I made a very simple quilt. I just sewed 8" squares together. I was going to quilt around each square. Well, no matter what I did the back would wrinkle when I tried to quilt it. I finally gave up and tied it at each corner. I pinned it. I used lots and lots of pins too. Not sure what I did wrong. I was very disappointed. I've read all the help already given on here about putting the quilt together. I don't know what I did wrong unless its my sewing machine. I use an old singer.
Any suggestions would be great.
Thank you
Judy in Ohio

Judy, were you using a walking foot? It really helps keep the layers from shifting (even when they're pinned, they will shift with your regular presser foot). If you don't have a walking foot, next time loosen the pressure on your foot some and try not to push the quilt through the machine, just let it go through easily at a slower speed and that should help. Good luck and keep practicing. It will come eventually.

Yes, I have a walking foot but, like I said, I use an old singer. I love the machine. But, who knows if the walking foot is even the right one for this machine. LOL Can you tell that I am a "self-taught quilter"??? LOL
I will keep practicing but you can only tear thread out so many times in the same place. lol

Judy in Ohio

Have you tried the quilt basting spray? I really love this stuff. Works best with a cotton batting.

I haven't tried that yet. I have wanted to but just try to spend as little money on this hobby as possible. I need to take some classes I think. I took a class at JoAnn Fabrics and it was awful. I taught myself and you have all taught me more than she did in all the classes I went to.
Judy

Another thought, was it a large quilt? I've had trouble with wrinkles on very large quilts when it was hard to roll them to fit into my machine even though I'd pinned the heck out of them. I don't have an anwer for that. I finally bought a Grace frame to use when I want to quilt double/queen size.

When I sandwich my quilts together, I tape the backing to the floor (not carpeting) and pull it taught. Then I spray my batting and smooth it out and tape it. I spray the batting on the top side and smooth out my top and tape that too. Then I pin.

This may be the hard way, but it works!

Great advice! Tape that backing to something solid. I adore spray basting. Kind of messy, but spray it outside. And a few pins help too. Once your sandwich is secure, the walking foot shoud ease right through it. I've been starting in the center and branching out to the edges. And I alternate directions with each pass. I think it all takes practice. Try it again, you'll get it.

I use a walking foot. I do not do fancy machine quilting like feathers, hearts, waves or whatnot. Mine is simple in the ditch and maybe, just maybe an echo or two..
I have found that if I start in the center with a seam across, then go the opposite direction ( kinda like North to South, then East to west) If i take the time to re-pin the quilt...I get excellent results.
I only pin the area I am sewing on, then re-pin...smooth, then baste (re-pin)
works for me... and if I am doing a large quilt, well, I cut it all down into managable squares...starting from the middle..
Hope this helps
K

The first time i tried quilting by machine, it would all pucker and gather a bit. So what i did was i switched from a regular stitch length to a basting stitch length, and it makes the stitches look a bit more like hand sewing too, and that seemed to work better. The other thing i do now is this. When im quilting i put both hands down on the quilt, with my figers spread eagle lol, and my hands on either side of the pressure foot. I let the quilt move at it's own pace, but i put pressure on the fabric, like how an embroidery hoop will help stretch and hold the fabric taught, and this works really good for me.

I use a hoop.

Don't blame the 'old' Singer - that's ALL I use...
I've been using 301's but just a few weeks ago got myself a 15-90 in a cabinet and boy do I LOOOOOOOoooooooooove this machine....
I so wish I had had one for lo these many years!

I also found an old singer walking foot and it works GREAT on this old machine.... in fact I've already finished one quilt 'in the ditch' just since Monday!

also I've tried stippling/meandering and it works great with just a darning spring but even better with an embroidery foot... I've never had any luck with stippling and no foot no matter which machine

do you have the foot pressure set to hard?.... you might loosen that some...
did you wear the rubberized gloves from wallyworld to help manipulate the quilt? trying to shove/pull/yank a quilt through is misery without the gloves..

