How to stipple?

[niki]

I wanted to try doing stippling on my quilt. I dropped my feed dogs, put on my darning foot but instead of getting a straight stitches that meander, I get zig zag stitches like for darning or embroidery. That is not the look I am trying to get. I have a HuskyStar Huskvarna Viking machine. My question is do you need the darning foot or can I just take off the darning foot, drop the feed dogs and see if it will give me straight stitch. Maybe I need to play around with it more.
Can you suggest another way of quilting my top that is easy for a beginner? The blocks that I made are called Yellow brick road. I found a picture of it on the internet. I hope the link works. http://www.marthasquiltingcorner.com/cg ... atk126.jpg

I usually send my quilts out to quilt, but I really can't afford to do that for three quilt tops that I have ready to be quilted. That is why I would like to try to do it on my own.

Thanks!
Niki

[stitchywoman]

Re: How to stipple?

The yellow brick road quilt is so pretty! I'm just learning to stipple myself but I'm happy to offer up my opinion You probably could take the foot off all together, the problem you'll have is just keeping your fabric put and together while you're quilting, & I worry about pulling the fabric at the wrong time and breaking needles or tearing fabric. Not to mention the post that holds the presser foot might come all the way down so that wouldn't work anyway :? I think mine does that. I have a Janome though. I've considered sewing without a presser foot several times but apparently they want me to have one.

Unless the darning foot is putting a lot of pressure on your quilt (the foot should lift up slightly when the needle does to allow free movement of the quilt) it should be able to stipple, it may just take a little practice to get used to the feel of it. Grab some extra fabric and batting, make sure it's set on a straight stitch and give another shot!

Let us know what happens

[stitchywoman]

Re: How to stipple?

There's a little video about stippling on the Singer website. Go down to Embroidery & Darning and click the quick time video link next to it.
Not a lot of info but at least you can see it in action!

[jenny]

Re: How to stipple?

Stippling is just a practiced movement. What foot you have on your machine doesn't have anything to do with the stitch. If your machine is zig zaging you have it set on that stitch. So set it on a straight stitch and drop you feed dogs and use your foot. You do need some kind of foot on there. What you have to remember is that you don't have a stitch regulator on your machine so if you move you fabric through fast, your stitches will get larger and slower, closer together. Check your owners manual for machine quilting options.
An easy way to begin practicing, is to cut 8 inch squares of fabric and batting and just start practicing. Change your settings and just keep trying different things. If you live near us just come in, bring your machine and manual and we can help you through the rough spots.
I hope this helps...we had a girl come in just last week and were able to get her going. We kind of learned together.

[jenny]

Re: How to stipple?

Sorry one more thing...It might be easier to start with stitching in the ditch. Most machines have a foot for stitching in the ditch...it is the one with the metal thing hanging down between the feet. ( that is a terrible description) Als you can draw a pattern on the block and practice sewing around it. I call that echoing a pattern. Cross hatching is also very popular. So give it a try and let us know how you do!

[niki]

Re: How to stipple?

Thank you all for your help. I will take your suggestions. Boy, do I wish I lived near you guys. I would be in your shop all the time!

Niki

[ginettep48]

Re: How to stipple?

I love to stipple...I have a quilting machine and I start by learning to stipple and I love it...it is easy and faster..I have made about 60 quilts since last August......

Ginette

[Ryoukoe]

Re: How to stipple?

I have a question as well about this topic. Can any sewing machine stipple? I have an older machine that is extremely basic...zig zag, straight stitch and buttons are pretty much it. I do not see that I can actually drop the feed dogs either. Would I be able to even just do "in the ditch" with it? Help is very much appreciated .

[toggpine]

Re: How to stipple?

I hope the other ladies chime in here too, but I think that "in the ditch" shouldn't be too difficult with your machine. The only problem I had was that without a walking foot all of the quilt layers didn't want to feed through the machine very evenly, & I ended up with puckers where the seams met. With a walking foot, my machine was slower than molasses in Antarctica. (I was never convinced that it was the right foot for my machine, but that was what the dealer sold me for it.) A walking foot is basically like a set of feed dogs that replaces the presser foot of your machine. A darning foot keeps pressure on the fabric and allows you to move it around freely while you are stitching.

I think you can cover your feed dogs with an index card or template plastic, with a hole punched out for your needle to go through, if you can not get them to drop. I haven't tried that, so I don't know for sure, but I read bout it somewhere.

[stitchywoman]

Re: How to stipple?

All you need to stipple is a straight stitch and a free motion quilting/darning presser foot. You might google your machine online for instructions on dropping the feed dogs. Most of them can it's just much more convenient on the newer machines! In the ditch is just a straight stitch sewn in the seam and toggpine is right the presser foot will put a lot of pressure on your quilt top without a walking foot but rest assured it's been done many times before! It's definitely better to have a walking foot but certainly possible without. I would go for the stipple option first it looks so good even when your a beginner the all over pattern shows less mistakes I think. And less mistakes showing up is always good for me!