I have recently started using my BSR with my Bernina machine. Was afraid to try it. Since i have just started, my stitches look very choppy and not very neat. How long will this take me to make my free hand quilting look presentable??? I guess practice makes perfect but.....also I am a fairly new quilter but have been sewing for 40 years.

Welcome to the board! I have a Bernina with the BSR too. I have the QE440. On my machine I always have to press a button that tells it if I want BSR1 or BSR2. If you don't press that button, you are just doing regular free-motion. I have forgotten to do that a time or two.

If not, just keep practicing.

Good luck and let us know how things go for you!

It also helps to keep the little glass window on the bottom cleaned off(with just a clean cloth) so it can read the movement of the fabric.Finger prints or lint can cause it to not read the movement as well.I always use mode 2, and lower my stitch length to 1.5

This message has been edited. Last edited by: everythingquilts,

EverythingQuilts - I always use BSR1, but not for any particular reason. I am wondering if I am missing something by not use 2. Just curious!

Ditto what jbk65 and everythingquilts said. I made a small quilt for practicing and keep another one by the machine for a warmup before doing any 'real' quilting. Practice keeping everything under control really helps!

I also have the 440 QE. I have used both the BSR1 and the BSR2. I guess like anything practice practice practice. Just expected it to be a little easier. I also want to know if you guys machine quilt on the 440? I have been just stitching in the ditch until now. Wanted to try something else.

Just a personal preference, but I use the walking foot for stitch in the ditch. It's harder for me to do a straight line with the BSR. The easiest thing for me is doing swirls and loops.

I've done some freehand swirls, stars, loops etc on printed fabric and they've come out fine. It's the solid looking fabric that I mostly use a stencil and mark with a disappearing ink pen. I've tried tracing a pattern on water soluble stabilizer and that's worked fine too. Once I found that the disappearing ink really does disappear (sometimes takes almost a week), that's what I now prefer.

well I just liked it because if I stopped moving my fabric the machine automatically stops stitching, I guess I just prefer not using the foot, MODE 2 lets the BSR control the speed. I also found the faster you move the fabric the smoother the lines. If I try to move the fabric slow, my lines{weather straight or curves) are sort of jagged looking. I practiced on a fabric with a print that had alot of movement and just tried to follow the design. It was great practice for me. I haven't really tried mode 1 except once, and I didn't do very well with.I guess it is just what you get use to.

quote:

Originally posted by jbk65:
EverythingQuilts - I always use BSR1, but not for any particular reason. I am wondering if I am missing something by not use 2. Just curious!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: everythingquilts,

I have to use the beep (if you hold in the 1 or 2 button until it beeps, you've turned it on). If you move the quilt too fast for the BSR to keep up your stitches will be inconsistent, and of course I always want to go faster than I should! The beep is annoying but reminds me that I have to slow down a bit.

I have the QE440 also and I really love it. I use my walking foot for stitching in the ditch or grid quilting, but I love the BSR for free motion. I prefer mode 2 and I depend on the little beep to let me know when I'm going too fast. With a little practice I think you will be amazed at how nice your free motion stitches will be. Have fun!

I'm going to try BSR2 tomorrow. I thought that BSR1 stopped when you stop. I can't remember mine beeping at me. I'll probably get my instructions out too!