dbams

Which machine do you have and how old is it?  Several of us had similar issues when we changed to M&M wheels on the older machines.  Turned out to be a static electricity issue playing havoc with the electronics (mostly in dry winter climate).  APQS came up with a grounding kit that seemed to work well.  Maybe drop an email to service and describe your problem.  Support has always been excellent regardless of whether your machine is under warranty or not.
 
Nigel

Fun project! Have an adult supervise while the kids use fabric paint to make a handprint. Add their age and name, either with markers/ink or embroidered. They can use crayons or colored pencils to add embellishments or make a second block. The crayon or pencils will need to be covered with textile medium used to make such marks permanent on fabric.

Don't know what you mean by "knocking", but if it's a kind of popping sound, could be a bad needle.  If it's a metallic click, the hook could be hitting the needle too hard.  A couple of thoughts for you.  When you find the problem be sure to let us know.  Might help someone else in the future.  Good luck.  Jim

I don't know about a specific Fons & Porter video, but there are a lot of YouTube videos on loading quilts. 
There's one a lot of people recommend called "Loading Lori's way".
Whirlsnswirls quilting also has a youtube channel and I'm pretty sure I saw a video on loading.  She's an APQS dealer and has several hundred short videos posted stitching out various quilting designs.  
APQS has lots of articles https://www.apqs.com/category/education/quilt-prep-loading-tips/  They also have a youtube channel.  
 

Pamela, we are all pulling for you.  You can do this!  <3

You could try using a smaller needle.  I'm guessing that the batik fabric was not washed, prior to using in the quilt.  Heavy dyes and tightly woven fabric, make it a bit harder for the needle to go between the fibers, so it's kinda punching through.
 

I find figuring out what to do is the process that takes the longest, especially with a custom. You want it to look special. I agree, look at various sites and see what others of done that you feel you can accomplish, not something that is beyond your experience level that will cause more anxiety.  Audition those ideas on plexie of on a paper picture of the quilt. Once you "see" the finished concept, you'll be inspired to hit it.  Hang in there, if you've been ill, you may need more time to recover. Your customer will understand.
 

Stuck as in you just can't get motivated to quilt? I make bargains with myself all the time.  Just do "the thing I don't want to do" for 15 min or 20 or whatever, then I can do "the other thing I want to do" afterwards.  It always seems like I want to be doing something other than what I should be doing.  
I have a quilt on my frame that I bought an estate sale.  Thought it would be good practice.  It was in decent shape - a few minor stains/discolorations but no holes.  It's 7 blocks by 8 blocks.  It's fan blocks and I'm doing ruler work and freehand feathers - same pattern in every block  I'm over halfway through and it takes me almost 30 min to do each block.  It seems like I've been working on it forever and I still have 21 blocks to go!  Plus I think my feathers look sloppy.  I don't know how people do detailed custom work for hire and meet customer deadlines.  
Or are you stuck meaning no idea what to quilt in the custom area?  Pinterest, Instagram (which is down today along with facebook), quilting books, youtube.  Start drawing on plastic/plexiglass over the quilt until something speaks to you.  

Tammie:  I think you will probably need to buy a Bliss rail and have it cut down and fitted to your 7' table.  I doubt that APQS stocks 7' Bliss rails.  Jim

You should probably contact APQS or a local dealer to see if bliss is available in that size and the costs.  I thought standard table/rail sizes were 10', 12' and 14'.  

Thank you for your reply and great advice. I was contemplating minimal echo quilting using invisible thread in the facial area, as per the 80/20 requirements. I think I would be quilting it differently if it were my own, as in a lot of heavy quilting. Where it is not my quilt I feel differently about it. Apprehensive is the word. I have quilted Unstrung Hero by Man Sewing. It is a similar piece. I also did echo, SID and background quilting. Turned out perfect. This is more of a portrait art quilt that I have never done before. A little out of my comfort zone. I will give it a go and give updates. Thanks again for the great advice!
Nicolle

