I just measured my 201 and it is 7 3/4" from the needle hole to the machine post and it is 5 1/2" high making it a little larger than yours. I know I can get a queen sized quilt through this space much easier than on my Janome 6500 as the available space on my 201 is much more rectangular. You definitely can drop the feed dogs on the 201. There is a huge screw on the underside that lets a bolt slide over and then you tighten the screw again. It's just a matter of flipping the head back and adjusting the screw to the correct position. The 201 has a top loading drop in bobbin but it holds a lot of thread and I haven't found it or the tension an issue to machine quilt. I have a short shank walking foot and a darning/FM foot for my machine. It's fast, powerful and just sews! I originally bought it to mend heavy farm overalls and coveralls and found out I could use it to quilt too. It's a great machine.