Skipping stitches! (GRRR!!!)

Were you using a ballpoint/jersey needle? For knits you'll need one, especially anything with elastane (Spandex/Lycra) in it, for which you'll want a stretch needle.

You can also get ball point twin needles.

I use ball points or stretch needles in the overlocker as well when doing knits. :)

You beat me to it! First thing I would do is insert a NEW ball-point needle. Then test, test, test... :-}

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I was going to suggest a ball point needle but Kate beat me to it! Barbara in SC

Quite a few years ago now, I signed up for a free-motion embroidery class at the Bernina dealer's shop. I lugged my Singer Athena (which was far from new) to the class, and the instructor told me, sadly, that she would not be able to give me any help with the problems that she was sure I would have with my machine. The subtext was clearly that I should have had a Bernina, but she would tolerate my low-class machine and presence as long as I didn't take up her time.

It was a small class -- only four others, each with Bernina in hand. The class began and soon the problems arose. Not with my machine, but by the time the class ended, some hours later, all four Berninas had hissy fits over one thing or another. The old Athena kept on keeping on, and I carefully bit my tongue and choked back the giggles until I left.

Enjoyed the class. Discovered that I, too, could do free-motion embroidery and thread painting.

At least yours was with a *Bernina* dealer. Every time I have taken my Singer Quantum XL 5000 to THE SAME DEALER WHO SOLD IT TO ME, I have been treated to a snotty service person who lets me know in no uncertain terms that my machine is "not very popular", "very complicated", there are many "less complicated machines", etc. Last time, I blew up at him. I asked him if it was really good customer relations to sell me a $$$$ machine, only to turn around later and imply that I had made a stupid choice. Got the manager's attention...

If this doesn't make you smile, your face is frozen. I have the same Bernina but couldn't think of a thing in my stash that was sort of similar to what Ursula may be stitching. I went to my underwear drawer and got a pair of silk knit panties. ( Hey, I'm a quilter, I don't 'do' stretchy knits very much.) I didn't adjust anything. The needle is probably dull and just a plain old green band Schmetz, nothing special. Stitched just fine. I would be Very uncomfortable with a 'new to me' SM in a class. Dear Ursula, you and your beautiful new machine need to become friends before you put yourself in the stress of a class. My Bernina does her best stitching with Aurifil thread but she'll stitch with other things. Another thought - it just could be that your bobbin case needs adjusting. When things go wonky with mine, I'm seriously challenged since I need help turning off the garden hose. That 'lefty' and 'righty' stuff take all the focus I can manage but it may be that your bobbin case needs just a teensy, tiny, minuscule change. If you have some free time Saturday, I heartily recommend that you become friends with your Bernina. She will be your best, best friend. Polly

Oh yes, I did that, first thing. I got me a ballpoint twin needle, too, but I didn't go for stretch needles. I was at my SILTH and asked the notions lady and she explained that stretch needles were for wovens with stretch in it while jersey (= ball point) needles were for knits. So I left the stretch ones where they were. And I did test, for hours.

U.

"Ursula Schrader" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news:isvbvo$m2a$ snipped-for-privacy@news01.versatel.de...

And before any of you hint I might use perhaps a low quality brand needle - I'm using Schmetz, and nothing else. I do read what you write here, at least sometimes. And I didn't expressly mention the ball point I used because I took it for granted that you wouldn't suspect me of such a stupid mistake. ;-)

U.

As I mentioned in another post - I did use a ball point. My suspicion was, just like you said, that perhaps the fibre gets pulled into the way of the shuttle, thus interfering with the stitch formation. That was why I wanted to try either paper or Soluweb.

U.

If you've got a ballpoint needle in there already (btw, they make twin needles with ballpoints), then the next most likely cause of skipped stitches is probably "fabric flagging"... the fabric is hopping up and down with the needle like a trampoline being jumped on by kids. That's when paper or stabilizer comes in very useful. If it's a knit that can be washed, I'd be inclined to use starch on the section that needs stitching. Paint it on, allow it to dry (or press it dry with a very low iron) and then stitch. The starch dissolves when the garment is washed.