My 'new' machines are just sitting around gathering dust (lots of it) while I have a love affair with all my old machines..
the 301's are from 1951
the 15-90 is a 1948
my featherweight is a 1956
the treadle from 1920

I love my old singers too. I have I think 8 of them. I buy them cheap at sales and bring them back to life. I just bought one last week. All of the advice on here has been great. I think my tension might be too tight. And I know I need to slow down and be more patient. Im always in a hurry. Everybody tells me I try to sew too fast. I have a 15-90 in a cabinet, 301, and several others. I don't have a featherweight yet. Someday I will have one of them.
Thank you everbody for all of your advice. I think taping the back down is a great idea too. Does that make it hard to pin it? Well, I guess if I try the spray I wouldn't have to worry so much about pinning. See, your ideas have given me so much hope. lol
Thank you everybody.
Judy In Ohio

I had tried all the tips and techiniques too until I found the basting spray. I swear by it! No gunky needle and the best thing is that it works! No more pins! It stays together until I get the whole thing done, no matter how much twisting and turning that has to be done to get the thing quilted. I reallt wonder how I ever did without it.

I agree about the basting spary, you can get it at WalMart for about 7 dollars (I think) and I usually get at least 3 queen quilts out of, very well worth the money

How do you plug in your old machines. I have one from 53' and it has round plugs instead of normal flat plugs for the wall outlet

I have no clue what you mean about "round plugs"
Is that the part that plugs into the MACHINE?

Some of the machines are 'hard-wired' meaning the wiring is directly wired to the motor
Some of the machines have 'plugs' that fit somewhere on the machine and a wall plug that goes into a wall socket
A round wall plug with flat blades is ok

other than that I have no idea what you mean

I am sorry, the plugs that go into the wall. The ones that plug into the electrical outlet, they are round.

One more thing to try - you can lessen the pressure on your presser foot too, as well as using a longer stitch length. I haven't had much luck with my walking foot, but lighter pressure worked. :)

Could you post a picture of the plug for us?

I have never tried the basting spray but I use 100's of the small curved quilting pins. They are great! You need to plan ahead on how you are going to quilt it before pinning. Most of my students do great just using the pins. I literally use 300-700 pins on most quilts if I'm using a regular sewing machine. Using a quilting machine you don't need pins or spray as the layers are fed through different rollers. Also the loosening of your presser foot is a MUST especially if you are using a thick batting. Don't give up, quilting is fun, relaxing and addicting. Bernadette

Ok, here are the pictures of the sewing machine i am talking about...

Are you sure thats not the end that plugs into the sewing machine??? My husband says that if its a 110 motor you can take the plug off and replace it with the other plug. Is the other end of the cord attached to the machine?
Judy in Ohio

I use basting spray when I sandwich a quilt. Once I have it sandwiched, I sew a stitch in the ditch along my borders to anchor the quilt, then I move to the center and start quilting outwards. :)

what's on the other end of that cord?

It sounds like I definatelly need to try to basting spray.
Judy in Ohio

Here ya go, there is nothing poking out the other end of the cord. The end with nothing poking out has to plug into the machine, otherwise this machine runs on magic!

well, I see the wall plug wound up in the cord..
the 'plug' to the left is what goes into the end of the machine...

I'm wondering if that round plug thing goes to the light?

plug the machine part into the machine
wrap up that round doodad with black electrical tape (so you don't get zapped), plug the wall plug into the wall and see if the thing runs!

mine has two wires coming from the machine plug - one to the foot pedal and one to the wall plug..

otherwise join the 'vintagesinger' or singer group at yahoo groups and ask some of the old singer repairmen who run the two groups what they think instead of just letting the machine sit

or buy a new cord/foot pedal set - my sister did a few months ago
also info found at those forums for that

the 301 is a WONDERFUL quilt machine...
don't let it sit idle

*sigh* I knew that when I posted that picture, somone would say that. The "plugs" wrapped up in the cord is just the ties showing through wierd. Oh and don't worry about it sitting idle, my mom has big plans for it!