I got this sewing machine in order to begin my learning for a fashion career. As my current work is judged on quality, I've been struggling due to the machine I've been using-- the Fashion Mate 3342. The machine I received never came with a manual, and the preset tension makes fabric difficult to work with while sewing. I've tried changing the fabric weight; sewing with different needle types and weights; getting the machine serviced; retrying rethreading (also using the automatic needle threader), and using various threads. However, without fail, the seams always pucker, and my work ends up looking quite subpar. It's quite hard to learn proper sewing techniques when the technical aspects of your machine are already improper! Part of learning fashion, I guess, is knowing what sewing machines to use.