Problem sewing straight seams
 

I have a Featherweight and have been having some trouble.

The machine seems to pull to the left. I have a hand on the front and back of the strips and I can see it veering off to the left.

I hope I can get some advise on how to correct this!

I own a featherweight also but I can't remember if you can adjust the pressure foot pressure. I was having that same problem on another machine and discovered that was the problem. Good luck.

I sew kinda like I walk. Not in a straight line.

The featherweight does have an adjustment for the presser foot pressure. There is a finger screw on the top of the machine head (just above the faceplate). Try adjusting that to see if it corrects the veering.

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The feed dogs can be out of alignment. If you Google, you should be able to find a website that shows how to adjust the feed dogs. they need to be straight from back to front; if they are skewed a little, they will pull the fabric in an "off" direction. I think it's a screw that holds them in place.

Presser foot adjustment solved my problem. It was way to loose when I got it and it sewed seams anywhere it wanted to. Now it is well behaved.

LOL! Me, too. I've been known to careen off my own walls in the hall! Stone cold sober, too! LOL

So funny.....me too! And door jambs too.

This is when I wish we had a "Like" button... So true.

This happened to me, too and when I purchased a new machine, I had a heck of time allowing it to sew straight, I was so used to having to guide it!
Someone also mentioned that if you are using a really thin foot, (Like a zipper foot), that can make your material wander.

Watson

I have a nice Elna sewing machine, and it always seems like it wants to pull off to the left by the end of the seam. I primarily have issues at the end of my seam, I have to really guide that fabric or it will decrease my 1/4 inch seam in half. Is this an adjustment that needs to be done?

For those who might be interested, here is a good Youtube tutorial on how to adjust feed dogs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSxW8i760Qc

That is a great tutorial on adjusting feed dogs on what looks to be a Singer (definitely a mechanical machine). I'm wondering if it is that simple on a computerized machine?

Actually it would appear that it might be that simple. I found this tutorial for Janome https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDEBxOVD8lE. The video is silent, which they would have added verbal instructions as well, though they do show pretty clearly the various screws involved.

That did it for me, thank you all.

Now to just figure out that pesky tension. I didn't notice before, but the tension knob is missing the black ring with numbers on it. Can I adjust without the ring (without too much frustration), or do I need to get that piece?