Rose_P

I recently got my first machine with needle down and really love it, but I've used an old Bernina for FMQ and just formed the habit of manually putting the needle down every time I stop - unless I forget. On most machines you can give the handwheel a little boost toward you as you put the pedal down, and that will reduce the revving. If your machine is one that needs you to oil it, that might also help you get a smooth start.

MacThayer

I did the same thing with my foot pedal. First of all, see if you can take it apart, oil it, and change any padding they have in it (mine had padding - absolutely no idea why). Then I created two different "pedal controls". One was a piece of wood that would only allow me to go down so far, but sometimes that was trouble because my very old machine would take off like greased lightening until it hit that piece of wood. So then I took a pillow that wasn't being used and was made out of the "memory foam". I cut a piece of the memory foam to put in place of the wood. It took me a few tries to get the right "depth" or thickness to the foam, but that worked like a dream! My food could only go down on the pedal in a controlled fashion, and only so far. Only problem with that is that it comes up slowly too, so you have to start letting up on it before the end of the seam, or whatever.

I've never had an automatic needle down. It's just a habit to put the needle down when I stop sewing. I don't even think about it.

Hope you solve your problems!