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Re: The dog foot has fallen down, it is still sewing but...
If the teeth have dropped and you do not have a drop feed lever you will need to get into the bottom of the machine and raise the teeth slightly and tighten the screw.
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Make sure the feed dogs are not in the dropped position (for darning).
If it is very light-weight fabric, most machines will have a presser foot pressure adjustment that will increase the presser foot's pressure on the feed dogs, thus pulling the fabric through better.
Make sure the feed dogs are clean--no debris stuck between the teeth, under the feed dogs, or around the bobbin case. If it is an older machine that has been used a lot, the feed dogs could be worn down and need replacement or adjustment. (Do not run the machine with the presser foot directly on the feed dogs. This will cause excessive wear to the feed dogs and the presser foot.)
When stitching together a quilt sandwich, it is recommended to use a walking foot on your machine. The walking foot moves the upper fabric in conjunction with the feed dogs. Sometimes, if the quilt sandwich is not too thick, a roller foot can also help but may not be sufficient for a quilt sandwich. What is Walking Foot Sewing Tips for Beginners How To Use Walking Foot How to Use Roller Foot
You may also check the presser foot pressure on your machine. This regulates the amount of pressure the presser foot applies to the fabric and the feed dogs. If the pressure is too strong, it will tend to push the upper layers of fabric, creating a bubble look. If the pressure is too loose, there is not enough pressure for the feed dogs to physically pull entire quilt sandwich under the presser foot.
(The pressure is adjustable depending on the types of fabric and thicknesses being sewn.) http://www.sewdaily.com/how-to-sew/sewing-machine-basics/the-best-kept-secret-on-your-sewing-machine
Check that the feed dogs have not been dropped for darning or free motion quilting. If the feed dogs do not rise above the needleplate, they will not pull the fabric through the machine.
Feed dogs do wear (which is why one should always sew with fabric against the feed dogs--never on bare metal).
Something else that happens is that gunk builds up between the teeth of the feed dogs so that they no longer have the grip they need to move the fabric.
Another thing to check is the presser foot "pressure." A lot of sewing machines have a pressure adjustment that increases or decreases the amount of pressure the presser foot applies to the fabric and feed dogs. (Consult your owners manual.) he pressure can be adjusted according to the type of fabric being sewn.
Try setting the stitch length to a longer stitch. Increasing the stitch length should move the material faster. Also, make sure that the presser foot pressure is not to heavy. This shows up sometimes when you change fabric thicknesses (denim vs lightweight sheer) and the machine has difficulty moving the fabric. Try stitching on different fabric and see if it makes a difference. Also, if the material you are stitching is somewhat sticky, it will stick to the bottom of the presser foot (this is common when sewing vinyl, leather, etc.) If that is the case, you may want to check into getting a leather roller foot (it has wheels built into the presser foot that will turn as the fabric is pulled through by the feed dogs).
Tension generally does not affect the feed unless it is way too tight. Most reasons for fabric not advancing under the presser foot is that the feed dogs have been dropped for darning. If the feed dogs are operating properly, as the handwheel turns the feed dogs should rise above the plate, move toward the back of the machine pulling the fabric, drop down, come forward and rise again.
The other possibility is that the presser foot pressure has been released so the presser foot is not holding the fabric down on the feed dogs. Some machines have a spring-loaded knob on the top of the machine, a dial, or something to adjust the amount of pressure the foot applies. Consult your owner's manual.
You should not be able to pull fabric from the machine when the presser foot is down. The presser foot should always be raised before removing the fabric.
Are you trying to darn or quilt something without the feed dogs activated? If so, there are special presser feet for that purpose that are shorter in height (ie darning foot) which allow more space between the presser foot and the stitch plate so the fabric can be moved freely.
When you sew the machine must be set at the correct settings. If your machine won't straight stitch, turn it off at the power point and then turn it back on. Most machines reset to the default straight stitch setting. Secondly when you sew the presser foot must be down. This engages the "feed dogs" or the triangular looking "teeth" below the presser foot. As you sew, the feed dogs grab the two layers of fabric pulling them through, the thread above (spool) and the thread below (bobbin) meet to form the stitch. Finally, maybe fiddling around with dials and settings you may have dropped, or disengaged the feed dogs. Check with your manual on how to re-engage the feed dogs. Hope this helps and happy sewing. Remember, when all else fails..... read the manual.
How old is your machine? Can you unscrew the feed dog plate and take it apart and oil it? Sometimes if you are doing lots of quilting/sewing it gets all stuffed up with fluff inside there.
Presser foot tension is to low for the weight/finish of the fabric, or bottom dogs are worn.
The feed dog feeds the fabric under the presser foot while you guide the fabric.
The feed dog regulates the stitch length by how much fabric passes under the presser foot as the machine stitches.
It is important for you to not push and pull the fabric under the presser foot. Allow the feed dog to move the fabric, so that you do not bend and break sewing machine needles.
Be certain the presser foot lifter handle is down so that it holds the fabric from the top. Then make sure the feed dogs (the little toothy looking things under the presser foot) are up or engaged. Often we'll accidentally knock the adjustment button/lever and the feed dogs go down into the machine and will not come up to provide the pulling action to feed the fabric through. Make sure the mechanics inside the machine are clean and free of dust. And if you see what seems to be a piece of felt around the feed dogs, that is actually lint and prevents the fabric from moving through easily. Use the brush that came with the machine to clean the feed dogs. Hope this helps and happy stitching!
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