Also check to see if there is any scaring on the bobbin basket, which can be polished off with a very fine sandpaper (about 400-600 grit). It only takes a few gentle strokes. And I find that a polyester thread behaves much better than cotton thread when FMQ-ing. A top-stitch needle (size 90 or 100) has a deeper groove in the front and a larger, smoother eye, so is a great needle for FMQ-ing.