Needle top position
 

When watching Leah Day's FMQ videos, I see that when she stop sewing her needle is in the down position. I don't think my machine does this. I'm finding that when I stop stitching, to reposition my hands, my project and needle move apart. Is there a way around this?

Thanks

I know I do love one of the features on my machine-a button I can push to make the machine always stop with the needle down in the fabric, or up out of the fabric. Very helpful with both machine applique and machine quilting. Maybe you could try as soon as you stop your machine turning the handwheel to make the needle down, while keeping the other hand on your project to keep it from moving.

oh my, if your machine doesn't do that and you can't leave one hand on the quilt and lower the needle by moving the wheel- try just removing one hand and having something heavy near by that you can place onto the quilt. then reposition both hands and quilt-remove heavy weight item with one hand only and then place that one down and continue quilting. good luck.

Once you get into quilting, the features you thought you'd never use or need on a machine suddenly become clear why they are available on machines. I have to have needle down, auto cutter, knee lift (didn't think I'd ever use that, now it's a have to have) needle threader, and led lighting. My older machines are wonderful and have a place in my quilting but they don't have features that make quilting more enjoyable and easier to get better results.

Needle down is the only feature I covert in a machine, but because I don't have it on any of mine, I have learned to always reach over and use the handwheel to put the needle in the quilt when FMQ.

Some machines are able to do needle down with a toe tap to the foot pedal/the drive pedal.

Jan in VA

Sometimes you can tap your foot pedal when you stop and the needles goes down.

In some of her videos Leah talks about what to do if you don't have that feature. She says to make a habit of always turning the wheel with one hand while holding the quilt with the other every time you stop. It's in her Free Motion Quilt Along series that she discusses this.

I agree with Bella Boo - It is hard to know what to look for in a machine when you don't know what you will be doing with it! We think we will never machine quilt but then later we need to try it! There are work arounds - maybe not 100% convenient but they will work - like turning the hand wheel. Good luck with your quilting.

What kind of machine do you have and how old us it. Maybe someone here may have the mavhine and can help you out.