My Brother and Singer.

I love my Janome Quilters Companion for piecing and my Innova 18" for quilting. I'm clueless on how anyone can quilt on a DMS...anyone who does is amazing! Makes my shoulders hurt just thinking about it!

I haven't had too much trouble getting a accurate quarter-inch seam...do you have the patchwork foot with the guide (foot #57) and the straight-stitch needle plate? They make a world of difference!

Just wait until hubby needs some jeans or a shirt patched or a ripped seam sewn and then your machine will be a must have! Hope he changes his mind soon. Maybe you can go to Craigslist and find something that will work for you.

I love piecing with my featherweights and a Bernina for embroidery or fancy stitches.

With a 9mm throat plate what you want to do is purchase a single-hole throat plate (aka straight stitch throat plate), and switch them out for piecing. This is really important both for accuracy in seam allowances and to prevent fabric (especially points and corners) from getting caught down in the feed dogs. I also recommend either the #37 or #57 foot. They are the same but the 57 has a blade edge which allows you to butt the fabric to it and get a perfect 1/4" seam. The other thing I'd recommend is moving the needle 1 tick to the right or left to get an accurate seam. I find using a thinner thread like Superior's Bottom Line quite helpful, too, as it lessens bulk in the seam.

I recently took a 2-day class with Harriet Hargrave, the queen mother of accurate piecing. She gave some interesting advice: The goal is not necessarily to have perfect 1/4" seam allowances; after all, no one will ever see them but you! What IS important is getting your BLOCK to the correct size. In other words, you could have perfect 1/4" seams, but use a too-heavy thread, resulting in slightly too-small blocks. So aim for the perfect block, not necessrily the perfect seam allowance. This changed my way of thinking about accuracy in piecing. Harriet also stresses that you MUST starch, press and square-up after every seam, not just at the end of each block. This helps greatly, too.

Thank you, thank you.

I own a Viking Designer I, however, for embroidery I have a problem with nesting from my bobbin. I keep reseating the bobbin, but while I am in the middle of a project, it keeps happening. I can even hear the sound that lets me know that my thread is going to nest. Have cleaned the bobbin area. Any other suggestions?

There is a little thin disc spring that you can put in the bobbin case before putting the bobbin in the case that prevents that on my Inova. I don't know if they are made for other machines.

GOOD NEWS EVERYONE!!! I posted this in a new topic but thought I should post here also. My husband finally gave me the rest of the money I needed for a new machine. I am getting the Janome Magnolia 7330 today. I am so excited! Thanks to all of you for your support. I loved reading all your suggestions!!! I was really depressed not being able to sew!

Butterflyquilter, congratulations on your new machine! You deserve it. Have fun making all sorts of new things. Guess you can go back to cooking again for your husband!

YEEA!!! How did you convince him?

I didn't talk to him much this week and he could see I was really depressed when I can't sew. He sees no purpose in making quilts but I am depressed if I can't sew.

Woo Hoo, you go girl!

When I first started handpiecing quilt suares, my DH wasn't impressed either. He said he didn't see any sence in cutting fabric into little pieces and sewing them back together. But over the years he has come to like them. Then when I decided I wanted a longarm he started getting more interested. Now he is wanting to actually sew his own quilt top and quilt it.

great news!! I still can't see how anyone thinks there's no purpose in making quilts (winter, anyone??) but at least he came around. Good for you!!

GOOD FOR YOU , YOU GO GIRL.

Great news!!! He does have a soft spot in his heart after all and didn't want you to feel so bad. Have fun with the new sewing machine.

Enjoy your new sewing machine, maybe hubby was embarrassed by our comments, women power worked again, if all else fails cry a lot.

What are you using for bobbin thread? I had this problem, and when I asked the Pfaff service guru he questioned my thread. I had rayon in it, and he said that was likely the problem. Wound my bobbin with Superior Thread's Bottom Line and that fixed it!

Hi, I use my Viking #1 for all piecing. My serger for pillowcases and pj's. My Brother for class, and my Juki for handy, quilter, to quilt the master piece.

Ouch! I am so sorry. I hope you can find something else or borrow a machine even if it is a plastic Singer from 1970. How about english paper piecing? Is there maybe something you can trade on Craigslist to get a "new" machine.

OK Good I saw your new post. Congrats girl!

I wish my dh would use the longarm and or any machine to quilt. He has such an artist mind.I trully think he would so enjoy it.

OMG! I feel so sorry for you. Telling you to rake leaves for extra money is terrible! If I had an extra machine I would send it to you. As someone else said earlier, "no offense to you", but this guy sounds like a controlling, uncaring individual. You mentioned earlier that you do church work, I believe. Tell the One upstairs about your problem. Miracles still happen.

Wow, I thought I was the only one that still has the Pfaff 1471! Love the built in walking foot. Most of the piecing is done on the Pfaff. I also have a Bernina 180e.

Great! Congratulations; I just read this after my earlier post. I am so happy for you! Happy Quilting!

Check out local thrift shops or put an ad in quilt store or local paper asking if anyone has a machine they are willing to part with. You may not get your dream machine, but you could get an old machine that is still in good working order for a minimal amount of money. Lots of people have old machines in their closets that they are more than happy to get rid of. Check out garage sales also. As long as it sews a straight seam you are all set.

I will have to check with our local Viking store to see if there is one that would fit my machine. I purchased the machine two years ago and have used it very little. I get so frustrated when my projects don't turn out the way I think that they should. I appreciate your help.

Just checked my thread. Some of my Sulky is rayon, and some viscose. My Gutterman is polyester. I will experiment to see which type is nesting most often.

I have been using a several year old Kenmore for piecing (not worth a hoot for FMQ!) but just got the HV Designer Ruby and I LOVE her! We left for a 2 week vacation just 3 short days after I got her and I am dying to get home! We are actually coming home a few days early, so I will finish the top I am working on and begin quilting it. I played with FMQ before I left and Ruby is dreamy! :-)

I have a brother sewing/embroidery, maybe I could help w/ the manual...pm me if interested.

believe it or not I have my dream machine two of them FW just love them and I also have the FW tables they fit in they are also wonderful.

I piece on a Brother ULT 2001 and quilt on a HQ16.

I use a Pfaff 7130 for piecing, and an HQ for quilting~

OMG - no way! Someone will loan you a machine. If you are in my neck of the woods - I will even deliver it to you!

I love my Janome 1100 for piecing. Have just bought the Janome Horizon for quilting but haven't used it yet.

Janome gives you more bang for your buck.

my Janome 6600, perfect piecing, wonderful for fmq. Has never given me any problems

What features does the Janome 6600 have? Embroidery, Quilting?

FW?