Straight stitches

[Mrs.A]

Hi all:

Inspired by your helpful responses to Laura's problem of skipped stitches, I have a question:

 

Sometimes even when I have achieved really good thread tension, my stitches look a little wobbly...like not laying down in a perfectly straight row.  (It has happened on my DSM when I bumped the 'stitch width' dial resulting in a miniscule zig zag stitch.)  What might cause this on a longarm machine?  Is there any kind of adjustment I can make to the machine to keep it stitching straighter? 

 

Thanks in advance,  Nancy in Tucson

[jimerickson]

Nancy:  Stitching is more difficult on the longarm since you constantly move the machine in relation to what you're sewing.  If when you sew a straight line parallel to the rollers, you still have off set stitches, you probably have a slight timing issue.  Try rotating you needle from the "6 o'clock" position to 5:30, or 6:30.  That will reduce any excess space between the needle and hook.  If your stitches improve then that, (needle to hook clearence) is what's causing it.  You can then either leave the needle canted, or adjust the spacing by moving the hook closer to the needle.  Hope this helps.  Jim

[Mrs.A]

Oops..I probably should have mentioned that I am sewing on George so I'm moving the fabric, not the machine.  In any case, thanks very much, Jim.  I will try adjusting the needle position.