Is there such a foot?
 

I started FMQ yesterday and I'm starting to get the hang of it, I think. :p

The main thing that's getting to me is the "hopping" of the darning foot.

Is there such a foot that is open toe and doesn't hop for my machine? I have a brother pc 420.

Thanks for your help. :)

Yes you do want an open toe, I think I use my embroidery foot....Go to the Brother website, loads of information....

Leah Day has videos that show you how to break the spring on your existing foot to keep it from hopping so much.

You want a teeny bit of lift, but some feet really bounce- I don't like that.

Some machines have a darning foot that doesn't hop. Instead, it "floats" higher above the fabric. I would Google feet for your model and see what is available.

I use the Big Foot-it's blue and has a round foot that doesn't quite touch the fabric.

Yes! I did this. I also have a pc420, and the foot it came with hops like crazy. I bought a cheapie generic and modified it like Leah day shows and it works so much better for me.

I watched Leah Day's video on the modification and no matter how little or how much I wrap the rubber band around, the foot does not float at all. :( I've adjusted the pressure foot, dropped and raised the feed dogs and still doesn't float! I'm so discouraged. :( :(

I also modified my foot using Leah Day's method and it works much better. Sharon TX do you think the rubber band is too tight?

Just had a thought and tried it. I removed the rubber band and tried it without and guess what, still drags the fabric. :( I think the metal bar the spring is wrapped around is too long and that's why the modification isn't working.

You may need to purchase a generic foot in order to make the modification. Seems that some feet that come with some machines are too tall to work well with FMQ. Your Brother most likely takes short shank feet.

These threads might help with more info:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...0-t153565.html
http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...0-t153565.html

Thank you all for the suggestions. Does anyone know of stores locally that sells a generic darning foot. As in hancock's, hobby lobby or do I need to go to a dealer?

My machine is a low shank

I just use my darning/FMQ foot, don't pay attention to if or how much it hops. I watched Leah Day and wasn't very impressed. I guess it's what you get use to. The foot is metal, I have done so many quilts with it I just don't notice any down sides. I love FMQ.

Not sure if places like JoAnn's and Hancock's have them on hand. I would think that a JoAnn's that sells sewing machines would carry them. Otherwise they are widely available online. Here are two examples from Amazon. One is plastic, and one is metal. Typically the metal ones are preferred because they are stronger and last longer.

http://www.amazon.com/Distinctive-Fr...k+darning+foot (plastic)

http://www.amazon.com/Distinctive-Da...k+darning+foot (metal)

Thanks everyone. :)

I just purchased a metal open toe darning foot from ebay. It's whats recommended for my machine and other brands, so hopefully this new one will be better. :) No more practice unless I can find a generic one here in my town, before I receive the metal one. :(

My Husqvarna Saphire 875 Quilt is a short shant machine and comes with a "floating" foot (an "R" foot). I've found I much prefer it to the darning foot (a hopping foot). Perhaps your machine has an adapter to take accessories from other short shank manufacturers.

Sharon,

When I was first learning to FMQ, I stumbled onto some information that really helped me...

With my quilt sandwich under the foot of my machine,
I put the presser foot down and make sure the needle is in its highest position.
then I place a small straight pin on top of the quilt sandwich underneath the presser foot.
Next I adjust the pressure on the presser foot so that I can easily slide the pin around, but not have a big gap.

When the pressure is right, the quilt will side easily when the needle is up and will hold between the foot and the throat plate when the needle is down as the stitch completes. Having this adjusted right will help smooth out the motion of the quilt as you move it around and will prevent bending/breaking needles.

If you are not able to adjust your foot to allow the quilt to move freely when the needle is up and the foot is down, it might not be quite the right fit on your machine.

I have purchased generic feet at Hancock fabrics here in Indiana.

My favorite is the blue Bigfoot.
http://www.nancysnotions.com/product...t+low+shank.do
I also ordered a few of the Distinctive feet, and to me the darning foot works just as good as the Bigfoot.

I do not know what Brother offers.
Though usually, what one brand has, another offers too, so look around.

Janome has the traditional Darning Foot for FMQ. PLUS a special FMQ foot with three interchangeable feet!

