Are you looking for Christmas or Hanukkah gift ideas??
Winter projects?
A brand new free motion (long arm) motif to try?
Are you interested in Improv piecing?
Just looking for inspiration?
You’re in luck–because the November issue of American Quilter (featuring a free motion quilt column by Yours Truly) is on newsstands now!
Even better–YOU can WIN a copy today–four lucky winners will receive a signed copy of American Quilter. Â
TO WIN:
Answer this question:  What sewing machine do YOU use for YOUR free motion, long arm, or mid arm quilting?  Make and model….Also, does your machine allow you to drop the feed dogs?  (I’m wondering if I need to do a tutorial on FMQ when you can’t drop your feed dogs…)
Please leave your answer in the comment section. Â Four winners (US and Canada only) will be announced on Monday…
Good luck!
Lori
PS…All images, information and tutorials are the property of Lori Kennedy at The Inbox Jaunt and are intended for personal use only.  Feel free to share with attribution to The Inbox Jaunt.  For all other purposes, please contact me at lckennedy@hotmail.com.  Thanks!
396 comments
Julie Zeigler
I usually use my Viking Emerald 122 by Husqvarna. It does drop the feed dogs and now that I have a walking foot for it, we get along much better! I need to practice my for more often before I really love that aspect of quilting!
Karen A
I quilt on an Elna Excellence 740. It has 11 inches of space and the feed dogs drop. Also has a great even feed foot.
denisezapf
I do everything on my Singer 9970. The feed dogs drop, and I do a lot of FMQ. Not all of it is good, but I’m improving. I have tested fancier domestic machines and decided I’d rather spend my money on an Innova sit-down long arm machine. But that’s for the future. For now, my Singer and I are humming along.
Susan Ketcham
I use my Arista 185 and the feed dogs are down.
Susan Crawford
I use a Brother CS 6000i and the feed dogs do drop. Thank you for all the inspiration you give us.
Linda Costello
I have a Babylock Crown Jewel long arm which I absolutely LOVE.
sullivancj
I learned to FMQ on my Pfaff 2141, eventually went to a Pfaff midarm, Now I have a Nolting 16 long arm (not very long) I’m cramped for space.
C.J.
I have a Bernina 440 for FMQ. I can drop the feed dogs.
Thanks for the great blog!!!!
patricia inslerman
I sew and quilt with the Bernina 440QE. I put the feed dogs down when I quilt.
Monique Parreira
A short arm: an old Bernina,1630….but I love the lady! The feed dogs do drop but I prefer to do all my free-motion quilting with them UP! I find it helps me pace myself better and keep more even stitches.
Leila Hudson
Monique, I have the Bernina, 1630 that I purchased brand new back in the 90s. I wanted to try out embroidery… ha! ha! Well, that never happened. It has been collecting dust for years. I have several other machines that I use regularly. Was saving the bernina for that specialty work….. I am glad I found special use for it. Free Motion Embroidery!
I am going to take a free-motion quilt class and wondered if the bernina would be a good choice to use. Found your comment after I google searched and was excited to see that. Thanks! Oh, what foot did you use.
Charmaine
Hello from sunny California,
I’m just new to FMQ and enjoy your
Information. I piece and quilt on
My Bernina 180 and dogs drop. I
Bought a Bernina 830 to quilt with
Because of the larger throat space.
I’m so intimidated by the machine I’ve
Hardly used it. I’m a topper anyway.
When I get a top done, in my mind it’s
Finished and I run off to do another
So don’t get to the quilting stage too
Often. Thank you for your great tips
And inspiration.
Gloria Roman
I have been using a Janome 6600 and yes I drop the feed dogs. It has performed quite well for many years. I recently have purchase a Bernina 820 and am excited to get started with the larger space. Love your tutorials!
