Does your machine have a Start/Stop button on it? I read a tip somewhere (may have even been on this board) to just use the S/S button when FMQ and not the foot pedal. Since then I have been doing much better with it! It seems that I could just not get my hands and feet moving together well enough to avoid all the tension issues. Now I just have to worry about the hands. By the way, I don't use top-quality quilting fabric for my practice pieces... just whatever cotton I have in my stash. I don't think it matters much what you are using.