I cannot get my machine to quit skipping stitches... sews 10-12 stitches, then skips about 1/2 inch... anyone else having this problem.

Butterfly, Generally when a machine skips stitches means that you are useing the wrong size needle for the thread you sew with. Please tell us what type and size needle and what type of thread, we may be able to get to the problem at hand... are you quilting or sewing? How thick is the material that you are sewing?

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Janome MC6600, Bernina 240, Juki MO735 serger, 1948 Singer 15-19, 1950 221-1, 1951 201-2

I am using a HL x5 size 14 needle , gutterman size 50 thread, and quilting , I have warm and natural for batting , top and bottom are 100 % cotton, I have tried everything in the book that I can read about or think of... still no results... I also have the new FM foot recommended by my dealer , still skipped stitches. I have my machine on a gracie frame and have the sure stitch hooked up to it too... When I had my 6600P machine hooked up the same, I never had any problems.

Are you using the P2 Darning foot or the new metal free motion quilting foot? If the latter then there is an adjustable screw that lowers the foot so it skims the top of the fabric. If the foot is too high, proper stitch formation can not occur, resulting in skipped stitches. I don't know if it is possible to accidently sew without lowering the pressure foot, which could be another cause but on my 6600 it does not let you sew if the pressure foot is raised. I suspect the 1600 is much the same. Are you using the same thread in the bobbin?

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Janome MC6600, Bernina 240, Juki MO735 serger, 1948 Singer 15-19, 1950 221-1, 1951 201-2

Thanks Warbler, I am using the new free motion quilting foot and have tried various adjustments , skimming, touching and up a bit with the foot but to no avail, also, I am using the same thread in bobbin as in needls. My machine worked fine on the last quilt I did about 2 months ago, and this time, nothing but problems. I changed needles and double checked everything... does anyone else have these problems?

Attention to Jan. I am using my 1600P on a Grace frame... forgot to mention that! Thanks.

We have a Janome on a quilting frame and I came up with a way to make
this quilting foot hopp it made big difference how it was sewing.
my email is [ er32lj@yahoo.com ]

Hi Butterfly, I was having the same problem with my Janome 1600P and after reading some of the posts in this forum people were saying I should use a top stitch needle size of 16/100 or 18/110 because they have a larger eye. So I'm using a top stitch 16/100 needle and not having any problems. ljfox

Edited: 04/01/2009 at 12:02 PM by ljfox

Hi ljfox Thanks for the infor and glad it worked for you, I have been using a 16 needle and find it does make a difference, still have a few problems but not as bad. Butterfly

I had this problem and it drove me nearly insane.
Solution that worked:
1) Get light weight aluminium bobbins from http://shop.ebay.com.au/sharpsewing/m.html
2) Instead of Janome needles use Schmetz Quilting needles - now only skips very occasionally

I agree with the Schmetz Needle Recommendation. The Janome needles can look rough sometimes out of the package. Also, check your needle plate to see if there is any place that the thread might be catching. If there are any rough spots, use a 320-grit wet/dry sandpaper to gently smooth out any rough areas. Then follow up with a 400-grit wet/dry sandpaper and, if you're really into it, 600-grit wet/dry sandpaper. Make certain that your stitch length is set to zero and that your feed dog cover is firmly in place. I went ahead and removed my feed dogs so that I won't have to use the feed dog cover (it sometimes bounces out of place). Also, make certain that your needle-to-hook clearance is proper. Free motion sometimes requires a difference clearance between the needle and the hook point so that the thread doesn't snag when you are moving the machine freely. When the machine is feeding the cloth, the hook and the feed dogs are synchronized so that the hook releases the thread at the right point, when the machine is not being moved too quickly. Have your needle bar height checked, too...if this measurement is off, it can often cause skipping on knit materials; The pressure that batting and cloth presses against the scarf of the needle can keep the needle from forming a loop of thread that gets caught by the hook and then forms a stitch. Try lowering your top and bottom tensions if you are still skipping stitches. Lowering one tension might not be sufficient to form a loop on the top that slips off the hook and the bobbin. Sometimes tighter might be the answer, on occasion, as too loose a top tension can cause the the needle thread to slip off the hook during the hook's rotation.
Also, try a stretch needle in size 90--this is a good troubleshooting needle. Make certain that you're using a thread that's going to go through the needle easily, like a 40-wt rayon or a 40-wt cotton or even a 60 wt embroidery cotton. Try this on a sample and see if you're doing any better. If so, there are some other things to consider: make certain that your quilt roll is not too taught; there should be a little slack in the quilt layers that are currently being quilted, too, so that there is not too much pressure on the thread as it forms a loop behind the needle. Make certain that the quilt sandwich is flat against the bed of the machine and that you adjust the height of the pulleys as you advance the quilt and it builds up as a bulky roll beneath the arm of the machine. Experiment with different battings, too: Fusible Fleece can be a nightmare, super fluffy poly batting can be a headache, and cotton/poly blends can be iffy a times because you sometimes seem to get the worst of both fibres mixed together o make one batting. Quilting needles are great, too, because they have very tapered point and a scarf shape that helps prevent skipped stitches.
Remember, too that there is a certain rhythm that you must achieve when mastering free-motion quilting. For those of us raised on free-hand embroidery, I bet we can all relate to the learning curve of being able to free-motion embroider without snapping threads. Even computerized embroidery machines slow down or must be slowed down when sewing certain stitch types or broken threads will occur. With your free-motion quilting, start slowly, without stitch regulation or "Quilter's Cruise Control," and see how you feel as you relax more and more while you stitch. Make long stitches; make short stitches. stitch in one place, baste along a line make circles, cross-hatches, and squares: try everything--it's only cloth, you can't really break it too badly.
If you use a device like the "Quilter's Cruise Control," it does not mean that you are unlimited in how you can move the machine. The machine has a maximum speed control and the Cruise Control device, itself has a maximum speed control. Finding a sweet spot with these two adjustments can take time and it might not always hold true to every quilt. I have found this the most difficult set of adjustments to finesse and when I use the Quilters Cruise Control, I find myself moving the machine much more slowly than I would if I were running the sewing machine at a constant speed.
I know I don't have all the answers--I don't claim to be a quilting Guru--but I have gradually become more and more successful with my quilting, especially when using specialty threads.
Just keep trying...it's easier than learning to be a solid tennis player!
--SewBoBo

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--SewBoBo...

andersonova, Why did you just copy and paste a previous post. We only need to read it once.

Cheryl

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Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada
HMC12000, Horizon 7700QCP, 4120 QDC, Jem Platinum 760, CoverPro 1000, HuskyLock 936, Xpression Felting Machine, DigitizerMBX v.4.0