Jennifer

So I was in the middle of a quilted bag project (It's the one the GetaGamma offered to us on her blog) and my machine just kaputed out. I was at the part where you stipple the to halves. Got one done and the other is still waiting. It's a Singer Precision 7444 that my husband bought me just to get me started. He picked it out because I had no clue what I was looking for. He probably just seen that it was a sewing machine and paid for it. :?: Another dilema I face is that I'm stationed in Germany(for 10 more months) and the closest repair shop is an hour an a half away..--but my machine has an American plug not European. I'll put is back in the box and get it repair when I return to the states I guess. The machine turns on and all. It just won't sewing when you push the peddle. :cry: I tried to take it apart to see if it was a belt or something noticable in there, but couldn't pry the covering off. Ooh Gees, I have to buy another one, but should I stick with Singer or go for another brand? I have only known my Grams to own a sewing machine and it is a Singer. Picking a new sewing machine is harder that buying a car. Any suggestions?
Which ever I choose, hopefully the company ships to APO.

Yvonne

When my daughter and her husband were stationed in Germany she bought me a Pfaff sewing machine. She got a very good price and carried it home on one of her trips. I learned to sew on Singer machines and that was what I was using at the time. I still like that old singer but don't ask me to give up my pfaff! It is a wonderful machine. Check around and see what kind of a deal you can get. I can't remember where the kids were stationed but it was close to the pfaff plant.

BellaBoo

Sounds like the clutch thingy on the wheel that disengages when you wind a bobbin. Mine did the same thing. I took the top off and at the wheel end I found where the wheel wasn't clicking back in place. Don't take the wheel off, it is set to mesh and you'll have a mess. I hope this helps.

omak

That is exactly what I was thinking. I almost ruined the gears on one machine because I was gonna make that needle MOVE .... it happened that I looked up in time to see that the bobbin spindle was moved over to load a bobbin - - which is when I remembered that on that particular machine, the hard case cover moved the bobbin spindle every time you put the cover on. With some machines, you have to loosen the "middle" of the flywheel ... perhaps it got loosened and didn't get tightened back up. I have had one machine that had a part of the middle of that fly wheel that had to pushed in to engage the bobbin winder/disengage the needle - - sometimes, our best little helpers poke things, and golly gee! Things move! <g> ... whatever you do ... keep the machine and get it repaired ... my SIL was going to throw a machine away ... took it to the repairman ... and I have one of the finest drop in bobbin Kenmores they ever built ... and, it almost hit the dump!
I don't know about your specific model, but I wouldn't think badly about singer until I knew for sure what is wrong ... singer has been doing this a long time and has a good reputation.

PrettyKitty

May be a problem with the electricity it is getting, if it is a US machine it is designed to operate on 120v, but the househoild current in Germany is 220v.

I had the same problem whenI bought back a nice hi-fi I had bought in the US. I got a transformer for it, but it still gave up the ghost after a few months.

Also when I worked on cruise ships my electrical items used to die quickly due to the fluctuating power. You could never have a mains powered alarm clock as the time would be too fast or too slow from the fluctuating power!

patricej

hmmmmm ... this sounds to me like an "opportunity". i'd go in search of a used machine purchased on the economy. then sell it before you leave for the states, or donate it to Youth Services.

who knows? your search might lead you to other quilters in the area - or provide a chance to introduce quilting to some newbies. :-)

reneebobby

I would talk to a pfaff dealer there and see if they can give you a deul connection (might be special order) all they have to do is put in a different fuse.

Jennifer

The Pfaff company is in Kaiserslautern, Germany and they have a big base there. Lucky for me it's only an hour away depending on how fast you drive. I'll see about making a trip there.

tlrnhi

Would the BX there have any machines?
It's been over 20 yrs since I was in K-town. I remember it having some nice shopping areas, but wasn't into sewing at the time.

Jennifer

Oh, I'm definitely going to keep the machine. I've only had it a year. It'll just wait until I get back to the states and I'll take it to a repair shop. Everything seems fine with it until you go to sew and then nothing happens and you get the audible three or four beeps. I wish the manual had a bigger troubleshooting section and for the casing to come off a little easier. Bit she'll be set aside and I'll get another one.