On a picture quilt with numerous pictures, I would suggest quilting minimally in the pictures so the batting does not come apart in the sandwich, and to not quilt over faces if possible.  Quilt more heavily in the borders or area around the pictures.
As it is a portrait quilt, presumably one large picture where the sandwich must be stabilized, I would suggest using invisible thread.  Matching the fabric/picture color with the thread may be a better option depending on the portrait and area in the portrait.  
Start stabilizing the portrait as a whole.  You probably can quilt more in the individuals hair without it being as visible.  Then you can try quilting in the areas of light to dark on the face, shadows in the face around eyes and eye brows.  Start with a little quilting as possible.  Step on a ladder and decide how the overall image looks.  It is easier to add quilting then to remove it.  Take a picture and ask what the customer thinks/wants.  It may be a quilt that you have to remove from the rollers and hang on the wall a few times before it is finished.  I am a sit-down quilter, so this is easier for me.
In the end it is going to come down what the maximum allowed distance between quilt lines per the batting manufacturer's specifications and what you/the customer think looks best.  
Here are some examples with tight quilt lines and some with whole areas open;
https://artsychickquilts.blogspot.com/2012/08/portraits-101-class-at-wisconsin-quilt.html
https://burdenbearer.blogspot.com/2011/03/portrait-quilts.html
https://artsbusinessinstitute.org/artists/artist-profile-sandra-bruce/
https://www.terryaskeartquilts.com/Studio/tips-tutorials-and-more/create-a-portrait-pattern-from-a-photo/
You can also search for thread painting which might expand your examples.  As you are painting with thread, it is an art.
I am sure it will turn out great when you are finished.  Please share your masterpiece when you are done, so we can enjoy your work, and learn from it.  As it is a portrait of a customer, maybe just an eye or part of the face so their anonymity is preserved if they do not want the entire quilt top shared.
Cagey

SueD has great advice and I agree that you will need to quilt sections separately and then join after quilting. I max out at about 120" on the rollersfor a quilt with cotton batting. Maybe make the sections 48"+ by 120" plus extra for attaching to the rollers and seaming together later. There are lots of tutorials pertaining to quilt-as-you-go that can help you decide which technique to use to butt the batting together and cover the joins on the back side. Plan it on graph paper, allowing extra fabric at the top and bottom of each section so joining is easier later. Assuming you are quilting the writing, mark the whole design on each section and mark exactly where the top and bottom joining seams will be so the writing looks natural.  If you can find 120" muslin fabric for the backer (check Joanns on line), you will save money on fabric.  

How about adding the writing with a marking tool (erasable marker or chalk) to all the pieces before you start?  Or even just horizontal lines where the writing goes, like lined paper. You could also keep a reference paper with the writing size next to you when you quilt. I’m not sure I could keep consistent size whether it’s one piece or several pieces anyway. 

Some of the links on this APQS forum thread might help; https://forum.apqs.com/topic/34341-compuquilter-is-no-longer-in-business/
You might reset the computer running the program to factory settings.  This may get the compuquilt program to reset also.
Best of luck to you resolving your problem.

It looks like Intelliquilter supports CompuQuilter.
https://www.intelliquilter.com/compuquilter-home.php
 

Zoltan at Intelliquilter supports  CQ now.   You can contact them via internet.  They are awesome to work with as I switched from CQ to IQ and they really are amazing. 

I loaded a back in the wrong direction.  I did not charge.  She still paid me and she was so grateful.  Return customer!

Bonnie - Bob,
Generally speaking, price, location, if seller will ship, other items included, why are you selling, etc., will greatly aid with your sale.  
Best of luck to you.
Cagey

It would be helpful to potential buyers if you can post photos, state the model name and year, and where you are located.  

Singer didn't make different bobbins for the Featherweights.  If you look closely, you'll see there is a slot cut in the bobbin holder.  This slot can be made wider or narrower, by either spreading the shaft. or squeezing it.  If bobbins won't go on the shaft you need to squeeze it, if they slip, you need to spread it.  Good luck.

Bring a hand mirror to check underneath (flashlight on cell phone helps). 
You should also be able to run a fingernail along the stitching on the bottom - if your nail is catching on each stitch, there's a good chance the tension needs to be adjusted.    

When we were new we used to add a piece of fabric to the left or right of the quilt top and do a little test there.  Then you can turn the edge of the quilt sandwich and see the back and adjust if needed.  Also we were taught to pull on the bobbin tail every time you insert a bobbin to make sure it felt right.  If you are getting lint from the thread then clean out the lint under the bobbin tension finger with the corner of a business card. Superior So Fine became our most often used thread because it runs so clean and that change alone eliminated ninety percent of our tension issues.  
If you haven’t seen it before I recommend watching the Thread Therapy videos with Bob Purcell. We attended one of his seminars many years ago and not once did he promote his brand over another.  What you need to know is not on the label.  
Nigel
 
https://www.superiorthreads.com/videos/thread-therapy?utm_source=media&utm_medium=marketing&media=PPCGNBT&gclid=CjwKCAjwybyJBhBwEiwAvz4G74VVZ5Km1A2j0EcSHIvYiaXf34nOls_zifRS6x23IJYi20CIztyrRxoCmdoQAvD_BwE&utm_campaign=PPCGNBT

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Don't really know anything about "Sure Stitch", but your problem sounds like the horizontal encoder (if sure Stitch) has encoders) isn't turning properly.  Check for thread wrapped around it, and make sure there is enough tension on it to make firm contact with whatever it rides on.  Good luck.  Jim