Tips for FMQ on vintage Singer please
 

I bought a Singer 201 recently, and would like to use it for free motion quilting. I've started to play with it, and am making progress, but would be very grateful for any help on settings (eg what do you do with the stitch length?) and technique, as it's a bit of a learning curve after using a modern machine with a speed control! My stitching is gradually getting a bit better, but I haven't yet managed to eliminate loops on the bottom, even though I've worked my way round the tension dial. They're nearly gone with the tension on 9, but not quite (I'm using King Tut thread). Any thoughts on any aspect of using this beautiful machine for FMQ would be very welcome!

do the feed dogs drop. If not, tape a piece of plastic over them and punch a hole for the needle.
You might also dial the stitch length to 0 This will stop the feed dogs from moving under the plastic.
For FMQ you need to disengage the feed dogs if the machine doesn't.
I would assume you have the proper foot - for darning or free motion. You need the space to move th quilt.
As to thread - whichever your machine likes.

Yes, the feed dogs go down, so I've done that. The stitch length lever only goes as low as 6, but I've pushed it right to the bottom - not sure if that's 0. I'm using a darning foot. So, yes, all the basics of FMQ are in place - I'd just like to hear anything people can tell me relating to doing it on these vintage machines.

Anne, if the tension disks are clean and the machine is threaded properly and you're still getting loops on the underside even with the tension set as high as it will go, there are two main things to check:

1. The tension on the bobbin thread may be too tight. When you draw on it, it should unwind smoothly and easily, but it does require some pull. If it feels tight, turn the bobbin tension screw a quarter or half-turn at a time and test the appearance of the seam.

2. The needle thread tensioner may need to be re-set. There are instructions in the little green manual for taking the tensioner apart and re-assembling it correctly.

The thread should draw through the needle almost effortlessly when the presser foot is up. After you lower the presser foot, the thread will be noticeably more difficult to draw through the needle. It should pull the needle to the side.

The 201 is a decent FMQ machine and it has a huge amount of room under the arm, which you'll love. Some people do all of their quilting on this model and prefer it to any other machine.

thepolyparrot had a great list...i would read it in detail and then add only one thing...a pair of garden gloves (with the little dots) to hold the sandwich firmly as you move it under the needle... slack fabric can mess with your tension, as well....one other tiny thing...the steadier you can work, the better, count (approx a waltz tempo) as you work...it will automatically make you hit a 'rhythm' which helps your tension...speeding up and slowing down will mess with it also... your goal is to go in all 4 directions at the same speed...and the counting helps...

Thanks for posting this question, I have my great grandma's singer 66, in the original cabinet, dh is finishing the cleaning/restoring of machine, and then I hope to try fmq on it...the above suggestions will really help me, too!
Kif

Thankyou so much - this is exactly what I was looking for! Your points:

1. It's quite difficult to pull the bobbin thread through, so maybe the bobbin tension does need to be adjusted.

2. I can't find instructions for taking the needle tensioner apart. The booklet (which I had to download from the Internet and is for a model with slight differences to mine) has the usual general guidance on higher and lower tension, but doesn't seem to have this more technical information.

Yes, I love all that space under the arm!

What about stitch length? Do you push the lever down to the bottom, opposite the figure 6? That's what I've done, though I wondered about pushing it right up, beyond the high numbers - it goes some way beyond them. I'm getting very small stitches, even if I sew slowly. I know a lot of it is a matter of finding the right rhythm - got to get used to not having a speed control! - but I was struggling to get my stitches to a nice length.

Yes, I use gloves. I'm probably not moving the fabric very steadily as yet, as this is such a learning curve. I've done quite a bit of FMQ on modern machines, but this seems very different at the moment. Just need to get the feel of this machine.

when you put the lever all the way to the top, it is probably reverse...many older machines are... you can test this with the feed dogs up. set on the top number, stitch.... set on the bottom number, stitch, and then run the lever all the way up, stitch.... this will tell you... you want to be able to set as close to 0 as possible...

I just drop the feed dogs on my 201 and rarely think to check the stitch length. Some people prefer to FMQ with the feed dogs up, in which case, you should try for "0" like deemail says.

One thing that helped me a lot with trying to learn FMQ on my jackrabbit machines (15-91's) is a router controller. You can buy them at Harbor Freight for about $22 - they are a type of rheostat. (You should NOT use a rheostat on any electronic or computerized machine - only on the mechanical electric ones)

You plug the router controller into the wall and the sewing machine into the router controller. Set it on Variable, then dial the power down so that the top speed feels easy and comfortable to you. You will be speeding up gradually as you become accustomed to moving your quilt under the needle. Eventually, you will be able to give it up and start practicing on controlling the speed of the machine and the speed of your hands at the same time, but to only have to concentrate on the speed of your hands for a while is wonderful practice. You just step on the gas and hold the pedal at full throttle.

If you have one of those button-type bakelite foot controls, this will keep your control cool, too. Slow stitching for several minutes at a time (or more) is what causes the foot control to get so hot. Either run these button controls full open or sew for short periods and allow breaks in the sewing so that the heat can dissipate. :)

Hope that's helpful!