Thank you all for your suggestions. I did replace the needle with a smaller one and that has seemed to help. I think my machine has a sweet spot on where it likes the fabric placed.

I use a piece of paper (type one would for paper piecing) under the seam. I leave a starter tail that I can hold onto. This also works great when piecing small pices.

There are a few ways around this. 1) Hold both bobbin and top thread down firmly with your left hand for the first half to inch of stitching. I do this regardless of the shape. 2) Use a leader piece of scrap fabric and then chain piece all of your triangles. 3) Start in the middle and come back later and finish the end.

I see those using leaders get the ends of those eat up, same problem just not on the block piece.