Grandma sews

My Singer Fashionmate 7256 will not zig zag. The needle and needle bar go back and forth as if it is sewing a zig zag, but it doesn't pick up the thread on the left action. It sews a beautiful straight stitch on the zig zag position and skips some stitches on the straight stitch setting. Can anyone help me? Thanks so much.

leonf

I don't know that model at all. initial steps would include checked for porper threading, looking at both tensions, New needle, oiling the needlebar area and bobbin area.

Bkay, can you help here?

Grandma sews

Thanks, leonf, I tried all that. It's very puzzling. Would it be in the timing even though I do have a good straight stitch? I'm afraid to mess with timing. Thanks for your response.

bkay

Sorry, Grandma, it's too recent for me to have any idea of what's wrong. It's an electronic machine, not mechanical. I'd take it to the shop.

bkay

Farmhousesewer

Sounds to me like it might need timing. I know when I fixed my elna, kept having to reset zz and then hook timing to make sure all 3 locations picked up the thread.