Tartan

Okay, the paper may be preventing the BSR from seeing. It is also more difficult to try to exactly follow lines when FMQ. I use lines or registration marks as guidelines only.

Jordan

Yes Lynnie-that was my question also-what is BSR??? Guess you know I don't have a Bernina. I have 2 friends that have Berninas and love them.

quiltingbuddy

Really? It keeps stitching? For me if I stop moving my hands the stitching stops. But I do only use the BSR1.

As for the question posed: If you have the BSR I would keep trying to work with it. It regulates the stitches for you, meaning as you move your hands/fabric the machine syncs up with your movements so you end up with more even sized stitches. For me before I had the BSR system and used the foot you are thinking of going back to I had some pretty big stitches (toe catchers) and some pretty small ones that I could never get out with a seam ripper if I needed to. FMQ is definitely a practice, practice, practice activity. Keep trying, it will come to you and it will get easier over time.

QuiltE

....... and BSR2 will not start stitching until you start moving the fabric. However, that does avoid many stitches in one place, that can happen easily with BSR1, if you stop to think or re-position your hands without taking your foot off the pedal.

nativetexan

I only know the foot pedal speed will always be faster than your hands moving the quilt. Your moving the quilt denotes the stitch length. slower is tighter shorter stitches, faster is longer stitches.

QuiltE

Actually not at all if you are using a BSR ............. with it being a "stitch regulator", you get consistent FMQing stitch length.

You set the length of stitch you want for your FMQing.
The machine then determines when to push the needle down to create that length of stitch, according to how fast you move the fabric under its "eye". Move the fabric fast and the needle will go down quicker. Move the fabric slower and the needle will go down less often. And if you move the fabric too fast ... it will sound an alarm to tell you, that you are doing it too fast.

Bjbaxter

I do use my foot pedal with my BSR, I just slow my machine speed down and put the pedal to the metal. I actually prefer not to use the BSR.

Kas

I get a more consistent stitch length without the stupid BSR. I hate the thing. I just use the open toe embroidery foot. The BSR seems to jump ahead in the beginning. Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but I just used it unplugged until I got the open toe foot! The lady at the Bernina store keeps trying to get me in for lessons, but I haven't been, yet.

jmoore

Interesting comments on the "dislikes" of the BSR...I have been on the fence about buying a Bernina with a stitch regulator, especially with the Holly day sale Bernina has going on. I may have to take a "sandwich" with me on my next trip to the Bernina dealer and see if I can practice FMQ since I am used to not having the stitch regulator on my DSM. I do use a stitch regulator when I rent the HQ Avante LA.

maviskw

Mine doesn't have an alarm, but I love my Bernina Stitch Regulator. According to the other post, I must have a "2".

I have found that when I move slowly it works fine, but if I go too fast around a nice large curve, the stitches do get a little larger. It can't keep up with me. But faster makes a nicer, smoother curve. So I will continue to do that. I like what I see, even if the stitches are a little different in size.