Julie
My machine is a Pfaff 2170. It does great FMQ. I also have a mid-arm: Handi-Quilter 16.
julie714
Hi Lori, For me FMQ with my Molly she is my Pffaf quilters expression 4.0 with one simple flick of a stitch the dogs are down so the action can begin! Hopefully in the near future I will be able to afford to purchase a HQ Sweet Sixteen so my true quilting can begin. I have tried many of your simplle designs but I still require lots of practise before I can every consider to be a reasonable free motion quilter. I will be quilting a wall hanging using some very simple straight stitch designs on my wall hanging. Hopefully when it is finished I will show you.
Dee
I sew on Baby Lock Cresendo and Melody. Yes the feed dogs drop and just learning to use free motion. I can use all the help / suggestions you have. I have a stitch regulator for my Cresendo but haven’t had time to use it yet. I tell myself I can do that but intimidated by doing free motion.
bev
I have a Janome Memory Craft 4900 QC and allows to lower the feed dogs
Linda Swanekamp
I use a Singer 301 with dropped feed dogs. For large quilts, I use a 17″ Bailey Home Quilter on a table. If I had room, I would have a long arm. I keep running around my house with a measuring tape, but the results are always the same- not enough space!
sunnysewsit
I use a Bernina 830E (the new model, not the original 830) which I purchased used about five years ago, and yes I can drop my feed dogs! I do not use the Bernina stitch regulator, however, as I like to control my own destiny!
Louise Haddon
My main machine is a Viking but I also have a Juki that I prefer to FMQ on. Both machines I can drop the feed dogs.
I love that you share all your talents with us!
Quilting Tangent
I have a Singer 7258. Yes feed dogs can be dropped. Seems to do free motion better with them raised.
Marianne
For free motion quilting I use a Viking 1+. Yes, I drop the feed dogs. I like the results. I also use a Bernina 440 QE, both without and sometimes with the stitch regulator. Although I’ve used the Bernina 440 QE with the feed dog up, I prefer to drop the feed dogs.
Pamela
I also use a Viking-but an old model–a Lily. I drop the feed dogs, use a free motion slider, and practice, practice, practice. I find a great way to learn the correct stitch length is to stitch in the ditch. I also do my decorative stitching of the binding using free-motion.
julesmctool
I use my Babylock Innovis it has a very small throat but I still love it. And yes you can drop the feed dogs. P.S. I could use some inspiration!
Teresa Rempel
I use a Janome Memorycraft 4000, the feed dogs lower, and an APQS Lucy.
Love your step by step tutorials. You’ve got a wonderful design sense !
terri414cb
I use a Janome DC3018. My sewing machine allows me to drop the feed dogs.
Gloria Chandler
I have a Bernina 820. I can drop feed dog.
Diane G
I sew on a Bernina 830. I have the BSR but, I just can’t seem to get use to it. I need to practice more. I would like to learn ruler work but, they do not have the walking foot for the Bernina machines. Thanks for all your great information.
Terrie
I have a Bernina 880, yes the feed dogs do drop.
Carol Hungerford
My workhorse is my Janome 6500. I use it for everything and am totally satisfied with it.
Carol Hungerford
What I forgot to add was: the Janome 6500 does allow me to drop the feed dogs. But …. I choose to NOT drop them. My tension is so much better when they are up.
Jacque T
I have a Brother Laura Ashley Edition machine and my feed dogs do drop. I am hoping to improve and grow with my fmq skills. Thank you for all that you share!! 🙂
Ann D
I sew on a Viking Sapphire 830 and the feed dogs can be lowered. I can’t say that I do FMQ much but I am loving your tutorials and am storing up inspiration. Thanks for having this giveaway.
Margaret Graham
My favorite machine is a Bernina 830 Record which does allow lowering the feed dogs. I also have a Bernina 440 QE and can lower the feed dogs on it also.
Pam Jo
I have a Bernina 750 and the feed dogs drop. I am thinking about getting a long arm machine though. A friend of mine bought one a few months ago. I went to her house last weekend and played with hers – it was so much fun!
