Dropping feed dogs?

[kensington]

So, I usually send my quilts out... love the way they come back.

But for small projects I have been taking a shot at doing them myself ... so far, so good. I am curious about "dropping the feed dogs"...

How do you do it? What difference does it make? I don't have a FMQ foot, I do stitch in the ditch or grid quilting.

[Pandabear]

Re: Dropping feed dogs?

My Brother NX-450Q has a switch for the feed dogs on the back. Switch one way for feed dogs up, the other for down.

My Bother 1500S has a switch on the front - 4 positions for the feed dogs. Up, down, pin feed and something else. I forget.

I suck at FMQ so I can't help you in regards to what is better feed dogs up or down. But I have read where people have their preference. Oh, and if you have a darning foot, you can use that for FMQ.

[K. McEuen]

Re: Dropping feed dogs?

I drop the dogs and I use a darning foot (same as FMQ foot) which having seen your machine I am thinking that you probably have one of those as well. Most machines come with a darning foot.

[katier825]

Re: Dropping feed dogs?

I would think if you are going to stitch in the ditch or grid quilt, you would want the feed dogs up. I prefer to FMQ and I have better results with the feed dogs down on my machine. Some people prefer to keep them up for FMQ. I suppose it can vary by machine also. Whatever works best is the way to go! Test out on a quilt sandwich and find what works for you.

[Sylvia H]

Re: Dropping feed dogs?

Feed dogs stay up for SITD and grid quilting. Feed dogs "can" be dropped for FMQ. But if you set your stitch length to 0, you can keep the feed dogs up for FMQ also.

Are you familiar with the book "Foolproof Walking Foot Quilting Designs" by Mary Mashuta? It teaches an excellent method of making templates, mostly from printer paper and transferred to freezer paper. Using the freezer paper template you can make many different designs that can be quilted with a walking foot.

[CraftySweetPeas]

Re: Dropping feed dogs?

What machine do you have? Somebody on here us sure to know just how to help you drop your feed dogs.

[DramaMama]

Re: Dropping feed dogs?

Manual machine (Riccar 3500) -- I drop feed dogs for FMQ; up for stitch in the ditch, cross hatch, etc.

In at least one of Leah Day's videos she says she does FMQ (on at least one of her machines which she was using in the video) with dogs UP; she says some machines just will not work right if you try to do anything with the dogs down because they were made for everything to work properly when the dogs are up.

[gshalom]

Re: Dropping feed dogs?

I discovered the hard way IF you're using something like supreme slider feed dogs MUST be down.. Otherwise I think it is personal choice. SITD I use feed dogs UP.

[klgls]

Re: Dropping feed dogs?

If you are going to use your regular foot or a walking foot for SITD - then leave your feed dogs up. If you are going to FMQ - then leaving the feed dogs up or down is a personal preference. If you leave them up - set your stitch length to zero. Sometimes I SITD using a ruler so I would have my feed dogs down (my preference) and my FMQ foot on. I'm working on this Missouri Star right now. I did all the SITD (went all around the star and border in the seam ditches) using a ruler which means I moved the fabric under the needle. Hope that made some sense and helped. Good luck. I'm having a lot of fun FMQ.
MissouriStar.JPG

[Snip Snip]

Re: Dropping feed dogs?

IF you don't have the option of lowering your feed dogs, you might have a plate in your accessory compartment that covers them. It just snaps in, and stays in OK. I sure wouldn't want to try to FMQ with the feed dogs exposed.

[Anitamae56]

Re: Dropping feed dogs?

Feed dogs stay up for SITD and grid quilting. Feed dogs "can" be dropped for FMQ. But if you set your stitch length to 0, you can keep the feed dogs up for FMQ also.

Are you familiar with the book "Foolproof Walking Foot Quilting Designs" by Mary Mashuta? It teaches an excellent method of making templates, mostly from printer paper and transferred to freezer paper. Using the freezer paper template you can make many different designs that can be quilted with a walking foot.

Sylvia, are you talking about her book that has purple front? I would like to try it if that's one and they 20% off at connecting threads , unless you know of a cheaper place to get it. Than you so much!

[Sylvia H]

Re: Dropping feed dogs?

Sylvia, are you talking about her book that has purple front? I would like to try it if that's one and they 20% off at connecting threads , unless you know of a cheaper place to get it. Than you so much!

I made a mistake in naming the book. The book I have is "Foolproof Machine Quilting" (no reference to walking foot). That book was written in 2008. Her newer book is "Foolproof Walking-Foot Quilting Designs". Amazon says it is a followup to the first book. Here is a link to the books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Mary-Mashuta/e/B001JRZ20G Perhaps check out some of the review on the newer book?

I found the first book to be very helpful. I gave it to my sister and she liked it as well. But, I didn't see it on the Connecting Threads site.

[Anitamae56]

Re: Dropping feed dogs?

I made a mistake in naming the book. The book I have is "Foolproof Machine Quilting" (no reference to walking foot). That book was written in 2008. Her newer book is "Foolproof Walking-Foot Quilting Designs". Amazon says it is a followup to the first book. Here is a link to the books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Mary-Mashuta/e/B001JRZ20G Perhaps check out some of the review on the newer book?

I found the first book to be very helpful. I gave it to my sister and she liked it as well. But, I didn't see it on the Connecting Threads site.

Thanks, Sylvia! I probably will get the first one. I really appreciate the information. Have a great day !

[kensington]

Re: Dropping feed dogs?

Thanks everyone... I appreciate the input. I did my project with feed dogs up... grid pattern. I like it. I need to check on that darning foot or getting a FMQ foot at my Sewing Machine store. I also need to take my Janome in and have it serviced. She is getting so temperamental, she is getting on my last nerve.

She doesn't have a name... but what I called her yesterday was not nice.

[bubba]

Re: Dropping feed dogs?

When fmqing, it is not necessary to lower your feed dogs at all. Just turn your stitch length to zero, or the shortest setting you can. They will barely move and won't interrupt with the quilting.