mommessy

I'm not familiar with your particular machine, but on my Husqvarna Sapphire I lower tension all the way down to 1.6 or 1.8 and I get beautiful stitches in both front and back. Good luck!

soccertxi

FMQ on a domestic machine is a balance of moving the fabric and the speed of the machine. If your stitches are too small, slow down your speed and your hands. If they are too big, try speeding up the machine or your hands until you are satisfied. Kinda like patting your tummy and rubbing your head! Good luck and have a glass of wine!

ca2jo

Hi My default tension is 4.6 but when FMQ I lower it to 1.8, i then get lovely stitch definition.
I would play around with your top tension first. I have never altered my bobbin tension.
Good luck

Sewnoma

I second the idea of checking the bobbin case carefully for stray fibers. Also double-check you're threaded properly.

On my Janome, I don't have to adjust tension for FMQ. If my stitches start to go bad it means either something is stuck in the bobbin, somehow it's come partially un-threaded (sometimes my thread manages to fly out of the pick-up arm during FMQ), or I'm just moving too fast.

carol45

Here's a point that might be relevant: light thread shows up the individual stitches, but dark thread doesn't so much. What color thread are you using?

sewlo

I think you are correct, when I use white thread the stitches are perfect, when using purple they seem to be leff defined. I have tried changing needles, changing the wt of the tread, adjusting the tension, nothing seems to work except quilting with a different color. Pink thread worked well too.