witha'K'quilting Posted September 8, 2009 Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 Can someone tell me how on earth I could have done this? I did hit a ruler the other day...barely..and my hopping foot now looks bent. Can this really be what caused this? Can I straighten it? How? Will it hurt anything to leave it like this? It is a little lower on the left side of the foot and it hits thick seams now. I can't believe I did this! Now...I need a quick fix. I really don't want to have to replace it. HELP! Please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollyc Posted September 8, 2009 Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 take out the needle and grab a pliers? If you have to replace it, that might be worth a try?? I am a firm believer in brute force myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewcrazy4quilting Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 EEK, my DH is a former blacksmith so the "wife of the smithy" in me says put it on an anvil and give it a few wacks! Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smorris Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 Hi just - GENTLY -take a flat bladed screwdriver into the hole and lever it down until you have the foot straight and level. sue in australia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoryJM Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 Yikes, that sucker is crooked! If you want to give Kim's method a try, come on over; I'm sure Dennis would let you use his anvil:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 Yikes. I wouldn't have thought that could have been caused by hitting a ruler. Are you sure nobody else was playing? I wouldn't have thought that could have happened, now that I know it can I'll definitely be more careful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted September 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 I am guessing that this is how it happened. Either that, or it has always been like this and I just noticed! I can't see what else could have caused this. My youngest son (2 yrs old) did advance the quilt on me the other day when my needle was down and it caused a short rip in the quilt sandwich, but I can't see this happeneing to the foot because of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltingjoyful51 Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 i think you could use the flat screw driver sugested by Sue to straighten it back out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeke Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 O.K., Take off the ruler mate. Remove the needle and get a cresent wrench. This is the smiplest way to do this. Your cresent wrench is adjustable and should be able to get into and under the hopping foot. Now the tricky part is tweeking it back to level. Be careful. zeke................. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted September 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 Thanks Zeke. I will try this. AND, yes, I will be careful. I am one usually resorts to brute force too...but certainly don't want to make the matters worse. I guess I just needed to see what others suggested. I like Zeke's suggestion better than what I was thinking! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 Hi Kristina--when you hit a ruler, you would have hit it most likely on the left side of the foot. That side is lower, not higher, so I bet that didn't cause the "listing". Since that lower side is hitting the seams, raise the left side instead of lowering the right side and maybe you won't need to adjust the height of the hopping foot. Let us know what works so we can file it for future reference. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted September 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 How do I raise the hopping foot? I feel so silly even asking! Can't be all that hard is it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 A long screwdriver is used to loosen the hopping foot and it drops to the needle plate. Adjust the spacing (usually a folded business card) and tighten. Access to the screw is on the right side (tensioner side). My manual is out in the studio and I am in my jammies, or else the instructions would be more precise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheri Butler Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 Kristina, it looks like your needle is crooked too. Or, is it just my old eyes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted September 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 The needle is straight. It is the angle at which I took the photo of the hopping foot. The foot is definitely bent. It travels up/down fine...but has a bend near the bottom of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtreusch Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 Kristina, When you raise you hopping foot make sure that the needle is in the lowest position when you loosen the screw and adjust the space with the folded business card. Otherwise the space will be wider than you think and the hopping foot may not be able to compress the quilt sandwich correctly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AbigailE Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 You can do it, good luck, let us know when you're up and running. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hollyrw Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 Just be sure you get the right screw! I was trying to adjust my hopping foot when I got the wrong screw and loosened the needle bar. Once I took the panel on the left side off to see my blunder. BTW, you shouldn't have to take any covers off the machine to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted September 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2009 Okay...I need help, please! I was able to tweak my hopping foot back straight. Sorry, I forgot to post when I did that. I used Zeke's directions..and it worked great. Now, I am looking for the screw to allow me to raise my hopping foot. I have a quilt on right now that has very thick seams. Can someone please tell me which page of the manual to find it...or take pictures of the screw for me? I am at a lost! I have never felt so dumb. I have crawled underneath my machine and even called a friend with a millie...she doesn't know where it is either. HELP!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbm Posted September 17, 2009 Report Share Posted September 17, 2009 Kristina, The adjusting screw for your hopping foot is on the right (tension) side of the machine, probably through a hole almost directly under the takeup lever - so just up and to the left of your tension assembly. You should be able to look through the hole and see the screw when the hopping foot is in its lowest position. You'll need a long skinny screwdriver to fit through the hole and reach the screw. Loosen the screw (righty tighty, lefty loosy;) ), and twist/pull the hopping foot until it's where you think it should be. Normal setting is the thickness of a business card, according to the maintenance manual. Then tighten it back up again. Take care to keep the foot pointed forward as you move it up or down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted September 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2009 I FOUND IT. It was not at all where I was looking. By the way, it takes a flat screwdriver. I kept using a philips! Go figure. Thanks to Bonnie and Barb. You girls saved me. ;0) Kristina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hollyrw Posted September 18, 2009 Report Share Posted September 18, 2009 I think flathead screws should be outlawed! I'm glad you found it and got your foot adjusted. My machine seems to move much smoother since I messed with mine. I'm not sure if I got it a little higher or what. I was just trying to staighten it. Whatever we did, I like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted September 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2009 I am definitely liking the adjustment. Very pleased so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted September 18, 2009 Report Share Posted September 18, 2009 Give yourself a big pat on the back for "getting her done" as Shana would say! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted September 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2009 Bonnie told me to say that "I am a big girl now". I am so glad that I grew up today! Sure feels good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.