Problem I keep having...

[Athleticsecretary]

I have just loaded a quilt on my Millenium and I'm having a problem...it's as if the top thread is not catching the bobbin thread....therefore I have spaces where it looks like a 1/4" stitch on top, then a regular stitch, then another 1/4" stitch, then it will run fine for about 5-6 inches, then it repeats the process. It does this both with and without the stitch regulator on. I don't know how to fix it. I've tried adjusting the top tension, but it continues...I've also adjusted the bottom tension and it continues. Any suggestions?

[SandraC]

Not too sure what could be causing it, just have to say that all my problems seem to have been cured when I started to use a new bobbin case (knock on wood!!!)

Hope this helps Sandra

[JudyL]

First, welcome to the group!

Have you read through Connie's suggestions at http://www.apqs.com/quiltingstitchregulator.htm There's great info in there.

Some things I would try:

1. Make sure you don't have too much tension on the top or backing.

2. Check to see if the needle is actually penetrating the fabric and not picking up the bobbin thread (there should be holes in the fabric where the stitches should have been). If this is the case, it could be a timing issue. Have you hit anything with the needle?

3. If the stitches are occasionally big (not leaving holes in the fabric where stitches didn't "make"), maybe the wheels controlling the S/R need adjusting. Are they too loose?

4. Is this a batting and/or thread you've used successfully before this quilt? I once had skipped stitches and it ended up being the fabric . . not sure if it was the top or backing but it was a problem I had with ONE quilt.

Good luck and please let us know what solves the problem.

[Athleticsecretary]

1. I have loaded the quilt the same way I have every other one I've done - it's not too taut.

2. I don't have needle holes in the fabric under the long stitches, so it must be something in the stitch regulator...but can it be when I get long stitches even when I don't have the regulator on?

3. The wheels seem fine...

4. Yes, I've used the batting and thread etc before. Nothing new there.

I'll try cleaning the wheels like Connie suggests - if all else fails I'll wait until Monday and call APQS.

Thanks for your suggestions!

[Quiltdoodlesmith]

This sounds like the fiendish work of the phantom dust bunnies again.

Check the bobbin case, and all surrounding areas, for lint clusters. They will shift in and out of the thread path, leaving an irregular pattern of havoc.

Smooth stiching to you!

[TinaCollins]

I would have told you the same things to check as everyone else did. Have you tried changing needles? Tried a new bobbin case yet? How about loosening the thread tension in addition to making sure the sandwich is not too tight? Have you tried to quilt on another fabric, batting, and/or thread combination in the meantime??? If so, did you still have the skipping stitches problem??? That's the benefit of having zippers on your leaders!!! Just unzip a problem piece and zip on another to figure out if it is the fabric, batting, or the thread, or a combination of them! Did I say how much time my zippers saves me in trouble-shooting??? LOL!!!:cool:

Just curious here..... Would this fabric be a "painted" tone on tone print?? I had 3 different fabrics that gave me skipping problems a couple of years ago- AND all of the fabric had the "rubbery-painted' print that is screened on instead of a true dye print. I kept looking for needle holes and didn't see them??? It was almost as if the rubbery print was heated by the needle and melted closed again??? Yes.... strange, I know, but I never did see the needle holes when looking at the fabric itself. I finally layed a piece of interfacing over the quilting area to make sure the needle was penetrating the fabric.... and it really was- the thread just wasn't catching the next few stitches every so often. After the first quilt I fought with this type of fabric, I learned that I needed to slow down extremely much because the rubbery print would literally grab the thread and not let it travel down to catch the other thread between stitches.

If in doubt as to whether the print is actually fabric dye or the rubbery screened on stuff, take your fingernail and see if the print will scrub away if you scratch it with your fingernail. The first time I ran into this type of fabric, it was a white tone on tone, the second was a green tone on tone, and the third was a beige tone on tone- all three from quilt shops in 2 different towns.

Just as a side note here- I recently finished a red and white quilt that had this white on white screened on rubbery print in both the piecework of the top and as the backing..... I was really dreading it BIGTIME- but I had NO problems at all??? Not sure why, but I was very glad I didn't have to go soooo slow while quilting!! I don't have a whole lot of patience.... LOL!!!!

Please let us know what the culprit is when you get it figured out!!! Then, we can all add it to our list of things to check when fighting skipped stitches!!

[Athleticsecretary]

I thought I'd let you know that it was a timing problem. One of the screws was loose. Thank you all for your suggestions; I'm sorry it's taken me so long to reply!