About that stuck needle position wheel -- not unusual. Great youtube video on how to unstuck it. (DH has said it looked like hardened or at least pretty stiffened grease was blocking its movement. He was correct, I see. He never looked under the hood of a sewing machine before but knew right away what it was...and only one pin drop of soft grease showed anywhere. Can't wait to show him he was correct; who doesn't like to hear when they are right, eh?)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqrbimZyP1U