I have three tops pieced, and I was quilting the table runner for my mom for Christmas when my 1 year old machine made a growling noise and just stopped working. It took about 15 minutes for me to pry my 1/3 of the way quilted top out of the machine without ripping or pulling threads.

I called the local machine shop and it'll be up to 3 weeks before they can get my machine in for service!!

I'm just so upset right now - these are all supposed to be Christmas gifts and there's no way I'm a fast enough hand quilter to get two 45x65 tops done!

I took out my old machine, a White, and it keeps having tension issues so I'm horribly frustrated right now and my husband (as good as he is) just doesn't "get" it as to why I'm so upset. It's because I worked for HOURS on the tops and I wanted to give them to my BIL and SIL for Christmas since we haven't seen them in 5 years!

Thanks for letting me vent - I needed to get this off my chest to people who do understand! I'll be popping back on and let you all know if I get the tension issues fixed. :(

Give them anyway, with a card saying you have to take them home to finish, then you will mail to them---I have to do that this year--I have FOUR machines down!

This will get better but it is a sad thing with your sewing machine growls at you.

I am assuming you checked out all the usual things that can cause a machine to freeze up, such as a tiny piece of thread stuck in the bobbin case....

I figured I would mention it just in case.

So sorry this happened. Do you have a friend who sews that maybe you could borrow their machine?

Your machine is only a year old is it out of warrantee already? Because you mentioned sewing repair place, I am assuming you did not get this machine from a dealer. Often a dealer can try and walk you through steps over the phone to try and get her up and running again.

This has a whole lot to do with why I never give quilts as Christmas gifts. Whatever can go wrong will.

The machine repair place was the dealer. It's a Singer Confidence machine and when I called they thought it might be a part that had "popped out of place"

I pulled everything apart that I could, pulled out the bobbin case, cleaned it with the brush, and didn't see any thread. There was some lint, but that wasn't the issue apparently. It's the mechanism that makes the needle go up and down that is just stuck. :(

Thanks for the advice!

Take pictures of the tops - give them an IOU and bake some cookies or make some candy to give to them.

Can you buy a cheap back up machine to finish them off?

I agree. Anyone receiving a whole quilt for a gift is a truly blessed person! Give them a photo to hold onto until you can get them finished. They surely will understand "mechanical difficulties."
If however, you don't want to do this, try getting one of the 'cheapies' that sell for under $100 at Walmart etc, even some Hardware stores have them. It will help you finish, and you'll have a reliable backup machine should a crisis happen again.

Must be the season for sewing machines to act up.
Mine froze up on me this Monday - also looked in all the places I usually look for problems. Off to the repair place - at least two weeks before I'd get it back.

I'll have to see if I can even afford the $100 for a cheapie. I'm going to go to the thrift store today and ask a neighbor if they have a machine I can borrow.

It's so frustrating!

Have you tried asking the dealer if you can borrow a machine while yours is fixed. Dealers usually have used machines setting around . . . would be good customer service if they would agree to a loaner. Best of luck to you!

Have you oiled the machine lately? The only time my machine did this in its nearly 40 years was when I neglected to oil it regularly.

The best idea is to give them a photo and let them know it will be coming as soon as your machine is repaired.

Trust me, they will understand and the gift will be even more appreciated after the hub bub of Chirstmas has died down.

Yep, I had oiled it the day before (Sunday night)

It sounds like horse ownership, lol. The number of machines you need in order to always have one working is (n + 1), where n is your current number ;-)

Anyway to try and fix the tension issues on the other machine ?

Even though it seems it is locking up on the mechanicals the problem can still be in the bobbin area. I am fixing a machine that the bobbin area froze up from old grease and nothing on the machine would move. You would be surprised what can happen with a stray thread.

Try rethreading the machine- a new wound bobbin - new needle and clean the bobbin are

I agree with okiepastor.....give them anyway but explain your dilemma with your machine and let them know that you will send the finished quilts as soon as you can. That way they will have something to open for Christmas. I am sure they will be so anxious to get the finished quilts once your machine is up and running again. Good luck........take a deep breath.

