Today I have suddenly decided to do some machine quilting on a panel that someone gave me years ago. If it turns out nicely I will give the resulting quilt to someone but as yet there is no one in mind. It may NOT turn out so nicely as I have already run into snags.
I had thought that since all the lines in this quilt are straight that maybe this was the time to try quilting with a walking foot. I have heard that people can do amazing things with a walking foot but alas, all I seemed to get was rippling and a pulling of the fabric.
I am obviously not doing something right. Instead of messing this quilt up further I have now switched to a free-motion quilting foot and at least I don't get bunching... My lines may not be as straight and my stitches may be uneven but I think that is better than bunching and rippling.
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I got a funny email a few weeks ago... From someone I don't know and I never heard back from her after I replied... The quilter wrote,
"I love your dog paw print quilting design. Looking to find how to
download it so I can put it into my sewing machine. I have a brother a
PES format.
Looking forward to hearing from you hope you still have it thank you."
Now what is this about? I have a feeling that someone discovered on Pinterest a picture of some quilting I'd done years ago with dog pawprints... There have been two quilts that I put my quilting skills to work to add dog (or maybe cat) pawprints to the quilts. I don't know which picture the quilter found but at any rate I was a bit stumped about her request to download it and put it in her machine!
I am an analog quilter and there is nothing to download! Whatever got onto the quilt came out of my head and heart and hands! And that particular photo was a picture of a rather good try... some of my other pawprints I'm sure didn't turn out as well!
Sorry to disappoint!
Your walking foot should do the quilting so well, when you attached it to the needle, did you put the little bar at the right hand side over the screw where the needle goes in? This would make a huge difference.Your bar is white, and is open at the front, maybe try again. Whatever the outcome, a quilt as a gift is always so welcome.
ReplyDeleteIt's a charming paw print and I understand others want to use it.
ReplyDeleteThat quilter thought that you had used an embroidery machine to do the quilting. (I know this because I've been doing machine embroidery for years.) What she was looking for is the machine embroidery design which is a program that an embroidery machine can use to create specific design. It is loaded onto a memory stick or card or something similar, plugged into the machine, then the machine can stitch the design. Different machine companies use different formats. I hope I explained that clearly.
ReplyDeleteIt may be time to invest in a new walking foot, if that one is older and if there have been any updates of the foot for your model since then. I was at my local Bernina store one day and a customer came in with a walking foot she couldn't get to work properly. I'd never seen a foot fail before but hers certainly was acting up. I didn't stick around for the final diagnosis, but the store staff was thinking something was possibly misaligned inside the foot. How that happened would be a mystery. Tugging? Lint or thread stuck in there? Rust? I don't know. My Bernina walking foot (now 15 years old) works like a champ. I don't know what I'd do without it. Maybe you can borrow a foot from a friend, try your foot on their machine, or get a replacement foot? I'd try practicing on layered muslin, too. Are you basting the layers enough first? Possibly getting the bunches when you baste?
ReplyDeleteCould it be a feed dog or timing issue with your machine? Have you cleaned out the feed dog area lately? Is the rocker arm slipping on your screw post?
DeleteThat is interesting because I have recently gotten a request for my paper crane pattern. I am not a big pinterest follower but it seems some of my quilt ideas have made it there. I also do not have a pattern for paper piecing one because it is really a simple applique and who needs all the seams it would create.
ReplyDeleteI have a digital pattern for the paws to use on my longarm. www.annebright.com But it is not for an embroidery machine. Ana USA
ReplyDeleteI don't know what the problem is with your walking foot. I would first check my manual to make sure I had installed it correctly. Fortunately, I have never had a problem with mine in over 15 years. From what I understand about the walking foot, the purpose is to feed the fabric evenly from top to bottom so you should have no bunching or pulling. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteTaniwa, just wondering how you basted your quilt, I couldn't see on your photos. Maybe not enough for the walking foot?
ReplyDeleteHi Tanya, When you quilt in straight lines I was told to start in the middle and then alternate which side you start your next straight line. For instance. If youstart aqt the top of the quilt and sew down, then the lines on either side of that middle line start at the bottom of the quilt and go to the top. That is to keep too much pulling which you get if you sew every line from top to bottom. Love the paw prints. I loved ready all about your Leila's wedding and your adventures in the mid West, and your trip to Niagra Falls! Mary in PA
ReplyDeleteThat's an amazing paw print. I can see why the person wanted it.
ReplyDelete