lindaschipper

I had a few prints of quarter yards, just enough to make a small baby quilt for Project Linus. The actual piecing went fine, quilting not so much. My Janome on the Grace frame was still skipping stitches despite having the needle changed and trying different threads. No problem, I can still straight-line quilt it on my designated machine... or so I thought. I used a walking foot with the bar attachment ... and still none of my lines came out straight. I'm wanting to rip out ALL of the stitches and try something different (meander or stipple). Anyone else have this problem with vertical or horizontal straight-line quilting or is it just me?

cashs_mom

I don't have that specific problem, but I do find it harder to straight line with walking foot stitch than for just FMQ. I always seem to have some little problem with using the walking foot.

Stitchnripper

If your machine is domestic on a frame sometimes they don’t like to sew long distances in a direction that isn’t straight up or down.

Straight lines and ditch stitching are beyond me. I gave up. You could do intentionally wavy lines. For me a meander is finally easy and my “go to”.

cjsews

If this is for Project Linus, I wouldn’t worry about it not being too straight. Just consider it a practice piece. Children wouldn’t know if it is straight or crooked. They will be thrilled to have a quilt of their own

Peckish

I agree with this. It likely won't even be noticeable after washing anyway.
Regarding your skipped stitches - what size needle are you using? I found when I was quilting on my DSM I had to use a 16 or 18 to stop skipping.

bearisgray

Unless they are a "sheldon cooper" LOL

cashs_mom

LOL. Sheldon would notice!

LAF2019

If your first line is not straight, then the bar attachment is going to follow that un-straight line and everything will be off. I would (in future quilts) mark a occasional straightline with cahlk or painters tape so that you have a good reference for "straight", or you can try to follow specific lines in you patchwaork, such as always corssing a specific point on the flying geese as yougo down the quilt orsomething. The walking foot will stitch straight, but the manipulation of the quilt will often throw it off, especially with extra long lines

bearisgray

I also have found it helpful/useful to mark lines for reference on the item.

Onebyone

Get a straight edge construction ruler to start marking lines from the middle out.
I have the six foot and four foot. Metal and 2" wide. Very inexpensive at Lowe's, Home Depot, etc.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Swanson-Too...-Ruler/1006479