Singer 15-91 Acting Up.

Is there any pressure on the foot at all?

-Irene

Yes, there seems to be. I put a piece of fabric, put the lever down and it held really tight. The feed dogs don't look worn. I have no clue about adjusting them. I have the original book somewhere. I"ll dig it out. Maybe there's something in it about adjusting.

Sherry

Thanks, Jeanne. It does that even when I don't use pins. It's like the top fabric is stretching or something. I'll look for a screw. Thanks! Sherry

Sounds like it could be one of several things...

1: Whether you can see it or not, you may have something sticky on the presser foot: give it a wash! :)

2: Foot pressure too high, causing 'drag': the foot is stretching the top layer slightly and pushing it off the end of the lower layers... Lessen the foot pressure.

3: Several layers: this happens a lot with multiple layers of fabric, especially piled fabrics and things with batting. Use a Walking Foot to give you feed teeth on the top to match those on the bottom. You may also need to INCREASE the foot pressure if you are using a poly or high loft batting.

4: Fabric finish: sometimes the finish on a printed fabric will stick very slightly to the foot, causing drag. Use a Teflon or roller foot.

Good luck, and let us know how you get on.

Hi Sherry,

I have two of these machines, I love them! There is a screw underneath the sewing machine that is for dropping the feed dogs. When you unscrew it or it comes loose the feed dogs will drop sometimes just a little. You will need to tighten it, if it is loose, but when you do, check the position of the screw, there is a slide on it for adjusting.

Second, there is a screw on top of the machine to adjust the presser foot pressure. It should not be screwed all the way down, this is too much pressure on the foot and will make the top fabric crawl off the bottom fabric.

You probably already know this about your machine but sometimes we forget one or the other.

Hope you find the problem.

Piece,

Marsha in nw, Ohio

Sherry, the drop for the feed is under the machine. It may be something has worked loose and the feed dropped.

There's a free downloadable manual here:

-Irene

Gotta love this group for all their knowledge!

G> >

Does it seem tighter than normal? Could someone have walked by your machine and turned the knob that controls the presser foot pressure? Children, and sometimes non-sewing adults, are likely to do that never knowing they are changing an adjustment on the machine. Debra in VA See my quilts at

Ding ding ding!! Right answer!!

Thank you *all* so much. I gave up sewing the blocks together last night until I could get this figured out. I'd have never done it without you all. I found the thumb screw on the top (thanks Meandering!)....loosened it a little and voila. She's been a good girl ever since.

I'm really amazed at how good you all are at troubleshooting. Thanks again!!

Sherry

Thanks Marsha. Actually I don't know anything about the machine. I do oil and grease it carefully as per the instructions and diagrams in the owner's manual. I honestly don't know a thing about what to do when something goes wrong. I really appreciate your help.

Sherry

Sherry, my 15-91 does this, IS doing this right now, because of that oh so ultra sensitive tension knob that is on the underside of the machine. I have YET to be able to ever get that thing adjusted right on my own and always end up just taking it to my local shop and having them reset it for me. That little bugger is so sensitive that the slightest touch can send the stitches askew one way (too tight) or the other (too loose) and have the whole thing shifting off by up to a 1/4 of an inch!

I have found that if I am working on quilting something that has a thicker quality i.e. the Minkee I used for the baby quilt backing or the fleece panel backing on the John Deere quilt - the added thick texture throws that tension knob off and then I can never get it back on my own.

just my own unexperienced experience Tina

Tina, I have several 15-91s and none of them do this.... Are you referring to the tensioner on the side of the machine or the tensioner on the bobbin case? =20

-Irene

Can you mark the settings when they are 'just right' ? We have an evil toaster oven. It has black knobs and dials, a black panel and tiny fine print that DH cannot see. I thinned some white craft paint and, using a straight pin for a brush, made a dot on each knob and the corresponding place where it needed to be turned and lined up. No more guessing or burnt offerings. I did the same on the microwave. Maybe something similar would help you with the 15-91. Polly

Irene, it is the tensioner on the bobbin case that always seems to go awry on me.

And Polly, I think you have a wonderful idea and one I should probably try!

Thanks! Tina

On second thought Irene, I don't think that's on the bobbin case. I don't know how to describe it, and I am at work right now, but when I get home I'll have to take another look at that goofy knob and write back.

Tina