Jennifer23

When mine did that, it was because the camstack was cracked. Try turning the handwheel - can you turn it backwards? If you can, it's probably the camstack... turn it back far enough with the top cover off, and you will be able to see the crack.

slowquilts

It's the Best machine EVER!!! It sounds like the little black rectangular button up where you put the bobbin when winding it needs to be pulled toward you. If, for some reason that doesn't work, definitely a service. But, the machine won't run if that button is pushed in toward where the bobbin rests while winding. LOVE THIS MACHINE. I Want ANOTHER, just in case this one ever dies. My mom got it when I was a girl and almost traded it in. The man wouldn't let her telling her it was too good of a machine, they don't make them like that anymore. I tried a Viking Quilt 750. It sits in its case. I need to sell it. I love the Pfaff too much. Good luck, hope it's just that button.

AllThingsCollectible

Thanks so much for all of your help I finally got it working. There was a small screw on the wheel that I loosened a bit, watched a video on how to oil it properly so I did that, took the bottom cover off & thankfully the gear wasn't broken, nor was the crank. The needle & whole needle assembly is moving freely now. I'm trying to sew just a straight stitch and I'm having trouble with the bobbin thread. It keeps making a ball, I'm wondering if it's the tension? I have the original little manuel that came with it but it's limited info esp for troubleshooting. I'm going to check the pfaff website & see if they have one & if it has more info. Another great piece of info I've learned from this group And yes, I would love to have it serviced but it's just not an option for me right now so I've got to figure it out myself or return the machine to the woman I purchased it from. I'm hoping I can get it working because I really like the machine. Thanks again for all of your help.

AllThingsCollectible

Great to know! Thank you.

AllThingsCollectible

Thank you. I have the original Instruction booklet that came with it (68 pages) I'm wondering if there's a way to get the actual repair manual as the info is limited in the booklet.

Cari-in-Oly

You say you're new to sewing. Are you holding onto the thread tails when you begin to sew? If not, that can cause the thread to ball up like you describe. Hold the thread tails under and behind the presser foot for the first few stitches.

Cari

OurWorkbench

Welcome to the board.

It is good that you have the original manual. I have found some the scanned manuals for Pfaff and others are not the greatest. As Steihy said in post http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...ml#post7435168

"... quote from 120 yo White VS lll manual:
Any unskilled person attempting to adjust or repair any machine will often do greater injury than years of ordinary wear could produce."

I found that sometimes it helps just to unthread everything and start over according to instructions will sometimes self correct problems. Make sure it is threaded correctly, the bobbin is unwinding in the correct direction and has gone under the spring as indicated as "C" in the bottom of this image.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]540287[/ATTACH]
This is from a different manual and appears that the instructions for the 1222 have you hold bobbin case held in other hand but this is for a machine that uses the same bobbin case.
Pull both threads to the back and as Cari said hold on to them after lowering the presser foot and beginning to sew.

It is commonly held that for the most part (particularly when new to sewing) that when one should need to change the tension that it should be done in small increments and generally only the top thread tension. I have found this to be true.

Good luck in your adventures with this machine. It looks like it has many neat features.


Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.

AllThingsCollectible

Thanks Cari, yes I hold them at the beginning.

AllThingsCollectible

That diagram helped tremendously! Thank you! I had the thread facing down not up. I'm going to have to screenshot a copy of that picture I also held the threads for longer while I started sewing. Thanks so much everyone for all of your help! Now I can actually learn to sew