Don't blame the 'old' Singer - that's ALL I use...
I've been using 301's but just a few weeks ago got myself a 15-90 in a cabinet and boy do I LOOOOOOOoooooooooove this machine....
I so wish I had had one for lo these many years!
I also found an old singer walking foot and it works GREAT on this old machine.... in fact I've already finished one quilt 'in the ditch' just since Monday!
also I've tried stippling/meandering and it works great with just a darning spring but even better with an embroidery foot... I've never had any luck with stippling and no foot no matter which machine
do you have the foot pressure set to hard?.... you might loosen that some...
did you wear the rubberized gloves from wallyworld to help manipulate the quilt? trying to shove/pull/yank a quilt through is misery without the gloves..
My 'new' machines are just sitting around gathering dust (lots of it) while I have a love affair with all my old machines..
the 301's are from 1951
the 15-90 is a 1948
my featherweight is a 1956
the treadle from 1920