The presser foot is sitting really low. It's dragging the material down. How do I resolve this?

Check your owner's manual for presser foot pressure adjustment. Yours is probably set too lightly.

Has that particular presser foot worked in the past? Do the other presser feet work?

If it hasn't been used before, check that it is the correct foot for the machine. Is it perhaps a darning foot or free motion foot? If so, those particular feet are made to Not rest on the feed dogs so that the fabric can be manually moved without the use of the feed dogs.

If none of the presser feet work with the machine, then the needlebar has probably shifted. It may be best to take it for service as it may require specific tools and gauges to adjust it properly.

Presser feet for every purpose

Manual:
https://www.bernina.com/en-US/Support-US/Machines/BERNINA-artista/BERNINA-artista-180




...

You need a special foot for free motion quilting--it is slightly shorter in height than a regular presser foot, which essentially provides space between the presser foot and the needle plate to manually move the fabric. Sometimes machines came with a standard darning foot accessory. Your Pfaff dealer probably has at least one style in stock. But there are other specialty feet you can probably use, ie Big Foot, clear free motion foot, C-shaped, oval, etc. You can also purchase a shank adapter (verify it is the correct shank for your machine) and use it with a kit of snap-on presser feet so you can have a variety of presser feet for different functions.

Pfaff Presser Feet

Pfaff Big Foot Free Motion Quilting Foot

Pfaff Free Motion Guide Presser Foot

Pfaff Free Motion Open Toe Quilting Foot

http://www.sewingpartsonline.com/snap-on-sewing-machine-presser-feet.aspx

http://www.sewingpartsonline.com/snap-on-sewing-machine-presser-feet.aspx

Free Motion Quilting

...

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.

...

check the feed direction for the bottom section
check that the top foot is actually coming down onto the bottom foot
adjust if not or is the foot the correct one

I suggest taking the machine and material into a Viking dealer and show them what's happening.

Are the feed dogs up and working?

Is the presser foot down?

There should be an adjustment somewhere on the top of the sewing machine, above the presser foot where you can adjust the pressure of the presser foot - left for less and right for more.

Is the fabric under the presser foot when you begin sewing?

Turn power switch to "0"
raise the needle to highest position by turning the wheel toward you(counterclockwise) and raise the presser foot lever
release the foot by raising the lever located at the back of the presser foot assembly
place a different presser foot on the needle plate so that the bar on the presser foot is in line with the slot on the shank
lower the presser foot lever and fix the presser foot onto the shank. If the p foot is in the correct location the bar will snap in you should hear a click or snapping sound let me know if this helped thanks! amy

You lever doesn't work because the presser foot Bar is seized from lack of use.Open the side of the machine to access the bar. Put a mixture of water and ammonia ( about 80%water 20% ammonia) on the top and bottom of the bar. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes then try to move the presser foot Up by lifting the foot with a screw driver. Do not pry so hard you break something. It should get progressively easy the more times you do this. Put some sewing machine oil on the top and bottom of the shaft and it should be good to go.
sewman7