liviamarie3

I am finishing my first quilt and have noticed that my intersections sometimes produce a pucker in the fabric. I am doing the stitch in the ditch and have done all the horizontal lines first. I am now in the process of doing the vertical lines and it is now that I am noticing the puckers when my lines intersect each other. I was wondering what could cause this so that I don't make the same mistake again.

I used safety pins ever 3-4 inches and sewed it like that. I did not use basting spray or starch. I have to guide the fabric through the machine otherwise the needle just goes up and down in the same spot. Maybe I'm really pushing it too fast? Any help would be great! I think I'll probably use the basting spray and starch next time....haha

Boscobd

Are you using a walking foot? If not, that may help with the puckers. I have found that the safety pins don't work that well for me. I lay the quilt on the floor (I have a large area in my great room that is tiled) and straight pin only the seam I am interested in stitching. After stitching, I press the seam, both top of quilt and back of quilt. Then lay back on floor and smooth, smooth, smooth. Then pin the next seam, etc...
It's a bit tedious, especially with a large quilt, but it works for me.
Good luck and I hope you find a method that works for you.

donnajean

It sounds like your not using a walking foot. They have genric ones that fit most all machines. After a while, your hands get the feel of how the fabric should move as you stitch and going over heavy seams might take a little extra push with your hands - with fingers spread out. An extended table on the machine really helps you to move the sandwich more easily with your hands.

Prism99

Spray starching now would likely help a lot. Lay the quilt out on a large sheet and spray from the outside towards the center to minimize overspray. Let the spray starch dry, then spray again. Do about three layers of spray on both top and backing.

The problem is that the fabric is stretching as you sew. You get the pucker at the previous sewing line because there is no more room for "give" at that intersection. If you can stabilize the fabric so it doesn't stretch while you sew, that will help a lot.

Also, do you have the ability on your machine to decrease the pressure on the presser foot? If so, easing up on that pressure may help the sandwich move so you don't have to push it through.

Have you lengthened your stitch? Are you using a walking foot?

leatheflea

If you are stitching straight lines try not to sew in the same directions. When you finsish a row start sewing at the bottom of the quilt instead of going back to the top. The fabric is not being pushed in the same direction. This really helps if you have a tendency to push or pull on the fabric like me. Also try dividing your quilt into 4 sections mentally. Quilt only one section at a time. I start by sewing the outside of that section first and then quilt inside the rectangle I just created. I also use a 505 spray to adhere the layers together and then add a few pins to help stabalize the fabrics. A walking foot also helps.

quilttiludrop

I agree with Prism99 that you may have some stretching going on when you sew. Using a walking foot for straight stitching will help.

liviamarie3

Ooooo....Ok, I need to get a walking foot, just started to search for one online! Thanks so much!
Also, would you pin with the starch? Or does everyone just use the basting spray?

Prism99

I starch the backing heavily and spray baste. There are some good threads here about spray basting. You can pin if you like, but I find spray basting faster, easier, and it holds the quilt sandwich together better for me.

scrappycats

If this is the case, then the fabric is definitely being stretched when the dog feet are trying to pull the fabric through. You need to do what you can to eliminate the weight of the quilt from dragging the fabric from the sewing area. Put a table or TV tray behind your sewing machine and another to the left of it to rest your quilt on while sewing on it. That might help too cause even if you get a walking foot, if the weight of the quilt is pulling that much, you are still going to have problems.

nativetexan

a longer stitch length should also help.