Does any one know why my machine won't feed the fabric?
 

Hi all,

I just finished making a memory quilt for my stepson and three rag quilts for the GD's. My Kenmore sewing machine, will not feed the fabric through now and I have one more rag quilt and several AG doll bedding sets to make for Christmas. I checked the feed dog setting underneath, they are not dropped down. I cleaned out all the lint under the bobbin case and everywhere else.

Luckily, I have my MIL's old Singer 201 machine which is sewing like an absolute dream. But, I want to know how to fix my other machine, so I still have two machines.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Check to make sure you have the pressure on the foot adjusted. There is an adjustment for thread tension , and also an adjustment for the pressure on the foot. It may have gotten bumped or turned to low somehow. Double check all areas for lint , my first thought is you had a serious lint build up at the feed dogs.

Have you taken the plate over you feed dogs off and cleaned out around the feed dogs? You can get a build up of lint behind the feed dogs and they can not move.

Does your kenmore have a pressure setting above the presser bar (or inside the cover where the light is)? Could be a dial with numbers - usually 1-3. This controls the pressure pushing down on the fabric. When I accidentally changed mine to too light, the fabric wouldn't feed. Hope it is a simple fix.

Pat

What is your stitch length set to? I started to panic one night and then realized it was set to "0." I hope that it is a simple fix.

Cheers, K

quote Lori = Check to make sure you have the pressure on the foot adjusted. There is an adjustment for thread tension , and also an adjustment for the pressure on the foot. It may have gotten bumped or turned to low somehow. Double check all areas for lint , my first thought is you had a serious lint build up at the feed dogs.

and

quote Fluffygirl = Does your kenmore have a pressure setting above the presser bar (or inside the cover where the light is)? Could be a dial with numbers - usually 1-3. This controls the pressure pushing down on the fabric. When I accidentally changed mine to too light, the fabric wouldn't feed. Hope it is a simple fix.

I think this may be it... many newer machines have a little spring loaded ring around a post on top of the needle bar area. push down on the wheel (donut shaped around the post) and the post will shoot up...that is the lightest setting...as you push the post in the center downward, the foot pressure increases...look for the dial or the donut/post combo....

My friend had the same problem with her machine it was a combination of built up lint under the feed dogs- we had to take off the pressure plate to get it rally cleaned up good and she had somehow changed the stitch length to 0

This was my thought, also. Did you find what was wrong, yet?

Mine did the same thing right in the middle of sewing; it just quit feeding through. I checked the feed dogs, lint, took out the plate to get all the lint...still nothing. I put the feed dogs up, down, up, down; all seemed to be working and no lint. I just turned the thing off and went back the next day. It worked fine. Then did it again. Turned off again. Waited. Has worked fine since. ?????? Machines!!!!!!!!!! They're going to drive us all crazy then take over!

I recommend using a walking foot when sewing through thick layers! Does that help?