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Stitching straight lines HELP!
svirtue
Joined: Aug. 17, 2009
Posted: Aug. 17, 2009, 9:06 AM
Hello! I just purchased a new HQ16. I love it and am very happy to have it.
However, I am getting terribly frustrated because there seems to be a "bump" or something causing my machine not to sew a straight line! I tried to quilt Saturday and had to quit because I got a horrible headache trying to get it right. I wiped down all of my track for my machine thinking there was maybe something there I could not see. When trying to sew a diagonal line from left to right it always makes a zig-zag way out of line and my stitching looks terrible....like a preschooler did it!

Can someone please help me figure out what in the world is wrong?

Stitching like this, I could NEVER do quilts for other people.

HELP PLEASE!
Shelly Virtue
Re: Stitching straight lines HELP!
jessiejane
Joined: July 3, 2009
Posted: Aug. 17, 2009, 5:11 PM
I bought a channel lock (sold through handiquilter) that locks the wheel on the machine so that you can do a straight line from left to right and keeps the machine in line. It works well. It is good for basting or grid work - use care in loading your quilt square on the leaders. I hope this helps.
Re: Stitching straight lines HELP!
Lorraine
Joined: Aug. 22, 2009
Posted: Aug. 23, 2009, 7:09 AM
Also make sure that your table and leaves are tight together, this could cause a bump. You might want to make sure that your tracks are straight. When my DH set up my table, he used a level to get the tracks perfect and measured all the way down the table. Hope this helps. Lorraine
Re: Stitching straight lines HELP!
Sullytoo
Joined: Nov. 6, 2009
Posted: Nov. 15, 2009, 10:25 AM
Hi Shelly,

I find that when my machine jogs like I understand you to say, there is usually thread caught in one of the wheels. It can sometimes be hard to see. Also, if it only happens in approximately the same area as you move the machine across the table check carefully to be sure there are no gouches in your track. I have had to replace my track twice since I bought my machine. (I use my machine quite a lot and I love it!!) I hope this helps give you something more to check for. Good Luck.
Re: Stitching straight lines HELP!
Carolyn
Joined: Dec. 12, 2008
Posted: Nov. 15, 2009, 7:18 PM
You didn't state whether you were using a ruler and the base. My machine does the same thing when using rulers and usually I'm am pressing too hard on the ruler. Also where the base sets on the machine there is a small bump that causes me problems. I have put tape around that section to lesson the space between the machine plate and base. Keep trying.
Carolyn