Thanks to everyone for all the good wishes and thoughts for my ailing Bernina. It's so good to have friends who really care in times of trouble.
I'm happy to report that my baby is now home. In fact, she's rather feisty since her return. She has a smile I haven't seen for a while and it makes me happy to hear her "run."
The bad news is; I've subsequently been named "worst mother of the year." It seems she was suffering from
"malnutrition" and "lint balls."
She was given a transfusion of lubricant and had some minor surgery to remove impacted fuzzies. :oops:

I've been placed on probation until I can demonstrate
proper care for my beloved, and I must read a chapter from the Bernina Owner's Manual everyday for a week.
I may be subjected to unannounced home visits for random inspections of my baby's care. Whew!
*****
Now in a serious vein: My poor Bernina merely needed cleaning and oil. I had not taken her for a tune up for two years. My lint removal evidently was not suffricient.
A most interesting fact is that I had sewn 4,475,487 stitches since her last tune up. I guess Bernina's really do last forever!

You had better take care of that baby:):):):)

please take care of your sewing machine

Bad, bad mommy. :)

mine just hit 2 million. I guess I should take it in. I do clean it and oil after every project...

Lint can really hide and build up, I think it reproduces so much lint comes out when I clean, hate to think what is going to be said when I take mine in for it's "spa" treatment. glad she is happy again for you.

Glad she is up and running!

Everybody deserves a second chance.....now make the best of it!!!LOL Seriously, I'm glad she's home safe and doing well.

4.5 million stitches?!? What are you doing over there? Good for you! Take your slap on the wrist and your baby will forgive you and you can shoot for 10 million stitches. Glad she's home!

glad she is working!

This may seem like a dumb question, but is there a counter somewhere on all Bernina's or just select ones? I have a Bernina and know nothing of a counter. Help!!!

I put 3 million stitches on my Bernina in 8 months.

I agree. We won't call BPS this time lol :thumbup:
Happy sewing again!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

I'm glad to hear she is back home and doing better now :)

As a Bernina owner, I too would like to know if there is a counter on them somewhere and if so where? I have had my 930 over 30 years so I imagine there is a stitch or two on it. :mrgreen:

Good thing she is feeling better. I was at my sewing repair shop and a lady had brought hers in and they said that she never cleaned under her plate it was so bad that it would have cost more to repair it than to purchase a new machine. So I rushed home and removed my plate and found some lint thankfully but man that made me really take more care of my machine. It is so easy to forget under the plate. Good think she is better!!!

There is a counter, but hidden inside. I don't know if all Berninas have it, but I suspect they all do. My repairman had to open the case to see it.

I have foster care experience, just in case you lose custody.

That's a lot of stitches! I have not taken mine in for about 2 years-but I know I haven't had near that many stitches-but need to add tht to my list of things to do.

Take care of your baby!

I'm an X-sewing machine tech. The easiest way to self clean your machines at home is the following:
Take a piece of cardboard light weight (not card stock) cut a circle and mark an X in the middle. Be sure the circle is larger than the vacuum hose. Tape straw to circle. Leave one piece of straw storter on one side. Make sure the circle is larger than the vacuum hose by about 1/2 an inch.

When you vacuum - remove the throat plate from your machine - stick one end of the cardboard w/straw in the vacuum hose. The vacuum will hold the circle in place. Now stick the other straw end inside the throat plate and move it around to get the lint out. This will remove the lint and many times will help stop empacted lint from forming.

If you can find some oil called "Tri Flow" get it. This oil is for small working parts (not plastic) that get used a lot, like sewing machines. It is not and will not get gummy and is the only oil most machine repair people use. It comes with a little plastic hose to insert in the top when cap is removed. Shake well before you use it and oil every thing that is a metal parts that moves, oil it. Most sewing machine repair people will not tell you about this product, it's a well kept secret.

For the lady that was threading her needle with presser foot down - The reason you thread a needle up is to not reset your tension disk. When you thread your needle down, you pull the thread and that throws the tension disk out of alignment.

I hope this helps.

Phaedra

Glad she is home, be good to her!

Thanks for the info phaedra! I'll try that vacuum trick today! Last time I took mine in, it was so linty/hairy, the poor machine looked like a kitten and I DO clean it!!! I use a long soft bristled paint brush to brush the lint out and towards the front of the machine.

Thanks for the info on cleaning and oiling Phaedra...I have a Jonome6600 but I guess this could be use on it as well. Thanks again

We should all learn from your ailing Bernina. I don't want to be on the no sew most wanted list

Phaedra,
Thanks for the info , very much appreciated.

Glad to hear your baby is better. Don't worry, I think you can reclaim your "good mom" status as it sounds as if you have remediated and learned from your harsh care.LOL
Now, I know this may sound strange....How do you know how many stitches you have on your machine? Is there a counter somewhere? (Please don't laugh, I really do not know).

REmember to clean, cleane clean. Every morining before I sew I clean the bobbin out.

Take care or next time they may hold it longer. hehe

I bought a set of mini vacum attachments for my vacum cleaner and use it to clean my sewing machine. It was sold to clean computers and other electronics but is great for my sewing machine. I've had the attachments for years but see they are now sold in Clothildes and other sewing catalogs.

OMG I am so glad she is ok! Guess I will find how many stitches mine has sewn this weekend! I'm looking to trade up & I know that is what they look at! I have an old Bernina 170qpe that is my stand by machine. I don't know what I'd do with out my 'ninas

Love your descriptions! Wow, that is a LOT of stitches.

How do you count stitches?????

shequilts-are you a writer? you have such an entertaining way with words! I'm glad you are back in the sewing mode again.

I've started using canned air to clean out my machine. It is awesome. It is marketed for cleaning computer keyboards but another sewer suggested it for the sewing machine. I got several cans of it for Christmas, so should be set for a lot of sewing dust and lint.

Do you have a blog? If not, you should have one. Great writing style.

Please, Please, Please whatever you do - do not use Canned Air. It is has moisture in the can. When you use it, the moisture blows the lint into the front of the machine making the lint clog. Repair shops love it when you use it - they can charge you more for your cleaning. Some of them will even tell you to use it. It can make the electronics get clogged up and you will either end up buying a new mother board or screen or inside motes or switches. These components are very costly for you and makes more money for the repair shops due to the mark up on these items.

Phaedra

I used canned air on my keyboard - MY BAD. I now have fuzzies down in my keyboard - it's like a covering of grease holding onto the dirt. DON'T USE IT. Ask me howo I know!!!!

I just knew that she just had a slight cough! You might want to check the type of thread you are using. Some thread has a lot of lint!

Love it!