Broke a needle AND

[ollie1shoe]

Was quilting my grandaughters wedding quilt and broke a needle on my quilters dream babylock espire was in free motion feed dogs dropped Put new needle in now its making small stitches and feels like the feed dogs are up not down checked that to make sure feed dogs were still dropped they are but it just doesn't want to let me slide the quilt around with ease under it and the short stitches. Don't have a clue what the problem might be. Any help would be appreciated

[rosebud3]

Ollie, I'm not good at free motion on my machine yet, but first check and make sure that part of the broken needle didn't drop into the feed dog area of your machine; second check for any broken thread that may have been caught in the shuttle; and third rethread your machine to make sure it didn't jump track. Those are troubleshooting tips I have been given in the past when I was having problems similar to yours with other sewing. Hope this helps.

Mary/Rosebud

[MainelyMe]

I would agree that you should first check the whole area out to make sure a little piece of the needle isn't interfering. Next I would shut the machine completely down for 20 seconds ( like rebooting a computer ). Then I would take the needle out and then put it back in, retread the machine, and see what happens. If you are still having trouble let me know and I'll try to suggest some other things to try.
Good luck!

[gmaann]

I agree with Rosebud and MainelyMe. Take the needle plate off and check to see that there isn't a piece of the needle jammed in there. Also clean accumulated lint out. Then completely rethread the machine. Put the feeddogs up and then back down again.

Good luck! It's so frustrating when you're in a time crunch and things aren't going well!!

[purrfect-lady]

These are some great tips from Joan, Mary, and Ann. Another thought I had is maybe the pressure setting for the presser foot was knocked off your usual setting. I recently had trouble even sliding my fabric under the foot of my little Janome and realized the pressure was too high.

Also, I know a broken needle can mess up your machine's timing. Which probably would mean a trip to the sewing machine doctor. I hope tips from the other gals fixes things!

[fabricgirl]

Hi do you have the book that came with your machine because I know in my Elna book they have a troubleshooting guide in the back maybe when you went to put your needle back in you might have put it in backwards.


Lois

[somari]

first did you make sure all the parts of the broken needle are accounted for: the hub that is clamped in, the shank and the eye. Use a magnet all around on the floor on the quilt and inside the bobbin area and case. At least be sure that it is not somehow inside the machine or bobbin and case. Then you start over iwth stitch length, speed, tension under than tension over. If not call a tech.

[somari]

and messed up timing can break the hook! no hook no stitches!