Brenda
I free motion on my much loved Bernina 440. Yes, the feed dogs drop.
Nancy A
I use a Nolting FunQuilter and love it! Thanks for the chance to win and for all your great tips!
June
I use a Bernina 820 on a Bernina frame with Quilt Motion for my large quilts. If I want to do fine detail work like scrolls, feathers and spirals I use my Bernina 710 Which has a 11.5″ throat . Both machines drop the feed dogs.
katharine jenkins
I use my Bernina 180 and my feed dogs drop. Don’t have much time for free motion quilting, but your blog has given me so much inspiration.
Thanks
kiska
I would love to win a copy! I am new to quilting and use my White sewing machine to do this. I have to put a plate over the feed dogs but I still need a lot of practice before I would even consider myself slightly good at this.
Jenn Davis
Janome 7700. My feed dogs drop!
Aggie Bollhorn
I use a Pfaff Quilt Expressions 4.0 and I can drop the feed dogs.
Helen
I use a Janome 7700 for all my free motion quilting. I don’t drop the feed dogs bot set my stitch length to zero and cover the feed dogs with a Supreme Slider. That works for me, and I don’t get tension issues.
Anne Gilmore
To do free motion quilting I use my Brother 1500 and the feed dogs can be dropped using it. I love reading all of your posts, you have given us such valuable information to help make free motion quilting easier for us to learn and make awesome quilts, thank you so much. I have shared your blog with many of my friends.
Linda
Gammal classic, and bernina 730. Feed dogs do lower.
Judy Symalla
I use a Bernina virtuosa 150 and yes I can drop the feed dogs.
Cory
Lori, I used to FMQ on a Bernina 1020 and I can drop the feed dogs on it. In fact, that is the only thing I used that machine for. It is such a workhorse of a machine. I have recently upgraded to an HQ Sweet Sixteen and I am loving it. The additional space and the ruler work I am able to do that I struggled with on the Bernina. Thank you for the chance to win a copy of the great magazine with your wonderful and informative article in it. Take care and God bless, Cory
Margaret Dobson
I FMQ using my Janome Horizon 7700. Have FMQ various sized quilts. This machine has 11″ of throat space. Sometimes I drop the feed dogs and sometimes I forget. I use the Supreme slider and have purchased the feet suggested on Amy’s Quilting blog which allows me to use quilting rulers with this machine–Janome Free Motion Frame Quilting Feet Set for 1600P, Part No. 767-434-005.
Cindy Schultz
Lori, to start off with I love your blog. I try to free motion quilt on a Bernina 830 and yes the feed dogs do drop. I love how you break down all of your designs. I am still fairly new at FMQ and not very confident.
I have been practicing more and love trying your designs. Thank you s much!
Dolores
I have a Husqvarna Designer 1 and a Brother (from the last century) that I use for FMQ. The feed dogs drop on both of them. Your tutorials are so well done, that I amaze myself sometimes when I follow your instructions. Thank you! Thank you! Dolores
Terry
I use a Janome MC6500P for fmq and it does let me drop the feed dogs.
rileysquilts
I have aBrother PQ1500S and I can drop my feed dogs… But sometimes I don’t bother. It will do great quilting either way!
Carol Mendes
I fmq on my 26″ Innova longarm with lightning stitch. I piece on my 1904 singer red eye, 1954 221 singer featherweight, or ellisimo. I enjoy your daily inspirational posts and quilting techniques.
Tina G
For FM, I use a BabyLock Quilters Choice Pro. It is a straight stitch only machine that drops the feed dogs. I also use it on a Grace Start Right (original) frame for all over pantograph quilting. I also use my Janome 9700 for small projects like mug rugs, but it doesn’t stitch as fast as the BL.
mwj
Good morning!
I use a Janome 7700 and really enjoy it. It does let me drop the feed dogs.
Love the site Lori! Many thanks!!
Kyle
I use a Bernina 1230 to do my quilting. The feed dogs drop.
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