Well k3n - I am so glad that you haven't had any problems, and that there are quite a few that haven't had a problem. However, I think this is a good forum to find out that perhaps there are people out there having issues. The relief that I have found is that it perhaps is NOT my fmq practicing, that it could possibly be the machine OR "sub standard supplies" that is causing it. Eliminating these factors, along with finding out it could POSSIBLY be the sewing machine has been a learning experience for me. This forum shows me what has been tried. I welcome other people's advice with working with the Janome and am relieved to see it might be a machine issue instead of a user problem.