Tension messes up when I attach my walking foot
 

I am trying to use my walking foot to sew the layers together and finish my quilt. When I attach it, the bottom tension gets loose. I have changed my needle, re-threaded the needle, spooled a new bobbin with thread and I cannot find the problem. I have my tension set between 5 and 6 and usually don't have to mess with it. I finished a quilt last summer and the stitching was beautiful with that tension. In trying to rule everything out, I re-attached the all purpose foot and the stitches are fine. When I attach the walking foot, they go loose. I started to adjust the tension and when I do, my bottom thread starts showing on the top and the bottom thread is still loose! Ughhh! I know my walking foot is attached right. I have went back and watched videos just for giggles to make sure I didn't miss something obvious. I can't figure this out. Any help would be awesome! I would really like to finish this quilt!

What machine are you using? Maybe some who has the same can give you some tips.

Are you sure you are attaching it right, may be if we see some pics of the problem

I have a singer 5500. After running a test stitch, you can just pull the bottom thread right out. You can see the little loops from the top stitch underneath but the bottom thread is straight and just pulls right out. It looks great from the top.

It seems like a top tension issue. Start with 0 and increase until it has a good stitch.

My Singer will do this if the bobbin thread is not in the notch on the bobbin case.

When you say that "the bottom tension gets loose" do you mean there are loops on the bottom? If so, this means that the top tension is too loose. The only thing I can think of (since it seems you've covered all the other bases) is are you sure you are lowering the presser foot? There's a lot of bulk with the top, bottom and batting and it's sometimes not obvious the foot has not been lowered.

There are two things that have given me this problem. You said you changed the needle and rethreaded it. Did you rethread the top completely? Mine sometimes slips out of the up and down loop and that makes a mess.
Also, did you make sure that the little arm, on the walking foot, is resting on the needle screw? My girlfriend kept forgetting this part an it made the walking foot not work correctly. Good luck!! Ann

it sounds like you did not put the preasure foot lever down.

Hope your problem has been resolved -- it is so aggravating when our machines don't work correctly.