Well, I guess I am the only one who does not get pokies-front or back. You should not get them. Do you get them when you sew on your dm.....same principal only on steroids!!! Just kidding. But, seriously, it has to do w/top tension.......a little tweek should do it...and slow down so that the bobbin and top thread can do their job and make a perfect stitch. I have been L/A for over 10 yrs (APQS), and very rarely use the same thread on top and bottom. If a pokie develops, and I check before I begin, then I know to adjust that top tension just a hair and it is gone..........for the kind of invest one has to make for any of these set ups one should not be limited to "using the same thread on top and bottom", that just doesn't make sense to me. These machines are very fine tuned and will work well if given the chance.