I broke the walking foot on my machine .... now I have to go buy a new one ... I can put it back together but it wont stay together.

Its as tho there is a piece missing .. the metal bit of the foot below the silicone bit keeps falling off :(

I have had the very same problem! Only I broke two. My Baby Lock and my Juki walking foot. I decided it was that I was pulling on my fabric instead of guiding it when I was FMQ. I priced them and they were so expensive that I haven't replaced them. I have taught myself to FMQ in the ditch and I think it is easier than with the walking foot. Will be watching your thread to see what others have to say.

I've never broken my walking foot, but thanks for the tip about pulling on the fabric. I know I'm guilty of that, and will be more careful from now on!! They are expensive, and I don't want to have to replace mine!!!

Why are you using your walking foot for free motion quilting. I would not think that would work. I use my darning foot for free motion quilting. That is the foot that has a spring on it that makes the foot hop up and down.

If you mean Pollys statement I dont think she meant she uses the walking foot for fmq. She now uses the fmq foot to stitch in the ditch .

Polly broke 2 FMQ with her wlking foot before learning to use the other foot

I wasn't FMQ when I broke the walking feet but I think I was pulling on the fabric instead of letting the machine move the fabric. I use thin batting now and don't have the problems of stitches stacking up over seams etc. But I do all my quilting with the FMQ (darning) foot now.

Broke mine the first time I used it. :(

I broke my free-motion spring foot on my Husqvarna. I probably didn't install it right the last time - the bar that's at the top of the spring (that butts up to the screw on the needle holder) just snapped off.

I learned to use the darning foot now. The only problem is when there's a lot of bulk at a conjunction of patches.

Ive had my walking foot for about 5 years.....never had a problem with it.

The trick is to guide and support you fabric thought the foot, not pull it out the other end. That kind of defeats the purpose of a walking foot. By all means hold you fabric behind the machine, but dont pull, just have a firm grip and support. Thats how Ive always done it anyway.

I also slow my machine down quite alot too, and this way I dont get any tucks becasue I can smooth them out as I sew, and not take the foot off the gas and think, oh, darn, I just sewed a tuck.