I am a newbie at LAing and am finding a LA machine is totally different from a regular machine. Your tension does have to be adjusting frequently. When I first got my new machine and tried on my own I got frustrated with it because it was not sewing like I thought it should. Then when the dealer came out and watched me sew she gave me lots of tips and good info. My problem was in the way I am moving the machine and what the stitch regulator was set on. I am doing a lot better now and am improving.