My Sewing Machine is Broke

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10-22-2011, 12:57 PM

#21

JJean

Super Member

Join Date: Aug 2009

Location: Washington State

Posts: 2,587

I'm sorry that you're without a machine. Maybe you can try embroidery or some kind of hand work? Also sort your fabric? Also lots of cool website to check:

What quilt bloggers are blogging today. It changes daily:

http://quilterblogs.com/updates/

10-22-2011, 04:06 PM

#22

MacThayer

Super Member

Thread Starter

Join Date: Jul 2011

Location: Nevada

Posts: 1,103

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shelbie

I agree with Emmah. Pick up a vintage machine at a thrift store, estate sale, Kijiji or Craig's List as your back up machine. My Singer 201 is a powerhouse and was free to a good home. My Featherweight was at a garage sale for $45 and my newest Husqvarna #1+ bought on Kijiji (orginally sold for $3600) was $200. All of these machines stitch better than my Janome 6500 which I have had a love/hate relationship with and cost me $2000 Canadian. I'm sure that they made my Janome at 10 to 5 on a Friday before the long weekend. It has had its problems but I now have it's issues straightened out. The biggest one was finding out (not in the manuel) that there is an oil wick under the bobbin case that may dry out and make a huge racket and cause the bobbin case to rattle and growl and jump out of place. I had to find out about that one on the Janome 6500/6600 forum on line because my dealer kept telling me that it was "operator error" that was causing all of my bobbin case troubles. I'd advise you to join that forum and read up about your Janome 6500. I hope you get a wonderful machine.

Thanks for the advice on the oil and the forum. I will look up the forum. And I have already decided that while I'm running around these estate sales and garage sales, I'm going to be looking for a vintage sewing machine, preferably Singer, but one never knows what one will find! Anything to keep me stitching along in case one or the other is in the shop is what I'm looking for. Can't afford it now -- have to get that Janome sorted first. But now that I know what it's like to be without . . . Well! I just won't let it happen again!

Thanks again!

10-24-2011, 06:43 AM

#23

Morag

Senior Member

Join Date: Aug 2011

Posts: 727

Sorry you had problems with your 6500P, not a good experience at all!!! I have noticed that the owners manual does not addess oiling or any real upkeep...
I have to say my 6500 has worked as well as my vintage machinesand I'm glad for that since the 6500 cost a whole lot of money compared to my vintage machines !!

10-24-2011, 08:51 AM

#24

MacThayer

Super Member

Thread Starter

Join Date: Jul 2011

Location: Nevada

Posts: 1,103

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morag

Oh, No! I had problems with a cheap Brother machine! I'm replacing it with a brand new Janome 6500P, which I haven't received yet (have to finish paying for it first!). I've heard that the Janome is a terrific, reliable machine, and am looking forward to using it. I spent over two hours sewing on it and similar models in a show room, and I was sold. Awesome machine! I do realize it has to be serviced, depending on usage, about once a year. I've been told (by a repair man) that it can take a year of heavy use, which it will likely get from me, without needing service. Service just means they clean it, check it over, and clean out and replace the oil and oil wick. If it keeps me humming along, sounds like a fair deal to me!

The bottom line is, if you buy a cheap machine, you can't expect it to perform like a high grade model. And that's what happened. The Brother would piece nicely, but when I started quilting, it overloaded and overheated the motor, and it was never right after that. Kept needing service, and the "fixes" were always temporary.