If the knob won't lower the feed dogs, it may need to have the timing adjusted. My vintage white did the same thing when I got it and I had to have it into the repair shop. He said the timing needed adjustment and now the knob works and the feeddogs drop...but, it cost me $70!!! So, for a $3 machine you may want to just use it for piecing and forget the FMQ.

I have just entered your model no XL700 at this site: http://www.allbrands.com/products/abp06763.html and it seems they have it in stock.

BTW have you tried a squirt of oil, like WD40 on the edge of the knob, just a little.

Yep drops the dogs :)

turn the darn knob on(to the left) to lower the feed dogs.

Good deal! You never know what you'll find at yard sales!

see if your hubby can oil it...that will work sometimes.

Nice find even if for a back up...

What I can see it has a darning stitch and a reg stitch..

Remember you don't have to drop the feed dogs to do FMQ, I rarely do and Leah Day never does: http://www.daystyledesigns.com/doiha...myfeeddogs.htm

I wonder..have you tried pushing in the white center and then turning to 'darn? It just looks like maybe--I had an old machine once that worked that way.