I must be missing something - how do you FMO with feed dogs up? How does fabric move freely?

I cover the feed dogs if they don't drop.

It is possible. Since the free motion or darning foot doesn't put that much pressure, the fabric moves almost freely. On thing to do to make things better is to cover the feed dogs(some machines come with a comer for it), or cover them with tape leaving a small hole for the needle to go up and down. My feed dogs come down and sometime I forget them up. I don't notice until I am done in most instances. Using the right foot makes the difference.

Set your stitch length to zero is what I have been told and then the feed dogs are low enough they can not pull the fabric through.

Feed dogs are used to grip fabric as it is moved along to sew. hmmm.. not much "Free Motion" with them up..

my sewing machinge that does not have feed dogs drop came with a cover.

I 'd think twice before starting after all the time put in assembly of a quilt top.

Good luck,
Ell

I FMQ on my treadle where the feed dogs don't go down-just put the stitch length to zero. I get better results on my bells and whistle Bernina if I don't lower the feed dogs and just zero out the stitch length. I do use a FMQ foot on both machines. Give it a try on a scrap sandwich and see how your machine works.

I may have to try this on my Bernina (no BSR). Thanks.

Leah Day always does her FMQ with the feed dogs up, if I remember I sometimes drop my feed dogs but more often than not I don't bother, the secret is the right foot!

On my machine it doesn't seem to make a difference, as long as the stitch length is set to zero. I've heard that it can cause undue wear and tear on the feet dogs though so I guess it's good for the machine to drop them, although I never do.

My bad.

I leave mine up but use the Supreme Slider. Leah Day does the same that is where I learned how to do mine...her videos are wonderful!