Hi - I'm a new quilter with a new machine - just bought a "trade-in" yesterday (Janome 6600) and the manual is really not the greatest in explaining (to me).

I am attaching a picture of the zig zg stitch - on my old machine (a Singer) and the new one. I have spent the entire morning/afternoon trying to get the zig zag stitch right. What am I doing wrong. I am not able to have classes on this machine till Sept - WHEW - I'll already be locked up with a straight jacket by then.

Can anyone tell me how to do the settings for something so simple as this. I have already looked on the web site for the Yahoo group 6500/6600 machine - but just know I'll get quicker help on here AND I DO appreciate all the help I get from all you people.

Thanks! Pat

It looks like your tension is off. Did you check the tension on a straight stitch first? Try setting that. I'm always confused about whether to increase it or decrease it, but you can easily try several settings and see what comes out best.

Had you tried the machine in the store (your specific machine, not just the same model)?

And you're right -- the manual is NOT the best. I get a lot more help from the yahoo group. I think you will LOVE this machine once you get going on it.

It looks like both the upper and lower tensions are too loose. Are you absolutely sure the machine is threaded correctly? I would remove thread and bobbin completely to re-thread both.

Yes, I did the straight stitch just fine. I didn't use it in the store but last night I was playing with it and was able to use th zig zag stitch just fine.

I'm assuming I must have changed something without realizing it but I did put it to what I think is the default. It will be quite a while till I learn all the different settings. I just thought maybe some might know by looking at those crooked looking stitches what the problem might be. I have also threaded and rethreaded it several times.

I just went and rethreaded the bobbin and machine - following the book. I'm 99.9% sure they are right. I tried adjusting
the top tension but I'm afraid of messing with the bottom tension. In fact, this is the first time I even touched the top tension. I guess I'm still afraid - stemming back to high school days (OVER 50 years ago) that we would be dead meat if we ever touched the tension.

Can someone maybe tell me what mode number it should be on - that is all very confusing to me.

I am trying to make the patchwork sweatshirt jacket that UglyCook made and put the wonderful tutorial on this forum - a great step by step with pictures. I am almost halfway done with mine - doing it on my old machine. I just know how much faster it will be on the 6600 - having the needle up/down and the automatic cutting of the thread.

Sad part is that all the hours I have spent today I could have been almost done - LOL. But, oh well, I have to learn sooner or later - and I sure don't want to wait until Sept. Sure wish I had a local friend with a 6600 for some pointers.

Oops - sorry posted double!

I wouldn't mess with the bobbin tension. When you rethreaded, did you have the presser foot up? If not do it again-when the foot is down the tension thing is different so the thread doesn't go in right. Make sure it's fully engaged in the tension discs. Not all the way up like you do when you're engaging the accufeed foot but in the normal up position. Or try a new needle, maybe. I would probably just use mode 1, I believe stitch 11? I can't remember which is the zig zag. Now that I think of it, I haven't used that stitch on my machine yet... I don't think I have anyway.

I just rethreaded AGAIN making sure the pressure foot was up - still no luck.

I tried Mode 1 - stitch 11 - wasn't the right one.

Redo the entire bobbin and top thread. Make sure all lint and dust are out of the bobbin area. Change the needle. Shut off the machine and turn it back on. Maybe some lint is in the tension discs-I think you can use a strip of fabric to clean them out. If nothing else works I would call the shop where you got it.

Since you have re-threaded so many times, I would call the shop and ask about the settings for the zigzag.