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Troubleshoot my vertical stitch?


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Hi everyone,

 

I'm doing a big king quilt (again)  and have a lot of straight line/maze type quilting to do.    My vertical stitches look a little weird to me.   Going in the downward towards my belly direction, they are fine.  When I go towards the back bar, they look funny.   I'm thinking maybe a needle hole position error?  I have it at the 6-7position.

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Andrea,

 

That is commonly referred to as a "walking stitch". It happens when the needle deflects slightly left and right as you push the machine away. If you've already turned your needle eye closer to 6:30, then check the height of the hopping foot. Turn the fly wheel by hand until the needle is at the lowest position. Then slide a single business card underneath from all sides. You should feel slight friction on all sides. If the foot is not level, or is too high, those walking stitches become more pronounced because the fabric sandwich isn't held tightly between the foot and the needle plate at the instant the stitch forms.

Here's how to adjust the foot if necessary:

 

Hopping foot adjust.pdf

 

If the foot isn't level, then remove the needle. insert a flat blade screwdriver inside the foot from the top (where the needle used to be. Put the tip of the screwdriver under the low side of the foot, and then gently press down on the handle of the screwdriver while the other end rests on the other top edge of the foot. This will force the screwdriver tip up, thereby bending the foot back in place. Use gentle pressure, and then re-check the foot. Repeat if needed.

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So the hopping foot is not the issue.  I'm going to put another needle in and see if it makes a difference, and tweak the position slightly. Jim - it's a 4.0. 

 

I'm not going fast, so that isn't a problem.    I think the more proficient I get at this quilting thing the more particular I get about things.....

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  • 3 months later...

WOW!  I've had my machine since Nov. 2014 and quilted MANY a quilts on it and today is my first day of "uh oh, that doesn't look right" on my vertical stitches while going in upward motion away from me.  Before even troubleshooting myself, I check this FABULOUS FORUM and ta dah!  My answer.  Needle needed to be slightly adjusted to be exactly at 6:30 and problem solved. 

 

I'm talking in a matter of less than 90 seconds!  Can I just say one more time how much I love APQS and their customer service!

Thank you, Dawn Cavanaugh!!!

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  • 4 weeks later...

I also love QPQS.  I had a problem just last week with my machine and made a call to them and Amy helped me right over the phone.  They are so helpful and seem to know all the answers and I was so glad that my machine was fixed very quick with just a phone call.  Thank you APQS!!!!!

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Joy:  6:30 is a reference to the dial of a clock.  It means that you rotate the eye of the needle to the left of perpendicular to the rollers the number of degrees (twenty-five I guess) 6:30 is away from 6:00.  It in effect reduces the space between your needle scarf and the hook.  Jim 

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Andrea:

 

As I see it, on an APQS machine, the bobbin is at the direct 6'oclock position.  The backend of the machine; the motor side, is at the 12'oclock position.  If you raise your left arm and hold it straight out from your body, that is the 9'oclock position.  You have to TLAR; "that looks about right", the 0630 position.  Its a scant 1/4 inch past 0600.  Clear as mud?

 

Cagey

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