Originally Posted by wannaquilt1
Oh and I forgot to add... every now and then when I was FMQ the machine would seem to catch on something and stop like it ran over a big heavy seam and got stuck but there wasn't anything there. Are the feed dogs swallowing my material? I had to break the thread and tug it out of the feed dogs. I'm worried it's going to rip a hole in one of my quilts.
I have a Janome 6500 and have no problem FMQ on it. When I first started it did take me awhile to find "my sweet spot" (the speed and movement that works for you and your machine). I do adjust my speed, slide it to the middle, otherwise at high/fast I have the 'mini' stitches or loopies on the back when taking curves.
Is your machine in a cabinet or on the table with your acrylic around it. Before I got my cabinet (now have a nice flat surface for my machine and quilt), the weight of the quilt would get caught on the acrylic and would cause me some anger issues.
Feed dogs - well I have tried it both ways. But most of the time I have the FD's down.
The 6500 is wonderful for FMQ, but you have to "find you sweet spot".
Also I do wear 'Machingers' gloves (love them), they really help it moving my quilt around.
Good luck