nanna-up-north

WoW!! I'm learning so much about this new/old Elna. I learned to sew on my grandmother's White treadle but mom decided we needed a 'good' sewing machine and she bought an Elna back in the 1950s. This one isn't as old but when my 93 year old mother wanted a machine to shorten her things, I took this Elna over to her. She's decided that she can't use it and had me bring it back home. So, I'm going to use it along with my other machines.

And thank you so much, mamaborne... I sent you a PM.

irishrose

Jean, The Elna 62C will thread like most other machines except the needle is threaded from front to back. When you install a new needle, it's flat side to the back. The machine will sew through anything you can force under the presser foot. Because it is a precision made machine, it has very low tolerances and must be kept free of lint - think of a Swiss watch. You must hold both threads when you begin to sew unless you are a fan of thread jams - my children hated that about Miss Elna. You don't need any cams in the machine to ZZ do any of the stitches on the dial under the door on the top. Cams are sewn with the dials on auto.

Word to the wise - sew carefully as the stitch is so well balanced it's a bear to take out. The paint is worn off mine, too, from sewing everything from men's leather belts to beaded and reembroidered wedding dresses. I liked the duck cam for hemming flannel receiving blankets. I do not use mine for quilting. I don't think I have the single hole plate and it tends to eat the start of seams on lighter fabric - it is especially partial to HSTs. Because there is no adjustment for the pressure of the presser foot, it's FMQ skills are suspect. Don't look for an adjustment - it's automatic and works well in most instances. Ah, well, that's what 301s are for. Miss Elna was purchased new in 1973 and has made anything that can be made on a machine and a few more things. She's still going strong. If you have the blue carrying case, it folds into a table around the free arm. I've never used mine because I purchased a heavy table with mine that flips up for free arm work. Miss E has a beautiful satin stitch for applique and the blind hem stitch makes a decent fake blanket stitch. Those are built in.

Enjoy your new lady and if you don't want it, you can drop it off here when you go north. My friend lost that cam gear in hers and misses that machine everyday. I'd love to find a 62C for her without giving up mine.

mamaborne

Pat, have you tried looking on the Elna site for dealers or service centers in your area? Mine got kicked back from a local sewing machine shop who tried to tell me the power outlet was cracked on the inside (bunch a hooey, and I knew it even though I'm really not that experienced of a sewer). I took it to an official Elna service center and it was nothing but a fuse. They replaced the fuse, oiled 'er up and I can't wait to get back to sewing this weekend. An official service center should be able to get your machine going again. Good luck!

mjhaess

You can buy one on line....I have bought several on line....

MaterialPerspective

I found my copy for free at: http://www.manualslib.com/manual/378...?page=4#manual

You do not...repeat...do NOT need to download the "DOC to PDF" advertisement. Simply click "Download" below the "Search" window. I saved mine to my desktop and then printed a copy.