Hello, I have a Kenmore wich is made by Janome. I also have had that happen on my machine. The bobbin as you said did help me also. But I did discover my tension has to be in the neighborhood of 2 for freemotion quilting. It doesn't say that in my book but I will get the loops and the railroad tracks if it isn't on the 2. This may not help, hope it does I know how agravating that is.
Bill'sBonBon

I was quilting with my longarm on a Christmas present for my son and I was almost finished (and things were going so smoothly....I just knew it was too good to be true!) when I was starting to take it off the frame I notice that the back stitching about 18 inches deep to go on the quilt was all loose underneath.......I had to take it all out. It started when I changed the bobbin. I should have paid more attention to it like I did the rest of the quilt as I was working, but figured it was going so smooth that it would stay that way. But...........when I changed the bobbin I hesitated with it because it didn't seem like it was wound the same as the others. Boy was that a huge mistake. Cost me alot of time too!! So after taking it out and winding more bobbins I had not one problem finishing it. So when mine happened it was the winding of the bobbin that made the difference.

I also have been sewing before and when the bobbin was getting low, the stitching was not the same. I could tell when it got to that point. Also I have gotten thread that twists when you sew and that makes it break or not sew right. I have had to dispose of some thread because of it.

Barb

PatriceJ, I was so busy answereing babeeg's post I didn't see yours! Lots of good points, and I have been trying to be scientific about finding out what the problem is...expecialy since glaring at the darn thing isn't working. (Neither does swearing).
To answere you're questions:
- I noticed the problem while I was sewing. Ive been marking the pattern for 4 or 5 blocks, then sewing them, removing the quilt from the machine, cutting loose threads, marking more blocks, and then repeating the whole process.
It was when I had just sew a few blocks and had flipped the quilt over to cut the threads that I noticed the problem.
- I was halfway through a bobbin when the problem started, and had not changed the top thread since beggining. The needle was the same one I started with too, it was brand new.
I'm working on another sewing project right now, a non-quilting one, and will probobly give it another shot later tonight after the machine's had a chance to get over itself. :?

Hey bill's BonBon (hee hee!) If I try doing this with the tension at 2 I get major bird's nests! The quilting I have managed to do right has been with the tension at 9.

Stitching 4Fun, I might be sending you this freakin quilt to finish on your long arm if I can get the machine to behave!!!!!

Thanks again for all the input!
Zoo

Success!!! :D
I did some "normal" sewing earlier in the evening then followed the steps PatriceJ suggested to re-introduce my machine to quilting and I've been happily at it most of the night.
I still don't know what the problem was, so it might rear it's ugly head again, but for now I'm back at it.
Thanks everyone for your help!!
Barb

i just love a happy ending! :mrgreen: