Wrong zipper foot or am I doing it wrong?

First off, I'm a 29 year old guy who doesn't know much about sewing. But, I do know plenty about woodworking and know how to measure, layout, and cut reliably.

My mom gave me a 40 year old singer touch n sew 604e. After buying the manual online and figuring out how to thread it, I suprised my wife with some pillows for our bed. I used some loopy, flat edging that looked good, but I couldn't get cording to come out right. I read in the manual some more and found out I needed a zipper foot (I think). Okay, I dug out the zip-lock bag-o-parts and found what looked right.

I attached it and lowered the foot, and it stayed about a quarter of an inch above the deck. In this position, I obviously can't get any pressure on the fabric or get it to work.

I thought that I might try riding with the cording itself under the foot and the needle straddling it, but this didn't feel like it was the way it was supposed to work and keeping straight was a challenge.

Am I doing something wrong, or do I have the wrong foot? This is entirely possible given the nature of the "bag-o-parts" My mom is in a different state, so "just asking her" is a futile effort.

Reply to
FriscoSoxFan
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any chance you have a digicam and a place to upload photos of your various feet options?

First thing I'd do is check to see if the foot is installed correctly. No matter what kind of foot it is, even a cording or zipper foot, when installed properly, should sit pretty much on the bed of the machine when lowered.

A zipper foot should ride right next to the cording, with the needle up against the cord part, and a cording foot actually has a channel in it for the cording.

Penny S

Reply to
small change

Is it possible that the foot you used could be from a different machine? Not everything is interchangeable (as I am sure you know already)

It really shouldn't be that high off the machine unless the foot is raised, in which case you lower it with a handy dandy little lever.

Just in case you don't know what a zipper foot looks like check your manual or google zipper foot and click on images.

HTH

Michelle Giordano

Reply to
Doug&Michelle

I'll get the digicam out tonight when I get home, but I'm positive it is installed correctly and I'm sure it is in the down position when it is still hanging above the table. I'm starting to think it is the wrong part. The only thing that made me doubt this is that the needle fits perfectly into the little needle indent in the side of the foot.

It looks exactly as it does in the manual and I have it installed as in the book. I'll snap a photo tonight.

Reply to
FriscoSoxFan

Good for you for doing this!

I have a Singer 603 in my vintage sewing machine collection; I think the early 600 models are the last of the great Singer machines.

Anyway, the 600 is what is called a 'slant shank' machine, and I bet what you have is a 'low' shank foot. They are for low shank machines like the Featherweight. If you look at your 604, you will see that the shank - that is the bar the foot attaches to - is slanted towards the user. The slant shank feet are a little higher than low shank feet.

I've seen slant shank zipper feet at JoAnn Fabrics, Walart may even have them as well.

-Irene

-------------- You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.=20

--Mae West=20

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Reply to
IMS

I am willing to bet dollars to doughnuts you have the wrong foot. Yours uses a slant shank foot and it sounds like the one you have is for a low shank. I see it all the time. bags of attachments with machines that do not belong. The correct foot is inexpensive and readily available.

Reply to
Ron Anderson

There are about 4 main types of sewing machine feet: long shank, short shank, slant shank, snap on.

Offhand, if the foot is on correctly, I'd guess you probably have a short shank foot on a machine that needs a long shank foot. Maybe some help for you here:

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zipper feet are cheap. Compare the shank length on the footthat was on the machine and worked with the length of the zipper foot'sshank... most sewing machine stores and fabric stores should have a footthat will fit for a few $$$ if there's nothing in your bag-o-parts. Kay

Reply to
Kay Lancaster

Thanks for all the replies and help. I'll try Walmart, Joanns, and Hooby Lobby this weekend. If that doesn't work out, I'll find a specialty store.

Reply to
FriscoSoxFan

I missed the first part of this thread, but places like Wal-Mart are not where you will get any help. You need to visit your friendly neighbourhood local sewing machine dealer. They should be able to find you the right zipper foot for your machine.

gwh

Reply to
G. Wayne Hines

You could try here - great selection of feet online and you can see what they look like:

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'm assuming you have a reversible zipper fit - it has a screw on the back of the shank so that you can move the bottom plate (the piece that holds down the fabric) from the right to the left of the needle. This works for straight stitching zippers and cording.

Reply to
Windwatcher

Got the zipper foot from that site and it worked perfectly. Thanks for all the help.

Reply to
FriscoSoxFan

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