need advice quilting w/walking foot!

It is my first attempt at quilting with my walking foot - just straight lines, don't want to make myself crazy!
When I try it on my test sandwich it is beautiful - tension great, stitches even.
When I try it on the quilt (crib/toddler) - it seems like it doesn't move as easily and the stitches get tiny and tight. I'm trying to make sure it has ample room to move; nothing is caught, but I can't quite figure it out... any help would be wonderful since I really want to actually 'finish' a quilt!

TIA :) Norma

I have the same problem with my machine I hate my waking foot so I never use it I just use . the suggested foot attachment I know it had to do with your bobbin tension good luck

When you say you tried it on a test sandwich, is it the same fabric as your quilt? Same thickness?

I lengthen my stitch length to a 3 or 3.5 and it really helps.

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Originally Posted by songbird857

When I try it on my test sandwich it is beautiful - tension great, stitches even.
When I try it on the quilt (crib/toddler) - it seems like it doesn't move as easily and the stitches get tiny and tight. I'm trying to make sure it has ample room to move; nothing is caught, but I can't quite figure it out... any help would be wonderful since I really want to actually 'finish' a quilt!

TIA :) Norma

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The tight and tiny stitches tells me that your quilt is "dragging." You need to support the weight of the quilt in front of the machine so that it feeds in easily. You can do this by resting it on your arms, your chest (if you happen to have a built in shelf like me) or even loosely tossed over your shoulder. Any pull on the front of the quilt makes that machine and walking foot struggle to pull the weight through and stitches shrink up.

I had that problem with one of my machines( a singer). Now have a brother pq1500 and have started to get some decent quilting done. The instruction book said that when using walking foot to use longer stitch, go slowly, lower the pressure foot pressure and if needed not to lower the foot all the way. Also as Karen said I make sure there is no drag on the quilt

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Originally Posted by K. McEuen

The tight and tiny stitches tells me that your quilt is "dragging." You need to support the weight of the quilt in front of the machine so that it feeds in easily. You can do this by resting it on your arms, your chest (if you happen to have a built in shelf like me) or even loosely tossed over your shoulder. Any pull on the front of the quilt makes that machine and walking foot struggle to pull the weight through and stitches shrink up.

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Agree 100%. You have to get the drag off from the walking foot. Does your sewing machine have a large flat area all round it, like an extension table or the sewing machine is dropped down below the surface? Are you using the "fluff and stuff" method to mound the fabric up in a well around the walking foot? How about holding the fabric up from below with one hand on each side of the walking foot? Sew a few inches, reposition the fabric, reposition your hands, and sew a few more inches. Its slow, but you will get there.

you also need to make sure there is enough room behind the machine. Sometimes the quilt will bunch up behind the foot and there is too much there that keeps it from moving through. make sure you move what you have done out of the way.I Just put binding on a big quilt and had to keep adjusting what was behind the machine too.

Thank you so much for all of your input! I played with it a bit more and yes, I believe it was 'drag' - I am now using an 's' stitch and making sure that I support the body of the quilt (and yes, I do have a 'shelf'... lol)
- not perfect, but I'm learning and I love it. This first quilt will go to a good friend who just had a baby girl, and honestly I could have cut a rectangle out of flannel and she would be gracious - so I'm not worried so much about perfection :) I'll post a pic in show and tell when I'm done binding - hopefully this week... and thanks again for everyone's input; it all helps me so much :icon_kiss:

Norma

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Originally Posted by K. McEuen

The tight and tiny stitches tells me that your quilt is "dragging." You need to support the weight of the quilt in front of the machine so that it feeds in easily. You can do this by resting it on your arms, your chest (if you happen to have a built in shelf like me) or even loosely tossed over your shoulder. Any pull on the front of the quilt makes that machine and walking foot struggle to pull the weight through and stitches shrink up.

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That is what I was going to say too. I end up putting it over my left shoulder. Don't let part of it hang down anywhere if you can help it.

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Originally Posted by AlohaSandy

I have the same problem with my machine I hate my waking foot so I never use it I just use . the suggested foot attachment I know it had to do with your bobbin tension good luck

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Ditto. My walking foot is also so loud, I couldn't stand to use it for very long!

Take off the walking foot, I have never gotten it to work wright on anything bigger than a placemat. I never use it anymore.