Singer 401 Help Needed
I'm new and I hope someone can help me. I'm in the learning stages of quilting and I'm interested in doing free motion quilting when I get the hang of it. I've been practicing on my Elna Lotus SP that does great for free motion, but the throat is small, so I purchased a Singer 401A last week that seems to be in very good condition. I've read a lot about this machine and thought it would serve my purpose well ... plus I got it for a great price. I have cleaned and oiled it and it sews beautifully. I'm getting familiar with it and am really impressed with what it can do.
Where I encounter a problem is when I follow the instructions in the manual (page 77) for Free Motion Work. I put the Selector on B and L, the Red lever on 3, and put the Throat Plate in the Up position. I lower the presser foot and pull the bobbin thread up and hold both threads and proceed to sew...but I don't get any stitches. It's as if the bobbin thread doesn't engage. I put the Throat Plate back in the Down position and it sews great again.
What am I doing wrong? Does anyone do free motion on the 401A? If so, what settings do you use. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks so much!!