phylby

I just completed a baby quilt using free form quilting technique for the first time. I practiced a little then dove in. It was lots of fun. But I noticed that in a few spots the top stitches were pulled trough to the back, making eyelashes. This was towards the end of the project. What causes this? Is there a cure?
thanks

suebee

I would say since it reared its ugly head towards the end of your project, you may have been moving fabric too fast. That happens sometimes. Just take it slower. Its good that you had fun doing it.

DogHouseMom

If it only happened toward the end of the project I suspect it was fatigue (yours, not the machine <g>).

Relax your shoulders, arms, elbows and hands - I know it's difficult, but until you do this your arms are going to get fatigued. When you get this way your hand speed will be too fast for the machine speed on the curves and you'll end up with eyelashes.

Relax. Breath. Match your hand speed to the machine speed and decrease your hand speed only on the curves - machine speed stays the same.

There is only one cure. Practice. LOTS of it. I've only been doing it about 4 years and I'm still prone to fatigue.

And there is no rule against leaving the needle down, turning the machine off, and walking away - in the middle of quilting!!! Walk away, roll your shoulders, roll your neck, go do something "normal" with your arms (vacuum, laundry, weed garden), then come back to it. Just remember that if you had changed your needle position or your stitch length (and these things are automatically reset when you power off/on) - remember to change them again before you resume stitching!

LivelyLady

I agree with suebee. I found myself speeding up when I got closer to the end and I slowed down it did get better but I couldn't get rid of the eye lashes. Someone here on the board (wish I could remember who it was so I could give a big thank you!) suggested getting a straight stitch throat plate (single hole). I bought one and have not had one single eyelash :thumbup:

phylby

Oh you are so right. My arms were exhausted. My shoulders ached. It is funny that when I start a project it is hard for me to stop. Before I started I took time to make some quilting gloves with stretchy gloves and fabric paint that I saw on this quilting board. So the cure is to just take my time and stop when I get tired. I usually stop projects when I draw blood, my own. :roll: