feline fanatic

My LA was a demo so it had been used quite a bit but when I bought my dealer came to my house, set it up and then we put the machine through its paces together. I can't imagine making such a large investment without this kind of service, like buying a car without test driving it.

I agree, that one should always insist the machine be thoroughly inspected and run before coming to the end user.

But you should always test your stitches every time you start quilting AND with every thread change, bobbin change and needle change. So many things can affect tension. In my experience, bad timing will keep the machine from making a stitch or will cause skipped stitches, tension issues are usually caused by other things. I have had a blob of lint get lodged in my tension case spring and mess up my tension and this happened after I tested so had to rip out a whole row of quilting. This is a big reason I prefer poly threads over cotton. Thankfully when tension is bad un-stitching is relatively easy.

I have also had thread color change cause me to have to change my tension settings, same brand and manufacturer of thread, just a different color. So I test every time I change thread, same with bobbin. You just never know. Additionally, I make it a point to check the back with every advance, every single advance. I crawl under the rack with a strong flashlight and I check again once I have advanced and the backing is clearly visible on my takeup bar and between my dead bar and takeup. There is no way I would quilt an entire quilt without checking the back with every advance of the quilt.

I like to have my backings be at least 5" larger on every side of the quilt, so I have ample space to test my tension. I keep a pile of precut pieces of fabric right next to my LA for testing tension. Testing your tension often is a good longarming habit no matter what or how your dealer tests your machine before delivery and no matter how you quilt (pantos, free hand from the front or computer guided).

I am so sorry you have had so much problems with your Avante. Not having your machine work right is definitely discouraging and really impedes the learning curve and most of all it sucks the love right out of thing we love the most. Hope things get right for you from now on, but definitely do not stop checking your tension both front and back often as a lot more than timing will cause problems.