Danmar,
Thank you sooooo much for starting this thread and posting pictures of your progression along the way. I find it fascinating and may just put a Bargello on my to-do list some day. However, I am thinking I want a pattern! :lol:
So sorry about your sewing machine. Can you take the throat plate off and get down in there too take a look? Sounds like you may have a big old wad of lint wedged in there somehwere or a nasty ol' thread nest. Get that throat plate off, take your bobbin case out get a good strong light and poke around a bit.