Viking Lily - free motion quilting - thread loops on underside.

Free motion is similar on most machines.

Install a brand new sharp needle (embroidery, top stitch, microtex, or universal) of the size that is compatible with the thread weight and fabric.

Drop the feed dogs. If you machine doesn't have the capability, there should be a feed dog cover in your accessory kit that needs to be covered,. This prevents the feed dogs from interfering with your manual maneuvering of the fabric.

Install a darning foot or free motion foot.

Test your stitch and adjust the tension so the threads meet in the middle of the fabric.

Then, it is a matter of practice, practice, practice...

Learn How to Free Motion Quilt Stippling

Free Motion Quilting Tutorial for Beginners Suzy Quilts

https://wpt.org/SewingWithNancy/Video/free-motion-quilting-beginners-part-1

How to Free Motion Quilt on Regular Sewing Machine

lots more web sites available...

Ashleigh--Your machine will work satisfactorily ONLY if the presser foot is down. When the presser foot is up, the tension disk is released, therefore, no tension = a big knot of thread.

To free motion quilt, you should drop the feed dogs. Install a darning foot (this foot is shorter in length so when it is lowered, there is a space between the presser foot and needle plate). The space allows the fabric to be moved easily while stitching.

Some sewists will free motion quilt without a presser foot (if they don't have a darning foot), but that is very dangerous as one can easily sew through a finger. However, even when sewing without a presser foot, the presser foot mechanism needs to be lowered in order to properly form stitches.

How to Free Motion Quilt on Regular Sewing Machine

#26 is an embroidery foot. Why are you using an embroidery foot for free motion quilting? A #24 free motion embroidery foot will work but not the #26. Try using a darning foot that is just a smidgen shorter so there is space between it and the needleplate for you to freely move the fabric. (Adding a Supreme Slider sheet to the work surface of your machine helps make the fabric glide much smoother.) A standard presser foot is made to press the fabric against the feed dogs so the feed dogs will move the fabric. When free motion quilting, you would drop the feed dogs and move the material with your hands.

Depends which model Bernina you have (new or old style presser feet), which will work on your machine. There are also many generic darning/FMQ feet available that will work on your machine.

12 BERNINA presser feet Darning foot 9 (old style)

Quilting foot 29C (new style)

Bernina 530 53 Free Motion Quilting

Top 5 Tips for Successful Free Motion Quilting WeAllSew BERNINA USAs blog...

Seven Steps to Free Motion Quilting

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Most free motion feet attach like the other feet.

It is creating "thread nesting" also called birdnesting. Could be several things:
1) make sure before you thread the upper thread, RAISE the presser foot so the thread will seat properly in the tension disks
2) drop your feed dogs before you begin to free motion
3) your free motion quilt foot, when lowered, should not rest on the fabric. (Be sure you are lowering your presser foot when you want to stitch!) You should be able to move the quilt sandwich easily under the presser foot. If the foot applies any pressure to the fabric, you may need to release the presser foot pressure (consult your manual). Or you are using the incorrect presser foot for your machine.
4) If none of the above, you need to tighten the upper tension AND
try this method before beginning to free motion stitch:

How and Why to Bring up the Bobbin Thread

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with some machines the type of spool you use for the thread matters. try different spools.

Yes, the tension setting for 'free motion' and for 'sewing' is the same AND there must be tension; otherwise the top thread will form huge loops on the underside and eventually totally jam. Also make sure that the presser foot is down ... it is often easily left up as the 'free motion foot' disguises it.
The stitch length is irrelevant in free motion as the stitch length is determined by how fast the fabric is moved by the operator while maintaining constant speed (or close to constant).
A couple more items to check: make sure that the 'feed dogs' are either lowered or covered (depending on your machine model) AND that the 'free motion foot' is installed correctly.
Enjoy free motioning.

You must lower the presser foot to use the free motion/darning foot.

change the needle
clean under the needle plate & in the bobbin area for loose threads & lint
rethread the machine top & bobbin

I assume you are doing free motion quilting? Use the V Menu, choose the first stitch. If you are using the Q Sensor foot or the spring free motion foot, go into the Set menu, hit "More" twice then turn On for either the Q Foot or Free motion. Make sure you have Needle Down turned on (top right-hand button on the left side above the needle). You might need to loosen the top tension by one or two clicks - first screen of the Set menu, under the picture that looks like DNA. A Size 90 needle is probably best and if the quilt is difficult to move about you might like to either use the Sewing Advisor to set for Heavy fabric or lessen the upper presser foot pressure - Set menu once again, next picture after the DNA. I have never had to do this with my D1 but I know some other people have. Get back if things are not working well for you.
Pam

I had the same dissatisfaction when I switched from the 1+ to the Designer 1. After some trials I am now happy. You need the springy free motion foot. Part #413 03 76-45. You take off the white shank and screw it on with the metal bar over the needle hook. In the set menu turn the SensorQ on, the free motion on, select stitch 1 from menu V and drop the feed dogs. It also makes a big difference to use the straight stitch throat plate which just has a small hole for the needle to go through. One other hint is that I often have to reduce my needle tension 3 or 4 steps. Hope it works for you.