Muv

Hello Cindy,

I use a 15K treadle for FMQ - in fact, I'm doing some today. If you go to my blog (link below) and click on the heading at the side - free motion quilting - you will find out about the machine and the feet, and also a link to the video I put on Youtube.

Good luck!

cricket_iscute

Singer 301 is my first choice and another good choice would be Singer 15-91 or any Model 15 clone. The bobbin is vertical in all of them and that means an easier thread path for the machine. In fact, I was in a class and used a Janome 7700 for fmq and had a lot of trouble (I think it was just that machine since I did it on another and had no trouble.) When I couldn't get good results with the 7700 Horizon, I went to my Singer 301 and easily finished the piece, specialty thread and all.

crafty pat

I ordered a darning foot from one of the sewing catalogs I get, I think it was the one that is now Annie's out of Big Sandy Texas. I believe Nancy's Notions has it also for the singer slant.

ArchaicArcane

For the 301 / 401 machines:
http://shop.sew-classic.com/Singer-S...oot-384037.htm
http://shop.sew-classic.com/Singer-S...KED-P60417.htm - This is the one I mentioned in a previous post.

For the low shank machines, Leah Day recommends this one:
http://shop.sew-classic.com/Low-Shan...td-SCF4021.htm - with modifications, she talks about them and has a video on her site. I have the foot here, but haven't made the modification yet.
http://shop.sew-classic.com/Low-Shan...-SCF4021-L.htm - I've used this one as is, it's my "go to foot" for the low shanks. I like it better than the plastic ones, especially the ones that have the plastic mount on them. Those seem to loosen and I have to retighten periodically, and have actually had them fall off while stitching.

And as everyone mentioned, yes, the 15 is better still than the 301 for FMQ. The bigger harp especially is nice. I completed my first quilt using one.

purplefiend

I use a Singer 237 for FMQ, does a great job on my quilts.
Sharon

Mitch's mom

Singer 15-91, or a 301. The 237 is also a nice, newer choice made in the late 60's in Monza, Italy. It is a class 15 machine and the really cool thing about the 237 is it can be mounted in a Singer treadle base so you would have a zig zag treadle. The SInger 239 is the same machine only it is straight stitch.

Surfergirl

Singer 15-91, 301, and I've even used my 201's for FMQ.

tropit

Whoa! A treadle for FMQ? I'm impressed! I do have an old treadle that I bought about a year ago. It's a beauty...a Singer Red Eye. I still need to get needles and some accessories for it. We're building a house that's "off the grid," and in the winter time, our electricity is limited, so I plan to treadle instead of power sew. I'll have to try to FMQ a potholder, or something, to see how I manage it all. I'll certainly check out your links. Thanks!

~ Cindy

tropit

Thanks for all of the great tips everyone! I grew up sewing on a Singer 15 model and I do love my Slant-O-Matic so dearly. Perhaps, for nostalgia sake, I'll look into a Singer 15. The 301 has always caught my eye too. There there's the treadle...hummm...

I do have Leah Day's CD. It's good and she does claim that you don't even have to drop the feed dogs (and I don't, obviously.) I'm still have a lot of trouble though. Maybe it's not in the machine, but in practice makes perfect.

~ Cindy

ArchaicArcane

Oh yes, those machines speak to you at night, and convince you to pick up their brothers and sisters. I have no resistance at all, as evidenced by my signature. And I'm going to pick up a 99 in a cabinet today to boot.

I do find the slants-o-matics more challenging to FMQ with, but it can be done. I think it's best to get the hang of the FMQ on the other machines first, then move to the SOM, just because the muscle memory is there then you just have to learn to massage the SOM's idiosyncrasies.