First off tension really does not need to be changed, your hand movement and speed of machine create tension and stitch length. I don't change my settings. I turn on my sewing machine speed to highest, drop my feed dogs and try to keep my hands going at an even speed. i have been practicing for about 6 months and got my speed and stitch length down. I'd try to master that with some easy loops before trying to attempt patterns. I just took a class yesterday. and she said doing the patterns is just going to take practice to get the movement down, but don't give up your machine can do it. I feel the same way sometimes. I just want to be great at it quick, and that is just unrealistic. The people in the class did it with their cheap brothers and singers just fine with their stitch length