I had that problem with my first quilt and I took it to the LQS and they looked and it and told me I was using the wrong needle. I changed the needle to a 90/14 topstitch needle and it was much better, the rest they told me was just going to take practice with stitch length and speed. It is getting better with each quilt I do.

Good luck

I was that other person with the same issue. I received lots of great suggestions at this link:

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-157052-1.htm

However, it didn't solve my problem with my BabyLock. I switched to my Janome and have had great success. But I had to set the machine to a slower speed and move slowly and smoothly (apparently jerky movements create some of the loopies.)

Good luck.

[quote=thepolyparrot]Are you sure you're putting the presser foot down? (I miss this occasionally and this is the symptom I get)[/quo

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! to whoever posted the original question and all of those kind enough to reply.
...and I thought I knew my machine upside down, inside out, and every which way!!!

Is there a dealer close by that you could consult for help?

Search FMQ on this board. There is some awesome advise here that helped me overcome the exact frustration you are having. I have a different machine than yours, but I can tell you this ... If the thread loops on the bottom, your top tension needs to be increased. If the thread loops on top, your top tension needs to be decreased. Very seldom do you need to adjust your bobbin tension. Use the same thread in top and bobbin. Do not use cheap thread. Use a brand new needle. Look for lint in and around your bobbin case. Make a sandwich of exactly the same quilt fabrics and practice! You'll get it and it's SO WORTH THE EFFORT! Don't forget to breathe!

Did you pull your bobbin thread to the top and stitch in place, nests get created if you don't do this. Might help to take a class so your instructor can help you specifically with your machine. It's hard to say what you are doing wrong without watching you. You could be moving too slow, moving too fast, etc.......

[quote=Nanasrcool]I am new to quilting. I finished my quilt top and it turned out great. I wanted to do some freemotion stippling on the outer perimeter and watched video after video and even read a few books. I started practicing. EVERY time the same thing. The top thread ends up with a huge nest on the underside of the quilt. Even at best I have a large loose loop of the top thread on the bottom. I have adjusted the tension in small amounts from +3 to -3 and NOTHING has helped. I have left the feed dogs up (have a supreme slider in place so it wont move the fabric) because one instructor said this might help and it made no difference. I have a singer 7426. Does anyone else this model or a singer that can help me shed some light on a solution here. There is no way to adjust anything on here but thread tension, stitch length


Always set your stitch length to "0". Your machine is putting out too much thread for each stitch. Once you set your stitch to 0 recheck your tension. But if you forget to lower you pressure foot that too will mess up your stitches big time.

When you rethread your machine make sure that the presser foot is up. If it down the thread will not seat correctly in the tension wheels so the machine will not sew right. A check for this is to put the presser foot down after you have rethreaded and gently pull the thread. The needle should bend slightly. If it does then the threrad in is the tension wheels correctly. If not it is not so rethread the machine.

Saw your nearly-finished photo. The project is wonderful. You are off to a good start.
I'm so glad you were helped by the quilters on this board. Everyone is so kind and if one thing doesn't work, another usually does.
As for FMQ....when I started out someone told me to sing or hum Camptown Races while I quilted. It helped with the movement of quilt and needle. The needle has to move faster than the quilt itself.
Good luck and keep practicing.