I don’t make many quilts {yet?}, but I do enjoy quilting, I just tend to be an impatient quilter, and so I much prefer the speediness of making a bag or other smaller project. But, lately, I’ve been working away on my Scrappy Trip Along quilt, neglecting almost all my other sewing. So, you an imagine my dismay when I started quilting it and my spring action quilting foot broke {again! Apparently the foot Husqvarna Viking makes for the machine I have is plastic…and I’ve broken two now, so has my mom, how disappointing!}. So, I switched over to the darning foot {I had a question about the foot on Facebook, so I thought I’d show a picture}:
This is the foot all by itself…kind of difficult to photograph, and here is the foot on my machine:
But, after quilting for a little while and feeling quite pleased with my results, I turned my quilt over to see this:
Can you see the front thread all pulled to the back of the quilt?! Ack, I nearly cried! I started taking all that quilting out, and was feeling defeated.
So, I posted the picture to Instagram and Chris {Freklemama} suggested I try keeping the feed dogs up while I quilt with the darning foot.
Since I had nothing to lose, I tried it. The tension was still a bit off, but seemed a little better. So, I adjusted my top tension a little tighter and got a bit better results, everywhere except the small circles. Then, I realized what my last problem was…I was moving the quilt too fast!
And, here is some slower quilting after making all the other adjustment. It is still not quite perfect as far as tension goes, but I think it will do {although I really want a different sewing machine, I feel I have invested too much in this one to replace it just yet}.
Edit to add: I think my frustration mostly stems from the fact that I was not having a single problem before my spring action foot broke! So, then having to fiddle with the tension, feed dogs, and the way I was quilting just added to my disappointment…
There you have it, my current free motion quilt frustrations. We really try to keep things positive on our blog, but I tell you, lately I’ve wanted to throw my machine out the window…as it is causing me such frustrations. I am going to give the quilting another chance this afternoon, and hope for better results. Do you have any other tips or tricks I should try?
About Jennie
A mother-daugher {best friends} team who love to spend our days together {long distance} sewing, quilting, designing, drinking coffee, chatting, and chasing our little ones!
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the Anne handbag
the Stella diaper bag
the Lizzy bag
the Brooklyn bag
the Madeline bag
I am so glad you got it sorted! It’s looking great now! I did read a blog post last week about someone else’s horror journey with the Viking machine. She gave up in disgust, even after receiving another one to replace the first one! Time for a new machine I suspect!
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I am glad to hear you were able to find a solution. Believe me, I would have been screaming and crying and probably kicking on the floor (with a bit of vulgar language coming out of my mouth) if that all happened to me. Wow, I might have an anger problem? Ha, Ha. I despise my seam ripper when silly and mysterious things occur. Come on, doesn’t the machine know we moms only have so much time in the day to sew/quilt/craft. We don’t have time for all that nonsense. You should feel good that you are tackling FMQ…I’m still scared, but I am going to try it soon anyway. Keep on keepin’ on!
My friends call me the “bag lady” – I love making tote bags, because they are small and easy to finish, and I can frequently use fabric that I might not choose for a quilt.
Once I sit down and put my mind to it, my FMQ is okay. But, I still find it kind of terrifying, and my least favorite part of the process. (The number of finished tops in my sewing room that have yet to be quilted is proof of that.) Practice, practice, practice is the best advice. Also, do you have good gloves, and a “slider” mat on your table? I use Machingers gloves. (If you use your feed dogs, you might need to cut a larger hole in the mat.)
When you wash the quilt some (I’d say most) of the tension issues will get sucked into the quilt. The batting will fluff up and the centipede legs will disappear.
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I wish I had more advice for you. I had so many issues with my Viking, as you know, that I ended up just buying a new machine for quilting. Since I am primarily a quilter, it was necessary. I have not broken my spring foot for my machine, but was having the same tension issues you are having with your darning foot. When I took it in, I was told I shouldn’t be quilting with a spring action foot and that using the darning foot would solve my problems. It didn’t. I just think the machines weren’t meant for quilting.
Thanks for posting the pic of the darning foot. I think I might have one of those somewhere. I tried FMQ once or twice before and the tension was just like yours. I quilt by hand for this reason, but I might try again soon. Thanks!
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I suggest you get a Bernina with a BSR
) love mine, plug it in and quilt the day away. Mary
I had the same exact issues this past few weeks with a baby quilt I was free motion quilting on my Bernina. I had spent many hours with my seam ripper and I was about to give up, so I googled it and found the feed dogs suggestion. I too found it very helpful in fixing my tension issues in the back. I’m hoping washing it will hide the rest of the flaws
.. I can’t offer any other helpful advice, but I know I move my hands too quickly as well when I quilt and have to work on slowing down. Hoping this gives you hope that your not alone and it’s probably not JUST your machine.
