I'm glad you figured out the source of the noise. You could try putting the regular needle plate back on and setting your stitch length to "0." The regular needle plate may be quieter than the darning plate.

It isn't an absolute requirement that you drop or cover your feed dogs - it just removes some friction to do so.

I have long wanted a vintage darning foot for my favorite 15 and I finally got it a few months ago - ohmigosh, that thing makes a racket like you wouldn't believe!!! It sounds like the machine is beating itself to death. :shock:

Hope you can get a lot of quilting done now. :)

Thanks everybody for trying to help me figure out what the heck was going on. You're the best!! :-)

Maybe I'll see just how much drag there is without the darning plate on. I know the "beating itself to death" sound quite well. LOL!!

Is this the first time you have tried to use the foot, or have you been able to use it in the past and this just now started happening?

Thinking that maybe it's a bum foot, if it's the first time you are using it.

Maybe you are putting it on wrong?

Hard to tell when your not there to see it.

Wow, you figured out what was wrong! Yay for you. Go get another chocolate chip cookie as a reward ... maybe even two. You worked hard for them!

I think I finally figured out what was happening. It was the foot hitting the darning plate.

I like the way you think! LOL!! :thumbup:

Is the wire that slips over the up and down lever in place? If it isn't that would change the angle.

:thumbup: :-D I'm loving this response :D :thumbup:

Have you put another NEW needle in, just in case that needle is bent? Just a thought. Good luck. :):):)