Husqvarna Lily 555 Free Motion Quilting

This post is in response to Rhonda's comment:

ok, i don't know where else to turn, I inherited a 555 from my niece, who has passed away. I have alot of feet, accessories, etc, BUT cannot get it to free motion quilt. I drop the feed dogs and when i start sewing they pop right back up. The accessory guides etc. say to choose a particular stitch from the "set" menu and i can't find a "set" menu. have prog, rep and norm on menu choices. what am i doing wrong? have been searching, to no avail, to find a video online. 

The Husqvarna Lily 555 is a personal favourite of mine especially for satin stitching and free motion quilting.  This wonderful machine will stitch through anything I can force under the presser foot.

The presser foot, bobbin cover and bobbin were removed to show the straight stitch needle plate.  Notice in this photo the feed dogs are up.

 This is a open toe darning/free motion quilting foot.

There is a dial under the sewing bed between the feed dogs down symbol (left) and feed dogs up symbol (looks like a little crown).  Turning the dial to the left drops the feed dogs, moving it back to the right raises them.  Move the dial to the left to drop the feed dogs.

After attaching the open toe quilting foot, thread the machine top and bottom, pull the bottom thread up.

Set the stitch length to zero, put the needle in the down position. 

Pull the bottom thread up through the quilt sandwich by turning the handwheel towards yourself, while holding the end of the needle thread.  Secure the thread ends by stitching 3 or 4 tiny stitches in one spot, then free motion quilt the design.

 On this bib the design is jesters' hats.  It is quick and fun to do.

Meander the design all over the quilt surface.

Once the quilting is completed free motion quilt 4 or 5 tiny stitches in one spot to lock the end.

 Back side.

  The tutorial for this bib is available here.

 All finished and ready for gift giving.

Happy free motion quilting.