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Skipping on ice

I thought my Bernina was skipping stitches - she would go along just fine for a while and then toss in a stitch of about double the length of the others. I did the drill; changed needles, thread, bobbin, cleaned everything - all of that. I gave up and turned the Bernie in to the nice repair guy. When I tried to continue stippling on the same quilt, of all things @#$! the other Bernina did the very same thing. Tried a practice sandwich with a scrap top, scrap batting and different backing. Everything is just fine. It seems to me that the trouble-maker is the backing. It is a yummy, lovely but just as slick as ice fine fabric. I would never have suspected that a silky-finish for a backing could be a problem but here it is. I have stippled several million miles and can automatically achieve a respectable rhythm without a BSR or walking foot but, obviously not with a silk-like cotton backing. Just thought you'd want to know. Polly Esther

Reply to
polly esther
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Hi Polly I've never used a silky fabric as backing, however...... a few years ago a dear friend gave me satin sheets for Christmas. As lovely as they were to sleep on, everything ended up on the floor, every single night. I'd wake up in the fetal position, shivering, no pillows, no blankets, and my cat happily snoozing on the pile of fluff on the floor. I donated them to Goodwill...... no more slippery, satiny, silky stuff for me!!

Patti in Seattle

Reply to
Patti S

I remember getting a set of those for a wedding present (about 100 years ago). They were sent to the Goodwill as well. Not only did everything end up on the floor.......ummm, no traction.

Val

Reply to
Val

SNORT!

I shan't ask how you found that out... ;)

Reply to
Kate Dicey

Did you try with the feed dog up? Might give just enough traction. My Pfaff does perfectly fine free motion even if I forget to "turn off" stitch length and feed dog. Roberta in D

"polly esther" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news:qYgYg.9499$ snipped-for-privacy@newsread4.news.pas.earthlink.net...

Reply to
Roberta Zollner

No, I didn't, Roberta, but that's a very interesting thought. There's enough of that silky fabric left for one more crib quilt and I'll give a scrap of it a try with the feed dogs up before I abandon hope of using it for quiltbacks. Thank you, Polly

Reply to
polly esther

I can't remember who the teacher was, but she always left the feed dogs up for free motion quilting. She said it gives her more control. So it sure can't hurt to try it. I have often forgotten to put my feed dogs down and then wonder why I'm having more resistance when free motioning. It might be just the right resistance for a slippery fabric. KJ

Reply to
KJ

How disappointing, Polly! Is there any way you can put a wash-away stabilizer on the back so your Berninas can get a firm grip?

Reply to
Sandy Foster

Thanks for the heads up on this fabric problem, Polly. That is not something I'd have suspected, either. So, what are you doing now, to finish the quilt in the neatest way possible, given the built in problem? PAT PS: To use other pieces of that fabric, you might consider it for lining a bag, or for a tied quilt.

Reply to
Pat in Virginia

Leslie? I'm pretty sure Leslie has said that she does free-motion with the stitch set at zero, but with the feed dogs up, for the same reason - better control. . In message , KJ writes

Reply to
Patti

It was sort of like kissing a porcupine, Pat. I was very, very careful. Polly

"Pat in Virginia" wrote (in part) ...

Reply to
polly esther

I took a class on free-motion, and this method was mentioned there too.

Alice in PA

Reply to
Alice

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