I would also use a tearaway or washaway stablizer under the applique project. New threading, new sharp needle (not a universal), and the right stablizer save me a lot of fix it time in the long run. I am still learning to use my machines for applique and do enough stuff that I have to rip out so I try to fix the basics ahead of time. I'm finding the metafil needles and topstitch needles work best depending on my thread. Also have to check for nicks and burs on the throat plate of one machine on occaision --timing got off once and the resulting needle nick caused problems until I emeried it out.