Hi Jenna,
Have you ever seen anyone skin a quilt top from the sandwich?
I have learned to do it for pretty much the same reason, bad tension, ugly quilting stitches.
Here is a link to a video. I recommend a curved blade, sickle shaped. You can find them at LQS. They are made like surgical scalpels.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyDwPPU_1jw
Aardie.