FMQ Issues - What am I doing wrong?
09-30-2011, 05:21 PM
#21
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Location: NW Oregon, in the valley
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If you have trouble keeping your machine running at an even speed move your speed selecter until you can push the foot pedal clear down and your speed is within your comfort zone. That way you can put the pedal to the metal without having a runaway!
09-30-2011, 05:24 PM
#23
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Location: Morgantown, PA area
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Originally Posted by Scotlass
If you have trouble keeping your machine running at an even speed move your speed selecter until you can push the foot pedal clear down and your speed is within your comfort zone. That way you can put the pedal to the metal without having a runaway!
09-30-2011, 05:27 PM
#24
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Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Monroe, IN
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Originally Posted by Sunnie
Originally Posted by MellieKQuilter
Maybe your speed? Either the machines speed or your speed moving the quilt?
pedal to the metal, and slow down moving the quilt, specially around curves
09-30-2011, 05:30 PM
#25
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Location: Maryland
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Originally Posted by Sunnie
Originally Posted by Phylliss
Leah Day (an awesome FM quilter) says to FMQ with your feed dogs up and the stitch length at 0. She feels the gearing on machines changes when the feed dogs are dropped. Try her idea. She also says using the Genie Magic Bobin Washers is helpful.
09-30-2011, 05:31 PM
#26
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Originally Posted by Sunnie
Originally Posted by Phylliss
Leah Day (an awesome FM quilter) says to FMQ with your feed dogs up and the stitch length at 0. She feels the gearing on machines changes when the feed dogs are dropped. Try her idea. She also says using the Genie Magic Bobin Washers is helpful.
09-30-2011, 05:39 PM
#27
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Kasson, Minnesota
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Originally Posted by Sunnie
I brooded about this all day and I am still puzzled. I had some issues earlier while trying to FMQ this quilt so I changed the needle (twice) adjusted the tension and tested on a scrap. The machine then worked just fine for more than 1/2 of the quilt. So last night when I started to finish it I sewed about 10" and flipped the quilt to see how it looked. It was fine so I went ahead and finished it off. Then when I flipped to the backing I found several areas full of loops. A bunch of loops then it would be fine...then more loops and more fine. What am I doing wrong?
09-30-2011, 05:43 PM
#28
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Queen of California Baby
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You also just gotta learn to listen to the machine. Often with me the threading went awry for whatever reason and I didn't know it and got far into it before I realized it.
Now I know if it has a hiccup and I'll stop and re-thread before it gets out of control. A little frustrating, but after a while it stopped happening.
Now I know if it has a hiccup and I'll stop and re-thread before it gets out of control. A little frustrating, but after a while it stopped happening.
09-30-2011, 05:54 PM
#29
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Mars
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I'm not sure about the BabyLock modern machines, but with FMQ, my vintage machines all seem to do better at not looping on the back if I lean toward heavier tension on the needle thread, rather than on the bobbin.
The Magic Genie Bobbin Washers really are the bomb for the little tiny "nests" you can get on the backside of your quilts, (I LOVE them and won't FMQ without them in a vertical bobbin machine!) but they don't actually do much for the loops - those loops are a tension imbalance issue.
I would first try nudging the tension up (even way up) until the bobbin thread starts popping up to the top side, then back it down slowly, a tiny bit at a time until that isn't noticeable. If you're getting an acceptable appearance on the front and the back, the threads are twisting in between the top and bottom fabrics, which is just what you want.
Maybe leaving the feed dogs up and setting your stitch length to neutral or "0" is what it takes for that machine.
You're doing just fine, though and you're going to be surprised at how fast you catch on and go with this. It's so much fun! Congratulations for giving it a try! :)
The Magic Genie Bobbin Washers really are the bomb for the little tiny "nests" you can get on the backside of your quilts, (I LOVE them and won't FMQ without them in a vertical bobbin machine!) but they don't actually do much for the loops - those loops are a tension imbalance issue.
I would first try nudging the tension up (even way up) until the bobbin thread starts popping up to the top side, then back it down slowly, a tiny bit at a time until that isn't noticeable. If you're getting an acceptable appearance on the front and the back, the threads are twisting in between the top and bottom fabrics, which is just what you want.
Maybe leaving the feed dogs up and setting your stitch length to neutral or "0" is what it takes for that machine.
You're doing just fine, though and you're going to be surprised at how fast you catch on and go with this. It's so much fun! Congratulations for giving it a try! :)
09-30-2011, 06:01 PM
#30
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: New England
Posts: 821
Originally Posted by Sunnie
Originally Posted by pinecone
It may be that you change directions too quickly or need to try "bobbin washers". They reduce the backlash of bobbins that make thread nests. http://www.keepsakequilting.com/productdetail/8248.htm
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