Speed of machine when FMQ???
 

What speed do you run your machine when you FMQ? I haven't had my Brother VQ2400 for very long and have been trying to do some FMQ with it...I noticed that when I run the machine almost to the top of the speed the machine vibrates a lot, do all machines do this? I have taken to running it at half speed when I FMQ and that works ok but I really would like to do the FMQ at a faster speed.. it gets my quilts done faster... I am only doing stippling so nothing fancy and all these quilts go to the hospital, so I would like to quilt then as fast as I can.

One of the reasons I bought this machine is that it said it sewed 1,050 SPM and it had a larger throat size..I do like this machine and have made 10 baby quilts so far and quilted all them on this machine.. It does quilt nice but I did have some trouble with which thread that I could use..The machine does not like the cheaper thread like coats and clark, to quilt, it will use it to piece a top but not quilt it. I have been using Guterman to do the quilting and that seems ok.
I need to go back to the dealer and ask him about this speed thing, maybe next week I can do a road trip.. anyway I would love to hear if anyone else has this problem of your machine vibrating at high speed and if you have to use better tread to quilt with.. Thanks

Is it the machine or the table that is vibrating? I have a very sturdy table at home, but when I go to sewing classes or retreats I have problems if I don't have my machine very near a leg for support. It vibrates like crazy when in the middle of those folding tables generally used t the classes I attend!

Pam

I don't have the same machine as you do. I have a Janome 6600 - which I love. I am far from an expert, and I am still trying to find my "groove".

When I started I used my foot pedal and I could go pretty fast. But my foot would change speeds a lot and then my stitches were different sizes and I got a little messy (sometimes a lot messy).

The last 3 that did I unhooked my foot pedal and used the start/stop button. I think I like this better. I can pick whatever speed I want and it will be a consistent speed. One quilt I went slow because I was doing snow flakes when I did my loopy loops I could go pretty fast.

I did have some shaking, but I think that was my table not my machine.

I have found that my machine hates coats and clark thread too. I almost always use King Tut thread to quilt

Good luck and have fun

I don't have your machine but agree that it might be your table that is vibrating. Same
machine on two different tables and different results. I am
not an expert at FMQ but can do a respectable meander - I find there is a "sweet spot" between the speed of the machine and my hands. I don't always get there but when I do it is noticeable how much better things flow. For me I think it is practice.

I put my machine on a non-slip pad ... seems to help

Well I am backwards from most at fmq because I go reeeaaaly slow. I am not very good at it and haven't been at it for years like some. But then I also don't drop my feed dogs! I found my stitches were actually more consistent and prettier this way. I found when I used the coats and clark regular quilting threads it shredded sometimes when quilting. I had 4 spools of the coats & clark star someone gave me and it performed fabulously when quilting but it is pretty thick (30wt). I've fallen in deep love with the Presencia 60/3 for piecing and the Essential threads for quilting. I agree with others that it is probably the table vibrating. You could set the machine on a real sturdy surface temporarily like your kitchen counter and just run it full speed to see if it vibrates. That should tell you if it's your machine or the table.

These machines are heavy if its vibrating it is your surface and not the machine. I haven't had my dreamweaver machine vibrate when FMQ at any speed. As for thread if you are using cotton for FMQ the only thread I have used and loved is king tut in different machines.I much prefer poly less headaches

Thanks all for your help on my machine vibrating... I will try it on a different table and see what happens, I don't think that is what is going on as the machine sits on a table my hubby made using a solid core door, so it is pretty strong and he has it braced really well up to the wall and he used two by fours for the legs,

I well have to look into some good thread for quilting, where do you buy the king tut thread I never heard of this brand before.. I don't think Jo Anns sells it, or I never saw it there...

Superior Threads makes King Tut https://www.superiorthreads.com/product/brand/king-tut/

It's a very nice thread. I think you will find it in some quilt shops, but not Joann's.

You might try Sewer Aid on your thread. It is a silicone thread lubricant that you apply across the spool of thread and helps the thread slide through the machine.

