FMQ question
 

I was wondering if anyone else who does FMQ on their DMS uses the Leah Day modified foot with the feed dogs up and the stitch length at about 2.5 to maybe 3.0. I was practicing yesterday and found that my stitch length etc was substantially much better than using the plain hopping foot and feed dogs down/up with 0 stitch length.

While I don't use her method I do prefer a non-hopping foot for FMQ if I'm doing very small, intricate curves, it's easier to get them nice and smooth if the foot isn't hopping. Both of the machines that I use regularly to FMQ prefer to have feed dogs down, stitch length doesn't seem to matter to them. I think it depends on the machine. Some of them do better one way and some another.

Rob

I learned how to FMQ before there was an internet. You just need to find out what method works best for you.

I prefer the non hopping foot got fmq.i have watched Leah Day read books watched videos and done crafsty classes. My free motion now is a combination of all these ideas that I find easy and successful. Try all of them and find the best for you.

Another non-hopping convert. And I drop the feed dogs on my new machine because it seems to prefer that. On my old machine I left them up, but put the stitch length to 0 so I could control it.

Practice and going at YOUR perfect speed will give you a good stitch length.

Watson

I have never looked at any of Leah Day's tutorials but it sounds interesting. Our club makes lap robes for nursing homes and I did FMQ with the feed dogs up and my regular foot and it worked great.

I use a "gliding" foot rather than a hopping foot, and I leave my feed dogs up with stitch length at zero. For me, this has proved to be the winning combination. That, and some good grippy gloves!

I took a class from Leah Day last April and she encouraged us to leave our feed dogs up on the Janomes we were given to use in class with stitch length at zero. She didn't discuss a non-hopping foot option then but am now curious as to what they do. I couldn't FMQ without my Machinger gloves...

What machine did you buy? I'm looking and it's hard to decide :-)

the nice things about sites like Leah's, you can take from it what will make things easier and leave behind what you don't want. If you find a technique or foot that works good for you go with it. There is a great clothes designer that I have lots of respect for and she uses her teflon foot for everything because it works for her.