Here's what's happening with fabric flagging:

-- the second set of drawings on that page. Knits, because of their springy, stretchy nature, tend to be prone to flagging.(The reason I like starch is that it's cheap, and I don't have to pick bitsout of the stitching later.) Other causes of skipped stitches:

-- thread takeup lever not threaded

-- upper tension too tight

-- thread too heavy for the eye of the needle*

-- not enough pressure from presser foot

-- needle in backwards

-- needle damaged

-- needle too small

(Thread should be about 60% of the width of the needle eye, or so I'm told.)

Well, actually I had promised myself that I'd NEEEEVER!!!! take the Bernina anywhere from home, but since I discovered a couple of tiny faults on my new Husqvarna, I thought I'd use the Bernina for the tunic. So I thought I'd do it completely on it to get used to all the extras. I don't think that I lost face in front of the girls, though, because we share all the little and larger mishaps. I mean, I'm not ashamed in front of you all here to confess my blunders, too. But I have to admit that I did feel let down by Bernice. Your encouragement that we still may become best friends is a great comfort to me. ;-) And while we're at that: How do I adjust a bobbin case?

U.

-- the second set of drawings on that page. Knits, because of> their springy, stretchy nature, tend to be prone to flagging.> (The reason I like starch is that it's cheap, and I don't have to pick> bits

Well, I guess that I got the right needle and the right thread, and I tried every kind of adjustment that can be made without using a screwdriver, but that flagging thing seems just the problem. I'm off to try that starch thing now, and will report. I only wish I had known before I got the Soluweb. ;-)

U.

DO NOT adjust the bobbin case. It will not help the problem you have described. You can use paper needles are cheap or the soluble if you wish either will work for your needs.

IMHO, good page to have bookmarked:

One of the things I loved about the old treadle machines was that most of their "inner workings" were pretty easily exposed and analyzed. I recall spending hot summer afternoons in my grandparents' basement with grandma's old treadle machine, figuring out exactly how it did the magic of making stitches and "what happens if you do...".

Kay

Love it, Beverly; that's what I would have done, too. Emily

Kay, I'm no end grateful for this advice! It really worked; I tested the starch on a test bit first, and it can be removed easily, so I used it on the other seams in question. As a proof for the correctness of your assumption I found a tiny little skipped stitch next to a thick seam where the starch didn't get to properly. Lacking experience, I made - got the recipe from an internet site called 'ask mommy' - about a litre of the stuff which is really too much for my project. However, since I've got loads of polyester chiffons laid by to make more tunics I filled the 'Blob' into jam jars and stored it in the fridge, hoping that it'll keep a couple of days (or perhaps weeks?) so that I can use it there, too. Really, what was an unmanageable mess under my needle suddenly sewed like the plainest cotton. WOW, another example for small cause, big effect. Thank you, again! (And I bookmarked the Canadian site, too.)

U.

Oooops, I think I replied to you in private mail. Sorry! ;-)

U.

"Ron Anderson" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news:6-6dnX_owKcZHW7QnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@posted.localnet...

That skipped stitch may also be due to the presser foot tilting as it gets to the seam. THe cure for that is to shim the back of the presser foot as it gets to thick spots, to keep the foot level. Unlevel presser feet can also get hit by the needle, causing the needle to break. There are various tools called things like "hump jumpers", but I usually just stop with the needle down, raise the presser foot, and use a bit of folded fabric to shim the foot back to level.

Days are probable, weeks, not so much. When the fungi move in, it'll turn into something much more liquid.

I rarely make up more than about a cup of starch solution at a time. I usually use about 1 heaping tablespoon (maybe 50 ml by volume) dry corn starch to about 250-300 ml of cold water. Swirl the starch into the cold water in a large (1 litre or so) jar, making sure it's completely suspended. Microwave on high for about 30 seconds, remove the jar from the microwave, and swirl again, and repeat microwaving and swirling in 30 second bursts until the starch goes from white to translucent and thick -- usually not more than 2-3 minutes. Then it's ready to use.

I make my husband's shirts, and usually starch the front placket heavily (till it's almost like cardboard) before I do the buttonholes. They always come out very nicely that way -- even if I'm making buttonholes in knits.