Need help learning to free motion on a Singer 401 anybody?
07-28-2011, 02:19 PM
#11
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Originally Posted by Stitchnripper
You are on the right track and like the other posters say, and practice, practice, practice!!!!
07-28-2011, 02:30 PM
#12
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Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Valley Grove, WV
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I have found some tools that really help. Quilter's gloves with the little gripper dots, extension table and the Supreme Slider really help me. Practice, Practice , Practice............Key words. Don't give up, it will get easier and you will love it. :thumbup:
07-28-2011, 02:45 PM
#13
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: East Tennessee
Posts: 88
On the 401A to free motion, you can not lower the feed dogs, instead you use the lever on the front right bed of the machine to RAISE the throat plate above the dogs. It will say "Throat Plate Position" use the UP position. If I am doing a meander stitch, I used the #3 red lever setting, put on a darning foot and go. I keep like a scrap sandwich close by and start each session by doing a run or so on it. Just to get the hands and a good flow going. I think puzzle pieces, dog bones, waves, comma strokes, waves with circles in them like a scroll, just anything, the quilt police does not know where I live...
so I do what I want.
Many of my practice pieces wind up as potholders in my kitchen... another thing if you want a more designed look, use a pencil and paper and draw what you want it to look like, then practice on that paper with just your needle and no thread in machine..
Now I can never duplicate what I draw so I make a copy and if I like it have been known to make several and use them on my small projects, then tear off.. what ever works for you... don't be afraid to experiment...
so I do what I want.
Many of my practice pieces wind up as potholders in my kitchen... another thing if you want a more designed look, use a pencil and paper and draw what you want it to look like, then practice on that paper with just your needle and no thread in machine..
Now I can never duplicate what I draw so I make a copy and if I like it have been known to make several and use them on my small projects, then tear off.. what ever works for you... don't be afraid to experiment...
07-28-2011, 04:24 PM
#14
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,232
Originally Posted by ckcowl
it takes practice=practice=practice...all the bells & whistles in the world will not (make you) free motion quilt well- the only thing that will---is practice
07-28-2011, 04:30 PM
#16
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Originally Posted by quilt1950
Originally Posted by ckcowl
it takes practice=practice=practice...all the bells & whistles in the world will not (make you) free motion quilt well- the only thing that will---is practice
07-29-2011, 03:37 AM
#17
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Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: tennessee
Posts: 90
i have a 401 and it is machine i do all of my sewing on but i do free motion quilting on my 15-91 i set all of machines up for certain things so i go from machine to machine depending on what i am doing but I cant see any reason why a 401 wouldnt do what you want that is my favorite machine i have two of them drop the feed and put a darning foot on and go for it practice is the best advise happy sewing
07-29-2011, 04:04 AM
#18
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Originally Posted by iamsogone
i have a 401 and it is machine i do all of my sewing on but i do free motion quilting on my 15-91 i set all of machines up for certain things so i go from machine to machine depending on what i am doing but I cant see any reason why a 401 wouldnt do what you want that is my favorite machine i have two of them drop the feed and put a darning foot on and go for it practice is the best advise happy sewing
07-29-2011, 04:31 AM
#19
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Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Webster, NY
Posts: 1,002
Originally Posted by tnjacke
On the 401A to free motion, you can not lower the feed dogs, instead you use the lever on the front right bed of the machine to RAISE the throat plate above the dogs. It will say "Throat Plate Position" use the UP position. If I am doing a meander stitch, I used the #3 red lever setting, put on a darning foot and go. I keep like a scrap sandwich close by and start each session by doing a run or so on it. Just to get the hands and a good flow going. I think puzzle pieces, dog bones, waves, comma strokes, waves with circles in them like a scroll, just anything, the quilt police does not know where I live...
so I do what I want.
Many of my practice pieces wind up as potholders in my kitchen... another thing if you want a more designed look, use a pencil and paper and draw what you want it to look like, then practice on that paper with just your needle and no thread in machine..
Now I can never duplicate what I draw so I make a copy and if I like it have been known to make several and use them on my small projects, then tear off.. what ever works for you... don't be afraid to experiment...
so I do what I want.
Many of my practice pieces wind up as potholders in my kitchen... another thing if you want a more designed look, use a pencil and paper and draw what you want it to look like, then practice on that paper with just your needle and no thread in machine..
Now I can never duplicate what I draw so I make a copy and if I like it have been known to make several and use them on my small projects, then tear off.. what ever works for you... don't be afraid to experiment...
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