Oh that is so true, especially about the horse thing! You always need one more than you have!!!!

If I knew where you lived, I might be able to lend you one of mine to get you going again( if you are close) .

Are you able to go sew at your local quilt shop or at the dealer's? Can you rent a machine from the dealer?

Jan in VA

I'm in NJ - thank you for the offer though. :)

I called 2 local (relatively speaking - one's 45 minutes away) places and they're booked up till the 23rd, and closed on the 24th - 27th.

I'm just frustrated! I'm going to play with the tension on the White - I can get about 2 inches quilted at a time.

There's always a "Belated Christmas" They'll get the top wrapped with the promise of a quilt in the new year if I can't figure out how to make something happen!

Thanks for all your advice and well wishes!

One of our LQS has several machines that one can come and use at no charge, you should check and see if one of your lqs does the same.

I agree- the top itself, if you see them in person, or a pic if you don't, and an explanation- who wouldn't mind waiting for such a wonderful gift?

Yep, my husbands brother and (soon to be wife) are coming here to the US from England for 2 weeks. So they'll at least get to see the tops.

Why do you not ask around for a loaner, I am sure your LQS will know of someone or they may have one you can use. I have that opportunity where I live and you will never know till you ask.

Yep that's what mine did, just stopped. Took it in (it was actually about 9 month's old). Good luck, is there a machine from a friend or perhaps the dealer has a loaner? (I know that would be a long shot) I have several so I know what it can do to your time schedule, when mine went down, even though I had several others to use, I couldn't do it.

This is a long shot, but I live in Abilene, TX and have a back up machine that I'd let you borrow.

Since this board is all over the world it's a long shot, but an earnest one.

Where do you live. If you are near me I will gladly let you come over and use my machine. My location is So. Calif.

Thanks so much everyone, I'm in NJ, center of the state.

Eh.... Abilene, TX is WAY to far for me to drive the machine over. LOL. Although I wish I could and visit with my sons and grandkids in northwest NJ.

Jennifer,

Wish you lived near me. I know of a great sewing machine repair person [fully certified and has taught sewing machine repair] in my area with only a day turn around. I call and make the appointment; take my machine to her and wait, read a book, or go out for coffee while she repairs my machines.

Maybe someone in your area knows of some similar service.

ali

Put the top, batting and backing in a box and giftwrap it... On the card write "Some Assembly Required"

Maybe that will add a laugh to the situation

Sorcha

Yes, give them the quilt anyway, adding not just a note, but a spool of thread, pack of needles, etc. - things that represent a work in progress. Then take it back to finish it. My mom did this once with a knitted blanket, wrapping it along with the knitting needles and the rest of the ball of yarn. At the shower, it was a funny thing! It's the thought that counts!

That's what we are here for. So sorry this happened to u. This is why I keep spare machines. When u get this repaired0 or repair it. Start looking around for a used second machine. Good luck I hope it all works out

Do you have a quilting friend you could share machine with?

My sister in law bought a Singer that did a similar thing. I'm not sure which model. She said she could see that a component above the needle had visibly bent. Her machine was also quite new, and she never brought it back to Walmart (may be why it broke-haha) to complain. Even with a $100 machine, I would be "fussing" if it happened to me.

Have you tried craigslist.com or freecycle.com local to you for an affordable used sewing machine to get you thru these projects? A cheaper way to get a backup machine.....and get your gift projects done in time for giving.

So sorry! :(

Some other ideas:

Look on CraigsList for an inexpensive gently-used machine. I've even seen free ones listed from time to time.

You could put an ad up explaining what happened, and see if anyone has one you could borrow or "rent" for a few days.

I'm in Georgia or I'd be glad to let you borrow one of mine! DH thinks I'm nuts having several machines, but this is why I do.

LOL! We were typing at the same time. :)