foot/speed pedal control
 

Hi,
I am having problems with my speed control. I am trying to get a better control of it but i have problems with numb feet so it can be very difficult sometimes. I am wondering if anybody has used foam or something else to help with the control of speed with thier pedals. I came across a post where somebody mentioned they used foam to help with the speed control so i am hoping somebody can enlighten me on how they did it. Thanks for all the replies.


Roxanne

Sorry ... no comment about the foam and the foot pedal. I'm always leary at adapting features, so I'd first ask my dealer as to any suggestions to deal with a challenge that you have told us. They may be able to do an adjustment that could help you. Or have other suggestions.

Perhaps this is the time to consider changing machines?

Most have a speed control that you can set on the machine, to keep it in slow gear, no matter how much you press on the foot pedal.
Plus some have the option to NOT use the foot control, using a start/stop button.

And there may be other features that could make your sewing easier.

Older machines in the 50's had a knee control. For some it was a cabinet with a bracket that the foot pedal mounted into, others had a lever that you just leaned your knee against. I think some modern machines have such an option. Don't be talked into upgrading your machine by a dealer. You might find the parts on EBay or find an older cabinet on Craigslist or Freecycle that your machine will fit into. What machine do you have? Maybe a call to the company will provide a solution. Ask friends- they might have an older machine in the attic. And as QuiltE said- many machines have a speed option on the machine itself. I have a Brother CS6000i which has a sliding switch on the front. Great when teaching someone to sew. I think that putting a piece of medium density foam under the foot control might absorb some of your foot pressure before it activates the pedal? Please let us know what you are able to work out, as I'm sure others have the same problem. Thank you.

what kind of machine do you have some have a control on the machine that slows down the pedal

Just a thought but I have a vintage machine with a knee control , I love it . I do have my newer machine for some stuff , but I just love the knee control... wish they still made them. I spoke to my trusty repair man once about trying to convert my new machine to a knee control, he suggest first mounting the foot petal on a cabinet /table at the knee height , using wood blocks to get it to the right distance from the top and side. This might be a viable solution for you.

i have a singer confidence. THanks for replies.

Why are feet getting numb? Are they cold? I quilt with socks that keep my feet warm since I cannot quilt with a shoe on my foot.

I think mounting your pedal on a table leg so you can use your knee is a great idea. Hopefully you know someone handy who can rig it for you. Or maybe take your pedal into the hardware store and find a creative employee who will come up with a solution that you can implement.

@ Doreen - her numbness may not be caused simply by being cold, it's possible it's caused by medical issues. My dear late father-in-law was diabetic and had numb feet.

We have a few knee control machines. Some are good with nice speed control, some are cranky.

For the foot pedals try putting a phone book or other large book in front of the foot control so you can rest your foot on that while pressing down on the lever or nob. We've found that works great.
Much much less foot fatigue.

Joe

For vintage machines that have the kind of foot pedal that opens and closes like clamshell, you can experiment with stuffing a sponge into the clamshell to prevent it going down all the way (and sewing at the fastest speed). I think that's what you ran across with the foam idea. With that kind of foot pedal, it's an easy way to slow down a machine so a child can sew more slowly.

I grew up sewing on a vintage Singer that had the knee control. In my opinion, it was actually much easier to use a knee control than it is to use a foot control (and nicer to the body too!).