How do you Remove your feed dogs to Free Motion Quilt???
#1
On these old vintage Sewing Machines, How do you go about taking out the feed teeth or feed dogs??? I suppose you remove the two screws and it lifts out but I DON"T Know for sure. Could you help??? Many Thanks!!! :?: :( I'm not my GreatGranny!!!
#2
Originally Posted by ProLongarmARTQUILTER
On these old vintage Sewing Machines, How do you go about taking out the feed teeth or feed dogs??? I suppose you remove the two screws and it lifts out but I DON"T Know for sure. Could you help??? Many Thanks!!! :?: :( I'm not my GreatGranny!!!
#4
you can use a piece of template plastic to tape over them with a hole punched for needle. I do this on my featherweight or a machine repair guy told me to use a little hex tool to just take them right out. VERY small screws so don't loose them. ha I did this on my old kenmore and then had my DH put it back in later. It works
#6
Power Poster
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 12,930
Typically on the vintage machines there is no way to lower the feed dogs. I would not even consider removing the feed dogs to free motion quilt.
Most people cover the sewing area with a plate or plastic, leaving just a hole for the needle; that prevents the feed dogs from coming into contact with the quilt sandwich.
Have you tried free motion machine quilting while the feed dogs are up? This would be while using a darning foot (which "hops" from stitch to stitch so feed dogs are fully engaged only while stitch is being made, and have less influence between stitches). Some people actually prefer free-motion quilting with the feed dogs up as it can help keep the stitches even.
Experiment with a practice sandwich and see which approach is going to work best for you.
Most people cover the sewing area with a plate or plastic, leaving just a hole for the needle; that prevents the feed dogs from coming into contact with the quilt sandwich.
Have you tried free motion machine quilting while the feed dogs are up? This would be while using a darning foot (which "hops" from stitch to stitch so feed dogs are fully engaged only while stitch is being made, and have less influence between stitches). Some people actually prefer free-motion quilting with the feed dogs up as it can help keep the stitches even.
Experiment with a practice sandwich and see which approach is going to work best for you.
#9
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 1,097
I would not remove the feed dogs. My older machines have the button on top to release the pressure on the presser foot. If you release that pressure, you may be able to do free-motion quilting. If you are going to cover the feed dogs, I recommend something that makes a "bubble" over them, like the plastic cover that comes with some machines. If you don't have that, you might try the plastic cover from a package of Schmetz needles. Position that upside down over the feed dogs, and then tape it to the machine, preferably covering that with a piece of template plastic first, so your quilt doesn't catch on the edges of the Schmetz cover. But you can only do that if you can release the pressure on your presser foot.
It's especially important to use the spring foot (darning or freemotion quilters foot) if you doing this, because it has better flexibility and your quilt will slide more freely.
I hope that helps. :wink:
It's especially important to use the spring foot (darning or freemotion quilters foot) if you doing this, because it has better flexibility and your quilt will slide more freely.
I hope that helps. :wink:
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