Pfaff 1222 Q
 

Hi all :)
New to sewing & just bought a used Pfaff 1222. Was hoping to have some help with an issue I'm having with it. Got it all threaded & started to sewing but the needle won't move up & down. You can hear the motor but no sewing happening. I tried to turn the wheel but it won't budge. I'm hoping I'm just missing an obvious step, any thoughts on what I could try? Thanks so much.

Sounds like it needs to be serviced

Not familiar with a Pfaff 1222Q, but could you have a thread jam in the bobbin area?
Welcome to the board!

Welcome to the board. I would take it in for basic servicing. Sewing machine are just like cars, they need to be oiled and cleaned usually on a yearly basis depending on the use of your machine.

I'm not familiar with this machine...if it's a modern enough machine it may have plastic gears which have stripped. You might have a belt broken or missing...could be a lot of different things! Some major, some minor.

You say when you turn the wheel it won't budge - is it the needle that won't budge or is it the wheel that won't budge? If the wheel moves but the needle doesn't, it might be as simple as it's disengaged to wind a bobbin - have you tried tightening the clutch? (Or free motion knob...it's called different things)

Do you have the manual? Does it have any troubleshooting tips?

If you're brave you can open the machine up yourself and have a look around inside and see what you can find, but if you've never worked on a machine before and you'd be upset if you ruined this one, I'd say take it to an expert. Some things are tricky to put back on if you don't know what you're doing, so use caution!

Sounds like the wheel is engaged to wind a bobbin - google for a manual to check how to operate it.
It will need cleaning and oiling but unless the camstack is cracked you have yourself a GREAT machine. I own three! Love that machine!

I would take it to a Pfaff dealer for a service, even if you get it working. I have had one for 46 years and it still runs like a dream. Best machine of all I have. If you don't have a book go on ebay and get one after you get it working. This machine does amazing things and you need to know how to combine buttons for different functions and stitches. Good Luck anf good sewing. It will do around 60 different dectorative combinations.

That is my favorite work horse of all time! they are a wonderful machine. So first question for you is the bobbin winder engaged? The bobbin sets on a magnet and you flip a switch over to run it. Also this machine will not sew if the presser foot is raised, one of the features I loved with small children.

Do you have the book for this machine? I have one and will try to locate to help you trouble shoot your problems.

I have one in my "bone yard" with a broken gear. Check that before you pay for a service. Sometimes there's thread wrapped around the handwheel or motor pulley. Sometimes it's just the old oil that has gummed things up.

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.

1222 is the BEST
 

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.

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.

Great to know! Thank you.

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.

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

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.

Thanks Cari, yes I hold them at the beginning.

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 :)