My straight stitches are AOK, but when I use decorative ones (trying to figure out which to use for that ribbon!) there are dropped stitches that make it look terrible--there are triangles where there should be squares...

My manual offers suggestions such as new needle (this one is new) and changing the presser foot pressure?

Is this something someone has dealt with?

Are you using some kind of stabilizer on the back? That may help. A new needle is good, but it must be a very sharp one to begin with.

my computer machine was doing this too...had it serviced and he didn't know why either. it stopped doing it after being serviced so he must have cleaned something out. I was really worried my mother board was going out...lucked out. Have you ever used canned air on it...I have and it helps. I do it on my embroidery machine especially

Jeepers, Maride, I changed the needle and it WAS much improved! I just changed it a few days ago. This is one senstive machine. :-/ Thanks for the reply--I need to buy more needles.

Hi Linda... nope on the canned air. I've had this machine a year and three months, but it was used as a sample on the floor for folks to try. It's certainly quirky, which drives me crazy. I should have it serviced at some time, I guess, but I never have a time when I want to be without my machine, and I sure don't want to learn another one if they had a loaner.

If sharp needles it wants, sharp needles it'll get. :roll:

I use tear-away stabilizer. It's cheap, and you can use it for smaller and smaller places as you tear it.

You also should slow down. I find that if I go too fast with decorative stitches they get distorted. Stabilizer was also a good suggestion.

I've been told that a high percentage of needles are faulty, so if a new one doesn't do the trick - try another new one.

My Janome 6500 is a sensitive little thing too. Seems like the ladies here have given you all the advice I have figured out for my skipped stitches.

My repair guy offers same day service if you call ahead and book him several days in advance. Can you try and see if that will work for you?

I go very slowly--I was wondering if I was too slow! :-D

Okay--thanks. Seems crazy, doesn't it???

Great idea! I'll look into that.

What size is the best? 11/75? I seem to have a bunch of 14/90--don't know why I bought those.

Since you said that the straight stitch looked OK, your machine is probably not far off. I worked in a shop for a while and these were our recommendations when someone was having these sorts of problems:

1 New Needle (make sure that it is in correctly)
2 Re-thread needle and take out bobbin and reload it
3 Remove Needle-plate and vac out fuzz - clean bobbin area as well
4 Use good quality thread (a lot of time I actually use embroidery thread for decorative stitching)
5 Use a light tear away stabilizer

and if all else fails - bring it in,

The needle size will depend on the fabric you are using. You are correct - many machines are finicky and you just have to find what makes them happy. Good Luck

This stabliizer stuff--what is that? I don't believe I've ever used it. This will be sewing ribbon onto faux suede which is on cotton.... so it's pretty thick.

If you are using Universal needles, try Top Stitch needles instead.

You should only use a needle for 8 hours of sewing...just think how many times that needle is in and out of the fabric in just 1 hour....the needle develops a burr and it will distort your stitches..

I change needles everytime I start a new quilt. It seems to work better and needles are less expensive than a new machine.

I, too, was going to suggest light weight stabilizer, but you're right about what you are working with being quite thick. So, I'm not sure that's your problem. I just know that my decorative stitches turn out much nicer when I use the stabilizer. JoAnn's sells it. It is called Tear Away Stabilizer. Comes in different weights, I think. You need the light weight. For small areas, I use a coffee filter as my stabilizer and it works just as good ...... and it's cheap.

That happened to me with my Bernina and I brought it in for servicing. There was some balance thing that was wrong, and it took the guy about 10 minutes to fix it! I would definitely bring it in for a service, or a repair of the one thing.

I definitely agree with the new needle and lightweight stabilizer advice you are getting in the replies. There are several types of stabilizer available. I find it a pain to tear away the stabilizer since it sometimes will distort what had been perfect stitches. Some stabilizers are meant to be left in the fabric so I often will use that type dependent on where the stitching is. There also is a type that disintegrates when ironed--very nice if the thread can take the heat. Especially nice with intricate stitches that would hold on to little bits of the tear away. Investigate your stabilizer options--lots available on the market.

I agree with all of this.

What size is the best? 11/75? I seem to have a bunch of 14/90--don't know why I bought those.

11/75 is good for piecing but I wouldn't use them for quilting or decorative stitches. I would use 80/12 or 90/14. I also use the Topstitch needles by Schmetz.

Thanks, joeyoz!! I read and read about needles and didn't get that. I think I changed the needle on my old machine twice a year! This new fangled thing is complicated and quirky!

I rewd about Topstitch--they seem wider and more apt to make holes? What do you like about them??

i have an electronic singer sewing machine.mine acted the same as yours when i was using a needle that was not a singer , but with the naked eye looked exactly like my singer needle. i got a new singer needle and replaced the other one, wow my machine was working perfect, when i realized it had to be the needle, i took a magnifying glass, looked at both needles, the hole for the thread was not excatly as low as the hole in the singer needle, amazing but that was the reason. hope this will help someone out there. arlene

The hole is bigger to accommodate different size thread. The groove for the thread is longer so less chance of thread breakage. Doesn't mean thread doesn't break, just less chance. Nice sharp point.

Needles get dull and need to be changed often. When they get dull, it is more work for the needle to get through the fabric and stitches are not as uniform and straight.

Here are a couple of sites to learn about different needles from Schmetz.
http://www.schmetzneedles.com/education.html

http://www.schmetzneedles.com/pdf/ne...20ABC_GB_S.pdf

Hope these are helpful.

First thing I do is check my thread (after all the usuals) cause I have learned over the years each machine has is peculiarities and thread is the worst. I have even seen this problem on the same machine owned by several sewers in a class.

Try a large eye needle and loosen your tension.

If you have a Bernina you can do the adjustment yourself. There is a balance on the machine. When you get the split picture up ...the one on the right is the one you adjust to look like what is stitching out. The machine will then adjust and this should take care of the problem. I made sandwiches and did a sew out of all. I had several that were off, but for some reason after I adjusted one they all corrected themselves. Crazy HUH!!!

When I used a Singer I had a lot of trouble with skipped stitches. I finally decided that Singers need Singer needles, they are ever so much longer and for a reason. Try using the smallest size possible for the project and a drop of Sewers Aid on the spool of thread often helps.

These machines were not meant to be temperamental, they were meant to be easy to use.

Change that needle and get that machine's timing checked and adjusted on a regular basis, at least once a year, or sooner if it continues to be temperamental.

timing between needle lowest position and bobbin thread/hook rotation completion

and

timing of needle throw from left to right, right to left

These can have a big effect on all stitches especially anything that zigs and zags like decorative stitches.

Most of all, don't forget to have fun!

You are exactly right. For some reason Singers are designed to use Singer needles which are longer. For that reason they are not recommended for use in European machines.