Finally -- Success!

My stitches seemed too loose. When checking the back, I had serious eyelash issues. Eyelashes on the back are clearly due to inadequate top tension. I must have watched the "how to thread your machine" video at least five times knowing that I must have been missing something. Somehow along the way I got off on a bobbin tangent. Thinking that less bobbin tension could make up for too little top tension. Big mistake. Messing with the bobbin led to tangles and bird's nests and my own little version of swearing. Admonishing myself, as I would my students, to use proper scientific method, I spent the afternoon working through one hypothesis at a time. I narrowed it down to the little screw knob, knowing the secret was there somewhere. Tightening all the way didn't seem to be changing the tension at all. Finally, I was within an inch of the end of my practice fabric and almost ready to call the toll free number for help, when the thread finally found its way in between the tension discs. Magically, as if it hadn't been mocking me for the past four hours, my machine started making beautiful, perfectly balanced stitches. Now I'm off to make a new sandwich and make something a little prettier. Happy weekend everyone.