I do havea couple of settings for my feed dogs. Down all the way, up all the way and in between. Maybe I will experiment to see if there is a difference. I have accidently left them up, no difference at all.

Thanks for the great information.

I have a number of machines and I have tested fmq both ways, with feed dogs up or down. For vintage machines and even antique machines (100 years old or more), where feed dogs don't drop, I find I can do very good fmq by using a Stoppax attachment and having the feed dogs up and uncovered. This even works on treadles. I normally find them on e-bay for about $60. I don't see any there now. They are about 50-60 years old and made in Denmark, I think.

I am new on the Board, could someone please tell me what FMQ means.

I also found a huge difference in fmq with feed dogs up....love it!!!

FMQ = Free motion quilting. There is straight-line quilting, which is when you sew a straight seam (usually) with the aid of a walking foot. You are sewing through the top of the quilt, the batting, and the backing. Then there is fmq, where you move the quilt to make the pattern you want. You are controlling where the machine goes and how big the stitches are. Normally, you would drop the feed dogs to do that. It could be considered an art form.

Other questions?

Cormiae, I am fairly new as well and was very happy when someone posted this link to a guide for abbreviations we often see on this board. I hope this helps you decipher the posts. It really helped me. Welcome!

http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...s-t178507.html

That is funny. The last one I did still working on it. I just got the quilting food about 3 or 4 month now. I was fighting my machine one day . So I put it away some time it helps if I walk away . Came back and try again I seen my foot was not down,LOL it work so mush better when it is down . I got those quilt glove to do not like them so I have small hands and I keep running over the tips. I think that I'm going to order those tips I see and try them . They look like there think rubber it would work better for me.

Leah's theory is that the machine just works better with the dogs up and that's what she does.

Hooray for you! I prefer to leave the feed dogs up too. It won't hurt your machine.