Your tension is all wrong. It is too loose.

This may be off the subject of the loose thread on the backing....seems that is covered. Some hints I learned from and still use are to make a small sandwich using the scraps from the quilt you are preparing to quilt....test your stitching on this small practice piece. It is the very same weight and color of your quilt. You can see how the thread and stitches look on the actual fabrics. I learned this tip from one of by machine quilting books...don't remember which author....she recommends this and she uses this sample piece to "warm up" on before quilting on the actual quilt each time she sits down to quilt on the quilt--she quilts large quilts.

As mentioned before....practice is the most important. Learn to relax and take a breath. Find the machine speed that works for you. It is usually a medium speed with medium movement of the the quilt. I think first time machine quilters think they have to go really fast and they get really tense. Also, a good way to learn to free motion and get control of the machine is to get a child's panel and sandwich it for a quilt then free motion around designs in the panel. You can stipple and do different background stitching....a great practice source. You can then donate your quilt to one of the children's charity quilt groups.

I have had the same problem if my presser foot is not in the down position. i have a small longarm (GrandQuilter ) so I have notes hanging from the frame to remind me to PUT THE FOOT DOWN! It will ne make it tight as I have a plate covering feed dogs too. Hope this helps

This site has many videos to help you get started fmq. Check it out here ...

http://my.allpeoplequilt.com/bettertv/?bclid=715980676

Just use the slider bar on the right to see the videos available and choose one to start it.

p.s. There is a tension tutorial there to help you with that part too.

Try hand quilting.

Take a look at this site: www.patsythompsondesigns.com
she has some awesome DVD's out and the Fast and Fun 0.5 DVD is one that starts with the basics and is so very informative. She is a wonderful FMQ instructor and easy to listen to. She offers free FMQ patterns on her site and also you can watch some 7-8 minute clips from her DVD's.

I second Rachelcb80's suggestion of leaving the feed dogs up until you get comfortable with FMQ. Think of it as training wheels. It helps things go a little slower and smoother until you get the hang of it.

Really nice site. Thanks for posting!

Just keep practicing, pretty soon you and your machine will become one. I remember the first time I practiced I used those paper stipples over sandwitched practice pieces and I hated them so bad. So I was determined to do it on my own. I practiced alot and finally I felt really comfortable with it. Good luck to you. Dont give up practice practice practice.

What a pity! The right side was looking so good! The learning stages for FMQ are full of these unpleasant surprises, but they do decrease as you have more practice.

What you have here does look like a threading problem, but tension is also very important in FMQ. The top tension should be lower than usual. The bobbin tension in my two machines (a Bernina Aurora and a Pfaff Grand Quilter) is more complicated. I check that, when I hold the thread coming from the bobbin and gently shake it, the bobbin moves only a little.

I wish that I had been able to read this site as I was learning FMQ - I've seldom felt such a dunce in my life, so uncoordinated and it would have been reassuring to know that others struggle too. Some lucky people learn almost instantly, but the rest of us just have to hang in there.