quiltlady1941

I have a 15 91 that sews wonderful straight seams and would like to try doing some FMQ with it....

how do you set it up to FMQ?

also any tips on how to get good seams?

I don't have a darning foot or FMQ foot so can I just not use a foot?
thnaks

manicmike

Muv made an excellent video on this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkXJxVQHiJI&list=ULc4PhAT--SKM&index=21

Rodney

I would use a foot. My local sewing store sold me a nice metal hopping foot for about $10. Well worth the money. Your 15-91 should have a little thumbscrew thing (technical term) under the bed that you can use to drop your feed dogs. My Rodney machine is basically a Japanese copy of the Singer model 15 and I was impressed with how well it works for FMQ. Your machine should be the same or better.
Rodney

EDIT: I forgot to add I waxed the bed of my machine and the cabinet to make it a little slicker before I started. You want the fabric to move freely. Also get some sort of rubbery gloves for a good grip on your quilt. Gardening gloves work well and are cheap.

miriam

Make sure your foot pressure is set correctly to get your straight seams. Also check to see that the pressure foot is aligned correctly. Your machine may have a thumb screw you can turn - under the machine - to drop the feed dogs for FM. Some machines have a button along with the pressure foot thumb screw and you can release the button and do free motion. If that button is already released or the screw loosened it is very hard to sew regular. (The machine won't pull the fabric through.) You will want some kind of darning foot or use an embroidery hoop - for small projects that will work. Also check your tension - I usually take them apart and clean all oil residue - especially the pin area then rebuild and set it correctly.

Cari-in-Oly

You need to have a foot on it or all you'll do is fight with flagging and skipped stitches. Actually, if you can loosen the presser foot pressure enough to move the quilt around under the foot, you can use the regular straight stitch foot. I have a 15 clone that I do most of my free motion work with and that's how I use her. Orphan Annie doesn't like any other feet I've tried on her, and sometimes I even forget to lower the feed dogs, it makes no difference. You just have to know your machine, what it will and won't do for you, and that just takes practicing a lot.

Cari

maviskw

My 301 came with a buttonholer, and along with that was a metal plate that gets screwed over the feed dogs. That would work for FMQing also.

ThayerRags

Why not just drop the feed dogs?

CD in Oklahoma

foufymaus

yes, just drop them dogs. I have a 15-91 that I've did fmq on and it does allow you to drop the feed dogs.

ArchaicArcane

Try it dogs up or down. Most people set their stitch length to 0 when FMQing, but on a 301 especially, I've forgotten to lower the dogs and shorten the stitch length and had no trouble. The 15 will likely be similar. Many quilters, including Leah Day quilt with the dogs up. She feels like she gets better tension and stitches. Experiment, see what works for you. For the easiest time, consider going up a needle size for the first little bit, or a top stitch needle.

maviskw

I never knew the feed dogs on a 301 could be lowered. If they could be, why would they supply such a feed dog cover for the buttonholer? I can't try mine out right now, but I will do that later today.