Sewing Machine Final

Bulb burned out
Bulb burned out

You probably remember me bringing home the 9k. It worked and I was really happy except that the needle looked out of alignment and the light bulb was burned out.

I called the place that repaired my machine. I felt like an idiot when she, very kindly, told me I could move the needle position.

Oh.

I had never done that before.

Then she explained that she had had to do a factory reset when she re-soldered all of the connections. This meant that the machine was back to what it was like when I bought it. I didn’t remember ever changing the needle position but that was then and this is now. The machine works well. I don’t have to buy a new one; I am happy.

Except for the light bulb. I have an auxiliary bright light over the machine, but it does not shine on the needle. The little sewing I have been doing has been somewhat dark. I asked her about the bulb and she said she would send me one if I told her which one. I was at work; I had no idea.

Later that night I looked at the bulb, which I had to find first. I never had to change the bulb before. That may have been the original bulb! I took a photo and meant to call and tell her, but was too busy at work. My last days mean that projects are being heaped on my that nobody ever thought important before.

On Friday morning I decided I would drive down to the shop and pick up the bulb so I would be ready for sewing on Saturday. When I got there, I showed the photo. The nice lady, Angie, asked if the bulb had two prongs or a roundy sort of connection. I didn’t know. I just stared at her thinking I’d have to go home with no bulb and sew in the dark on Saturday. She gave me one with prongs.

I slotted it in when I got home and turned on the light. It worked and now everyone is happy(mostly me, but also my DH who is happy that I have stopped muttering to myself about incompetent machine repair people and damn light bulbs).

Update: sad news. The machine is on timeout again. I sewed on and off all day on Saturday with my new light bulb, my newly positioned needle and life was good. Sunday all hell broke loose. The machine started running super fast and then giving me an error message about a bent needle or something caught in the needle area.

I changed the needle. No help.

I rethreaded the machine. No improvement.

I rewound a new bobbin. Same problem.

I took off the sole place and cleaned the whole area. It was pretty clean already. Nothing.

I took out the bobbin case and cleaned out under there. The problem persisted, so I put the machine on timeout and took out the backup machine again (no knee lift- BAH).

I feel like I am in an abusive relationship and this might be the last straw. I am going to look and see if there are any contests at which I can win a new machine.

Author: Jaye

Quiltmaker who enjoys writing and frozen chocolate covered bananas.

15 thoughts on “Sewing Machine Final”

  1. I think sewing machines are getting too sophisticated (too much trouble). My Bernina 440 seem right out sensible compared to my 710. Ann

  2. UGH good luck contest wise, but you never know! No winning if youbdon’t even enter, right? I’m sorry your achine is misbehaving, hope the timeout will serve it’s purpose! And it’s really odd about the needle position. Both my machines reset the neede position every time I turn them on, no matter where it was when I turned them off. Weird! Maybe it’s a Janome thing to remember where you left it. Could be a good thing if you keep woking on the same project and not have to remember to move your needle before you start sewing…

    1. About this time I am really mad at the dealer from which I bought the machine. Right after I bought it, they had some personal issues and went out of business. I think that if I had a longstanding relationship with one dealer, things might be different now. 18 years is a lot to ask, though.

  3. Ugh! I was so excited at the beginning of the post…sorry about the hassles. I do hope you win the lottery or at least a new machine!!

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