The joy of this special foot is that there is NO hopping ..... PLUS you can adjust the distance between the foot and the quilt sandwich, so that the sandwich just slides nicely between the foot and the machine bed. As Goldilocks would say ... not too loose and not too tight!

I detested FMQing and once I tried this foot, I knew I would soon come to enjoy the process.
And now am working on developing then mastering, my FMQing abilities!

I have 2 of the feet for my machine for FMQ. I think I accidently packed up the stores foot with mine at a class. It was almost 2 years before I noticed. Mine had a loop on the foot so I cut the front out the way Leah Day shows on her site. I tried her method of fixing the foot so it didn't hop. It didn't work on my machine, I have a JAnome 9700. My machine just wouldn't sew.

I have disabled the hopping on my Brother foot. I learned from Leah Day at LeahDay.com. I was sort of meandering before... after disabling the hopping, I was able to write my name, right down to the dot over the 'i' in about 5 minutes. Needless to say, I am happy. Plus, Leah has a whole series on how to learn how to machine quilt. All these patterns... and how to do it. Thanks, Leah.

azwendyg,
That information makes sense. I've seen a lot of tips, but none have addressed the amount of pressure on the presser foot. Good tip! I've seen a lot of complaints about broken needles and usually tension is addressed, but not pressure on the presser foot. Thanks, good to know.

I'm sure there is one out there somewhere, these folks will know!

I have an older machine, and bought the darning foot that was available for it. I bought 2 because I had to order them, I can't remember the exact amount, but $15 a piece sounds right. Good thing, after about 6 mos, the metal part, that enables it to 'hop' broke off. I thought, oh no, what if this happens with the second one? So, I just used an open toe foot, no hopping, to see how that would work. I do have a darning spot on the dial that controls the foot tension so used that too.

I noticed absolutely NO difference, and doubt I will even use the second darning foot (I have a button that drops the feed dogs)

It sounds like you need to release the pressure on the presser foot. If you are lucky enough to have a vintage machine, you do this by turning counterclockwise the screw on the top of the arm that is over the presser foot. Some machines have a spring type button that allows you to release pressure by pushing all the way down on it, release, and then it will spring all the way up.

That will depend on your machine. For myself, I love the metal open toe foot, but my FW prefers the plastic one.

My walking foot did that. The store said the foot was ok. I got a titanium needle and the hopping stopped.

I also purchased this FMQ foot for my 6600 along with the bobbin case made for FMQ. Love them both! I was having terrible "eyelashes" on the back of my quilts until I used the new bobbin case. Now if I could just get my hand speed and needle speed to come together, I would be a happy camper!!

Yes! I forgot to mention the bobbin case.
I had a long talk yesterday with one of the gals who sell the machines, and teach the how to's along with their full time "mechanic", and learned a lot more about my machine and these specialty feet and the bobbin case!! I am one that needs to understand a little more about the why's and wherefore's of doing things!!

With this special foot, you never adjust the foot pressure, as the FMQ foot has the adjustment on it for the distance. Similarly, the blue dot bobbin case allows for a slightly different bobbin pressure. If you ever think that you need a different bobbin tension, you pop in this bobbin case and continue on.

And so that means ... when you start FMQing, the only thing you may need to adjust would be the top thread tension. And that's only a may ... as that'd be dependent on the variables. I have discovered that seldom I need to adjust the tension and had been starting to wonder what I was doing wrong. Now I know, why it didn't need adjusting!

For anyone switching the bobbin case ... be sure to learn how to properly put it in! Otherwise, you can damage it too easily and then would need a new one (ask me how I know?). Both of them agreed that design wise that should be a simpler switchover as they have more people who damage theirs ... and then they make sure we know the right way, before we leave the shop!

Another interesting tidbit ... he said to throw away the manual ... and learn from them!! :)

I am SO thankful to have such a great dealer, only fifteen minutes away.
I know for some of you, that's only a dream ... so I count my blessings and am sure to tell them so!!! :)

A walking foot should not hop. That is very strange.

I did this with my foot on my Janome & it worked great! So watch carfully. She does explain it pretty well. Good luck.

Love all the problem solving going on in this thread. Everyone is just so helpful!

And I appreciate it very much! :)