You were quite lucky. I had a piece of a needle (tip) actually make a slight burr in the c hook on my bernina. My machine had a plastic c hook. My fmq was coming out terrible, no noise, but I knew something was wrong. Well my favorite bernina dr. spent a long time taking things apart, giving it a good cleaning, and figured out what the problem was when she put it a new c hook. This tip of the needle only appeared when she tilted the machine forward, it was really hidden. That part was about 100 bucks. Lesson be careful. I hate having so many pins when fmq, that's how I break a needle and that started the problem.