Hopping Foot Height Verification
The hopping foot height is set at the factory for today’s popular thin battings.
This height is 1/64”—about the thickness of a business card. The foot will “hop” up and down as the machine
stitches so that the fabric is not pushed and bunched by the foot. Some circumstances may require you to
raise the foot slightly, such as stitching through heavy fabric like denim, polar fleece, upholstery fabric, etc.
Thick batting may also require raising the hopping foot, as well as quilts with bulky seams or intersections.
Testing and adjustments need to be made with the needle bar in the LOWEST position. Use the fly wheel on
the front of the machine to lower the needle completely. Note that the hopping foot also lowers.
Using the toggle switch on the handles will NOT get the hopping foot at its lowest
position.
Check the hopping foot height by sliding a single business card under the foot – do not use a card that has a
shiny coating, as it will be thicker than a standard ‘card stock’ business card. It should slide easily under the
foot without binding, but should not have a lot of “play” between it and the throat plate. Remove the card
and re-test from all directions – from the back to the needle, from the front to the needle, etc.
If an adjustment needs to be made, follow the process beginning on the next page.
Testing hopping foot height with business
card
Hopping Foot height is measured as
distance between bottom of foot and
needle plate when at lowest position
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