Singer 301 Question about speed
 

I'm currently using my 301 primarily. I've noticed that speeding up makes the stitches smaller. It seems to be close to the chosen stitch length when you sew leisurely. However, when you go fast, it will go from 10 stitches per inch to 20 stitches per inch without changing any settings.
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Anyone have any ideas for a solution?

bkay

I'd check your feed dogs. There's a knob behind (to the left of) the bobbin holder, which if I remember correctly lowers the feed dogs. I looked at my manual, and can't find a reference to it, I looked it up online, and that knob lowers the feed dogs. Turning it clockwise will raise them all the way up. If yours are not all the way up, it could cause what you are seeing.

Thanks, Joe. I've had the feed dogs down, so I know what you mean. I'll check that.

bkay

That wasn't it. The feed dogs were completely up.

I'll see if I can get a photo of what it looks like when the stitches go wonky.

bkay

If you increase the stitch length, and then go high speed, do you still get the shortened stitch length? I'm wondering if you could achieve your desired longer stitch by doing this. It wouldn't diagnose the cause but it might be a "fix".

I've been thinking about this some more, when you move the stitch regulator it's full length of travel, do the feed dogs also move correspondingly? Also, I was thinking about presser foot pressure; if you have the presser foot pressure heavy could the fabric be slowed down by that at high speeds? Maybe lessen the presser foot pressure for high speed runs?

I'm going to sew this afternoon. I'll thread the machine in something bright and easy to see and will sew some sample lines.

Thanks, BK

Well, I did it, but I couldn't get a photo. It's overcast with intermittent rain, so I couldn't get a photo in the sunshine. (My good camera doesn't do well in less than perfect light and I didn't want to set up the artificial lights since there was really nothing to see).

I couldn't tell the difference in it while stitching two layers of cotton. I started with 6 stitches per inch going moderate speed, then made a mark, sped up to full speed, then went back to moderate speed - no visible difference. It repeated it a 8 stitches and again at 10 inches - still no visible difference

Actually, it must have been the feed dogs (and I didn't realize it wasn't fully up when I checked it), or it was the fabric I was sewing. I was quilting a quilt with a Minkie backing when I noticed it. (I had to rip out a section and it was a bear.)

Thanks, Joe for your help. Now I know what to look for.

bk

PS: I just figured it out. A slant shank walking foot has to be modified to work on a 301. It was probably that the walking foot couldn't keep up with the feed dogs.

Thanks again.

How did you modify it? I had one that I used my Dremel on to change the shape of the hole so it aligned with the needle placement, but I don't remember which type of shank and why. I may have changed a high shank into a slant shank, but I think it may have been for the same reason as yours.

I bought it from the Quilter's connection, already modified. They used to have a quilt shop in my neighborhood, then moved to Seattle(?).
bkay