sew_Tracy

Learned something new about my Singer the other day. Got myself set up for FMQ. I changed the needle and switched to my darning foot and commenced to quilting. I noticed that I wasn't having the eyelashing and tension problems that I normally pull my hair out about and figured it must be the thread. Well, been using that same cone of thread for some time. When I ran out of bobbin thread I noticed my feed dogs were not down when I switched bobbins. I had been quilting the whole time with the feed dogs up!

I have no idea why the machine still lets me smoothly FMQ, but needless to say those doggies are staying up! I hope it doesn't hurt the machine.

PaperPrincess

There are many people who FMQ with the feed dogs up. If you are have problems with them up, try them down and vice versa!

kaelynangelfoot

Thanks for posting this! I've been having issues with FMQ and will try leaving the feed dogs up to see if that helps.

GemState

I find that on some FMQ projects I have better results with the feed dogs up and other times it goes better with them down. Who knows???

KarenR

Maybe look into one of the plates that covers the feed dogs.

ranger

I haven't done much FMQ but, on practice pieces, I find that my FMQ is better with the feed dogs up.

dakotamaid

I had an old kenmore that had 2 settings for feed dogs. Not sure why but I had to click twice to get them out of the way. Maybe 1/2 way is what would be needed for FMQ! ?

auntpiggylpn

I just did the same thing last week. I put my supreme slider on the bed of my machine and my hopping foot. I went to town on a wall hanging. Stitches were great; not a single eyelash! When I was finished, I realized that I hadn't put my feed dogs down or turned my stitch length to zero! I'm going to try it again soon to make sure that it wasn't just all the stars and planets in perfect alignment that day!

#1piecemaker

Maybe it has something to do with the fabric. Who knows. Do you realize what this means!!! All of this time, I had been thinking I couldn't FMQ because my machine's feed dogs wouldn't lower. I could have been doing it all along. Geezzzz!

Suzette316

At one time, I also found my fmq was better with the feed dogs up. Now I still don't lower them, I just set my stitch length to zero, so while they are up, the do not move. But I have done it all three ways (feed dogs up and moving, feed dogs lowered and feed dogs up but not moving) with good results all around. Just find what works for you (and your machine) and go have some fmq'ing fun!