right, darning foot, or no foot (many fmq and embroidery people do no feet)...BUT presser lever DOWN, (it simply will NOT work when lever is up) and gardening gloves or hoop on top, holding down and moving at the same time.... the outline is fine to do first, it keeps it straighter, but you MUST have the layers smooth and basted or pin basted to do this....
I prefer basting...set top tension down to about 2...looser than normal, sew work in 4" squares, keeping smooth on all layers while basting....now RESET tension....do not forget!!! and FMQ till all is well and then on the back...pull the bobbin thread out...it will be really flat on the back and not 'in the layers' from the loose top tension.... once the bobbin thread is out, the top will come off in huge long lengths... it would not be good for seaming this way but it holds everything in place realllllly better than a pin here or there.... just try on a small sample and see what i mean...