FMQ on Juki
 

last night I was FMQ a table runner (for next Christmas) and as I was quilting it, the whole experience felt different, the stitches were more even and then I realize that I was quilting without lowering the feet or changing stitch length to zero. Not sure that I can do it when quilting a full size quilt.
Anyone had that experience?

I hate to say this, but I NEVER lower my feed dogs. I use to quilt professionally for others on my Bernina 1530 and never had a problem. Still piecing on my baby. Probably have quilted at least 500 quilts when I was quilting for others.

but you use the fmq foot and set stitch length to zero, right?

My dealer told me not to lower the feed dogs on my Juki, but just set the stitch length to zero and use the FMQ foot.

I don't lower feed dogs and I don't adjust stitch length and FMQ on my Juki no problems.

My Juki dealer told me "always lower the feed dogs". He went into a very long dissertation
about this (too long to repeat). Don't understand why it can go either way.

Since I have only done straight line, I never lowered the feed dogs and that was on my Singer 2662. Didn't do it on my 401 either. Like I said though only straight line.

I have tried it both ways and like it better when the feed dogs are up and stitch length set to zero. I do use a FMQ foot. I have several. I do this on the machines that I FMQ on. My favorite with the best stitch is my dinky mechanical Brother, bought at Costco about 13 years ago. It has a small throat so I don't FMQ giant quilts on it, but, I do like it best. I have several vintage machines that I use somethings (301, 15)

I use to set stitch length to zero and lower feed dogs to do FMQ.
Now I don't. Works well. I have a 9" throat Juki TL98QE.
The important thing is to oil the race after every bobbin change.