I agree with Tartan. I find that I have more control at a medium speed. You want to have constant stitch length and accurate smooth curves. You want pride in your work and you won't get it going at high speed. As someone mentioned on this board before, they call it a WALKING foot, not a running foot.

I have a Brother PQ 1500s with a top speed of 1500 stitches. Way too fast for me, but like others have mentioned, I had trouble keeping the speed constant. So I taped a few layers of thick cardboard between the pedal and base to act as a governor. It took some trial and error, but I found my sweet spot. This way I can mash the pedal all the way down and the machine runs at medium-high speed. I thought in time I would remove some of layers of cardboard and up my speed, but when I try that my stitching gets messy, so I just go back to what I'm comfortable with.

One of the most important things is to quilt on a flat surface so that the table surface on machine bed are the same. If you move to a more stable table you might want to use insulation foam panels to build up the surface. Even speed is important whether you use the foot control or the star/stop button.

Quilting, for me at least, is straight line which I use the walking foot and go as fast as I can and still keep straight lines. Or it is FMQ, which is usually done following a pattern drawn on the quilt, so I move the quilt slower and keep the machine stitching slower, which gives me a better result. I have a 6600 and have found that using a larger needle (16/18) and poly thread works the best for FMQ....at least for me. I agree on finding a more stable surface to eliminate vibration.

I have this machine as well and that is a great idea, I'm definitely going to try it next time I FMQ.

To the OP, is your table on a wood floor by any chance? Maybe try putting some rubber feet on the bottom, not true feet, just those little sticky things you put on chairs to grip and protect the floor. Also, maybe your table has loosened over time. Ask your hubby to take a look, he might just need to re-tighten the screws. Another option is to put a towel or pad under the machine. Mine is much quieter if I have a folded up towel underneath.

I have the Janome Horizon and it is a very heavy machine. I bought the table for it because I knew I didn't have one strong enough to keep it from vibrating. The table makes big difference. It was pricey but worth it to me.

I have a Janome 6600, and find it vibrates quite a lot when I have it on a banquet table, but barely at all when it's in it's sewing table. I FMQ at about 3/4 speed, and use the start/stop button.I'll go slower if the design is more intricate, but find my curves are smoother at a higher speed. I always practice the designs a couple of minutes on a scrap sandwich before heading off on a quilt. I use Connecting Threads Poly almost exclusively, and am very happy with it. Good luck on your FMQ journey.

If your machine is going fast, your hands have to go slower.
If your machine is going slow, your hands have to go slower.
I tried not lowering my feed dogs and noticed the stitches were not to my liking. My thread was more likely to break also.
Now I lower the feed dogs and like the stitches better. My machines don't have a speed controller.
My two machines will use any thread.

I buy Mouse Pads at garage sales and put them under my sewing machine and serger---seems to help for me

In my younger days I loved speed but as I get older I have slowed to medium.

Find a piece of board for your machine to sit on. You can get an inexpensive piece of 4x4 at a home improvement store and they can cut it to the size you want. I have a piece that I use when I put my 401 down into the well. My other machine sets on top across the whole top. Takes pressure of any excess wait away from the other machine. very little noise no matter how fast I go. It basically needs balance and leveling. the board fixes the problem. You might also find a big cutting board that will work.

I never run my machine over half speed. I have the Innovis NX-2000 & I don't want to put too much wear & tear on the moving parts inside my machine. I can't afford to replace it every few years. That being said, one day I was sewing after setting up my machine in the table again & the speed lever had been bumped and was a little more than halfway up. The machine did start to vibrate & my table is a Gidget 1 which is real nice and sturdy! I moved the lever right back down again. Quilting is not a race... enjoy the process!

Since I recently got a real quilting/sewing table from Tracey's Tables (it's great!) I gave my old table--a very heavy, particle-board-based student desk--to my sister. It's made a huge difference for her. Her old sewing table was a 30" x 60" fold-in-half table that vibrated so badly she couldn't sew fast. This was good, she said, because she had to slow down and be careful...but she likes the new one now. :-)

For FMQ, I prefer the foot pedal but set the maximum speed governor on my VQ3000 to just over halfway. I've found that sewing somewhat faster allows smoother lines and more even stitches.