I want to try stipple quilting, but can't seem to get the proper settings on my Singer 503A. Can anyone tell me what stitch length/width settings/foot/ throat plate settings I should use?

I would definately practice....but use the largest stitch...NO feed dogs...drop them....that's about it ....this is what I use to do when I did that stitch on my home machine.......put on some good music and.....Good luck and relax and enjoy!!

Practice, a little music...That's what I was thinking-a wonderful way to relax. I raised the throat plate, but after I removed the presser foot, the needle kept getting caught on the fabric. I'll keep practicing, but I'm pretty lost.

you need to make your practice piece like your quilt.....you know top , middle and bottom....then make sure you bring your bottom thread to the top....and the hard part is to move fast enough to stay consistant with your thread stitching....if you don't move fast enough it will just stich in one spot and cause ya trouble.....so good luck You may need to sdjust your tension too if I remember right...been a long time since I used the home machine for this.....

Thanks, I was working with a "quilt sandwich", but I didn't bring the bottom thread up. I will try that.

Thanks for helping. I'll keep you posted :-)

Are you using a darning foot? Be sure and drop the feed dogs or however you need to get them out of the way. The stitch length depends on how fast you are giong to move the fabric. I have some nubby, rubber tipped gloves and that helps a lot. Good luck.

I wasn't using the darning foot, but I will tomorrow. Thanks.

Ok. I used the darning foot and it works. I am working on getting the stitches evenly spaced.

Thanks for the help

I'm learning to free motion quilt on my vintage Bernina using muslin practice "sandwiches". Is the bed of your machine flush with the table? I had to pull my original sewing table with fold up extension table out of storage and wax the surface so it was slick. Reducing the drag on the quilt is essential. I'm getting much better at managing the stitch length and controlling the stitches since I did that. I've moved on to making patterns on my practice muslins.

I also discovered that I can see and move the fabric more easily when I turn the machine so that I face the sewing machine head. In this position, the quilt roll is behind my work area instead of to the side, and I pull the quilt forward towards my lap as I quilt.

Of course, this doesn't work with the configuration of the sewing table I have. So I have ordered a vintage Singer 15-91 and will build a custom table top so I can turn the machine sideways for quilting larger items.

Harriet Hargrave's book, "Heirloom Machine Quilting," has really helped me.

P.S. I have never had to change the upper tension on my Bernina, which always has perfectly balanced stitches. It was really hard for me to change the setting for free motion work! I used different colored threads so I could adjust the top tension until it was balanced. I did not have to touch the bobbin tension. The tension issue is another reason I have bought another machine, so I can keep it set up solely for free motion quilting, and keep my Bernina set up for piecing or garment sewing.

Elizajo, Love your idea to turn your machine so that you face the head and the roll is out of the way :D Bet that will help me also, thank you.

That's a great idea.

My suggestion??? I sip on a glass of wine to relax! Josh Groban or Michael Buble singing in the background helps, too.

Still, I can identify with the frustration that luv2quilt is experiencing, since free motion does not come easy for me, either. As Elizajo points out, getting that fabric flush w/ the table, and thus eliminating the drag, makes a big difference. In fact, I'm looking into buying a new sewing cabinet that has the cut out area to recess my machine. My sister(who has been my quilting mentor) struggled for years to master free motion quilting and as soon as she got her new table and the Bernina w/ stitch regulator she has taken to free motion like a duck in water. She prefers her Pfaff for sewing & piecing, because of the built in walking foot, but keeps her Bernina set up strictly for quilting. As soon as I sell my HQ-Sixteen long arm machine, I plan to use the money to buy a Bernina 440 QE and a horn sewing cabinet. I can't wait! Nita

I do not have the sewing cabinet but would love it maybe someday but I do have the Bernins 440 with the stitch regulator and can really understand why they say nothing sews like a Bernina it also has the best decorative stitches of any machine I have ever used good luck on getting one

I tried to practice free motion meandering last night... disaster. Well, it's only my second time but still...
The first time I did it on a placemat sized project and it didn't look terrible, only because I used monofilament on the top.
This time it was a practice sandwich and I used black thread on white fabric so that I could really see what I was doing and try to get it right. But it didn't turn out so good.

Soon I may be able to mount my machine flush in a cabinet. That might help. I think I could use a better darning foot too. Still, I know it's mainly practice and patients. Maybe I'll stick to straight line and ditch quilting for a while.

I'm getting better at free-motion. But like everyone says, practice, practice & practice. I find I do better on smaller sized pieces than large sizes. Just do smaller ones until you get better. It's harder for me to manuver the larger sized quilts.

That sounds like a great idea, can hardly wait to try it.

See if you can reduce the pressure on the presser foot (how hard it pushes downward on the quilt top.)

Don't get discouraged and give up. The first quilt I free motioned on was a queen in my home machine. It had been sitting for a year and a half all sandwiched and basted because I was afraid to try it. A friend (the only one I knew who quilted) told me to just kinda mush up the quilt in my machine instead of trying to roll it up and it's been so much easier for me than trying to stuff that stiff roll through the throat of my machine. I did end up "unsewing" a few areas of my quilting that I didn't think I could live with, but the more I did it, the better it got and for a first try, I'm happy with it. It's now covering my bed. Just keep going...you'll find what works for you and get the hang of it! (...then you'll be addicted!) LOL