Help lowering feed dogs on a Brother LS 1217 sewing machine

[untonuggan]

Hello, fine sewing folks! I am interested in doing some free machine sewing/embroidery/quilting what have you. It seems fun! I am, however, at a loss for how to lower the feed dogs on my machine. All I know is that the manual troubleshooting guide says that if the fabric isn't moving, it's because the feed dogs are lowered...but it doesn't say how to do this on purpose. I was wondering if anyone had any advice on how to figure this out for a Brother LS-1217 machine (don't laugh, I've had it for a couple decades!) or at least where I might be able to find such information. Thanks so much!

Comments

[via_ostiense]

According to the manual (PDF), your Brother machine is much like mine in this respect. On mine, the feed dogs can't be lowered. However, among the various doodads and fiddly bits that came with the machine there's a small plastic plate, the darning plate. In order to free motion quilt, you should slide the darning plate over the feed dogs. Page 44 of the manual has a picture of the darning plate and how to put it on.

[untonuggan]

Ha, I wonder where *that* went amongst the various bits and bobs that came with the machine...ah well, shall scour ebay...thanks!

[lilacsigil]

My old machine couldn't lower the feed dogs, but had a metal plate to go over them.

[untonuggan]

Thank you! I think that's the story for mine, too.