Need help with Curve Master foot
 

I never wanted to do all that pinning, but I really wanted to try a Drunkard's path pattern--after I read about it and researched it, I got a Curve Master foot.

So far it seems to be a big waste, but I'm not sure if it's me or the foot. The instructions say the needle, in its centered position, should be to the right of the center of the hole. Mine is to the left, so I manually shifted the needle over. Maybe mine is defective? It's pretty cheaply made, so I was wondering about that.

Someone suggested lowering the presser foot pressure, but that didn't help.

I've tried several different fabrics, two different sizes of templates, tried Best Press to stiffen the fabric, and I'm still having these problems:

At the start, even if I do a couple stitches before lifting the top fabric, the fabrics want to get stuffed down into the slit in the stitch plate. If I do get going, then I have to yank around on the top fabric and that stretches it. It just won't "gently guide" no matter what I try. I know you're supposed to just lift it gently, straight up, at the front edge of the presser foot... But that isn't working.

The demos on the web make it look pretty easy, but so far I'm ready to just send it back. Any suggestions?

Hallie in NM

Try going to You Tube and watching it again. I agree it seems flimsy, but I've gotten use to it some. The little hints about holding the fabric with the tweezers seems to help me. Hope it works out for you.

I saw one of those demonstrated in Puyallup last month and was very tempted since I would love to make a Drunkard's Path quilt - maybe I will put that project on the bucket list for a later date - too many other irons in the fire to start one something that could be that frustrating! The only thing I can say about the demo was it too her so long to get around to how much the darn thing cost, that I left ... she did make it look easy though!

Good luck with your project - I am sure you will figure it out and be happy with the finished project.

I haven't used mine in a long time. I really have forgotten how to use it. I'll dig it out and try it and see if I can help.

I,too, found it to be useless. I had much better luck with my 1/4inch foot with guide. The Drunkard's Path pattern that I used came out perfect with the 1/4 inch with guide foot.If the fabric is getting stuffed down into the feed dog's, try a straight stitch plate for your machine. I found that the straight stitch plate really helps. One thing when sewing on a curve, go slowly. About halfway through the block, stop, leave the needle in the fabric,and move the fabric of the block behind the needle. I might not be explaining this very well, but, sewing curves is not hard to do. Good Luck!

I bought mine at a quilt show where a guy was demonstrating it - it can be used but there is a hugh learning curve - I agree with quilter 2090 and getting a straight stitch plate will help with the grabbing -- but it takes a long time to get a feel for how to hold the fabric so it curves around with a 1/4 inch seam - I gave up - now make my drunkards path by hand with the curve part and use my machine to sew them all together.

Use a streight stitch plate on your machine. Bottom fabric is handled with right hand and top fabric w/left hand, your hands will cross as you sew and move material. It's like patting your head and rubbing your tummy.

I tried this foot years ago and found it worked for me untill it broke. I went over a thick seam and the base of the foot snapped.

I decided then that I love to pin fabric and haven't looked back. I used to pin alot on curves and now just a few to hold fabric in place.

Try pinning. I don't think you will be disappointed after a few practice runs.
peace

Well I looked and can't seem to find the foot. I put it somewhere I'd remember; I'm sure I thought that. :D

I'll try the straight stitch plate, and I'll try my other machine too.

Some people seem to do well with it, so I'd love to figure it out. As I mentioned I hate pinning. LOL

Have you watched the video by Crafty Gemini on Youtube? She does an excellent tutorial on the curve master foot.

Thanks for asking about this foot.....I've never seen it but just watched a video and now I WANT ONE!!!

Thanks, Mitch's Mom; hers is one of the half dozen or more I watched. I was hoping someone out there had a magic tip, since everyone on the videos says the same thing, but my experience is still that it doesn't work! I'll report back once I've tried it with the straight stitch plate, and with my other machine.

Update...I finally contacted Sandy at the curve master web site. She told me not to use the adapter and to try chain piecing or using a starter fabric. And it worked much better.

Now, to choose the fabrics for a Drunkard's Path quilt!!

I bought a Curve Master foot a few months ago and put it aside and haven't used it yet. Now I'm worried. I guess I will quit worrying until I need it for my BOM when we do curve piecing and watch YouTube videos like crazy. I was able to do curve piecing fine by pining it, but after watching the Curve Master foot demo, I had to have it. Now, I may be stuck with a useless foot. Oh well, I should have tried it when I received it. My own fault.

Was problems with curve master foot...now works fine
 

If you do have trouble, contact the Curve Master site. They responded immediately, were very helpful, and it works OK now. I wasn't about to do all that pinning, so it was the CM foot or nothing! LOL

So many people do so well with it I figured it MUST work!! :-)