Yeah! Make up a sample/test piece of what you're having trouble with and go to a dealer and test drive a nice new expensive machine. That way you'll know if it's your machine or YOU! And if it's you there will be a person beside you who will know what you're doing wrong.
Bon
:)

Something similar to that was happening to me with my old Kenmore, and even with the Baby Lock Quilters Choice I got last July. Special presser foot, tape guides...nothing remedied it.

Then I upgraded to a Baby Lock Espire, which lets you choose the needle position and allows you to specify exactly what width of seam you want (6.5mm being great for a scant 1/4" seam), and the problem disappeared. (By the way,the Espire also takes 3 or 4 stitches in the same spot at the beginning and end of a line of stitching, to tie a knot and it has automatic thread-cutting, too.) The dealer said that the wobbling that had plagued me with the two former machines was due to the feed dogs not getting a good enough grip because of the needle position when sewing a scant 1/4". But now I never have a problem sewing a straight seam of any width. So whatever machine you buy, you might want to ask the dealer about that and test it to see if it is easy to stitch straight with. From my experience with the Baby Lock QC, I know that even a fairly new machine doesn't necessarily grip the fabric the way we want it to.

I didn't know quite how much the wobbling was irritating me until it stopped! lol

EVERYONE needs a new sewing machine! LOL. I think 20 yrs. old it pretty old. Some may have older but maybe yours is just not as steady as theirs.

If you are reluctant to spend a lot of money on something new, I recommend checking out Craigs List (link below) for your area. It's like a nationwide garage sale. I would definitely test drive before buying.

Here is a link that might be useful: Craigs List

You just have to go and try all the machines out there and see which one suits your needs. Apart from anything else, it's a good excuse to go and play and see what's out there on the market.
I used not to be able to free-motion quilt. For over a year I struggled on and on thinking it was me - until the day I tried on another machine. Oh bliss! It was the ******* machine! So, it can be worthwhile to spend some money on something that makes your life more enjoyable.

Jenn, try many brands and models to see which suits your needs the best. Viking and Bernina have some really nice machines also. If you want a more enjoyable sewing experience, then I think it's time you look into a new machine. Your cheaper machines bought in the discount stores and lower end machines will probably do you no more good than what you are experiencing now so look at the name brands out there. Yes, they're more expensive but I believe you get what you pay for. There are good deals out there and many dealers will have nice discounts on floor models or used machines that were traded up and have been serviced and ready to go to another home. Get the best you can afford.

A good machine will make all the difference in the world in your sewing and quilting experience. It's no fun fighting a machine all the time.

Kay

You did not say what brand or model machine you are now sewing on? If your 20 year old machine was not of higher quality to begin with, you really need a better machine to make this hobby more fun for you.

Bon had a very good suggestion about the sample stitching. I recommend you go to a Viking, Bernina, or Pfaff dealer and plan to spend some time there. Ask about used machines they might have on hand. A used machine tuned-up and running well may serve your purposes very well and save you money. State up front that you do not want or need an embroidery machine. Ask about needle positions or a piecing foot that will help you to maintain the quilter's quarter inch seam.

You said that you do not want to machine quilt, but please don't count it out completely. Using a walking foot (also called an even feed foot) to machine quilt a baby quilt, charity quilt, wall quilt, or table runner/placemats can more quickly finish a project and still leave you time to hand quilt other projects. Many of us do both hand and machine quilting.

Teresa

Do you have the same problem when you stitch in the middle of the fabric as when you stitch a 1/4" seam? There was a definite difference on my old Kenmore. Sewing near the edge of the fabric half the feed dogs engaged the fabric - moved the fabric goofy. On my Viking I am able to shift the needle to the side and both sides of the feed dogs can grip the fabric,.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions and support. Looking for a refurbished, gently used machine is a great idea. There are several different shops in our area to look. I shop around a lot before investing in something like this, so I'm sure we'll go from store to store and look more closely at what today's machines can do before I sink any money into one.

I recovered from last night's meltdown and decided to continue with my VW quilt. But first, I reattached the walking foot (which saved my sanity more than once with the nightmare strippy quilt), and used the sticky pad lined up at the 1/4" point. That did the trick! I may have already said this, but that walking foot is one of the best investments I've ever made.

Yes, sewing near the edge seems to be more of a problem. Thinking the cause may be the feed dogs, I switched to the walking foot to help control the fabric better. What a breeze that made sewing the remaining blocks. All 9 blocks are pieced (just 2 pieces each) and pressed. Now I'm beginning to apply the cars and wheels with the Steam-A-Seam 2 Lite (so far, I love it).

So, I'm back in the saddle again, singing as I go.....

Rollin', rollin', rollin'
Though my eyes are swollen
Keep them V-Dubs rollin'
Rawhide!

Cut 'em up, stick 'em on,
iron on, sew it up,
Keep a goin', don't give up
Rawhiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide!

(I'm tired and it's way past my bedtime.....)

jenn-
Love the song! Glad to hear that you perservered and solved the problem for the moment. I have to echo what everyone else said about replacing your machine. I got a new Janome last spring and what a difference from my old machine. It runs smoother, threads easier and just makes such a difference from my older machine. I didn't get a model with embroidery - not interested in that either. So check into the Janome brand too when you decide to look around.
:)Kelly - NH

No wonder you were having trouble quilting without the walking foot! In most cases that simply can't be done satisfactorily. The quilt sandwich is too thick to be sewn without shifting resulting in those dreadful puckers on the back. The walking foot feeds the quilt top and backing (plus the batting in between) through the machine evenly resulting in fewer or no puckers.

Kelly, I've seen Janome mentioned here many times, so I will definitely check it out. Thanks.

Teresa, I wasn't quilting... I was piecing a block. The block is only 2 pieces and I was sewing a 1/4" seam with the regular foot. I switched to the walking foot only to help guide the fabric better than the feed dogs seemed to be doing, and it helped a lot. Thanks though... I know what a life-saver the walking foot can be though I haven't machine-quilted yet, just sewn through thick layers and the difference was like night and day.

So, for now, I can use the walking foot for seams that need to be precise until I save up the money for a new machine. We have some other bills to take care of now.

Jen