azwendyg

Some thoughts...

Do you have an adjustment on your machine that controls the pressure on the foot? Loosening that may help. And be sure your feed dogs are lowered. Is there a spring on your darning foot? There should be a little bar or something that likely is positioned over the screw that holds your needle in. I had to bend that part on my darning foot so that it would lift the foot higher on the upstroke so that I could easily move the quilt sandwich.

Also, how thick are your quilt sandwiches? What type and how many layers of batting are you using?

A picture of the foot would be helpful in trying to give you good advice here.

DogHouseMom

I was thinking same things as AzWendyG. Both of my machines have an adjustment for the amount of pressure of the presser foot. And to make sure that the "arm" is placed over the screw for the needle. And the degree of loft for the batting.

bigsister63

If the dogs do not lower and you have to put card over them then that does take up precious space to allow the sandwich to move freely. Try a thinner card or tape. "Eyelashes" are caused by moving sandwich too fast. Smaller one will disappear when washed but not the larger ones. But----- Sound like a good excuse to get new machine where the dogs drop!!!!!!!!!

kateyb

I don't use the darning foot, I can't see what I am doing as well. I use the embroidery foot for my embroidery machine. It is more open. The down side is I can only use my embroidery machine for FMQ.

lclang

Does your foot "hop" up and down as you quilt? If you have a darning or quilting foot on I think it should and if it doesn't maybe it isn't the right foot or is't on correctly.

Ladyjanedoe

You might find this helpful. She talks about the problems you're experiencing.
http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.c...-or-speed.html

ruthrec

I bought a cover for my little Kenmore Jr, I think at Hancocks. It's just a little plastic gismo to cover the feeddogs that don't drop. Google the Kenmore with your model and see what you come up with. I don't use it any more since I have my Janome.

lalaland

To be honest, I don't change the tension on my machine when I FMQ, I use my embroidery foot (which is probably the same as the darning foot), I don't adjust the tension, I do drop the feed dogs, and I do bring the bobbin thread up to the top.

The loops happened when your machine is going faster or slower than you are moving your fabric around. You have to find the speed that is right for you. If your machine is running at a slow pace, you must move your fabric at a slow pace. If your machine is running at a fast pace, you must move your fabric at a fast pace. Once you find your comfort level, your stitches will be even and non-loopy on the back.

To practice, I use the prequilted fabric. There's usually a piece or two really cheap in the remnant bin at the fabric store. I use contrasting thread so I can see my stitches clearly.

msawicki64

Ok. I took out my feed dogs and all else that is required and it appeared to be a bit better except still getting loops on bottom. I know I will have to do much practice to improve and also since I have an old machine it's probably not as forgiving as the more newer models with better features but I'll keep chuggin along. I have a couple pics I'm attaching so you can see my machine and the darning foot. Thanks again.

leakus

I had that problem the other day and I solved it adjusting the tension. Dealers don't recommed to adjust the bobbin tension but I had to because I couldn't just fix it by changing the needle tension.
If what you are showing is the back of your quilt then your needle thread tension is too loose (or your bobbin thread tension is too tight)
Before changing anything, saw a straight stich on the sandwich to see if the tension is fine, then continue trying with the darning foot and tensions.
Good luck!