Down in the Valley

I'm having serious tension problems. Or rather, my machine is. Although it's causing me quite a bit of stress as well.

I'm trying to free-motion quilt a journal cover for my Mom's 83rd birthday. I practiced on a scrap sandwich with no problem, but every time I put the real piece in the tension goes haywire. The only difference in the scrap and the real piece is that the former uses a commercial fabric on top, and the latter hand-painted fabric. I don't know if that would account for the problem. You can see the black bobbin thread coming to the top.

Then, my needles started breaking. I've broken two already this morning and I'm almost out of needles, so I'm giving up for now.

Sigh.

I have to head to work now, and I hate starting the day this way--especially a Monday.