JustSewSimple Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 My needle is not in the center of my hopping foot. Do I need to get it in the center? Does the machine have to be retimed to move that needle bar over? I have broken 3 needles in the past hour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Sounds like it may be hitting the plate under the needle. Slowly lower the needle by turning the flywheel and see where it fits inside the hole in the plate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 my needle is not perfectly centered in my hopping foot either. it's always been that way. that being said, i do not break needles unless i hit a ruler or something. sorry this is happening to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 The needle is not centered in the hopping foot. It is closer to the front of the foot. CORRECTION: on Frogger and Toad...my needle is centered left to right, but sits farther back of center towards the needle bar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustSewSimple Posted March 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Kristina, mine is farther to the left. It fits well within the hole. I was going slowly do I don't think needle flex caused it to hit the plate. I took the plate off and felt around the hole and didn't find a burr. I ran a piece of batt through it to see if it caught on a place and it did not. There must be a small burr around the hook area as the bobbin thread is shreading but I just don't trust my abilities to remove the hook assembly and putting it back in. I hate to be pitiful but it looks like I am. Perhaps I should include I am practicing and I started with a quilt sandwich and have just been adding fabric and adding fabric and adding fabric. Perhaps I have created a brick wall! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Heidi told me she never uses more than 3 layers of fabric atop the batting. Maybe that's the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbm Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Sylvia, timing won't affect where the needle passes through the hopping foot - you need to loosen the screw holding the hopping foot, recenter the hopping foot, then tighten the screw back down. Instructions are in the manual. It sounds like you may have jammed things up - start with the re-timing instructions in the manual - it may be something as simple as a jammed needle bar, but the shredding bobbin thread sounds like a burr someplace. It's time to get your feet wet! Timing isn't hard, it's just tedious!! Once you've done it yourself, it won't be nearly so scary anymore. And maybe it's not timing at all..... Keep us posted, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 If your needle is hitting dead center of the hole, but your hopping foot isn't center, it may be a that it got bent some place in its history....and the hopping foot got wacked out of center....call the office to see what they suggest to get it back to center. It may very well be the way your baby was born and it not a perfect centering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustSewSimple Posted March 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 LENNI LENNI where are you sugar? I need you back!!!!!!! EEEEEKKKKKkkkkk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 No you don't you just need to bond with your new machine, and that doesn't come overnight.... I thought I wanted my old machine back after I my Millie as well....but it wasn't very long before I too was a happy camper. And soon you will be as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 I agree with bonnie. I did this once when I hit a ruler...and zeke told me to gently pry the needle bar back over. Worked for me. But, that doesn't fix your thread breaking, needle breaking issue. I wonder if the quilt layers you are practicing on isn't the contributing factor here. Put a new sandwich on...and try again. That is alot of layers to quilt through and not have a problem! Just my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustSewSimple Posted March 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 The needle (I can't find that #@%$%^^ camera) is not hitting the plate. It has good clearance. It is indeed slightly to the left. It must not be bad off casue Sandra G stitched on it and it didn't break nor did she mention it. I do think perhaps the sandwich is too thick and hard. I will reload a practice piece. But I can move the bar over some with out re-timing it? I will try that later when I have thought about it more. So, I guess I need to remove the shuttle and look for a burr. It has the one screw I think. Bonnie, to bond, did you rock her to sleep at night? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quilted charm Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 My needle is to the left of center also. I just assumed that was how it is supposed to be. Please keep us updated on what you find out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustSewSimple Posted March 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Ok. here is what I have discovered. My needle is exactly in the center of the hole in the needle plate. Neither the needle nor the bobbin thread like a thick heavy sandwich. I removed that sandwich and started with a fresh one and she worked beautifully. Whew! It is hard to think when you are in mid meltdown. The day I need to time my machine for the first time I am putting her in the van and driving her to Baton Rouge! Perhaps I will do that the first 2 times and video the entire thing. Thanks to all you who jumped in to help. Perhaps she was pipped at me for accidentally changing her name. I was calling her Sugar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustSewSimple Posted March 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 What do people do who don't have this forum for their machines??? I feel so sorry for them as some are all out there alone. I love this place!!!! :P:P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmcclannan Posted March 23, 2011 Report Share Posted March 23, 2011 Sylvia, I started with a Lenni too and NEVER broke a needle with her. Then when I got my Millie I found she just wouldn't quilt through thick seams or layers of fabric. She'd break a needle nearly every time. I fought with her over it but finally I decided to accept the fact that she is a little fussier than Lenni. I don't ask her to stitch through thick "stuff" and she doesn't get cranky on me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustSewSimple Posted March 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2011 Thanks Julie. I thought yesterday I was a complete failure! I wonder why the Freedom/Mille is fussier than Lenni. That darned Lenni is just a good little machine (I am not complaining about my Freedom, now, I know I have the best!!!) I just couldn't figure it all out. I feel so much better about it today - Partly due to the folks on this forum! Arent they just the best???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted March 23, 2011 Report Share Posted March 23, 2011 Sylvia glad you are feeling better. It sounds like your needle was flexing from going through all those layers! My machine goes through all seams no problem. I've even done paper piecing with tons of seams without any problems, I just have to slow way down! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yankiequilter Posted March 23, 2011 Report Share Posted March 23, 2011 My Millie will groan when she gets a needle into a very thick seam and occasionally I have to power down, raise needle and power up before I can move on. I have found that she quilts right through flower head pins! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustSewSimple Posted March 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2011 Carmen, you would know she'd like those pins!!!!!! Ha!:P:P:P:P:P:P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolinequilts Posted March 23, 2011 Report Share Posted March 23, 2011 Originally posted by JustSewSimple What do people do who don't have this forum for their machines??? I feel so sorry for them as some are all out there alone. I love this place!!!! :P:P Sylvia - agreed! I just met a woman who has a Millie (right around the corner from me too!) and she has had her machine for two years and only completed 4 quilts. Part of it was family circumstances, but she was also desperately struggling with tension. I went to see her and told her to "GO TO THE FORUM!". I hope to see her on here someday. Diane - if you are out there lurking - welcome aboard! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katydids Posted March 25, 2011 Report Share Posted March 25, 2011 Originally posted by JustSewSimple What do people do who don't have this forum for their machines??? I feel so sorry for them as some are all out there alone. I love this place!!!! :P:P well Sylvia. You could call me when you are having problems! Centering the needle in the hopping foot has nothing to do with timing the machine. It is related to the position of the hopping foot. It is an easy adjustment, the same as if you had to raise the hopping foot for loftier batting. All you do is reach into the side plate where that hole is and find the screw. With a long bladed straight screwdriver, you loosen the screw and turn the foot so that the needle is centered in the foot. I also put a folded business card under the foot so that I keep my proper height spacing. When you get the placement you want, tighten that screw back up. Make sure you get it tight so the foot doesn't loosen over time. Did that make sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustSewSimple Posted March 25, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2011 Completely!!!! Thanks, Miss Patty! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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