AboutAudrey Zohner Expertise I am an expert rag quilter. I have made over 100 rag quilts and would love to assist others with questions and methods. I don't know much about actual quilting like machine or hand quilting or applique. I am, however, the resident expert on rag quilting in my town. If you want to make a rag quilt, I am your woman.
Experience I have been sewing for 12 years and rag quilting for 4. I have experienced just about every pitfall there is in rag quilting. Check out my quilts at audreysragquilts.etsy.com.
Organizations ISU Craft Club
EtsyKids
Education/Credentials High school diploma
Bachelor's in Animal Science
Expert: Audrey Zohner Date: 11/16/2007 Subject: making flannel rag quilt
Question Why am I unable to sew through the seams (joining the rows)of 11 layers of flannel when I am using a needle for denim and my stitches are as long as possible on my machine?
Answer WOW! That's a lot of layers. Ummm, this sounds a lot like what my mom's machine did. I hate to say it, but her machine was just too "wimpy" for the amount of material she tried to force through it. I think that you need an industrial style machine to go through that many layers. The most I ever try to sew through is 8 and that's pushing it for my machine.
If you need to get through, you will need to hand turn your machine. This is what I do when I go across the joining of seams. Stop before you get to the 11 layer section and then turn your machine by hand. The machine doesn't have the oomph to get through the layers, but you can force it through with a little help from your hand. My machine has a wheel that I can turn to move the needle up and down, so if yours does too, you can turn it manually. Granted, this isn't good for the machine, but it's a necessity when you've got that many layers.
You may try staggering your seams as well. Granted, this means that the seams will be off on the back. However, you won't be able to tell on the front and it will save your machine a lot of life shortening work.
