Thanks to all of you for your help. I have her sewing now and very happy with the stitches. The needle had been put in wrong and it was being threaded from right to left but needed to be threaded left to right. I think she hasn't been used very much. The electrical chords had to be replaced for they were very brittle. The simplicity of these machines is really amazing and can see why one like this will last a very very long time if properly cared for.