Problem sewing corners

[jrchapman]

I'm "dog earing" a lot of strips of various sizes and I'm struggling with my machine. I've done the same thing with my mum's machine and it worked fine but when I'm using my own (got to get used to it some time!) the needle keeps poking the corner down into the machine.

<See picture p1010947.jpg>

I got around it with the longer strips. When I tried sewing from the corner (a) it poked it down the hole so I sewed from the long edge (b).

<See picture dog ear.jpg>

The only bits I have left to do now are squares so I need to sew from a corner but I can't stop them being sucked in to the machine! I could go and use my mum's machine but I can't keep doing that forever. Does anyone have any ideas?

The machine is a Pfaff Select 1530 if that helps anyone.

[pdjewelrylady]

Re: Problem sewing corners

try raising the feed dogs a little ?

[Virginia]

Re: Problem sewing corners

Hi!
what if you try to place a piece of fabric ahead of the fabric you're sewing, sew a few stitches then introduce the patchwork,like a guiding fabrig, like if you're chain piecing. Did that help?
Virginia

[Sewbee]

Re: Problem sewing corners

JR...I think when you are chain piecing you may need to place the next piece closer to the one already in the machine so there is not so much space between pieces and less likely the feed dogs will pull the corner down. When I chain piece my pieces are so close together I have to be careful when snipping them apart.

When doing individual squares Virginia has given you great advice! Use a small scrap piece of fabric to start sewing on, then butt your quilt square right up next to it so you can sew continuously onto your square, then I like to place another small scrap of fabric at the end so I will be ready for my next quilting square that needs sewing. Just snip off the scrap at the back of your first square and use it for the next....

Here is a pic of what I do.

GUIDE FABRIC PATCH FOR STITCHING_0001.jpg

[jrchapman]

Re: Problem sewing corners

Thanks for all the tips.

I had been using a leader but I agree that I may have left too much space between my chain pieced bits. I'll have a go at squeezing them closer.

Unfortunately my feed dogs are either up or down, nothing in between so they are up as far as they can go.

[jrchapman]

Re: Problem sewing corners

Squeezing them together seemed to do the trick.

A couple of them still got munched and I had to put them so close that I had to snip the corners to separate them but I figure that will be lost in the seam anyway.

Thanks for the advice.

[craftyladysam]

Re: Problem sewing corners

JR , how about using paper (freezer paper) under your fabric as you sew. Maybe that would help.

[irishrn]

Re: Problem sewing corners

Has anyone heard of taping a tiny piece of a business card over the hole so it is just between the feed dogs? You have to make a tiny hole in it to allow the needle to go thru and it would take some precision but I had a friend who swears by it because she has an older machine with a 'MONSTER" hole ( she may be exagerating a bit!!