Managing Large Amount of Fabric
 

I am sewing drapes, but am hoping quilters can give me some tips on how they manage large sheets of thick fabric. I keep bending needles trying to haul all the fabric through the machine. It starts with the needle making that quiet popping noise when it pierces the fabric, then thread snags, then I get bird's nests on the back of the fabric. I've already bent three needles and I am only halfway through the project!

you need to make sure you have enough space behind the machine and to the left.
if your fabric has nowhere to go once it's passed under the needle you will have bunching and dragging.
all that extra weight and resistance is bad for the needles and for the whole machine.

When I hear that popping noise, I know to change my needle. It's not sharp. It only takes one time of hitting face plate, which is probably what is happening. The heavy fabric can "pull" the needle past the needle hole, causing the needle to hit metal. Then it is ruined and the popping sound starts. Maybe try a 90 or 100 size needle to sew and slow down your stitching. The needle has a lot of work to do. This is what I learned when making a blue jean quilt.

Keep the weight of the fabric supported as much as possible, especially the fabric that is feeding under the needle. Don't let it dangle to the floor. Don't expect the feed dogs to pull up the entire weight of the fabric as you sew. They can't.

Are you using your 404 in the table? Did you get the hinges? I think you want support at the back and side of the machine at the same height as the bed of the machine. As mentioned at https://lorikennedyquilts.com/how-to...hine-quilting/ some have used boxes and other or placed against a wall so gravity doesn't pull the fabric.

ETA: There is a vintage table for the 400 series SM as seen at https://www.quiltingboard.com/vintag...t-t290527.html and https://www.quiltingboard.com/3297832-post23.html

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
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I was going to suggest a larger needle as well. Upholstery/drapery fabrics vary greatly in weight. A larger needle will definitely help. But as Patrice mentioned also, you need to have support for the fabric behind the machine as well. I would also suggest putting the fabric yet to be stitched in your lap for additional support and less drag.

The table I am using doesn't have that back support, which would be great. Maybe I'll move it next to the dining room table to support the back. Thank you!

I have my machine in a cabinet with a back support but I also will pull out my drawer to the left of my chair and cover it with the wood insert so I have another flat surface to the left to support the fabric and I have also used my ironing board as an additional surface to support the fabric. When I was making pleated drapes with pleating tape...yikes...many layers to stitch through...I did use a larger needle, my walking foot, and all the flat surface I could make. I also tried several of my machines....don't have a lot of vintage ones...but the only machine I had that could handle the job was my old Viking D1...computerized yep....but also a workhorse for utility work....I am gong to miss it greatly if the computer boards in it ever go down as there are no replacement parts for those.

I find folding the fabric in half then to quarters and using bicycle clips helps me the most with very heavy fabrics. By having enough table space to the left the fabric moves much easier. Ether a quilt or drapes having that extra table space works well with the bicycle clips.

In other news, are those two hinge pins really supposed to be the only things holding the machine up when it is stored away? I was fixing the underside of the table while looking at a 25 pound sewing machine suspended over my face.

When I'm at the end of making my quilt and am adding borders I'll fold the length back and forth and lay it on my lap so as I run it thru the needle the weight is in my lap. Or if you have any pool noodles roll the length on that and lay it on your lap if possible. I have an extra sewing machine I use, placed at one end of my cutting table (4x8) and run the quilt thru this machine to add the borders and/or binding. This way most all the weight is laying on the table and not hanging down over the table. Sure beats breaking needles.

Are you pressing hems, folded in place, too? That helps eliminate any pulling on the fabric you may be doing to get it in place.

Hems are all neatly pressed and hemmed--it's all in the fussy steps innit? I have tried neatly folding the panel with mind to how it feeds through the machine, and so far it's going OK. I better run out to Wally World to get more medium-duty needles just in case! Thank you for the tips, gang!

I would get heavy duty needles. Medium duty would be too light, I think.

Good luck with your drape making.

Heavy duty needles are probably a good idea. Four needles gave their lives for these curtains. Their sacrifice was not in vain.

I put a hook in the ceiling to hang long dresses while I sew the hems, so they don't hang to the floor.
Perhaps you could do the same using a length of dowel (the metal type with a hole ) and feel wire through to hang the curtains, like an oversized coathanger.
Another thought is similar to a frame some quilters have constructed with poly pipes (forgot what they're made of).

If you can tighten the presser foot tension, it will help feed the fabric more evenly. On an old Singer, it's the round metal knob on the top, left.

Also, Singer needles are smaller at the top, and can work loose. Use a Schmetz or Organ needle.

As you've found, there are tricks and techniques for dealing with large pieces of fabric. Grats to you for working through it and learning what worked for you, you'll be able to share that with the next person :)

I don't think accordion folding the piece so you can keep it on your lap while supporting the unsewn weight was mentioned. Likewise, I've spent many hot months (it always seems like I have a quilt that requires me to finish it in the summer) with fabric slung over my shoulder...