I'm struggling today pls help ASAP

[AlohaSandy]

I am crosshatching my queen size quilt on my on my Brother sewing machine and I have the settings on 3 and it still seems to be going through easily I'm having to pull the fabric through you can one of you ladies please tell me what else I can do shall I turn the setting down to even lower. I thought putting the tension in the lower numbers means that the thread is not so tight thanks for the help. before I continue doing anymore I'll wait for your help

[Kgrammiecaz]

Re: I'm struggling today pls help ASAP

Be sure you have the weight of the quilt up on the table and no part falling off. Even a little pull can keep it from moving smoothly

[auntiemern]

Re: I'm struggling today pls help ASAP

It sounds to me like a pressure issue, not the tension. Put the tension back to the default or between 4-5, and If you have the capability on your machine, decrease the pressure of your foot on the fabric. On my brother the pressure adjustments is a wheel on the back of the machine. Also are you using a walking foot? You need to be, if you aren't.

[Sharyn J]

Re: I'm struggling today pls help ASAP

Your quilt is pretty large. I'm sure that you have it supported well on all sides. Are you using a walking foot? If so and you're still having to pull the fabric through, you might want to lower the presser on the presser foot. That's not the same as loosening the thread tension. You should have a dial with a mark for normal. Raise the pressder foot & turn the dial or knob slightly to a lower number. Then the foot will not apply so much pressure on top of the quilt and will glide more easily. I often have to loosen that dial a bit, depending on the thickness of my batting.

Also, make sure you're starting in the middle of the quilt working outwards to the edge. If your thread tension was good before you started to cross hatch, I would not change that. Try the presser foot tension adjustment.

Edit: I see that Marilyn & I were typing at the same time!

[AlohaSandy]

Re: I'm struggling today pls help ASAP

Yes it is laying on top of the table and I am trying to keep no pulling on the quilt itself going thru the machine.

Be sure you have the weight of the quilt up on the table and no part falling off. Even a little pull can keep it from moving smoothly

[AlohaSandy]

Re: I'm struggling today pls help ASAP

I don't understand about the pressure of your foot are you speaking of the 1/4 foot I a using. I tried the walking foot and it was way worse, YIKES. I am checking on the wheel on the back of my machine.

It sounds to me like a pressure issue, not the tension. Put the tension back to the default or between 4-5, and If you have the capability on your machine, decrease the pressure of your foot on the fabric. On my brother the pressure adjustments is a wheel on the back of the machine. Also are you using a walking foot? You need to be, if you aren't.

[AlohaSandy]

Re: I'm struggling today pls help ASAP

I am confused are you talking about the dial for the thread tension???

Your quilt is pretty large. I'm sure that you have it supported well on all sides. Are you using a walking foot? If so and you're still having to pull the fabric through, you might want to lower the presser on the presser foot. That's not the same as loosening the thread tension. You should have a dial with a mark for normal. Raise the pressder foot & turn the dial or knob slightly to a lower number. Then the foot will not apply so much pressure on top of the quilt and will glide more easily. I often have to loosen that dial a bit, depending on the thickness of my batting.

Also, make sure you're starting in the middle of the quilt working outwards to the edge. If your thread tension was good before you started to cross hatch, I would not change that. Try the presser foot tension adjustment.

Edit: I see that Marilyn & I were typing at the same time!

[Sharyn J]

Re: I'm struggling today pls help ASAP

Sandy, I'm not familiar with your machine, but you have a dial, lever, or some type of adjustment for the amount of pressure that is placed on top of your quilt. It is not your 1/4" foot. If someone has a Brother machine, maybe they can tell you what it looks like and where it is on your machine.

Here's a short video to describe what we're talking about. Sewing Machine Pressure Settings for Machine Quilting - YouTube

[Vonnie]

Re: I'm struggling today pls help ASAP

Sharon - thanks for that video! I have played around with the pressure on my pressor foot but what I also needed to do was make a tiny sandwich with the exact same fabric and batting with a horizontal stitch near the bottom to help show proper pressure.

I have bookmarked this video.

If Aloha Sandys Brother is computerized like my Babylock, she will need to get her user's manual out and use her screen to change the pressor foot pressure.

Babylock Espire: At the top of the screen, it looks like a sheet of paper with a dog eared top corner. Touch that, and on page two is the place to change it and also to turn off the auto fabric sensor. Some Brothers are like clones to the Babylocks.

[GrammaJudy]

Re: I'm struggling today pls help ASAP

This was a very informative video for me. Thanks!

[ozziepuppy]

Re: I'm struggling today pls help ASAP

I have had to put the part that had not yet fed through the machine over my left shoulder, LOL.