I bought a Big Foot foot and I'm not sure if the clear plastic presser foot is supposed to go up and down while you are quilting. There is a little arm that lies on top of the needle screw which seems like it is making it go up and down but I've never had a presser foot go up and down before.

Please help?

I had one of these for my old machine and yes it should go up and down with the needle bar. :-D

It should go down with each stitch and up before and after each stitch. The up and down motion allows you to move the fabric by hand underneath the foot. Without the movement, the fabric wouldn't be able to move easily.

It's doing exactly what it should. It freaked me out the first time I used it too.

Wow, read this on cutting off the little bar. i would never do that
http://www.daystyledesigns.com/bigfoot.htm

I have a new Janome which came supplied with a foot that works in the same way as the Big Foot, but on the recommendation of a friend, I bought another Janome FMQ foot that doesn't have a needle bar - it has a little wheel that you adjust so that it just skims the fabric. And I LOVE it! I feel that I have much more control over the piece as the foot isn't grabbing it every stitch and I don't even find I need to wear my gloves with it. So I can kind of see where she's coming from with the rubber band idea... hard to mutilate something you've spent good money on though! :lol:

it should go up and down