Major mistake quilting
 

I have been sewing for thirty years and my husband just bought me a new viking sapphire a few months ago. I was free motion quilting for the first time and hit a safety pin. Tryed to sew with machine after that and it kept breaking needles. Took machine to repair shop and repairman said I bent the shaft on it, the timing is off and he would have to order some parts for it. I was trying to keep my fabric flat as I quilted instead of watching for safety pins. I have five quilts I need to quilt by xmas. Probably won't be done by then now. I really am upset about the whole thing. Has anyone else ever done anything like this?

so sorry about your machine

linda

I hope you get your machine back fast. I haven't had that happen, but can't say it won't. Have also been sewing for over thirty years, And would be lost without my machines. I use an old singer 66-16 for quilting can't beat them.. I'm still learning the free motion stuff doing table runners and table cloths and wall hangings for practice. The larger quilts I take to a LA. Most machines could possibly take hitting a stick pin, but a safety pin is another story. I'm saying a prayer that you will get the machine back in time to get your projects done.

Good Luck

Suzy

I have not, but have broken needles on regular pins. I have a fear of damaging the machine by that very thing

Thanks for the reminder to be diligent watching for pins!
I hope the repair doesn't take too long or cost too much.

How frustrating. I hope you get the machine back quickly.

Haven't hit a pin, but was even dumber, forgot to change out a foot and did zig-zag stitch and hit the foot that shouldn't have been there. So I too bent the shaft on my Viking Emerald....I got it back with-in a few days but the cost was nasty!! Good Luck Linda, hopefully quick and not to expensive fix! ~deb~

wow..are the shafts made of TIn foil???....how can then bend so easily..and on such spendy machines...sorry to hear that....

I quit using pins after I ruined my brand new Bernina walking foot (pricey accessory!) on one. The pin caught on the back of the foot and I didn't see it in time. It straightened out the spring inside the foot so the foot stopped working.

Now I spray baste all my quilts!!! Faster and easier than pin basting, plus I will never ruin another foot on a pin!

<span style="font-family: comic sans ms;"><font size="3"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);">I am so sorry that your machine is hurting.&nbsp; Wish you were closer as I would lend you one of mine since you have a deadline.</span></font></span>

I did not do it but my sister did it to my Mom's machine while she was out of town. I get this frantic call , she tells me she went over to use Mom's machine while she was out of the country and ... did the same thing. She wanted me to tell her how to fix it before Mom got back in about 24 hours. Well .... lets just say , there was no magic fairy dust , to make it "better".

Ouch! :( I'm so sorry you have such an expensive boo-boo to deal with. Hopefully, they'll have it repaired real quick and you can get back to quilting.

I like the fine fabric tagging guns for basting instead of safety pins - they're so flimsy and so tiny that I don't think they would cause even a little bit of trouble for even a delicate mechanism. They're a pain in the neck to remove, but if you do sew over one (which I've done many times! :oops: ) all you have to do is snip the tag along both sides of the stitching and you can remove the tag.

I just sewed the plastic head on a flower pin into a paper-pieced block last night.

I am very grateful that my 1947 Singer could sew through a plank if necessary and not cause herself a trip to the hospital - but boy, I sure hate making a mistake like that.

Wow, what a disappointment. My Babylock is in the shop for between 2-3 weeks. Thankfully ingot a loaner, but boy.. What a time ofnyear to be without a machine.

That made me sick to my stomach just reading your post. I hope it isn't out too long for repairs and that it doesn't cost too much. I've hit a pin and broken a needle on a wrong foot and felt sick at the time. Luckily it didn't mess up the timing or my machine but I can just imagine how you feel right now. Sending you a hug and best wishes for your injured machine.

I used to have only 1 machine. The one I got for my 16th birthday over 40 years ago. It quit sewing and I was in the middle of a project with a deadline. Got a new one and decided at that point I had to have 2 machines. I have more than that now but never just 1 again. Sewing time is just too precious.

Once you use Sharon Schambers method you'll never use pins again. She has several videos on youtube.

Yikes. This is why I prefer to thread baste. It might take a bit longer but I don't have to worry
about pins going under the needle. Plus it's easier on my hands. :)
Same when I'm piecing. I pin a good inch away from the edge so it doesn't hit the needle or the
presser foot. I know some use tacking and that's also good.

