Skipping stitches
 

Please help me! My machine is skipping stitches. I'm free motion quilting, using monofilament thread in the top and Mettler in the bobbin. When I put my practice piece in the machine, it works perfectly, but when I put my project back in, within a minute or two it's skipping stitches again. I've cleaned it, the needle is new (as of two days ago), I've unthreaded and rethreaded it, removed and then replaced the bobbin.... Still, skipped stitches. What an I doing wrong? Or what an I missing?

I don't get skipped stitches very often, but when I do, going up a needle size always fixes it.

Awesome! I'll give that a try tomorrow night! Thanks!

I agree with Peckish try a different needle. If that doesn't work try a complete clean and rethreading top and bottom.
good luck.

Might even just be a bum needle. Not sure how many hours you've been quilting or what kind of batting or fabric you're using, but all that makes a difference. When I use thick cotton batting (W&P) and batik fabric, I find I have to change my needle every 6 hours of sewing. With a thinner cotton batt & standard cotton, a needle might last me 8-9 hours.

sometimes batiks can be a nightmare to quilt, do you have any in your top?

since your practice [small] piece works, but the quilt sandwich [large] does not, maybe it is the weight of the quilt that's the problem. make sure the quilt is well-supported on all sides? let us know what worked for you.

I got skipped stitches when using polyester invisible thread to FMQ on my Juki TL2010Q. I changed to nylon invisible thread, and no more skipped stitches. I think polyester invisible is considered as superior to the nylon invisible, but my machine definitely does not like the polyester!

I've tried rethreading, and the machine is clean. I'm pretty anal about that! LOL!!!

Maybe 1 1/2 hours of use with the needle. I'm just baffled that it goes extremely well on my practice piece, but not on the project. Granted, they're not the same fabric, but they're both quilting cotton. Batting isn't the same, but appears to be the same thickness. No batiks - I don't know why, but I'm not really into batiks. (crazy, right?!??! Maybe they're a bit to contemporary for me, I don't know!)

Hadn't thought of that. I'll set up my (extender table? Not sure what it's called!)

This what came to mind as well. My machine was skipping when it was on my frame, and it turned out to be uneven rails. Make sure you support your quilt very well. Good luck!

Don't know if this will help or not, but I use fabric, batting, and backing from the quilt I'm working on for my practice piece. Also, the thread I'll use for quilting. I want to see how it's all going to work together. I'm guessing for your problem it wouldn't make the difference, though. More likely a problem with supporting the quilt so that it can move easily while you are quilting. Are you doing FMQ on a domestic machine? That is what I do.

I have this problem with my walking foot and with my BSR and it frustrates me also.

I am thinking your thread does not like that fabric! I would suggest changing threads like if you are using poly I would try a whole different kindd of thread!

2 thoughts--maybe the weight of the quilt or the speed of your FMQ are causing the skipped stitches. Also, once when this was happening to me, I changed to a topstitch needle and it solved the problem.