Should I have to push my walking foot?
 

So I'm quilting my very first quilt—yay! I just got my walking foot today and it seems to be doing fine on test fabric, but when it comes to moving the actual quilt through (it's a throw size... I was a little overambitious) it seems to 'catch'. I have to push the quilt to keep it from stitching the same spot over and over, and the stitches it's making are tiny and irregular even with stitch length cranked up to 5. Is this normal? I'm making sure the quilt isn't snagged on anything and I'm supporting the weight so I don't think that's what's stopping it. My impression was that with FMQ you have to push and steer the fabric, but with a walking foot the machine should 'pull' everything through for you. Help!

Edit: I'm working on a Brother CS6000—is it possible that it just doesn't have the power to move something so sturdy?

Are the feed dogs working and is the walking foot engaging? They should come together like a clamp and move the quilt along.

i have to nudge mine along too

My question too about the feed dogs being up and the forked arm being attached correctly. Also is the presser foot lowered all the way? I've been guilty of all kinds of operator errors so I know how easily you can forget to do even the simplest things.:rolleyes:

Are you sure it's attached properly - with the little arm hooked into the needle bar?

The feed dogs are definitely engaging, they grab my test fabrics just fine and pull them. Presser foot is lowered. The little fork is on the needle bar. I'm starting to think my presser foot might be putting too much pressure on the quilt—I can see the feed dogs trying to pull, but it just doesn't budge until I give it a good shove.

I had one walking foot that had one bar that sat over the needle screw. The next foot had more like a fork that straddles the screw. When I first put on the fork type I just had it sitting on top of the screw. It did not work that way.

I'm not familiar with the brother machine but if properly installed and the feed dogs up you should not have to tug the fabric it should move along itself and sounds like something wrong if the stitches are not even. I use a long stitch length when quilting.

The weight of the quilt has to be supported. Try lifting the quilt in front of the machine, so that it isn't having to pull all that fabric. A walking foot is strong, but not strong enough to pull the weight of 40+ inches of fabric with no assistance!

What needle type and size are you using? What thread are you using? Stitch length?

Is the quilt level with the bed of the sewing machine? . You mentioned that it works on the smaller sample size but the issues happen when working on the actual quilt .It sounds like you are getting drag on the quilt.

What speed are you using to quilt? If you can, slow the machine speed button.

Try a Topstitch needle in the 9/14 size.

Is the quilt level with the bed of the sewing machine?