Hopping Foot question

[Lori]

I haven't quilted a lot of quilts yet, but so far I've usually used one layer of either 80/20 Hobbs, or 100% cotton.  I just loaded a quilt that needs 2 layers of batting.  Do I need to raise my hopping foot?  It's lightly touching the top of the quilt.  I don't have any different needles, so I hope that's not an issue, but I also don't know how to raise the hopping foot.  I have a 2013 Freedom.  Any advice would be appreciated.

 

Lori

[ffq-lar]

Try stitching without raising the foot. If there's no obvious drag of the top fabric and there are no skipped stitches, you'll be fine. I've used a layer of cotton and a layer of wool without raising the foot.

If you need to raise it, look in the manual. My older machine has an access hole for a screwdriver to release the foot. Not sure if it's the same for the new machines.

[chickenscratch]

Dawn always recommends sliding a business card under the hopping foot at the thickest part of the quilt to see if it passes under easily.

 

I did not have to raise mine to do the quilt I just did with the layer of cotton and layer of wool.

[DawnCavanaugh]

Lori,

 

You shouldn't have to raise the foot for two layers of batting. It's more important to check it when you're doing something like high loft polyester, or unusual projects such as denim quilts, double-layer polar fleece with batting, etc.

 

To clarify Teresa's comment, we do suggest that a single business card should slide under your hopping foot after you've manually lowered the needle to its lowest position by turning the fly wheel by hand. But that should be done with NO fabric between the foot and the needle plate, not on the thickest part of the quilt. Teresa, if I posted something that stated the check should be with the quilt under the foot, let me know because that isn't accurate and I'll want to go back and correct that.

 

Lori, on the CD that came with your machine you'll have a "complete" copy of the manual for it, including appendixes that show how to clean it, oil it, raise the foot, etc. Don't be fooled when you first open the document, because the assembly instructions appear at the beginning and some people think that's all that's there. You'll find about 150 more pages of great info about your machine, including helpful hints on thread, tension, batting, loading, practice exercises, maintenance and more.

[chickenscratch]

No Dawn. I probably either misunderstood or misremembered.  Thanks for correcting me and answering Lori's question.

[Lori]

Thanks ladies, I went ahead and started quilting and it's all good. Dawn, thanks for the tip about the CD.  I hadn't realized all that info was on there.  That's a great resource, and so is this forum!  I always get great advice, and always so promptly that I don't have to waste a lot of time.

 

Lori