Pfaff Performance 5 maxi quilting stitches?
 

I want to use the maxi stitches on my machine to quilt a quilt, but can't seem to get a handle on how to keep the curvy shape of the S shaped and other designs like it within the limits of the borders and pieces I want to quilt. Have any of you tried it and if so how do you keep the quilting straight? Hope to hear from you. Thanks.

Had to look up this machine to understand what you are asking. Cool machine! I guess in your situation I would experiment with some strips of fabric. Perhaps draw lines on the fabric to represent your borders. I'm thinking you could add some strips of blue painter's tape to the head of your machine representing where your borders need to stay in relation to your machine. Basically you would not allow a border seam to move past your tape indicator as the machine sews out the design. You could even tape straws to hang down from the machine head, so the straws would be closer to your quilt as you sew. These would be acting essentially as stationary guides, and your hands would be guiding the quilt as it feeds so the borders remain within the parameters you decided on with the practice strips.

There is a new foot out that is made specifically for lining up the decorative stitches. The part number is 821082096 Multi Line Decorative foot. Hope this helps.

I usually draw a line with chalk so I have something to gauge by.

I too have a Performance 5.0 and absolutely love it. I used the curved stitch to quilt waves in a sailboat block. I was only doing about 9 inches at a time so it wasn't very hard to just keep it steady with my hands. For doing a long border, I think you would need to stop and re-position the bulk of the quilt fairly often, because the weight of the quilt itself will want to pull it off line. I likethe idea for painters tape or something similar, to use as a wide guide in the harp of the machine. Much easier to see than chalk or pins I would think.

Mitch's Mom--will have to check out that foot. Thanks!

Thanks to all of you for your replies. I have tried drawing lines and I may stick with that or maybe the tape. The fabric is moved 48mm from one side to the other to give a very wide stitched S curve. The foot stays stationary. 48mm= 1.9 inches so it's easy to lose track of being straight. I'll keep on practicing because it really looks good on a quilt of any size.

I am most able to keep these wide stitches centred if I draw out 2 lines where the outside edges of the design will fall and keep my outer most stitches from travelling over the lines. A third centre line is also helpful the first few times i use a new stitch to have another point to reference. I have never tried them across the width of a quilt though so it might be alot more difficult.

On the older machines with Maxi Stitches, you had to balance some of them. My 2170 still has the balance technique in the manual.

To get the machine to move sideways, Pfaff uses a stepper motor. In the earlier models, the stepper could cause the unbalance, so Pfaff added the instructions to rebalance.

Just in case, look in the manual.

I had the 1475, and like another poster, would use 3 lines to keep the stitches centered, and rebalance if necessary.

The 2170 also had the option of using the Maxis in a hoop. You could use a continuous hoop and do it that way. The embroidery arm would be moving the hoop in that case.

here's a video of the foot in action... pretty nifty https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzL8XZg0vVg

Thanks for the link, QuiltnNan. I wish it had been a larger Maxi stitch demoed. I did look at that foot, can't figure out how it would solve the problem I have with the fabric shifting 48 MM. Weezy Rider, my manual doesn't explain how to control the fabric in these Maxi stitches. I wish it did. Coffeecozy, I think your method is the way it has to work. I don't think I want to fight this over the space of a quilt. I did use these stitches on a baby quilt, but it was almost like wrestling an alligator. I thought surely there must be an easier way. Thanks again for all of your replies.

The settings for balancing have nothing to do with the fabric you are holding and sewing.. What they will change is how much the fabric will move on the machine with the feed dogs. It's like balancing a buttonhole. If one side of the buttonhole is too long, you either shorten or lengthen the other side in the software in the machine. You don't drag or pull the fabric to balance. The same goes for side to side balance.

Looking at the screen for a newer Pfaff - it looks a lot easier than the older models!

Thanks Weezy, I will check this out. I've not heard about this before.

I just bought this machine. I have played with the stitches a little. Because of the side movement I was thinking when I get ready to add these stitches to a project I would add painters tape or something to show me the 'lane' I want the stitch to stay in. You can't really hold the fabric too much because you don't want to be fighting it or stressing the machine/fabric as it is pulling.
I love the idea of just drawing the lines on the fabric with chalk or something. I will try that!

Also just bought the Performance 5.0 and having been playing with stitches. I ordered the Maxi foot when I bought the machine but have not yet received it so haven't played with Maxi stitches yet. According to store where I bought my machine Pfaff take a long time processing orders for accessories so I just keep calling to check.

In my experience with ordering feet from Pfaff, it does take a long time. I could never figure out if the store waits until they have several things to order or if Pfaff is really that slow. I hope our members will continue to comment on this thread. I've been out of the state for 3 months. But I'm looking forward to getting in my sewing room to work with this again. If I learn anything, I'll post again.