Hope your baby is fixed and home soon.

major mistake
 

I hit a pin with my one year old Viking Sapphire last week! Broke the needle but did not damage the machine. I also destroyed a brand new 1/4" foot by not checking the needle position first. Guess I really lucked out when I hit that pin. I have 4 backup machines just in case my Viking ever quits on me.

I hope the warranty covers any damages for you, and since the machine is only a few months old, would they not give you a loaner. I have a Viking Sapphire as well, and although I haven't hit any pins with her, my thread cutting blade is in the bottom of the machine somewhere. Good luck and I hope it is a speedy repair for your machine.

I think that's why some spray baste

So sorry about your machine.

Sorry to hear about your machine- hope you get it back quickly. I am always afraid of hitting the pins and have something terrible happen to my machine. Good Luck!

oh my, while you wait remove those safety pins and thread baste in those areas. and FMQ slower!

Yikes..just the thought makes me want to cry for you.......hate when we do things in haste or just forget absent mindly....but we are not perfect and we learn from our crazy mistakes...so step back and hope that your machine gets fixed quickly so you can return to your sewing.....I have a question couldnt they lend you a machine until yours was being fixed?.......I have two machines and trust me when one gets ill the other does the work so you may want to think about buying a less expensive machine for times like this.....god bless.....Trish
P.S.........dont use pins while your on your sewing machine.....I use fabric glue its not permanent but who cares its safer.

Do you have an old machine to do it on? If not,why not go out and find a cheap old Singer and do your FMQ? Sorry for your bad luck.

I'm so sorry! Hope u get it back soon. U need a back up machine!! I have a few! Look at Susan s on you tube on basting using boards! It's easy to bast and no puckers. No pins! Just have to cut ties! In fact I'm cross hatching a quilt and used a reg foot cause the machine with the walking foot isnt working. It was just fine!! I was surprised!!

Sorry to hear about the accident. I hope that it is fixed quickly and will not cost much. Thank you for posting this, it is something I really had not thought about. Will definetely be more alert and watchful....may even stop using safety pins.

This is the reason I use water soluble spray to baste for FMQ. Also have used a tag gun but prefer the spray. Don't have to wrestle with the pins or worry about running over one with the machine. A lot easier on the hands and faster. Ann in TN

Heartfelt hugs to you! I didn't realize hitting a pin could cause so much damage! I thought a broken needle would be the extent of the damage. I will really be more cautious now - thanks for the warning! Maybe you could get a loner from the repair shop or a friend... good luck!

Do you think that the dealer where you bought the Viking could give you a loaner, so you could finish your quilts by Christmas? If not the dealer then how about the repair man? Just a thought. Good luck with either.

Blessings to you I know the pain of a broken machine.

http://zanesville.craigslist.org/for/2644648594.html I don't know if it is still there but it might be less expensive than a repair to find a deal like this. $200 isn't too much for one of these.

I am sorry that you had a huge, expensive error. But after reading the replies, all of you please accept my thanks for sharing your challenges. Instead of looking at them as mishaps or errors maybe look at them as a 'TERRIFIC TRAINING OPPORTUNITY" I am just starting to learn how to do the free motioning, and have filed these comments under, 'DON'T TRY THESE THINGS AT HOME' Thanks again and I truly appericate all that have shared.

Aww, I'm so sorry you hit the pin and bent the needle shaft. And at the worst possible time. I agree with some others that say you should have a back up machine. I currently have three machines that FMQ. I'm never on a deadline with my projects but if I ever need another machine, I've got it. Good luck getting your projects done for the Christmas deadline.

Oh, I'm so sad for you and your machine. Have you considered buying a simple, used machine to fill in? You might look on craig's list, or eBay. I'll bet you can find one under $100 and after the holidays, you can resell it.

~ Cindy

I feel your frustration. I used to break needles just doing regular sewing until a friend told me to sew very slowly over pins. Sewing slowing gives the needle a chance to adjust for the pin. This is for regular sewing. With FM quilting, I think sewing over pins will never work due to the speed of the moving needle. I ordered special hoops from Creative Feet to FM. Haven't received them yet, but they are suppose to eliminate the need for pinning. Does anyone on this broad have these special hoops? If so, what do you think of them?