Trying to quilt...began to have tension problems. Took the quilt off....picked out the bad stitches, (AFTER trying numerous fixes) but with no luck....YESTERDAY and ALL this morning. Took the quilt off, put on a "practice" piece very similar to my quilt. I have worked HOURS on trying to get it adjusted.. :( It's doing a combination of things....sometimes long, skipped stitches....sometimes railroad tracks on top.....sometimes it will not pull up the bobbin thread....sometimes won't stay threaded!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!SCREAM!!!! I've tried adjusting the bobbin when the top looks too loose. I've adjusted the top tension until I'm crazy!! It seems like when I have the needle all the way up into the shaft, it won't work period!! I've pulled it down just a dab, and it seems to want to sew better, but it still won't do what it's supposed to do. I'm afraid the lower it any more....might mess up the stitching mechanism???? Any suggestions?!!!! Please, I hope so.. I've even tried different threads....changed needles....changed size of needle...HELP!!

You have to start from #1. Get your bobbin tension right. There are videos on the HQ site to help if you do not know how to do that.
I use only bottomline prewounds and they fall quickly into the palm of my hand when holding the bobbin up.....looser is better than tighter.

Use a thread you KNOW works on top and bottom for now. Take out the thread and rethread the whole machine--make sure the needle is in the right way. Make sure the thread is seated in the tension disks. Tighten it all the way------then back off about 7 full turns. You are now back to factory set.

Now try stitching and see how it goes.

Thanks, I've tried all of those things, except..viewing the videos on the HQ site. I'll do that next. Thanks again.

I have a Tin Lizzie. This link really helped me. General instructions would apply to any machine.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-114933-1.htm

Oh, and get your manual out and rethread using the instructions. Just in case ;-)

Paperprincess....I will try the methods you mentioned...especially in pulling the thread from the needle... and begin the adjusting..it seems like mine is always way too tight...very hard to pull, but if I loosen it, then I have other issues. Seems like I can't win. I did reread my manual and rethreaded....MANY times. :)

I have a Fusion, but I have a friend with an HQ 16. We were having all kind of problems with her machine, and finally turned the needle just a teeny tiny bit and it worked.
When my Fusion came back from a different dealer she had really messed up my tension. I was not impressed. I tightened the top tension all of the way. Lowered it 4 turns like I had been told, and slowly one turn at a time lowered it more until it worked the way I want it.
Also, the videos on the site are really good. I got them on a dvd with my machine and have watched them several times.
If the thread is popping out of the upper tension it will also cause big problems. It has to be in really tight. Mine had never done this until it came back from the other dealer.

Sadiemae, thanks. I can't find much in the way of help videos on the HQ site....not much there. Am I looking in the wrong places? I have found that if I have my needle all the way up in the shaft, it is NOT going to work. If I lower it just a dab, it helps, but doesn't solve the problem completely. And, It does seem to help to turn the needle just a hair. I remember reading that someone turned theirs to 5 o'clock, but the manual says NEVER to turn it that way, but it can be turned to 7 o"clock. Anyone know??? My dealer warned me that this will ruin the stitching mechanism....NOT to do anything but 6:00. But manual did say it could go to 7:00....makes me wonder what he knows??? He's not much help anyway.

luvstoquilt....when you place your bobbin in the palm of your hand, and pull slightly on it, should your bobbin thread be able to start pulling out?? Mine will stand up in my hand as the video suggests, but it will not pull out of the bobbin.....is that tooo tight then?

Yes its to tight then. I had your problems