Kat Sews

I know this is unconventional, but you may not need the FMQ foot. Since the 301 has a pressure release for the foot, loosen it as far as you can go. If you have one put on a clear foot like the embroidery foot so you can see where you are going, make sure you lower the foot even though it won't cause drag on th quilt, and try again. I do this on my vintage and it works so well that I don't plan to buy the fancy foot. Also if this doesn't work instead of a foot you can get a spring that goes around the needle that is also made for FMQ.

hobbykat1955

I too read that in my 301 manuel and gave it a try...NO go...all tangles...So I'm getting a foot.

ThayerRags

Hi Glenda,

Remember that “darning” and FMQ are two different things. The darning without a foot that is referred to in some of the old manuals that I’ve seen, was for more along the lines of darning holes in fabric, and that process was usually done using a hoop to clamp the fabric into stretched tightly. The operator then had to hold down the hoop and move it around to “fill” in the hole with stitches. I think I’ve seen some manuals that suggest this process for embroidering names too, but also when using a hoop to keep the fabric tight and prevent it from going up and down along with the needle. The “darning spring”, the “hopping foot”, and the standard foot (set with little down pressure) all have the function of holding the fabric down only when the needle is coming back up through the fabric, so that the thread loop required for the stitch remains in place below the fabric for the hook to come around and catch it. Also, I think most of the darning without a foot that the older manuals talk about are for a single layer of fabric (maybe two), and probably not a quilt sandwich.

My wife started getting acquainted with FMQ using my Singer 301A this weekend. She’d been doing it on her Singer 401A since the Industrial Singer 96-40 that I set up for her has been giving her fits. Well, this time her 401A started giving her problems. It was breaking the upper thread on a regular basis. I stuck the 301A and cradle in her cabinet so she could give it a try. Things went better, with minor problems getting the tension set the way she’d like. Part of that could be that she test-sewed on a small sandwich made from trimmings off of the last quilt that she did, and the test stitches looked good. But that was different fabric than this quilt.

BTW - When I showed her how to lower the feed dogs on the 301A, a lightbulb went off in her head about the problems with the 401A. Yep, you guessed it. She had forgotten to raise the needleplate and/or set the stitch length to zero when changing from piecing to FMQ! The feed was still fighting her, even though she had a hopping foot on in place of the regular foot. At least I got the chance to see how she liked the 301A for FMQ. The jury is still out, but she thinks it will end up being better than the 401A. She wants to run some more stitches on the 301A before she gives me the thumbs-up.

CD in Oklahoma

Glenda m

Thank for the info. That makes so much sense now that you have explained it. Somethimes it just takes someone turning on the light bulb. I have a foot ordered and it should be here tomorrow or Wed. I hope to start using the 301a to do my FMQ, because of the larger harp. I am thinking about maybe taking a trip down your way when it gets cooler. The DH and I like to take day trips and might get that direction one of these days.
Anyway, thanks again. Let us know how the DW likes using the 301.

Glenda m

WOW. The postman was working over time today. I recieved the foot and with a little adjustment on the tension, I am FMQ-ing all over the place now. LOL Should be able to get these quilts knocked out in no time. Right! Thanks for all the help from everyone. Much thanks to you,ThayerRags, for the mini tut. Helped a lot. Now off to see about getting it done.

hobbykat1955

If you wouldn't mind would you take a photo of the foot you bought...If your happy with it since there are so many out there for slant needle...and where you found it?

ThayerRags

Bear (my wife’s nickname) completed the FMQ with my 301A on the quilt shown earlier in this thread. She had a time getting the tension set the way she wanted it, but all-in-all, she likes the 301A for FMQ. She thinks it may have something to do with the vintage fabric. The backing, and some of the top, is a fabric with a high thread count and is a poly/cotton. Not sure how much polyester is in it, but probably more than we normally see in today’s fabrics. It’s old store stock that was in our shop when we bought it. But, it’s heavy weight and should hold up good for a lasting in-use quilt. The batting is Hobbs Heirloom 80/20 cotton.

CD in Oklahoma