As far as quilting goes, I love my Janome, but I never have any problems with my hand crank sewing machine! It sews like a dream and the feed dogs never eat my material!
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I never put my feed dogs down with my machine. But every machine is different. I do think going too fast will cause the loops. Just slow down and take your time. And like every teacher says – practice, practice, practice.
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I’m no expert…but this looks like strictly a tension problem to me and nothing to do with the foot. I have had this exact tension problem previously. (I have a Bernina with a BSR.) Firstly, when this occurs re-thread your machine – top and bottom – with the presser foot up! Next, try adjusting your top tension in tiny increments. I rarely adjust my bobbin tension. Are you using a nice fresh sharp needle? Is the needle the correct size for the thread you’re using? (Thicker thread = thicker needle.) I have had the best success with Organ needles. My FMQ is perfect all the time. I did a lot of research and had a few discussions with my dealer and was educated in the important relationship between needle and thread. Hope this helps! Also, try practicing on some smaller quilt sandwiches!
Barbara took the words right out of my mouth!! I have ripped out so many FMQ attempts it isn’t even funny! One of the things you may need to do is modify your darning foot. Leah Day has instructions on her Free Motion Quilting blog. I always FMQ with the feed dogs up, a fresh sharp needle (took forever for me to learn this part), and frankly it will just take time and practice. When I look at my attempts from a couple years ago I am shocked how much I have improved, and you will too. I just sew on a cheap Brother machine I bought for $120 at Cost-co which also came with a plastic darning foot.
Don’t give up, even if you have to rip out the stitches a few times, it is worth it and you will feel that way when it is finished!. Shanna
PS-I had to laugh though because I feel all turned around trying to attempt some of the hand-sewing that you both so beautifully display!
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Glad that you have figured it out a bit. FMQ is not for the weary. lol. I used to have several issues that would pop up when FMQ on my old machines, but my Juki does just perfectly without doing anything but adding the FMQ foot. I would read Elizabeth Hartman’s tips for FMQ they helped me a lot. Keep at it!
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I have a Viking Husqvarna and my walking foot is metal… I have terrible problems trying to use the darning/free motion foot, the tension is dreadful and the tension wheel doesn’t seem to make a jot of difference. what model do you have>?
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Awww….Jennie, I am sorry for your frustrations. I watched a wonderful set of FMQ videos by Patsy Thompson (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39I5A3iyCtw). These were very helpful for me. Her biggest piece of advice is practice, practice, practice – did I mention she said to practice. Love you – don’t lose <3 xoxo
Patsy Thompson is amazing. I’ve had a few classes with her, and a few of her DVD’s. Any luck I’ve had getting over my FMQ phobias have come from time with Patsy.
What a horrible and disappointing thing to happen!!! When that kind of thing happens to me, I usually can’t just restart right away; I have to take time off. So bravo to you for getting right back to it. Sometimes on my machine, which is a Brother, I have to rethread it when the tension messes up. I have a drop in bobbin and sometimes I don’t get it in there right. And sometimes it’s the actual thread for me. You’re way more experienced than me though so I’m not here offering suggestions, just kind of sympathizing and rambling.
Hope it turns out better!
I have a Viking Topaz. When I look at your foot picture, I use that foot as an embroidering foot!
I got an open toe free motion spring foot for Christmas, and haven’t tried it yet. I am getting up courage to try to learn to fmq.
I feel for you…. hope you find the right combo for your machine and fmq.
Susie
FMQ can be the most frustrating thing. Rethreading your machine and checking the needle/thread relationship is huge. Quite often there will be eyelashing (what you are experiencing) when the needle is too fine for the thread which results in flexing of your needle as the heavier weight thread pulls through. Use a practice sandwich before you quilt your quilt – this will give you an opportunity to make the needed adjustments without ripping out later.
What you experianced sounds about right. I FMQ on my singer. I have these issues too. I find it’s because sometimes my machine is smarter than I am.
Just remember. Take your time. Put on music you like. Relax. Breathe and think loose (the shoulders) and slow hands.
I am told practice makes perfect…. Yet I have a whole lot of tops laying around with no desire to quilt them up.
Jennie, well done for working on this quilting technique! You are more adventurous that I!!
Hugs
Jenny
xx
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You figured it out! I am okay quilting smaller projects, but squeezing bog ones under my machine is still not very tempting and one of those neat big quilting machines is just not an option.
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