Newbie problem
 

Hi, I'm a newbie here and to quilting, but already need help. I have a Baby Lock Quest Plus which my DH gave me a few years ago for my BD---sweet man! I have sewn for 40+ years but never tried quilting before this year so am a total newbie at this. My problem is that when I start a 1/4" seam, my machine is feeding the fabric down into the needle hole on the plate, I am using the 1/4" quilting foot and the machine's PDQ system which should help with even feeding of the fabric. Any ideas on how to prevent this would be great and so appreciated. I don't want to get frustrated before I really get started, I'm sure there will be many better reasons to get frustrated down the road with this new undertaking! Thank you in advance for any help anyone can give me.

Yes, I had this too. I read somewhere to take a small scrape of fabric and start sewing in the middle of the fabric and then keep on piecing your quilting fabric. It works everytime. I have a nice little basket on my desk and when I trim my blocks, whatever, I take those small pieces of fabric and put them in the basket for my start fabric. I know that Bonnie Hunter uses hers for making quilts, called Leaders and Enders. Look for her on the Internet on her blog.

Thank you for the help, like most people, I should have no problem finding small pieces of fabric in my sewing room! I'll give it a try this afternoon. I'll check the Bonnie Hunter blog too, I'm always looking for quilting info/pictures/tutorials, especially tutorials!

You are totally right. The leader scrap or fabric will pull back the fabric as you sew and prevent your machine from getting hungry and eating your fabric!

Sorry, I have never had this problem.

Also, check out Bonnie Hunter's website regarding leaders and enders. She sews two blocks together instead of using a scrap of fabric.

mltquilt

I'll chime in here too. This is the best and an easy fix to the problem.

Leader fabric should work...and welcome to the board and the wonderful world of quilting from Michigan

Welcome from SC Texas. So happy you joined us, as you have found out with the good help you got here there is always someone ready to help.

I think your problem has been solved so I just want to welcome you to the Board.

Try holding both the threads in your left hand as you take the first few stitches.

I want to welcome you too from Dallas Tx.

How long has it been since you changed your needle? And what needle do you have in the machine? When needles get dull they don't go thru the fabric as well and will push it instead of going thru it.

Try holding the threads (don't pull on them) back as the fabric starts to feed through.

If you can find a straight stitch plate for your machine they are wonderful!! Instead of a zig-zag type slot it has a single little hole and also my machine has a straight stitch 1/4" foot that has just a narrow slot with a hole. These accessories are the "bomb" for doing small pieces, etc. (And I still use my "heads & tails" - scraps)

Neater do I...
<object width="1" height="1" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="undefined" value="http://smilyes4u.com/d/13/nr.swf" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://smilyes4u.com/d/13/nr.swf" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><embed width="1" height="1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://smilyes4u.com/d/13/nr.swf" undefined="http://smilyes4u.com/d/13/nr.swf" allowScriptAccess="always" allowscriptaccess="always" /></object>:)

I agree with Kitsie, that's what I was going to suggest. Check your needle plate to see how big the hole is. The needle plate is the metal piece between your needle and the bobbin, the needle will dip down into the hole as your machine sews. It sounds as if the needle is dragging your fabric down with it. Holding thread tails, using leaders & enders will work, but I found using a needle plate with a small round hole instead of a wide oval hole was the simplest fix. Also, make sure you're using a sharp needle such as a topstitch needle and not a ball point (which is for knits).

Hope these tips work for you! Good luck!

I can see that you got the same hint I would have given - so this is just to welcome you to the board and the addiction of quilting! Don't forget to share a picture when you're done so we can all ooh and ahh over the quilt!!!

And unless you're chain piecing sew onto another scrap piece of fabric (your ender) at the end of that block so you'll be ready for the next series of blocks.:)

Even people who have been sewing for decades can learn new things. I recently started using leaders and enders to start and stop my stitching and love them. They keep the stitches from coming undone at the end of the seam and save a whole lot of thread.

Amazing that I did not know this already.

I agree about the leaders and enders but I also found that if I use a single hole metal plate instead of the regular one on the machine it helps stop this problem. This is the plate that is on your machine that covers the area ariund the feed dogs and where the needle goes down into the bobbin.

I use a piece of paper for a lead on seams----and tuck maybe a stitch or two of the envelope under the fabric. The paper tears away easily when completed.

While you're stitching, "assembly line" as many sets of pieces as you can to say the paper aggravation.

Leaders, or if you have one a straight stitch plate that came with your machine

GrannieAnnie, that's a great idea using paper! I never thought of that!

Most quilters use a 75/11 or an 80/12 Universal needle for piecing cotton quilting fabrics. Change it often, at least with every project. All your other answers are wonderful, too.

Jan in VA

I don't use universal needles. Universal needles just aren't that great. I use quilting needles for piecing because they're designed to go thru multiple layers and topstitch needles for quilting because they cut down on thread fraying.

I use bonnie hunters method. I attended her class once. She is a great teacher. Welcome and her is a link to her site: www.quiltville.com

Do you have a straight stitch plate? It would help keep the fabric from bunching.

[QUOTE... I read somewhere to take a small scrape of fabric and start sewing in the middle of the fabric and then keep on piecing your quilting fabric. It works everytime....[/QUOTE]

I use scrap paper... notebook, copy... whatever. It works very well and the paper rips off very easily when you're done. :)

Let me try this once again, I don't think my first quick reply posted - a trick I was taught at a quilt class I attended was to gently pull both your threads, bobbin and spool threads, out behind your foot when you first start. You won't get the feeding into the hole this way, I found it works every time.

Retired Fire Chief,
That's what I do, too, hold onto the threads. I even take a stitch before going through the fabric, that way the thread locks around the edge of the fabric and doesn't unravel. I let go of the threads after I make a couple of stitches through the fabric.

I had this problem with my Pfaff CV and after I bought a single hole stitch plate the machine quit "eating" my fabric.
KarenSue

Thank you, everyone, for all the warm welcomes and advice----I plan to try all this afternoon. I know I have a single hole needle plate and will dig it out first. Now I see why so many quilters belong to guilds and groups, unfortunately CT does not seem to have any near me so I was thrilled to find this site. As far as posting a picture of my first quilting attempt, let's see how it turns out! All your pictures are so beautiful, I'm a little intimidated! Again, thank you and I'll let you know how it goes.

I am so glad that you have a single hole plate. Your using it should really help. Just be sure to change it when you do zigzag stitching. I do like using the scraps of fabric at the beginning and ending of stitching. I feel my stitches are more secure. Isn't this quilting board wonderful! I have learned so much here. Welcome!

Hi, just wanted to add my very warm welcome to you from Northern California. Happy quilting. BrendaK.

I use scraps of thin paper (scraps from thin foundation pattern left over from paper piecing) this way (unlike when using leaders and enders) I don't need to really be careful about where I place the leader, I just throw it down, put my work on topo of it, sew through it and tear it off, reusing some of those torn off bits, works like a charm.

I use both leaders and enders on my Brother...

Anita in Northfield, MN

Welcome and I'm so happy that your problem has been solved. I've found that just about any question can be answered by the super ladies and gentlemen on this board. This was a lesson for me, what a great idea. And they say you can't teach an old dog new tricks.

I have great results by using a single hole throat plate. Have to be careful though that you don't forget about it and start to do any stitch other than a straight.
Robin in TX

Sounds like good suggestions, welcome to the board!