If you do a few tiny stitches before you get going, it will hold. Pulling the bobbin thread up when starting took me a while to get the hang of, but I finally did. If you can take a class at a local quilt shop, it will probably be helpful. There are also many videos on You Tube you can check out. It takes practice, and patience. Make up a bunch of "sandwiches" and practice. I also tested several different kinds of thread and marked them on the sandwich. There were some that didn't do well with my machine. That way, I can keep track of what's best to use. Have fun practicing! :)