Christine-

Excellent information Candace. It would make a difference if the feed dogs weren't lined up. Thank you for posting the url to the photos. Seeing the photos, it makes sense why misaligned feed dogs would do a poor job. About your 'yelling'... I have to laugh because I have the same habit... when I want to emphasize something I type in caps... and I forget that some people view that as yelling, when all I meant to do was emphasize a phrase.

Anyway, thank you for the information, it made sense to me!

J Miller

Well, if these WFs don't work right when the feed dogs do not align, then please explain to me why the one I have works.
It appears that when I state an experience contrary to the accepted norm I'm either ignored or accused of trying to argue. Neither is the case in this situation.

I currently have a Singer Slant Shank ZZ Even Feed WF, a Singer Low Shank ZZ Even Feed WF, and the generic Low Shank ZZ WF. The generic one works as good on the straight stitch machines as the Singer units work on their respective machines.
That is MY experiences with them. Not an argument, a fact.

As far as typing in all caps to emphasize being offensive and considered yelling ... to bad. I wouldn't have to go to the trouble of emphasizing things if people would read and comprehend what I wrote.
Their problem, not mine.


Joe

Candace

No problem, Christine. I really hope that someone SOMEWHERE (for emphasis not yelling:>) makes a true fitting walking foot for the 301. I don't know why Alphasew hasn't produced one to properly fit the 301. I guess it boils down to how many they think they'd sell.

Joe, like I said, yours may "work" but it's not doing what could do if it fit as it should. Is it good enough for you to do a project on? Well, it looks like it, but you've also not quilted for very long or finished many quilts. You may find your queen and king size quilts are going to be tougher to deal with and you may experience some tucks etc.

Sewing machines have a gazillion feet for a gazillion reasons. WF are not cheap so I just hope people research which machine they have and which foot is the best pick. I own probably 7 different walking feet for all of my different machines for a reason.

J Miller

Candace,

We are on the same page now ... I think. I understood and comprehended what you posted. To be honest I've only quilted one quilt, my wife did the others. I'm near the point of doing my very big denim quilt and I will be using the 201 or a 66 to do it with. They have the biggest arches of those machines I have.

Since I made designs in the squares I'll be quilting it by the SITD method. Considering it's denim and not overly flexible I don't even know if I need a WF, but I'd like to have one (that works) for my SS Singers.

I tried that one from Sew-Classic and it just wouldn't work. Somewhere there is a thread here about my traviails with it. So I did ask for advise and tried what was given. It wouldn't work even as good as the generic ZZ one did.

So, other than the Alpha-Sew WF that everyone sells, Is there a good SS walking foot out there that will work with the Low Shank Singers?

Joe

ArchaicArcane

Sorry, as a computer professional, I've been a lot of years on the net, and this is how I took it. I tend to react badly when I see caps then what looks to me like an insinuation that I didn't read or understand the topic.

I know now that you aren't yelling when I see caps in your posts.

Must be the Canadian translation, because what I learned is:
not doing the job = not doing what it's engineered to do = doesn't work.

I took it to mean that you were telling us that it didn't work.

Here's the thing though, and it's likely why Joe's feet "work" = Walking feet are not engineered to feed the fabric. They reduce friction from the presser foot.

Per the link on Jenny's site that you posted to how a walking foot works:
Joe and Joyce's WF may just be doing the job. Quilting isn't the only thing we use these for, and Joyce has been sewing for at least a couple of years from what I understand. Between the two of them, they may have come across problems in the past and identified and adjusted for them.

All that a WF has to do is lower friction. I take that to mean that it doesn't matter how big the "hand" it uses for the job is. That's why if you turn your walking foot upside down and play with the feet, they don't "feed" they "slide".

ETA: If the top dogs were to the left or the right of the dogs below, I can see where a problem might occur. If they're bigger, but over top of the lower dogs, I would think it should be OK.

Agreed, there is no foot that is strictly a SS foot, currently manufactured specifically for the 301, However there are ZZ WF being modified to work with it:
from: http://shop.sew-classic.com/Singer-S...A-SCF301WF.htm
"Genuine Singer brand Slant Shank Even feed / Walking Foot Fits the Singer 301/301A without binding. It has been specially modified and each and every foot is individually tested for proper function on a Singer 301 / 301A. "

This sure reads to me like it's being sold as a working foot, not just one that "fits" on the machine and looks pretty, so I asked the source. I emailed Jenny for clarification as to what proper function is as it pertains to this particular WF. All I edited out,( it was in 2 emails) is the stuff that she quoted from the page that was posted about walking feet.:

I think it's safe to say that the modified ZZ foot that Jenny's selling for use on the 301 is indeed safe to purchase and will work on a 301. If it doesn't, I for one would like to hear about it, and it's no risk because she offers a satisfaction guarantee.

Possible you just got a "dud". AlphaSew's products can be a little hit or miss. A mechanical foot like that has a lot more places to fail than a solid foot. You may benefit from ordering another foot from Jenny with your next order... the one I have here that I ordered from her last year works.

They did,.. it's a heck of a lot of money though. It's the Penguin hoping foot people talk about. There may be others too, but that's the one that sticks in my mind.

http://www.april1930s.com/html/walking_foot_160741.html

Me too. I believe your WF probably does work, for the reasons discussed above.

Then use it. If it works for you, that's what's important.

J Miller

Tammi,

I'm quietly looking for a penguin WF. But from the prices I've seen it would be a fluke if I get one.

Thanks for all the work you did in the post above. I do believe I will continue to use that WF we have.
I haven't ordered another SS WF from Sew Classic yet cos I'm waiting till she rotates her stock. Just a goofy trait of mine.

Joe

ArchaicArcane

I am too. I have heard of one lady on this board who lucked into one (and knew what it was and snapped it up) though. I don't think I can ask for 2 flukes like that in my lifetime. The 222 was fluke enough. Still, sometimes I luck onto boxes of attachments, you never know.

My pleasure, Joe.

Waiting for stock rotation is a good idea. It may have been a one off dud, or it may have been a bad batch.

Candace

I lucked into a Penguin foot and sold it. I don't believe it's worth the $ and quilt on so many machines that it's not worth it to me. So I sold it.

Tammi, good luck using your 301 WF. My experience with over 25 years of quilting and sewing machines have taught me some tricks and if I can pass them on to others, that's what I do. Of course what Jenny sells is safe. It won't harm the machine. It's just not worth the money, IMO. Since it doesn't do what WF should, many people just use a regular foot and don't need it. When people post their photos of pleats and tucks in their tops or backings and question why they're having the issue, the first question I ask is are you using a proper WF, because usually this is not the case. And like I said the correct tool will give a much better end product.

Candace

Joe, the Alpha Sew SS WF foot is a good foot. Though if it's coming from China, you know how the quality control is lately.

J Miller

Yes I do. That's why I was waiting for a while for her to rotate her stock. Eventually I'll get another one.

Joe