Domestic for me too. I sometimes cut the batting into 3rds and quilt the center of the quilt, then add 1/3 more batting and quilt it, etc. Easier to get everything under the arm.
I think Marti Mitchell or Harriet Hargreaves published the idea.
My favorite way though is QAYG. Much easier.
If I ever move to a larger place I'm going to buy a low end long arm. How nice it would be !!

Mid-size machine on a mid-size frame.

Years ago, I was told that when you needed to have your feed dogs drop or covered (and you didn't have a machine cover for them) to use an index card. You just tape down the index card over the feed dogs with a hole in the area that the needle will go through. I tried it at that time and it worked.

I have a sit-down long arm. It is the machine without the bars and the fancy computer assessories, but it has the 16" throat. At half the cost of the big long arms...$4800... it is a nice compromise. It's a handi-quilter.

no long arm here either. does your machine come with a plate that fits over the feed dogs?? it may. it would be raised a bit where it fits over the feed dogs.
now i took a class on fmq and the instructor didn't let us lower our feed dogs. i've done fmq both ways.

Nope! Just a 20 year old Memory Craft. I don't even have the fancy rulers and templetes that make things easy, and I just now bought a rotery cutter. Guess I am pretty old fashion.

I have a longarm about 5 years now with the regulated stitch. I had one quilt done by a professional and it came back quilted very nicely but reaking of smoke. Thank God it washed out. It was for my sister.

I made up my mind then, that I just had too many tops to be quilted and intended to make more quilts so why not get my own machine.

It payed for itself by doing other peoples quilts too.

Right now I have hand quilted on small lap quilts. I did try free mot on my Memory craft 4900, about 9 yrs old. And I hated it. But someone on here made an extension table thingie for their machine and it looks like it would work good for quilting. I have no room or money so I have to come up with someway. Good Luck

Domestic machine for me but I do love to hand quilt and always have one on the frame.

No way

I have machines from the 50s that drop the feed dog - is your machine more 'ancient' than that?
use garden gloves with 'rubberized' fingers to help maneuver the quilt...