Quilter 53

Strangest thing. I'm making pinwheels with batiks and every time I get to this one particular batik, it skips stitches. Have changed thread, needle, cleaned all the lint and fuzz from everywhere, tried different foot pressure settings and tension settings. Finally took it to my trusty Singer 99 to get a stitch to stick. Too bizarre.
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toverly

Yes, it has. For me it was when I was trying to stitch a poly/cotton. I did the same as you, switched machines and it worked. It was weird.

LoriH58

Now and then. My guess is the batik is so tightly woven that the thread isn't creating the loop that it needs for the hook to catch and create the stitch. It could be needle size? Hook timing off a hair? Thank goodness for a trusty steel machine. I have a treadle 66 that sews the best straight stitch I've ever seen.

QuiltnLady1

Try sewing slowly over that fabric. Sometimes with batiks I have found that they are so tightly woven that you need to sew very slowly to keep from getting skipped stitches.

maryb119

Always start with a new needle. I have had stitches skip because of a dull one.

Kwiltr

I find Schmetz Microtex needles are about the best to go thru tough/high thread count fabric and that’s really all I use for piecing.

Barb in Louisiana

My friend and I were sewing on two very nice Brother & Babylock machines and had the same problem. Nothing we could do would make them sew those batiks properly. We ended up sewing the seams several times until there were enough stitches to hold them. Next time I will try a Microtex needle. I had some with me, just didn't think of trying one.

Peckish

i had a friend who was having the worst time trying to quilt a top made of batiks on her longarm. She's very experienced and tried every tension trick she knew of. Took everything apart, cleaned it, changed all the things, etc. Still got lots of skipping. Went to the internet and a couple sites/quilters suggested spritzing the quilt top with fabric silicone spray. She did and it worked wonders.

I wonder why some batiks behave beautifully and others are a p.i.t.a.

Onebyone

I have this happen rotary cutting too. The blade will not cut through the fabric. It will glide over in spots on certain batiks. Changing blades didn't help at all. I took the fabric and cutter to guild to demo how it would not cut. I got a lot of yeah right replies so those with rotary cutters tried to cut the batik and got the same skipped spots no matter what brand cutter was used. Scissors worked though. I doubt I buy any more batiks after my what is gone from my stash. The new batiks are not like the older type at all. They are much thinner and more solid.

bjchad

Batiks are dyed with a wax resist method. Most likely the wax was not as thoroughly removed from this particular fabric as other batiks.. With the tight weave, high thread count it makes it difficult. A sharp needle and slow stitching, as already suggested, should help.