Machine skipping stitches

Hi Deb, the usual thoughts come to mind: does it happen when you are quilting at or near seams? Bigger needle might help? Is the quilt flat against the surface of the machine bed when this happens? Is the quilt moving freely while you are quilting or does it get hung up on anything? Is the thread static-ky? Are both bobbin and machine threads from the same spool? I'd also suggest making up a sample quilt sandwich using the same type of batting, etc - raise the feed dogs and test again. Try some regular straight line quilting on the sample to check for skipped stitches over a thick seam intersection - change to a larger needle and test again.

jennellh

jennellh

If the larger size doesn't or won't work because of compatibility with thread or fabric try a different type of needle. If you are using a universal try changing to a sharp or ball point. If the needle tip hits a thread in the weave just right it will "bounce back" without taking up the bobbin thread - missed stitch. It may not be doing this on the fabric of the top or back but hanging up, for a better term, in the batting and somehow taking a fiber down on the tip and not picking up that bobbin thread. A sharp will stab through because of the point, a ball point will slide through because of the rounded tip. What ever type of needle you are using just give a try with the other two.....couldn't hoit. If all else fails try slowing down, a slowly sliding needle won't be as likely to push a single fiber through and skip a stitch. When told about this particular procedure it was not a concept I grasped easily since I have pretty much only two speeds when sewing; "dead in the water" and "bat out of Hell".

Just a thought, Val

Are you using basting spray? It turns out that my Bernie absolutely does not like to play with basting spray and will skip stitches if the quilt sandwich is basted that way.

Juli

You oiled the machine, did you put a drop of oil in the bobbin race. That should be done with every bobbin change.

New Needle, Hum-m-m. What size are you using. Remember that you are going through more than two pieces of cotton fabric. A larger needle is required like a 14 or 16. Some are referred to jeans needles. Feel the tip of the needle, is it bent, blunt, is there possibly a small burr on it. Even new needles are damaged in manufacturing.

Now a dumb question, did you put the needle in the right way. A lot of times you can mistakenly put it in backwards.

What size thread are you using. Is it the same as what you are using in the bobbin. If the needle is too small the thread will not ride in the long groove on the needle.

You say you vac the machine, is there possibly a piece of thread still caught in the feed dog area or in the bobbin area and you can't see it.

Did you forget when you re-threaded to include the last thread guide the one just above the needle.

Is the quilting area being stretched too tightly. For instance has the quilt slipped of the edge of the table and the weight of it hanging off the table causing the quilting area to become too tight.

Have you cleaned out the tension discs, yes they collect lint and can cause skipped stitches also.

What kind of fabric are you using, batik, (g-r-r-r) How about the batting is it cotton or poly. Poly heats up with the friction of the needle passing through it and can cause skipped stitches. How about the right and wrong sides of the batting. The rough side should be down or facing the backing.

How about some silicone on the thread.

Are you moving the quilt too fast under the needle.

Fabric with too high a thread count like sheeting or batik can also cause skipped stitches.

These are a few of the things that have happened to me and I've spent many a frustrating day trying to figure out what has gone wrong only to find out I used too small a needle or it was just slightly bent or a bit of thread has gotten caught in the bobbin area or feed dog area and I knew I had cleaned it completely.

Hope this helps.

Kate T. South Mississippi

Ya know what, Kate? I am printing out your reply and posting it to my bulletin board. I think you covered EVERY thing that could go wrong and produce skipped stitches!!

*sigh* I'm going to try my hand at learning to machine quilt this weekend (never done it before except for stitching in the ditch with a walking foot). I just found my darning foot (Yay!! Forgot I had bought one and was about to buy another one!!) the other day and decided it was Time. You're post is, I *KNOW*, going to REALLY come in handy!!

Good, good, stuff there. Thanks!! :)

-- Connie :)

All excellent advice. But sometimes stitches will skip anyway just because the fabric is moving in the "wrong" direction. The bobbin is designed to produce correct tension with the thread pulling off it as the fabric moves from front to back, so it's harder for the machine to make a perfect stitch sometimes during all the odd free motion directions. It helps sometimes to slow down a little. Roberta in D

"SewVeryCreative" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news:e6666$47862789$18d6c25a$ snipped-for-privacy@KNOLOGY.NET...

Hey Connie

Oh, quit, your making me blush. (giggle)

Kate T. South Mississippi

Say what you will, but I've already formatted it, printed it, laminated it, and put it inside my sewing machine case (if I *did* put it on my bulletin board, it would get lost ... then I'd have to search for your post again and reprint, etc. The kids mess with my "inspiration wall" ALL the time - usually to hang their artwork. Things get misplaced all the time. BTDT!!)!!

I'll be trying my hand at machine quilting this weekend and need ALL the help I can get!!!! :)

Again, thank you!!! :)

-- Connie :)

Oooh ... just had a thought - would you mind if I "printed" it in my eZine? With all due credit to the wonderful quilter who wrote it, of course! I'm going to assume (correctly, I think) that many, many, many quilters would appreciate a treatise on SM 911!! Think of the quilts and tempers you could save!! :)

I agree with Roberta. I find that faster is not better (I set my speed controller to "half-speed" for MQ and find that works best for me) Allison in mtl

Roberta Zollner wrote: