I just bought a singer patchwork sewing machine in November. I was sewing last week with the 1/4 inch foot and all of a sudden it hit the middle bar of that foot, broke the needle and somehow broke the little hook off of the automatic needle threader. I am so disappointed because I was determined I was going to learn how to use the automatic threader and finally had accomplished it. I can still use the machine but I have to thread the machine by hand.