Hopping feet

[Brenda C.]

Hello I have purchased a HQ Sweet Sixteen and find that great but I am wondering why does the foot have to have a hopping motion. I have found a hopping foot seems to be what most quilting machines have but I don't know what the purpose of the hopping motion is. I would prefer it didn't. I know that Leah Day does not use a hopping foot but I think she has "altered" hers.

[Kathryn S.]

Any of the Long Arm type quilting machines have a hopping foot. A Domestic sewing machine uses a foot for free motion quilting that attaches over the needle bar and it normally goes up and down as the needle goes up and down. This is because it must release off the fabric when the needle goes up, so you can move the fabric. There are some free motion feet for domestic machines that don't go up and down, they glide over the surface. Since they glide, they don't actually hold the fabric down when the needle goes down. So you pay a small price in stability. I only really know about Janome machines as far as domestic machines, I have both kinds of free motion feet for that machine- both the "hopping" one and the gliding one. They are about the same really, sometimes I prefer one over the other.

I also have a sweet sixteen sit down, the hopping foot is something I've gotten used to. There is no up and down presser foot like on a domestic machine, so the foot has to go down when the needle goes down to keep the fabric from moving during the time it's going through the fabric. Then it moves upward to allow the fabric to be moved. I hope that makes sense
Kathy

[Kathryn S.]

Thank you Kathy. It does make sense. After watching Leah Day for so long and then getting the Sweet Sixteen I found the hopping foot something i needed to get used to. I was marking with the pounce pad chalk (not the iron off one) and the hopping foot was disturbing the chalk and making it come off before I got to it. I have had to use an alternative marking method. I will get used to it though.

[Beverly C.]

Thanks for your input. I have the Sweet 16 also and wonder if either of you use the Tru-Stitch successfully. So far, I've preferred not to use it because I've finally gotten my own rhythm. A former member here (sue henyon) posted that she reduces her machine speed and then pushes the "pedal to the metal" so she doesn't have to worry about irregular length stitches. It was a light bulb moment for me when I read that! And it has worked well for me. I haven't tried ruler work yet, though, but it's on my "to do" list. I have found that the more I use my machine, the more I enjoy it.

[Kathryn S.]

I haven't used the Tru Stitch, I tried it at the local dealer and didn't enjoy using it. The speed regulator on the Sweet Sixteen (and all the other sit down machines) makes it very easy to get a regular rhythm going, as you said. I usually quilt fairly slowly so I put my max speed at about 30%. when I push the foot pedal to the max, then my machine only goes 30% speed, that suits me fine. There is a sweet sixteen sitdown group on Yahoo that endlessly discusses using the stitch regulator. Some really love it, others don't. I have enough experience with machine quilting that it doesn't seem like it would help me that much.

I have Patsy Thompson's ruler work DVD where she works on a sitdown and a domestic machine, and that was really helpful for getting started with ruler work. I saw on the TQS website that they are showing the intro to her DVD. She is an amazing teacher. Her DVD's have helped me so much.

It's good to remember that Leah Day is working only on a domestic sewing machine, not on a mid-arm or long arm, so many of the machine specific things she says don't apply when using the Sweet Sixteen. Happy quilting,
Kathy

[Beverly C.]

I just ordered Patsy's DVD. Leah Day just sent out an email that she is doing a 2016 mystery BOM that she also includes the quilting design and videos that support stitching the design. TQS has introduced me to so many educators, it has been just a wonderful resource all these years.

[Kathryn S.]

Hi I used the Tru Stitch in the store and it was good but I thought I'd try to do without it as it retails for over $1500.00 in Australia. At present I can get it on sale for $1290.00 but even that is just way too much for me. I would prefer to get used to quilting without it anyway as I think having to move it all the time is something I can do without. I have started to watch Patsy Thompson's ruler work video and finding that great so far. I have a straight ruler and the versatool ruler to play with.

[Beverly C.]

Kathy, I am wondering also whether or not you use the closed hopping foot that came with our machines or prefer an open toe foot they now offer? I saw in Patsy's trailer that she shows how to modify the original foot. Bev

[Jules M.]

HQ has several new feet. I'm going to get the glide foot & couching set soon. Have you looked at those? Would that help you any? I have a Fusion so not sure the details for your HQ16.

[Jules M.]

I have the Fusion also. I bought the glide foot in July, and it has been the only foot I leave on my machine while I'm doing edge to edge for other people, I'm using my ProStitch also. I try to keep my tops trimmed, pressed flat, and square. This isn't what I always have to work with for my clients. Many piecers don't realize that the quilter can't create square where it wasn't. And sometimes they forget to use the iron before handing their top to me. This isn't done out of any meanness on their part, they just don't understand how important 'flat before quilting' can be to all their hard work. I try to be very kind and only suggest one area for consideration at a time.
Back to the glide foot, I love it! It's a bit to get used to but I find that threading the needle with something white under the plastic cup makes that go easier.
A question for you, does your machine make a small clunking sound on certain patterns? Does it have a preferred direction when stitching? I find my stitches are very nice, then a little spot within a design doesn't look quite right. I think once the quilt is washed it turns out fine, but not all of what I do is meant for washing.
I was certified on a Nolting, no stitch regulation etc. I haven't been spending as much time as I thought I would on learning about my Fusion and its features. Another goal for the current year!

[Kathryn S.]

My machine came with a closed foot, then I got the open toe foot, then HQ came out with the convertible foot so you can change the feet easily. I mostly use the ope4n toe foot for better visibility. The only time you really need the closed toe foot is for ruler work when you want to have the ruler directly in front. I've watched Patsy Thompson's husband Ernie dremel out those feet on her videos, oh boy that looks like I would end up in the ER if I did that! Both Patsy and Leah Day have opened up the front of their feet if they only came as closed toe, it really does make it easier to see where you're going.

Joyce, I knew aboput the couching set, is the glide foot a non-hopping foot?

Kathy

[Jules M.]

Kathy, the glide foot will help you get over thick seam intersections or applique or whatever is a bit thicker than the normal area of a quilt. I wish I had it when I quilted my wool applique tree as it would have made going up that thickness easier. (2 layers of wool batting too)

I tried the couching foot at a show and about melted! Ok... just quit working for pay and couch something!! Couch everything! :woohoo: