fixing a sewing machine

[Rosamunda]

What brand is your machine?

All machines need to be serviced by a professional every few years. They have the tools for doing it properly.

I have an Elna (which I got for my 18th birthday, over 30 years ago) and it still works like new. I have had it serviced in Helsinki at the shop on Hameentie just up from Hakaniemi market hall, (I think it is between the Taj Mahal and the Maharajah ethnic food stores). They did a good job.

There are also a few Singer shops around (eg in Tapiola)

PS it could be a lubrication problem. Do you have some proper machine oil or a spray? If you still have the instruction manual it should tell you how to oil it properly.

[Pursuivant]

theres an excelent sewing machine shop in tikkurila also.

[ajl]

Janome was the original equipment manufactorer of Elna's when my Elna was made.
Nowadays sewing machines are like cars, new ones can't just be taken apart and
fixed by normal people like my mom's '65 Singer machine. Of course Elna does
something extra since my sister's Elna serger does so much more than the
Janome one (and the salesperson trying to sell her a Janome had an Elna at home).

[MissAlice]

Thanks for the info. It is a janome machine, i bought it second hand but it was only six months old. I think that it's not that good a quality machine. I'm thinking I would be better off buying a second hand one that is more reliable, a nice solid metal one. But first I will give oiling it a go.

Sometimes it could be the bobin that is affecting the sewing. You should check it to see if its messy or try to re-thread a new one making sure there is no zig zags in it. If thats not a problem, just re-check the machine one more time before bringing it to the shop. For example- you should put the tension at 3 or 4, after re-thread the machine and bobin, then try with paper (NOT FABRIC)
Paper is think but not as thing and will also show if the feet of the machine is causing the problem, if it does it again then look at the bottom of the paper and you can see little teeth marks. Also try cleaning out the bobin area if there is any dust, threads or etc.

I think this is just a very classic case wear the machine is just being a moody B. I don't think there should be anything wrong with the machine unless there is smoke (that happened once to a classmate of mine) or if its making a stuttering noise.


hope the best to you.

[Rosamunda]

Also try cleaning out the bobin area if there is any dust, threads or etc.

To do this I attach a drinking straw (eg like the ones from McDonalds) to the end of the vacuum cleaner nozzle (the thin nozzle that you use for hoovering down the sides of the sofa???) with lots of sticky tape. You then insert the drinking straw into the bobin case and you can suck out all the dust and fluff that have fallen inside.

[MissAlice]

AHHHHH yesssss lol our teacher told us about that toooo!!!!!!!!!!!