Feed dogs not moving fabric - Sewing Machines

The needle never moves forward/back on its own for most sewing machines. The needle bar goes up and down. The fabric moves due to the action of the feed dogs. First remove the fabric from under the presser foot. Check for tangled thread wrapped around the feed dogs or fabric/thread going down into the bobbin area in a tangle. Next check if the feed dogs are up. (When the feed dogs are down or covered (on some machines), the machine is in darning mode. The fabric will only move if you move it yourself.) With the fabric out of the way, rotate the hand wheel and check if the feed dogs are moving. Open up the bobbin compartment and clean out any lint, thread or other debris that may be tangling the mechanism. Take off the throat plate and check the feed dogs. A damaged throat plate can stop the feed dogs from moving properly. You may need to replace the throat plate.

For some machines, you may need to make sure that the unit is not in bobbin wind mode. This is usually obvious since the needle bar won't move either.

I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells

You should have the feed dogs up, grabbing and moving the lowest layer of the fabric. This is the standard position of the feed dogs, unless you are doing free-hand motion or darning stitches.

The advantage of the walking foot is that it keeps the top layer of fabric moving even for fabric layers that don't stick together under a standard foot. If the feed dogs are below the cover plate, you have the same problem with the fabric layers moving at different rates. It just reverses which layer feeds faster than the others.

I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells

Is the feed dog raised into sewing position and not dropped as for darning? Feed dogs need to be in the raised position in order to pull the fabric through the machine.

If the stitch length is set too short, it will cause the fabric to barely move thereby causing the machine to stitch in one place.

Raise your presser foot and gently rotate the handwheel and watch the feed dogs. Do they rise when coming to the front of the machine, move toward the back of the machine, drop down below the needle plate, and move forward to the front of the machine again? If so, the feed dogs are working properly.

If the feed dogs never rise, they are in the dropped position for darning or free motion quilting when you would move the fabric manually.

If, on the other hand, the feed dogs do not move at all, then they are seized and you should probably get your machine serviced.

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Check that the stitch length is set to make ~10 stitches per inch. This stitch is long enough to actually move the fabric. If the stitch length is set too short, the fabric will stay barely move and the needle will stitch almost in place.

Check that the feed dogs have not been dropped for darning or free motion quilting. In this position, they do not rise and are, therefore, unable to contact the fabric to pull it through the machine.

With the presser foot raised and using no fabric, hand rotate the handwheel and watch if the feed dogs actually drop down below the needle plate, move toward the front of the machine, then rise above the needle plate, and move toward the back of the machine. If the feed dogs are moving in this manner, then they are functioning properly.

Is there lint or gunk stuck in the feed dogs? This will restrict the ability of the feed dogs to grip the fabric.

Are the feed dogs worn? Are the little teeth worn so there are no sharp points?

What type fabric are you using? If it is very light-weight or slick fabric, the feed dogs will have a difficult time gripping the fabric. Most machines have a presser foot pressure adjustment so that more pressure is applied between the presser foot and the feed dogs. Consult your Owner's Manual. The adjustment is usually a dial either on the left side of the machine, on the front of the machine located above the needle bar, or on vintage machines it is usually a skrew located under the top lid above the needle bar.

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Sewing machine feed dogs generally do not move sideways. They move only forward or backward. Embroidery machines will stitch in all directions but only because they use hoops and not feed dogs to move the fabric. If you need the stitch to go a different direction, you can try rotating the fabric. Free motion quilting uses your hands to move the fabric under the needle but the feed dogs are not in use.

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Without fabric in your machine and with the presser foot raised, do the feed dogs move front->back? Are the feed dogs in the raised position? Is the stitch length at a 10-12 stitch per inch setting so that the fabric actually moves (try increasing the stitch length to see if it makes a difference)?

Does your machine have a presser foot pressure adjustment? If you are sewing light weight fabric, the pressure may need to increased so there is more pressure applied by the presser foot to the feed dogs. You can also try adding a strip of tear-away or wash-away stabilizer to the underside of the fabric as you stitch so the feed dogs have something to grip.

Are the tips of the feed dogs rounded? Could be worn and need replacement.

If the feed dogs are not moving, how long has it been since the machine was cleaned and oiled?

It was working now it seems to be frozen the needle part wont move

If the feed dogs remain below the needle plate, and the feed dog lever does not activate them, then perhaps something is disconnected in the feed dog mechanism. The feed dogs should rise when stitching begins.

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Are you sure the feed dogs have not been accidently lowered? They will still move when lowered but not feed the fabric.

it would be a good idea to have the feed dogs checked to see why
they are not moving the fabric

the presser foot or what ever foot your sewing with does not feed the
fabric,, the feed dogs in the needle plate are what moves the fabric
to be sewed, the feet only hold the fabric against feed dog so the
machine can use the needle to sew the fabric.
if the fabric is not moving then the feed dogs have to be checked
can you see the feed dogs in the needle plate area are the up or
down?
do you have a manual for the machine?
a manual help to know where the feed dog lever is, I'm sending
you a link for a manual for the machine, so you can look for the feed
dog lever, if the feed dogs are up then there is something wrong
with the feed dogs & they need to be checked.
but if the feed dogs are down then look in the manual & see where
the feed dog lever is & put it in the up position & see if that brings
the feed dogs up to the sewing position, if the feed dogs do not
come up then the feed dogs need to be checked.

http://www.sewingpartsonline.com/instruction-manual-necchi-6015.aspx

hi! there if your feed dog does not move the fabric forward or backward,if this is so try to run machine w/o the fabric check if feed dog move on cycle,the teeth should be moving upward and downward rotation pushing action on your fabric,the teeth should come out to the plate slot of feed dog.if not adjust upward, and adjust also the presser foot of needle.if your feed dog is not moving when machine running,thre is a mechanical disengage or loosen in shuttle assymble and feeder dog mechanism they link together ubder the machine,as the shuttle move on one stroke the feeder also move also with the needle.Chesk the adjustment and link mechanism.in addition to this try to clean feed dogs by brush chips thread and fabrics sometimes stored on mechanism of feed dogs and shuttle.