cjtinkle

Well do find out if your BSR foot has the latest update. If so, try moving your needle position 2 clicks to either side, and reduce your stitch length to 1.5

nursie76

I have the 440 QE with the BSR and have not had the problem you are having...mine would suddenly have a big stitch if I moved it way too fast. If the needle goes up and down several times with out making a stitch it would seem to me that the needle may not be delivering the top thread down completely, so the bobbin hook can't catch it, and no stitch can be formed. If it does fine with the quilt sandwich and the sandwich is a little thinner than the quilt, that would make sense, especially if the needle was not inserted correctly, threaded correctly or if you have the wrong size needle (am thinking that a too short needle wouldn't penetrate the thicker sandwich adequately). You have said you cleaned it, but I suppose a piece of lint or thread could obstruct the thread. I am not an expert at this, but I do understand your frustration. I do feel that it is something that can be solved by taking the whole thing to the dealer as you mentioned. My Bernina can be fussy with certain threads, but lately I have been using coates and clark when I only have the color I want in that brand. My dealer recommends guttermann, but I have used mettler with no problem. When FMQ on my DH's Christmas quilt, I used Superior's Bottom Line for the bobbin thread and I really liked it. Oh another thing...I believe that when I took the BSR course, they said to reduce the presser foot pressure to 1. Don't despair, I am sure they can help you figure it out.

Just curious, does it do the same thing on both mode 1 and mode 2?

berninabrat

If the machine is truly skipping stitches I think it is your needle, you need a Quilting or Top Stitch Schmetz 12 or 14 needle for quilting. Sometimes the batting scrim can cause stitch problems as well. Having your dealer check out both the BSR and your machine is the best place to start. It helps to have the same weight thread in both the top and bottom as well. Good luck, I feel your frustration.

Rachelcb80

Mode 2 scares me so I haven't tried it. :) Seriously though, Mode 2 seems too touchy for me. I like knowing things will start and stop by my foot control alone.

After everyone's posts and thinking on it all day (yes, I've been thinking of nothing else all day long :P) I really think it must the needle. I don't think it's the Stitch Regulator at all. I don't have anything but Universal needles right now though so I can't try anything else. I'll still take everything up to my dealer tomorrow but I'm really hoping it's a simple fix like a different needle.

nursie76

I know what you mean about Mode 2 being touchy...if you would lose hold of a large heavy quilt..zzzzzzzoooooommmmm lots of unauthorized meandering! :oops:

You are definitely doing the right thing taking the whole kit and kaboodle in tomorrow. Good luck!

nellie

you might try checking the area where you put the thread spool some thread,s need to be place verical or horizontal or check bobbin area and put something that looks like a washer it,s for sewing machines and makes stitches more even

crashnquilt

I think you may want to take your machine into the dealer. Usually, if your machine can stitch 4 or 5 times and not pick up the bobbin thread can mean the needle height is set too high. Also, try using SHARPS or MICROTEX needles, this could help.

Suz

When I FMQ, using monafilment on top and bottom, extra top thread is often pulled to the underside causing a small "nest", breaking the thread, skipping a few stitches and then picking up again, stitching normally.

I use a thread stand and have wrapped the top thread around the tension guide used to wind bobbins. It has helped me some, but not completely.

Question: What is Mode 2?

Hope to read about solutions to our problems. Suzanne

nursie76

Suz, The Bernina Stitch Regulator has two operation modes. In Mode 1 you control the stopping or starting of the machine by pressing the foot control. This does not control the speed, the BSR senses the motion, stopping momentarily when you stop moving the fabric, the stitching speed going faster when you move the fabric faster, slower when you move it slower. In Mode 2 the foot control isn't used to start and stop the machine, when the BSR is activated the machine starts stitching when you move the fabric and stops when you stop moving it. Good for small items, but when you have a heavy quilt on the machine, if you don't have a tight hold and say the rest of the quilt falls on the floor....well, the material is moving...the machine is stitching...but NOT necessarily where you intended the stitches to go..lol

Rachelcb80

Okay, took my machine and all up to the store today. The owner did the update (software and hardware) to my BSR. I also bought some quilting needles (Bernina brand ones, that's all they sell there). The BSR update seems to have solved 99% of the problem. I am no longer getting 4 and 5 skipped stitches in a row for no reason. What I'm getting now is a very occasional single skipped stitch (needle is going down but not forming a stitch). This I think is due to the weight of the quilt on the machine. Apparently this machine is just waaaaay more sensitive than my Walmart Brother machine was. So I'm working really hard to keep the quilt fluffed up around the machine and reduce any and all pull it might put on the machine. Next I'm going to order some different thread (Superior Threads) and also try some different needles. Anyone have a suggestion as to what needle brand to try?