Learning Free Motion Quilting
 

I have tried free motion quilting and have become very frustrated. I have encountered a very difficult situation I will start with a question. Is it possible for a open toe darning foot to put to much pressure on the plate when lowered.
I have followed all instruction for my machine but when I lower the darning foot I latterly have to pull or push my practice piece with enough force that it can mis-shapen the material.

I know that this is a technique that will require much practice but I also know I need to be able to quide the material without such force.

Are there different types of open toe quilting/darning feet. This one did not come with my machine but was ordered through the web site for my machine. The spring is very tight and I do not see any way to adjust it.

All suggestions are welcomed.

Did you drop your feed dogs? The fabric should move freely under the foot when the foot is in it's lowered position.

Yes I did. I even tried covering my plate with an index card thinking my material was getting caught but that was not the problem, it really feels like the foot is to tight against the plate. Thanks for replying.

Thank you. I am not familiar with the site I will look for it.

Hi...here's a video showing what to do to modify your foot to make it rest higher over your fabric. (so there is no drag.)

You can forward to 2:50 on this video to see how to do it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwbNPgnP8r4

The darning foot shouldn't be putting much pressure on the quilt. What kind of machine are you using? There needs to be a way to change the presser foot pressure.

I can't do Free Motion Quilting at all but isn't the pressure foot lever supposed to be up while the feed dogs aredown. Just a thought. I am probably so wrong.

my machine (a Pfaff 2030 Tiptronic) is supposed to have a middle position, to use with the darning foot. But I have not managed to figure out how to get it into that position. Maybe that's is the problem for you?

This may be your problem. There is a little notch on my Pfaff 7530, part way down when you lower the darning foot to settle into so it doesn't go all the way down like it would with a regular foot.