BellaBoo

You don't have to use a foot but it sure is dangerous not to. You can buy a generic darning (free motion quilting) foot to fit most all machines.

luvmy2bts

Some Singers have slant shanks so make sure you get the right one.

Debbie KS

gaigai

No, you don't have to have a foot on your machine to FMQ, but personally, I think it makes it much easier.

You can go to Google and type in the brand and model of your machine plus Manual, and you should be able to find and download a manual for your particular machine. This will tell you where the feed dog control is (if there is one).

You can go to www.littlefoot.net and get a foot for FMQ and darning for a really good price. It's actually called a Big Foot, and they have them for both low and high shank machines.

Good luck!

PatB

If you don't know the model of your Singer, you can determine by keying in the serial number (on older machines). The newer plastic ones are not identified.

http://Singerco.com/support/serial_numbers.html

You'll want to get the right walking foot which is a "must have" Some are quite pricey but well worth it. Have you tried your local Singer dealer?

Pat B

Baren*eh*ked_canadian

I know some people who cover their feed dogs with a playing card, if it doesn't drop down and they don't have the cover plate anymore. My old machine does have the drop feed dogs, but I never had a darning foot, I used a regular foot and it worked fine. I have a darning foot with my new machine, it works better, but the other way worked fine too, I just couldn't see what I was doing quite as well as I can now.

penski

i use a darning foot all the time and on my sewing machine the button to lower my feed dogs is under the sewing machine to get to it i slide the part off that makes it so you can sew pants omg i went blank and cant think you know that when you slide it off the little storage part goes with it anyhow the button is on the back under some of the machine
gosh i hope you can figure out where i am talking !!!!! i tried

littlehud

Mine will free motion without the foot, but does a much better job with a darning foot.

Lisa_wanna_b_quilter

I've been practicing free motion without a foot. I think a darning foot looks like a good purchase. Unless there is a quilting pattern called "Spastic Drunk with Bloody Fingers" a foot would have to help.

k3n

Hey - I use that pattern - at least the first part! :lol:

Darlene

My Singer has a plastic cover for hiding the feed dogs. It came with the machine so I am sure you can get one probably online.