lfstamper

I leave FD up and stitch length at zero which works great.

SewExtremeSeams

My friend just showed me how he FMQ with her feeddogs up. I will have to try it.

Tartan

If I use the darning foot to darn, I don't put the feed dogs down so I don't think it would harm your machine to FMQ that way. As long as you can move the quilt sandwich smoothly with them up, go for it!

true4uca

Boy, I'm going to be trying this. I can't drop my feed dogs so assumed FMQ was not in mu future.

patti p

I have a singer also and it works great with the dogs up, I have played with the stitch length from 0 to3 I have not desided what is best I do use a supreme slider to cover and it works great!

Mkotch

Not saying I'm expert, but I tend to leave the feed teeth up also with fairly good results. I have a Viking Rose, though, and it may vary from machine to machine.

klgls

I have done both and find I generally like the feed dogs down - but occasionally I leave them up. Whatever works best on my practice sandwich of the fabrics I'm using in my quilt.

Knitette

I'm fairly sure Leah Day leaves those doggies up and she does the most wonderful FMQ.

pumpkinpatchquilter

I did attempt to FMQ with the dogs up - when I first started and I nearly burned out my sewing machine motor! LOL* I think if it works for you wonderful - but I can tell you those eyelash issues are merely minor tension adjustments that are very small and simple to fix, I would love to help you with that if you would like me to!! Your top tension does need a little tinkering with depending on the thread type, weight and needle size you're using...but it's very minor and once it's adjusted you won't have those issues anymore with your feed dogs down.

Suzette316

I hear ya! Didn't happen to me, but I have heard this before. The answer is to keep the feed dogs up, but put your stitch length at zero, that way the feed dogs do not move.

Leah Day does this (for those who follow her blog) and she swears by leaving them up (stitch length set at zero) because she believes the machine was made to work with the feed dogs in the up position better than when they are down. My experience on my machine backs this up, but each machine is different. So just play around and do what works for you!!