I was going to free style quilt with a quilting foot today and it won't work!! Worked fine before, but I must have forgotten something. It gets all jerky like it is getting stuck and makes a mess on the back. Help.

Hello there sewwhat... ok you mention freesyle and quilting foot, now, by quilting foot do you mean the walking foot? Because I was taught not to use the walking foot for Freestyle but to use the Darning Foot. The other thing is , have you either lowered or covered your feed dogs?
Occasionally when I have started to quilt and found it snagging it is that the Feed Dogs have decided of their own free will to re -engage . grrrr... only other thing I can think of is have you loosened your foot tension to allow for the thicker fabric?
Hope this helps if not someone will happen along soon that actually knows what they are talking about lol Good Luck

Jacqui

What kind of machine are you using? Check to be sure that the foot is down. I have a megaquilter and if I forget to put the foot down, I have a huge mess.
Just a thought.
Vicky

Thanks zig zag. I have a 35 year old New Home and I quilted a whole quilt using this freestyle foot (like a darning foot I think)I did remember to drop the feed dogs, but you know how mean and snarly dogs can get when you don't treat them right. They might be grabbing and causing things to get stuck.The thickness of the quilt is not the problem because when I put on regular foot and lift the dogs it works perfectly. To the Shop..To the shop! And I can procrastinate another week at least. The sewing repair is 60 miles away. Thanks much.

Thanks Vicky, I did remember to put the foot down. I guess it needs repair or something. It isn't a walking foot, it is more like a darning foot. I will let you know if I ever get the project underway! Loretta

Sewwhat,
I do a lot of free motion quilting. I tell people there are a few things to remember.
1.Darning foot
2. Feed dogs down
3. pressure foot down.
4. Tenson setting.
5.Floor board you peddle.
6. Drive the quilt slower than the Foot peddle in a even motion.
& pretend like you drunk and never run over anyone (thats for the meandering.)
You have to keep your movement pretty even or you will get the jerk, skips and rats nest on you quilt. I also found that if I should forget to put the pressure foot down you will get the rats nest, tangles and other problems.
Debbie

Well I was home last June went to a Quilt Bazarr ended up buying a table quilting frame really simple to set up and use so I can take it with me when we travel,But I really need alot of practice I tend to move my quilt to fast but I do have the foot to the pedal going full blast.

One thing that has really helped me is something I learned from an experienced quilter at a retreat last year on FMQ. She told me when I go to start, to sway ( Like Debbie said, like a drunk) LOL, slowly, and never watch where your needle is, be thinking of where you are going next, not where you currently are with the needle! I also have the gloves! BIG HELP TO ME!! Worth their money!!

Sounds like your problem could be as simple as the bobbin thread jumping out of the tension. Rethread and see if that helps. You might also want to completely rethread the entire machine.

Hi Debbie. Thanks for the tips. I did all the things listed. Except I didn't change the tension, because it was perfect with the feed dogs up. So I tried moving it higher, then lower with no success. Took the machine to the shop today.