mea12

I have a Singer 403 and found a walking foot for it online - but would like to ask if anyone here uses these models (4xx-5xx series) for straight-line quilting with or without the walking foot. I'd like to use the serpentine stitch but feel as though for a largish quilt I best order the walking foot before I begin? Thoughts?

pocoellie

I've been told that the walking foot is designed to go forward in a straight stitch, not even reverse.

dublb

I have used my walking feet for many decorative stitches. Yes they do wear out faster. Since I do this I usually buy the off brand walking feet. If I'm gonna wear 'em out I might as well buy the cheaper ones.

Pat M.

I have quilted with out the walking foot and with, both ways are OK on small quilts. The slant needle seems to work well for quilting, just puddle the quilt around the needle. Do not let it hang off of the table and pull.

bkay

I've used a walking foot on both my 401 and 503. It worked just fine. I have two feet - a singer one and a no-brand one. I can't tell the difference in performance. The no-brand one has a removable bar for spacing your quilting. I don't think I've actually used the bar, as I usually outline something or use the design to space the quilting. I've not tried anything difficult, though.

bkay

edit: I tried the serpentine stitch (with the top hot cam) and found I could not get it long enough or wide enough to really show. I quilted a lap quilt with a free motion type of serpentine with the walking foot, but wasn't able to get the lines of quilting to line up like I wanted. Since the quilt was so busy, the quilting didn't really show, though. Also, it was my first attempt at quilting on my domestic sewing machine.
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1Nanoo

Where can one find Singer Slantomatic machines to buy? I learned on one in 1964, and I would love to have another. I have some really nice machines, but I would like to have the slantomatic for sentimental reasons. What model numbers should I be searching for ?

bkay

I bought my first 503 off Craigslist. I bought the second one at an estate sale. Both 401s were purchased at online auctions.

The first 503 was returned to the owner when their church closed their sewing classes. If I remember correctly, I paid $35.00 for it. The photo on Craigslist just showed the back of the machine, as it was still "down" in the cabinet. The ad just said Singer sewing machine. When I saw that curve, I knew it was a Rocketeer. It was in OK shape, with a few chips in the paint. The second 503 was perfect. It hums. I bought it on the last day of the estate sale. I didn't take the cabinet, and they were just happy to get rid of it.

I didn't pay much for the first 401, but it was really nasty and gummed up. It took a lot of oiling and cleaning to get it to work. I cleaned the second one, and it works well. However, I'm still sewing on the first 401.

I'm blessed with slant-o-matics. They are my favorite machines.

bkay

1Nanoo

Thanks, BK. That gives me a place to start to look.

mea12

Thank you everyone. I decided to quilt the project on my larger, heavier machine. If this had been a smallish quilt, I might have tried it on the 403. Nanoo... you can look for 401 and 501 (stitches built in plus additional cams) or 403 and 503 (all special stitches require cams)..there may be others in this series but those are the most common ones and thankfully, still not too hard to find! Good luck they are really great machines and such fun to use!

bkay

I think the 404 is a straight stitch only machine.

bkay