Originally Posted by Gramie bj
is the top tension to loose, is it threaded correctly, check for lint in your tension, do you need a new needle? Just a few to try.
If the first picture is the back, and it is pulling thread so far from the front, the tension on the bobbin might be too high, or the top tension too low. They need to be in balance. WHen you FMQ, it is a combination of how fast your needle is going up and down (based on how much you push the pedal down) AND how fast you are moving the fabric. I seem to end up with a 2 to one ratio, if that makse sense. I seem to have the needle going up and down twice as fast as my hands move the fabric. Does that make sense. When you turn corners (arc) you should slow down for the machine too. Helps eliminate the "pulls"you see on your turns/arcs. When was the last time you had your machine cleaned and tuned up? Ideally, it should be once a year, although I am going on 18 mo, due to health problems. THe machine stitch is created by a timing of up and down and that bobboin thread coming around to look and catch the top thread and cross over it. Dust from sewing (and, I must add, Fibers from cheap thread), or if you sew fleece - the worst for lint buildup - your machine could have dust etc under the bobbin, where you cannot get to it, that is disrupting the timing of the stitch. Ask you LQS owner for suggestion on a good brand of thread. Remember, cotton thread for piecing, and decorative Rayon, etc for embellishment. You can FMQ with cotton, but you want to definitely avoid piecing with rayon. Has a tendency to stretch and break down the thread fibers with the weight of the quilt.
I would try new needle, a better thread and sewing a straight line and get that right before you drop the feed dogs and put your stitch length to zero. That is where I start. If a simple straight stitch isn't working, FMQ surely won't either. Once the straight stitch looks good, then you can move on to FMQ and eliminate one variable at a time. If you haven't had the machine cleaned and the timing checked recently, I would consider that. I am always amazed how much better my machine runs after its yearly "physical." Also, I have a Viking Designer (10 yrs old) and it is "self oiling" which means I cannot get at the parts that need oil, and trying to do so would gum up the machine. If I skipped the tune up, I am convinced it wouldn' run as well as it does.
I don't remember where, but I saw an article online about which brand name machines were affected by FMQ done side to side vs up and down. It had to do with how their particular machine made the stitch.
My last suggestion, do a You Tube Search on FMQ. You said you were new to this, I think. Search for videos of people actually FMQ-ing. Good luck.