FMQ without some kind of foot is usually not very successful. The spring neegle, in my experience, doesn't do a good job either. Useful only in emergency. Well that is what you said you have.......
Do you have a darning foot for your machine? It really needs foot that doesn't set tight on the surface of the quilt.
The spring needle and the separate spring that you can attach around the needle were developed for "thread painting" or perhaps darning. I have provided them for class but was not satisfied with the results.