Need some advice as I am sewing (!) on my Phoenix 429
 

Hi Group,

Alas, not just tinkering, but sewing as well! :)

First of all, if any of you remember Ziggy (my Anker Phoenix 429) from previous posts; I gave him a nose job! Removed that scary-looking Roman-nose-like lamp. I think he is so much more handsome now...

Now, my questions has to do with presser foot tension and a magical gidget (cross between gadget and widget) on the back of him. Following are some photos. Essentially, when this gidget is engaged, it appears that it allows the presser foot to go down, but not quite all the way, and still engages the tension. I thought this would be great for sewing thicker fabrics, for example. However, when I tried this (sewing thick felt), what happened instead was that it would not stitch! In zig zag, only one side of the stitches hooked in with the bobbin thread. Things did not go well in straight stitch either. So I am thinking the perhaps this was not designed for this use at all; I think it may have more to do with free motion. (That is what the manual seems to say it is for, I think. But you know, German language and all...)

So, I really hope someone can help me determine just what I am meant to use this gadget for. Following are some photos:

Firstly, a photo of the presser foot in natural down position. Spring is not engaged:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]441843[/ATTACH]

Now, a photo of the presser foot in natural up position. Spring is not engaged:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]441844[/ATTACH]

In neither photo above, had I moved the thick spring. In the next photo, I have engaged the spring (nudging it to the left, under the presser foot lever, and then lowered the presser foot lever. You can see how the presser foot then drops, but leaves 1/4 inch or so of space between the foot and the feed dogs.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]441845[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]441846[/ATTACH]

So, that's it. I really appreciate any advice. I have not seen this sort of thing before. I am a card-carrying novice at sewing, also, so even if your answer seems obvious to you, it may not be apparent to me!

I should add that the hole in the presser foot, while it may look in the photo as though it is meant to receive the spring, is actually a threaded hole; therefore, stuffing a non-threaded spring in there would wreck it. Any ideas what the threaded hole may be meant to receive?

Amelia and Miriam both have/have had a similar machine, and I am dearly hoping they might chime in :-)

Oh, and finally, here he is, Ziggy, with his nose job. Handsome fella, eh?

[ATTACH=CONFIG]441847[/ATTACH]

Apologies that at the end of the post there appear two duplicate photos. I tried to remove them and could not. If you are seeing photos after Ziggy's full head shot photo, then ignore them. Sorry!

I think I remember that the last question you had about this machine was regarding the needles. You had a couple of different lengths and one wasn't working. Is the machine stitching normally when you don't engage this spring? About the "nose" -- I thought the lamp was under there?

The Phoenix had a little darning foot that worked with that thing. Check out the manual. I LOVED that darning foot. It was very cool.

Beautiful machine...Not sure about the needles. I had problems with a Standard machine I bought. My repairman said it needed a specific needle. I have not found a needle that works yet but I haven't given up.

Very hansdome indeed! Wish I could help Cecilia but neither of my Phoenix machines have anything like that gidget on them. Have never noticed anything on any of my others either! Miriam has seen a lot of machines so may know the answer. I know that these machines are supposed to be very good with heavy fabrics/thicknesses so your theory is sound, however if there's any play in the foot when you have it lowered then it should be able to cope with that stuff without its own special setting (correct me if this is utter b/s I'm talking here) :D

Sheluma, the machine is fussy - it stitches AMAZINGLY, beautiful stitches, through leather or wool or cotton or pop cans. (kidding there). However, it is fussy; sometimes is jams for no apparent reason and then I just have to wait a few days, say a prayer to the third raindrop under the full moon, wave a chocolate bar, and suddenly Ziggy stitches again. Hmmmph.

Yes, the lamp was under the nose. But the nose scared me; he looked like a monster, really he did. :-(

It was different - not the same darning feature. I got a chance to see my machine again. The lady that brought it back because she couldn't remember how something went.