Fabric does not move forward

Is the stitch length set high enough to actually make a longer stitch? Are the feed dogs raised? Are the feed dogs actually moving to pull the fabric under the needle?

First, verify that the stitch length is set high enough that the feed dogs should be pulling the fabric to create a stitch.

If you have not recently oiled the machine, the feed dog mechanism may be stuck due to old oil that has solidified. Pick up some liquid Tri-Flow Synthetic Lube. While gently rocking the handwheel, apply a couple drops everywhere that metal rubs against metal. Do NOT oil rubber, leather, or synthetic parts!!! Don't forget to hit the spots under the sewing surface, ie the feed dogs, bobbin area, etc. Also, move the levers and selectors and hit those with a couple drops of oil. If things are still a bit sluggish, you can apply hot air from a handheld hairdryer at the interior of the machine. The heat will help loosen things.

P.S.--I picked up a frozen Pfaff 260 at the thrift store for $25. Used the above method to get things loose and now it sews beautifully!!!

...

+

check where the direction button/lever is
it controls the feed mechanism and if it is in the middle the teeth will just go up and down
set it one way and it moves forward and set the other way will go in reverse
it is graduated to provide a stitch length ( number of stitches per 1")

hi, do a web search for feed dogs and put the make and mode lof your sewing machine in there along with the words how to adjust or how to repair....it should throw up loads of results

So right! You are brilliant!

it sounds like the feed dogs & the reverse button need to be
checked at a repair shop,
to see why they are not responding to each other.

Check to see if you've accidentally lowered the feed dogs.

If you take a look at this website you'll see the different feet for some makes
http://www.sewingpartsonline.com/sewing-machine-presser-feet.aspx

I assume you mean what are the different feet used for?
General purpose foot will have room for the needle to swing through wide stitches, but enough foot to hold the fabric and move it through against the feed dogs. This is the one you use most.
A straight stitch foot will have a little hole so that the needle only goes through a small area and the fabric can't move to give a neat plain straight stitch.
Plastic wide toe foot is good when you need to see what you are sewing onto such as applique (sewing a piece of fabric onto another with a wide satin stitch).
Teflon coated foot is good for slippery fabrics, it grips well.
A roller foot is great for textiles like leather and vinyl which don't feed nicely.
Then there are lots of feet for turning the fabric to sew it such as a rolled hem (these come in different widths so you can turn 2mm, 4mm or 6mm for example).
Felled foot (like the side seam on your jeans) joining two fabrics in a felled seam
Then there are feet for quilting and darning where you need to move the fabric smoothly in different directions, these will be small foot area and open stitching space usually.
Walking foot is a special one, part of the foot moves because a part of it clips around the needle bar and the up and down movement then activates the foot so its little teeth help to move the fabric from the top to supplement the normal feed dogs below. Pfaff machines actually built this function into their machines some years ago to give even feed from top and bottom. Great for quilting thick fabric sandwich or sewing together fabrics that want to slip or not feed smoothly.

There is also similar info here http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/2009/06/feet-feet-feet/ which may help you to see the different uses and feet available.
Most manufacturers will sell their machine with 4 or 5 of the most used feet but often have more to buy aftermarket. And many feet between companies look very alike so if you have a clip on foot from one brand it may work on another machine with a clip on foot.

I hope that this is what you were asking.

Check to see what pattern is selected. Be sure it isn't the buttonhole.Select straight stitch.Move the stitch length setting to 4.Turn the handwheel and see if the feed dogs move forward. Press the reverse lever and see if they move backwards. Select straight stretch stitch and turn the wheel to see if the feed dogs move forward and backward.Check the presser foot release on top of the machine and make sure there is pressure on the foot.
Sometimes the reverse assembly on this machine stops working because it has the wrong type of grease on it and it turns into a hard gummy mess that won't let it work.
sewman7