I have a machine just like it. However mine has issues. It looked perfect when I purchased it, but I never tried it out. My FW sews but it's like the feed dogs are too high up, and grabs the fabric but doesn't feed it through. Also my foot petal is hard to use. You have to just floor it, to get the motor to start turning. Could that be the motor needs cleaning, oiling, or attention? Maybe Joe could shine some light on my problem.
I'm sure happy for you. Your daughter will love this little machine, what ever her age may be. Congradulations on your suberb find.
Good Luck, Claudia
Claudia,
When I first get hold of a new to me machine I turn it by hand to see if it functions. If it does I may plug it in and test sew with it .... ~or~ I may break out the oil and grease. Yours sounds like it needs oil and motor lube.
I've been told that the feed dogs should not sit higher than the thickness of a dime, U.S. or 5 p coin , UK. I bet they don't. It sounds to me like they are sticking and not moving back and forth and up and down.
Have you cleaned bobbin area and under the needle plate?
Clean it, oil it, lube the motor with Singer lube in the tube only, then try it.
Does this machine have the Singer foot controller with the little button beside the hump? They are adjustable inside. I've worked with a couple of them and sometimes they respond nicely, other times they don't. They are just a carbon pile type controller and can get really dirty inside. The contacts can become burnt and corroded too.
So clean, clean, clean, lube and oil is the first thing to do.
Joe