cheap solution.

With my BL quilters choice, I have found that the holding the threads work, but I put a piece of paper to start on and this helps, after I rip it off. It is frustrating for sure. I was told by someone that the timing is off when it does that.

[QUOTE=DOTTYMO;6329472]I had this problem sometime until I get into the habit of catching hold of the two threads and sometimes give a gentle pull. Not fool proof but it does help and a cheap solution.[/QU

I agree with the "buy a single hole stitch plate" recommendation. I bought one for my Bernina and it solved the problem so it was worth the expense. Be forewarned, however, that you have to remember it's on the machine when you start to sew something else and decide to use the zigzag or other fancy stitch. I have broken a needle or two cause I forgot to change back to the zigzag stitch plate.

I put a post-it note over the button that changes the stitch patterns when I have the single hole stitch plate on to remind me NOT to zigzag! Or you could use a piece of painters tape for a temporary reminder. (My husband calls this a "memory aid" and I need all I can get! Lol!)