FMQ: Feed dogs up or down?

I recently watched a Leah Day FMQ tutorial on Craftsy where she stated shhe keeps her feed dogs up as it gives her better control. I've been doing FMQ for awhile (just stippling and loops, nothing fancy or well structured) and decided to give her method a shot. It was disastrous. I kept trying to speed up the needle or slow down my hands, or adjust the tension. The results were the same: lots and lots of eyelashes on the back. In fact, my most recent attempt was so bad I had to rip out all the quilting! Once I had it all ripped out, I decided to drop the dogs. Problem solved.

Has anyone else encountered this? Just curious what works best for you.

I FMQ with my feed dogs up (Janome 6500) -- but I use a Queen Supreme Slider, which basically covers the dogs up so they don't come in contact with the quilt sandwich.

I leave them up and turn the stitch length all the way down.

If you leave your feed dogs up you will need to use a supreme slider to cover them up. Also set your stitch length to 0.

Thanks, gang! I did have my stitch length set at 0. WHat's the point of having the dogs up if you just cover them with the slider?

From what I remember Leah saying pretty well all machines these days have an auto tension set on them. When you disengage the dogs, it affects the tension.

I personally FMQ with my feed dogs down and like you have good success. I think you have to see what your machine likes best. if you are having good luck with the dogs down, don't worry about Leah's advice ;)

On my slider, there is a hole cut out for where the needle and feed dogs are. When the stitch is set to zero, the feed dogs barely move, but they do move just enough to help a little.

I have a Babylock Grace and I use the slider but was putting the feed dogs down. I was having trouble, so I took Leah s advice and put them down. Now I have no problems with the tension.

I think it may just depend on the machine. Or maybe it depends on both the user and machine, who knows. We should just do what works best for each of us.

As they say, whatever works!

I use a Supreme Slider, but I always have the feed dogs down & still set me stitch to 0. JCY

I am FMQ a quilt right now. I am using a teflon oven mat and just cut a hole for the needle. It covers the feed dogs and my stitch length is 0. I left the feed dogs up and had great results.

I think it all depends on your machine. On my machines there is a free motion setting (3 of them actually, depending on what type of foot you want to use). The feed dogs drop automatically. The tension and presser foot pressure adjust according to what type of foot you've selected. (both can be manually tweaked if necessary) Stitch length is not a factor, since feed dogs are down, when using a straight stitch.

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Originally Posted by Cat n bull

I think it all depends on your machine. On my machines there is a free motion setting (3 of them actually, depending on what type of foot you want to use). The feed dogs drop automatically. The tension and presser foot pressure adjust according to what type of foot you've selected. (both can be manually tweaked if necessary) Stitch length is not a factor, since feed dogs are down, when using a straight stitch.

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Cathryn , what machine do you have? Because mine does the same as yours, (brother innov'is 6700D Quattro 2)

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Originally Posted by Momama

Cathryn , what machine do you have? Because mine does the same as yours, (brother innov'is 6700D Quattro 2)

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I have 2 Pfaffs, a Creative 4 and a Creative Performance. I have some other machines as well, but would not use them for free motion since these 2 do it so well and so simply!