I use a hoop.

Don't blame the 'old' Singer - that's ALL I use...
I've been using 301's but just a few weeks ago got myself a 15-90 in a cabinet and boy do I LOOOOOOOoooooooooove this machine....
I so wish I had had one for lo these many years!

I also found an old singer walking foot and it works GREAT on this old machine.... in fact I've already finished one quilt 'in the ditch' just since Monday!

also I've tried stippling/meandering and it works great with just a darning spring but even better with an embroidery foot... I've never had any luck with stippling and no foot no matter which machine

do you have the foot pressure set to hard?.... you might loosen that some...
did you wear the rubberized gloves from wallyworld to help manipulate the quilt? trying to shove/pull/yank a quilt through is misery without the gloves..

My 'new' machines are just sitting around gathering dust (lots of it) while I have a love affair with all my old machines..
the 301's are from 1951
the 15-90 is a 1948
my featherweight is a 1956
the treadle from 1920

I love my old singers too. I have I think 8 of them. I buy them cheap at sales and bring them back to life. I just bought one last week. All of the advice on here has been great. I think my tension might be too tight. And I know I need to slow down and be more patient. Im always in a hurry. Everybody tells me I try to sew too fast. I have a 15-90 in a cabinet, 301, and several others. I don't have a featherweight yet. Someday I will have one of them.
Thank you everbody for all of your advice. I think taping the back down is a great idea too. Does that make it hard to pin it? Well, I guess if I try the spray I wouldn't have to worry so much about pinning. See, your ideas have given me so much hope. lol
Thank you everybody.
Judy In Ohio

I had tried all the tips and techiniques too until I found the basting spray. I swear by it! No gunky needle and the best thing is that it works! No more pins! It stays together until I get the whole thing done, no matter how much twisting and turning that has to be done to get the thing quilted. I reallt wonder how I ever did without it.

I agree about the basting spary, you can get it at WalMart for about 7 dollars (I think) and I usually get at least 3 queen quilts out of, very well worth the money

How do you plug in your old machines. I have one from 53' and it has round plugs instead of normal flat plugs for the wall outlet

I have no clue what you mean about "round plugs"
Is that the part that plugs into the MACHINE?

Some of the machines are 'hard-wired' meaning the wiring is directly wired to the motor
Some of the machines have 'plugs' that fit somewhere on the machine and a wall plug that goes into a wall socket
A round wall plug with flat blades is ok

other than that I have no idea what you mean

I am sorry, the plugs that go into the wall. The ones that plug into the electrical outlet, they are round.

One more thing to try - you can lessen the pressure on your presser foot too, as well as using a longer stitch length. I haven't had much luck with my walking foot, but lighter pressure worked. :)

Could you post a picture of the plug for us?

I have never tried the basting spray but I use 100's of the small curved quilting pins. They are great! You need to plan ahead on how you are going to quilt it before pinning. Most of my students do great just using the pins. I literally use 300-700 pins on most quilts if I'm using a regular sewing machine. Using a quilting machine you don't need pins or spray as the layers are fed through different rollers. Also the loosening of your presser foot is a MUST especially if you are using a thick batting. Don't give up, quilting is fun, relaxing and addicting. Bernadette