needle bar bit the dust?
 

Help! I am so sad that my Janome treadle machine (yes, i bought one because I have a lead foot on the electric pedal) stopped working recently. I was finishing the binding on a quilt for one of my sons and the size 18 needle would keep hitting the bottom of the bobbin case when it went down. I changed the needle, cleaned everything out of the bobbin case, and for the life of me could not figure out what is going on. I pulled out my cheap simple Singer machine and finished the quilt. (quilt pic included for fun)

started doing some troubleshooting, and the bobbin thread on the bottom is not picked up thru the top when the needle goes down. changed the needle back to a size 14. Still nothing. searched some youtubes about adjusting the needle bar so that the hook on the bobbin case is slightly above the needle eye, so that the thread will get picked up. However, doing that, the needle is way too far down and gets stuck on the bobbin case when it goes down.

I noticed that the needle doesn't go all the way up in the needle bar. It's possible that something is wrong with the needle bar and the needle won't insert all the way. i have tried singer and schmetz needles with the flat side in the correct place and there is about a 1/8" space at the top, which would take care of the needle being too far down if the needle were to slide up and fill that space.

What do I do? Thank you!!

oh look, lol.. It has a 10yr manufacturer's warranty for parts and I purchased it in 2013. Sigh.

Unplugg your machine and turn it on it's side, If you have a hand-held mirror you will be able to see up into the needlebar. Lint or dust built up? Try to clean it out with a needle or something else that is small. Now try inserting another machine needle. Did it make a difference? Mom use to do this sometimes.

I love your quilt! Is it a pattern that you purchased? If so, what and where?
avgquiltr

Ok first of all, let me admit I know NOTHING about your machine. However, I did have a different Janome that only took round needles. Maybe double-check, make sure the needle fits properly and is seated all the way in?

I never knew Janome had a treadle machine out there.

If the needle doesn't insert all the way, I wonder if your last needle broke high up on the shaft and is still in there. I actually had that happen to me on my longarm. I had no idea the needle shaft (the end opposite of the eye) was broken until I went to do a routine replacement of the needle and the new one wouldn't go in all the way. The broken shaft from the old needle was still up in there. I am fortunate that there is a small slit in the side of my needle bar where the needle inserts. I was able to slide a pin in to get the rest of the needle's shaft out.
Since it happened to me I have found out it has happened to others as well, so not entirely uncommon.

That's interesting, Feline Fanatic. I've had a machine with needle bar problems but they resulted in the needle going too far in. It makes sense that if there was a needle shaft broken off in there that the new needle wouldn't go all the way in. It seems like it would be worth looking into.