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Are you using a darning or FM foot(spring in it)? Are your feed dogs dropped down or covered? I do not have the same machine but you may also need to adjust your bobbin tension screw if your machine has one.
I hope you can figure out a way to proceed but if not, there is nothing wrong with using your walking foot and straight stitching.

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Originally Posted by LivelyLady

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Originally Posted by vivientan

I've been trying out FMQ for the past year but I don't seem to be improving. First thing first, I never get the thread tension right. I either get loops at the front or the back. I'm using a Janome 6260 and I've tried every single tension from 0 - 9 but nothing works. Even tried varying the machine speed, foot pedal tension etc but still at a dead end.

I find it rather hard to move my quilt sandwich under the machine. Sometimes it gets stucked, causing a huge ball of thread forming underneath! What has gone wrong?

The worst is, I can never get even stitches. They are either too short or too long. Can't seem to be able to move my quilt at an even speed. Even tried drawing out my design from a quilt stencil but somehow, I just can't follow the design! Jagged curves, uneven lines etc.

I don't think I can ever succeed with FMQ, despite trying on lots and lots of practice sandwiches. Maybe I should really just call it a day and stick to my walking foot. :(

Sorry for all these ranting...I need to let off steam!

I have the same machine and haven't had to adjust the tension. I usually use the same thread in top and bobbin, but do use invisible thread on top and reg cotton on bottom with no problems. At first it was a little frustrating and by no means is my FMQ show quality but it is passible. No matter what I tried I couldn't stop the eyelashes on the back and that's when my LQS owner/dealer told me that a single hole plate would make a huge difference .......and it certainly did! The stitches are getting more uniform and no more eyelashes :)

Good to know that your machine is working well for you! Thanks, I will try to get a single hole plate if that is really the problem. Can you share with me the thread tension u used with FMQ? How about the foot pressure? I left mine at 2 or 3. Did you use a blue bobbin which everyone else is talking about?

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Originally Posted by suern3

Please, please, go to daystyle.com and then her blog.(Leah Day) She has the best, most minute instructions for free motioning quilting on any machine. Sometimes the smallest things can make such a difference. I am no expert, but have been able to FMQ several quilts using her method. My largest so far was 80x80. Am just getting readyto start quilting another one. Don't give up. I use an older Pfaff, maybe 5 years old. I don't do anything with the tension. Just drop the feed dogs, don't even have to change the stitch size because I am moving the fabric.

Thanks. I've been following her tutorials and YouTube videos. But I gotta admit that most of her FMQ designs, though listed as for beginners, are too complex for me! Nonetheless, will continue to try.

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Originally Posted by GreatStarter

I hope you can find someone else who quilts and perhaps they can visit and help you figure out why you are having so many problems. Don't give up, maybe take a break from trying it for a while. Hugs,
Kat

Thanks Kat. That is the problem, I don't have any other friends who quilt! LOL. Singapore doesn't have that many quilters around, unlike the US. Perhaps I should make a trip down to the LQS and seek my teacher's advice.

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Originally Posted by vivientan

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Originally Posted by GreatStarter

Do go seek advice at the LQS. And invest in the straight stitch plate with the single hole. You will be amazed at the improvement. I promise!

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Originally Posted by Tartan

Currently using a darning foot with the feed dogs down. I've done everything I could but can't seem to overcome those problems. At times it's ok, and at times things just go haywire. Perhaps it's really the problem with the Janome which some people have been talking about on this forum.

I've asked the service centre about adjusting the bobbin tension but they've advised me against it, as I would need to readjust it back when I change to regular sewing.

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Originally Posted by Kas

Do go seek advice at the LQS. And invest in the straight stitch plate with the single hole. You will be amazed at the improvement. I promise!

Thanks for your advice. I will call up my service centre tomorrow to check on the straight ditch plate with the single hole and maybe the blue bobbin case.

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Originally Posted by greenini

Don't know if it applies to your machine, but some can reduce the pressure in the foot and that can also help. Check to see if yours is adjustable.

Yeah I've tried to change the pressure in the foot too, but still having problems. :(

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Originally Posted by Kat Sews

You mentioned that the quilt is hard to move and gets stuck sometimes. What foot are you using and can you release the pressure on your foot? I helped someone recently and found she didn't have the right foot on her machine and was having the same type problem.

I'm using the darning foot. Had tried to adjust the foot pressure too but it's not helping. I noticed however that when I changed the bobbin to move in the clockwise position, it helps to improve the situation. But I still see loops at the bottom and threads with irregular tension at the top (some are ok, some are a little loose). For straight line stitching using the walking foot, the anti-clockwise position does a better job.

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Originally Posted by eastermarie

Is your dealer close by? If so, take your machine in and have them help set the correct tension. If not, rethread the machine carefully, use the same thread in the top as the bobbin. Make sure you have threaded the bobbin correctly. Next, use your manual and set the machine for regular stitching. If you can get it back to regular stitching mode with the correct tension it will make things easier. In your manual, look up Free Motion Quilting. Read what it says to do. It might be that you need the blue bobbin that Janome makes for FMQ. There is also a Yahoo Jonome Board, you might find help there. There have been other posts on this board for your very same problem. Do a search for it. Hope this will help some. I'll try and find more info for you.

Thanks. My service centre is quite far away and I don't drive. When I brought it in a few months ago for servicing, I had highlighted to them the problem with FMQ. They just put everything on auto tension and it works fine! Even using invisible thread on top. Was using my own thread and their darning foot then. They then suggested it might be my darning foot problem. However I've checked my own darning foot, it looks perfectly fine and I don't think there's anything wrong with it?