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  1. #1
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    Feed dogs eating material.

    While trying to make a small stuff sack for my hammock tonight, I encountered an aggravating issue.

    Primarily when beginning a stitch, the edge of the ripstop gets pulled down by the feed dogs and creates a bunched-up mess.

    Has anybody else encountered this problem? What measures might I take to cure the issue? Is there some setting that might need adjusting? I'm quite new to sewing so I'm really at a loss.

    Thanks in advance.

  2. #2
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    Seems like I remember (been a while) that what you have is caused by an imbalance in the tension settings. That the top tension is too loose. Maybe?

    Cvt

  3. #3
    Senior Member gargoyle's Avatar
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    A new needle. If the needle is dull or bent, it will not perform properly.
    Clean the feed dogs, balls of lint/fuzz make the machine work hard.
    Make sure your machine is threaded properly. Including the bobbin.

    Those three rules are first.
    If your machine is making quality looking stitches on test material, then dont do a lot of adjusting. Sometimes its just technique.

    Start your stitch a 1/2" in, and backstitch to (near) the edge. Then go forward.
    Hold the tails of the thread firmly for the first few stitches.
    Go slow at first. Some times you may need to work a few stitches by hand-spinning the wheel. Then apply the throttle.

    You can play with a few adjustments.
    Foot pressure? Increasing it will help hold the material flat and tight.
    Thread and needle size are mismatched?
    Thread is too thick/stiff?
    Using the proper foot for your project.
    Make sure your feed dogs are at the proper "UP" position. Most machines have a "dogs UP/Down" switch or lever.
    Clean and lube the machine properly.
    Ambulo tua ambulo.

  4. #4
    Senior Member Ramblinrev's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by gargoyle View Post
    Start your stitch a 1/2" in, and backstitch to (near) the edge. Then go forward.
    Hold the tails of the thread firmly for the first few stitches.
    Go slow at first. Some times you may need to work a few stitches by hand-spinning the wheel. Then apply the throttle.
    I would bet this is the main issue. If the needle is worn (no longer sharp) it will only increase the problem. I line up the edge of the fabric with the back of the presser foot. Then follow the above instructions.

    Don't mess with settings until the other issues have been ruled out. Changing settings too soon in the process can just mask other problems mqaking it harder to get to the root of the problem.
    I may be slow... But I sure am gimpy.

    "Bless you child, when you set out to thread a needle don't hold the thread still and fetch the needle up to it; hold the needle still and poke the thread at it; that's the way a woman most always does, but a man always does t'other way."
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  5. #5
    Senior Member dammfast's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by gargoyle View Post
    Hold the tails of the thread firmly for the first few stitches.
    THis took me a while to figure out but when I did it really saved me. I saw someone doing it in a video on youtube. The nylon is slippery and I was having a real problem starting if the new stitch was going over a seam. After I start pulling on those threads I didn't have a problem.
    Dammfast

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  6. #6
    Senior Member samjaynes's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by gargoyle View Post
    A new needle. If the needle is dull or bent, it will not perform properly.
    +1 on this - I was sewing some ripstop 1.1 oz a couple days ago, and it clearly looked like the feed dogs was pinching the material. Come to find out that I was using a dull demin needle, and once I swapped it out - it was like butter, no more pinching marks. The damage was caused by the dull needle grabbing the fine fibers of the ripstop and creating stress marks.

    Cheers -

  7. #7
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    As d***fast said:

    Quote Originally Posted by gargoyle View Post
    Start your stitch a 1/2" in, and backstitch to (near) the edge. Then go forward.
    Hold the tails of the thread firmly for the first few stitches.
    Go slow at first. Some times you may need to work a few stitches by hand-spinning the wheel. Then apply the throttle.
    Getting in the habit of grabbing the thread tails is the key to keeping the very edge of the fabric from being pushed down through the throat plate.
    Some Youtube videos show this - it's one of those things that expert sewers do, but often forget to mention. Industrial sewers often have the last item stitched still on the thread (ie not clipping threads after each operation) so can pull the threads easily. You can see this in any 'sweatshop' video..but it doesn't apply to 99% of the one-at-a-time DIY stuff I do.
    As mentioned, a dull needle will tend to push the fabric down, rather than pop through the fabric. That said, I have the same problem with most light fabrics, even with a sharp needle. Silnylon seems particularly 'plastic-y' in that the needle needs to 'punch' through it....with some silnylon I have, I can actually hear a 'pop-pop-pop' sound as I sew.

    The problem is worse with the zig-zag throat plates with the slot (vs hole in a straight-stitch throat plate), but I'm not giving up my zigzag machines because of that!

  8. #8
    Senior Member Rain Man's Avatar
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    Lightbulb

    I can think of two other suggestions for when you have to start at the very edge of flimsy fabrid:

    First, make sure the plate that the needle goes through (it's between the "feed dogs") is not flipped to the zig-zag position. The hole should be a tiny, single hole for straight stitching (unless, of course, you are doing zig-zag). Although a slight change, that has helped me a lot, in my experience, as there's less of an opening for the flimsy rip-stop to be pulled down through.

    Second, you can place a piece of newspaper, brown paper from a grocery sack, or even notebook school paper under your fabric, as if it's another layer of fabric in your project. After stitching the seam, the paper will tear apart at the stitching.

    Hope these ideas help, if the others haven't already solved your problem.

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  9. #9
    Senior Member Ramblinrev's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rain Man View Post
    Second, you can place a piece of newspaper, brown paper from a grocery sack, or even notebook school paper under your fabric, as if it's another layer of fabric in your project. After stitching the seam, the paper will tear apart at the stitching.
    If you use paper like this expect to change needles probably twice as often as you normally would. Paper dulls needles like nothing else.
    I may be slow... But I sure am gimpy.

    "Bless you child, when you set out to thread a needle don't hold the thread still and fetch the needle up to it; hold the needle still and poke the thread at it; that's the way a woman most always does, but a man always does t'other way."
    Mrs. Loftus to Huck Finn

    We Don't Sew... We Make Gear! video series

    Important thread injector guidelines especially for Newbies

    Bobbin Tension - A Personal Viewpoint

  10. #10
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    As already stated, clean everything, a little bit of lint or thread causes problems. I would start in the middle of the seam, have both the top and bottom thread together out to the right, left or back of your injector. You should be using a presser foot that fits your stitch you are using. My injector has a lever I push for straight or zig zag stitching. Needle, threading or thread are also possibilities. Do not inject when you are tired, things always go wrong.

    Sometimes, I have to redo my bobbin and re-thread the injector. I have also had battles with certain brands of thread.

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