Tips & Techniques

Free motion change with V1 or A2 since the 8918 Update

by LYNN DOWNING

Lynn Downing is a well known teacher in the Cincinnati area and a terrific source for sewing information. I am so pleased that she has allowed me to post this very valuable information on my website so that others are aware of the change in the Designer SE since the 8918 update.

I have been showing free motion with the new Open Toe Clear free motion foot to my students this past month.

With the latest SE update, I've noticed a big change. If selecting stitch V1 for free motion, using the new Open Toe Free Motion Foot, the presser foot pressure no longer changes to zero. (The feed teeth still drop, but the foot pressure is unchanged.)

You need to select *free motion* in the SET menu for the V stitches as well as A2 or any other stitch. You'll be unable to move your fabric under the foot unless you make this set menu change.

I guess to most this now makes sense: select free motion in the set menu whenever doing free motion.

Choose A2 if your needle thread loops on the fabric underside.

Choose V1 if A2 seems too tight. I've never had my machine or bobbin case adjusted, and now my machine works best with V1. In the past I had to increase needle thread tension, which is essentially what you are doing selecting stitch A2. Try it and you'll see the new difference.