FMQ - Which machine would be better to use -- Singer 301A or Singer 403A
I currently use a portable 301A but the foot controller gets so hot after a while! I also have a Singer 403A in a cabinet. Both are great machines and work beautifully.
Just wondering if one is better than the other for FMQing. Advice? Opinions gladly accepted. Thanks! Julie:confused: |
I have a Singer 15-91 that I prefer for FMQ. I also have a 301A but haven't tried using it for FMQ
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For sure the 301. The 400 and 500 series machines are terrible IMO, for FMQing. Go ahead and try it if you don't believe me:>
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The Slant Machines are not good FMQ IMHO, look for a 15-91. I'm with Blackberry
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I have a 15-91 for FMQing but I have heard the 301 does a great job also. The 400's - not good for FMQing.
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The 301 does a tremendous job. I sold my brand new Pfaff creative vision last year and bought 3 301s. I also have a 401 and 403 for piecing and zig zag. The 301s are precise, reliable, and can quilt very densely. I found an all metal FMQ foot and have a vintage Singer walking foot. As far as the foot pedal getting hot, see the other thread about that, but I swap pedals when one gets too hot. You can buy a different kind. eBay always has some. The 401/403 does not drop the feed dogs, but raises the needle plate for FMQ which I find unsatisfactory. The slant needles have no problems FMQ. They are gear driven and very smooth.
Linda |
My 401 (slant machine) doesn't play well with FMQ. It always breaks the thread when I try to move to the left. However, it does a fine job straight quilting with the walking foot. As I don't own a 301, I can't give advice on it.
After doing much research, and asking advice of other quilters, I purchased a vintage Bernina 830 Record that I reserve solely for FMQ...it is a jewel! |
301's are great for FMQ...15-91's are also good.
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The Singer 301 is the best machine I've ever used for fmq, and I've tested and used many.
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I agree, the 301 is a very good fmq machine. Strangely, I tried doing some FMQ on a 431G last night (think 401A with chainstitch capability, no elevator plate and an open arm) and I did just fine with it. As a rule, they're considered poor for this, but you may do OK. It's worth trying, but don't be discouraged if it doesn't work. One thing I did was set the stitch length to "zero" and stitched like that (it has a plate with a raised portion to "hide" the feed dogs, but I didn't bother with it. At first, it skipped stitches, then I changed the tension a little, went UP a needle size (from 80 to 90), and sped up a little, and it seemed fine.
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