Julie, your problem with the lashes is your top thread, so bobbin washers won't help. I have a feeling that you are forgetting to put your pressure foot in the down position.The top thread is not being held tight when the take up lever lifts up and leaves a long loop on the bottom. It is very easy to forget to put the pressure foot down while FMQ, 'cause you are the feed dogs, not the machine.
It is always the simple things that we forget that gives us the most problems.
General rule of thumb, top thread problems is the bobbin and bottom thread problems is the top.