Well, I went to the dealer and bought a new bobbin case ($50) and the technician told me that based on the described symptoms, the timing is off and I need to bring it in for service ($90 min).
So just for grins I asked the sales lady to show me "something like I have."
You see where this is going - don't ya?
I checked out the Pfaff 2058 which has everything my current machine has and then some. Its decorative stitches are much cleaner than my current.
AND AND AND you can set it up to where its foot lifts when you stop the sewing - I MEAN THE LITTLE FOOT JUST LIFTS UP!!! When you start sewing again, the foot goes back down.
She quoted me $1699 and after I left the store, she came running out to the parking lot and said they would give me $400 for my machine in trade-in. $1,299 for a machine that lifts its foot. aaaaarggghhh what to do, what to do?