If you are using programed stitches or fancy stitches on your machine - yes embroidery stabilizer definitely helps and should be used - it will keep it from puckering. Also going slow as suggested with needle down. Not everybody can sew with the start/stop button. I do all the time and if doing something like that slow my machine down to real slow will also help regulate your stitches. The faster you go the more the stitches tend to go out of proportion. I know several in my sewing group that cannot use do that because they feel totally "out of control" if they don't use foot pedal. As Marcialb said - using the start and stop gives the machine a constant speed, which makes the stitches more even.