I had same problem when I first had my 8900. Drove me mad - it skipped about every 10 or 12 stitches. Then I read about the Janome purple needles from others who have had the problem. Brilliant, goes like a dream ... takes any thread and give beautiful stitches. I found the Organ equivalent and use those as well (the purple tipped Janomes are made by Organ anyway). Organ needles (& the Janome purples) are very marginally longer than the Schmetz needles. My 8900 will not stitch at all well with Schmetz, only Janome/Organ branded, and always topstitch for free motion.