Feed Dogs on Singer 401A and Singer 221
 

I only have these two machines and it doesn't look like I can drop the feed dogs on either one of these for free motion quilting. Is there a way to disengage them?

I assume you could remove them, probably just a couple of screws. Not sure if there is any sensitive adjustments associated with installing them again.

Machines that do not drop the feed dogs will use a plate to cover them up. Then you set stitch to 0. Many people find that setting the stitch to 0 and loosening the presser on the foot works quite well instead of dropping the feed dogs.

For FMQ, it isn't absolutely necessary to drop the feed dogs. If you just want them out of the way, you can tape a business card over them.

I used to think the 400 and 500 series dropped the feed dogs, but fairly recently some on this forum decribed how there's a lever that raises the throat plate (needle plate) in stead. I have been looking at these models with interest for more than a year now.

It does have a lever that pulls the throat plate up and I wondered if that's what it is there for.

Thanks for your help with this.

The 301 does drop the feed dogs. There is a knob right to the left of the bobbin case.

Cari

The lever is for lifting the throat plate up, essentially covering the feed dogs which results in the same effect as lowering the feed dogs. Setting the stitch length to "0" also seems to help.

Go to the Singer website and you can download a user's manual for free. I just did this afternoon and yes, it has a lever that raises the plate up[ the same as lowering the feed dogs].

The singer 411g came with a plastic thing that surrounds the feed dogs when they are up. I have not seen one with any other machine. After seeing that I would hesitate to use that machine with the throat plate elevated since I would suspect fabric could catch in the raised plate and some how make the needle hit the plate.