It has been my experience that speed also helps, and the gloves works, do like the Machingers the best....have also used, with some success, a Magic Eraser - cut in half.....what you need with free motion quilter is traction control, which is why you drop the feed dogs. You need to move the quilt under the needle. I have been using just car wax on the working surface of my machine and surround and that has worked very well, but the major secret is traction on the quilt to keep it moving.....there is also a large C shaped device to move your quilt, have one, have used it, but found the ring was always in the wrong place.....