Originally Posted by k3n
I'm glad you've made it work but I still think there's something wrong - I FMQ with King Tut on 3 tension setting and no bobbin washer. I do use a 12 needle though and Bottom Line in the bobbin.
Yes, I agree, it shouldn't be like this, especially with the blue dot bobbin case, which, from what others have told me, usually seems to require a lower tension. However, just to get some acceptable results is a huge step forward, and the fact that I then quite competently stippled my quilt is important, because I've so often been told that the problem must be me rather than the machine. There's still a long way to go - what will happen with different threads, batting, fabric? But the major hurdle of my destroyed confidence has been overcome: I CAN do FMQ, and at least it answers the worry that I might spend a lot on a new machine and find that I still couldn't get decent results. Next step is to do a lot more work with this machine and see if I can continue to coax it into producing acceptable stitches, or if I just have to accept that it's not good enough and I need to invest in a new one. I don't think I'm going to get any more help from my dealer or from Janome, both of whom refuse to accept that having to have the tension on 9 to stand any chance of doing FMQ is a problem.