Or it might be like mine--the thread jumps out of the upper tension...going too fast???

The problem is the tension. Janome has a special bobbin case you can get that has a lighter tension and is marked with a blue dot so you know which one you are using. Single hole needle plate also helps. Check with your dealer and buy a second bobbin case and set the tension lighter. Just a slight adjustment. Mark it in some way so it is special. These two things should make you FMQ apleasure and look great.

I think you came around the turns to fast, or not fast enough.

It's not her tension. Look at the length of the stitches. They're actually pretty long. That means she was moving the quilt too fast and the machine was going to slow.

I'm so sorry and feel for you totally! :cry: I have had that happen to me also, so before I start quilting I always quilt on a scrap sandwich to make sure that the tension is okay and that this is a good day for quilting. It may sound funny, but some days I just can't do FMQ. Don't understand it, but those days it's a wasted effort to try, I just can't make the designs, loops, meander, etc work, so I do something else and wait for a better day to do the FMQ.

I've done the same thing, but I'm happy to say only once. Now I stop and check periodically. I don't like ripping!

Make sure your bobbin is threaded correctly as well. Haven't we all had this problem before :cry:

That is what happens on my Janome as well, so I bought a used Bernina for FMQ and that solved my problem.

I know it won't solve your problem today, but I hear that machines that have a front loading bobbin do better FMQ work than those with a drop in bobbin. Most Janomes have a drop in bobbin where as Berninas have a front loading bobbin.

The positive in this is that the stitches should be easy to take out. And if it helps, I did the same thing on a twin size quilt one time and had to take out all of the stitching. Been there, done that. {{{hugs}}}

On the up side those kinds of stitches are SUPER easy to take out! lol. I know doesn't ease the pain any. :/ sorry!

Oh, man, I hate that! I have been there, done that!! It's also called "frogging"----Rip, rip! Now I always check my tension on the extra fabric backing and batting at the edge of the quilt before I start. Just put some good music on and enjoy the rythym (sp) of removing those stitches!