Customer service and sewing machine irritation-wwyd

[Harriet Vane]

Just over a year ago I paid over $100 to have my really old Singer tuned up. The machine was bought in the late 80s. It's a simple machine that has worked well for me, and because it's a simple model I thought it would work well for teaching dd to sew.

 

Since that tune-up we have only done a handful of really small projects using the machine.

 

The last time I tried to use the machine I noticed that it is skipping stitches. On the bobbin side of the fabric it looks like the bobbin is not catching the thread, resulting in really big, missed stitches and what looks like tension problems (bubbling, not laying smoothly). My attempts at zigzag stitching look like this: ^^^^__^^_^^^_^_^_^^^^_____^^___^^_^^_^^_

 

I brought a sample of the stitch problems and my machine back to the same shop. The first clerk seemed knowledgeable about sewing and in looking at the machine suggested it might be a simple tension issue and recommended that I speak directly to the repairman at their other location down the street. I drove down and asked for a repairman and was told he was not in, but encouraged to show the machine. I brought it out, showed the sewing sample, described the problem. The clerk there seemed really sympathetic.

 

As I was talking to her another clerk or worker (I think this third person was more senior) came over. She glanced briefly at the machine and immediately told me I needed a tuneup. I said that I had had it tuned up just over a year ago and had not used it for more than just a handful of projects. She proceeded to say, "Seriously, for these older machines, they just do. not. function. without that yearly tune-up or even more often than that."

 

I looked at her like she was from another planet. The machine had been wonderfully reliable for close to two decades, plus she had not even looked at the machine or the problem. I said, "Well, I was hoping someone could take a look at the problem and try to figure out what's going on." She became very insistent that a tune-up was the only way to go, and that repair is a part of that. (I know repair is over and above because that is how it was handled the last time.) I was really irritated with her at this point and packed up my machine and left.

 

Now I am second-guessing myself. I figured a repairman could look at it and then offer a diagnosis. Was that unreasonable?

 

Also, I am pretty sure that other shops charge a lot less, but I know they do a lot less than this one. I used this shop for the last tune-up specifically because they did a lot more so the higher price seemed worth it.

 

Any ideas on what's wrong?

 

Should I find another shop or eat humble pie with this one?

[Harriet Vane]

:lurk5:

[LND1218]

It does sound like a tension issue. Those issues are pretty common.

 

Have you adjusted the tension on the machine and the bobbin case? Have you tried different thread or a different bobbin?

 

I don't know what you should do. But machines do need regular service even if they aren't used all that often - sometimes because they aren't used all that often. Annual service is best for machines especially the older ones. A lot of places won't work on a machine until it's been serviced.

 

I would probably just google the issue and your machine to see what other say first.

[stripe]

Have you seen some of the yahoo groups devoted to sewing machine fixing? Such as

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wefixit/

The members know a lot.

[abbeyej]

In my experience, it *is* common to charge an exorbitant fee just to look at / diagnose a sewing machine problem. It may be that you can figure it out yourself looking at some of the links others have given. And I think the "those old machines just don't function" woman was crazy. But charging you $60-100 just to have a repairman take a look at a machine is pretty standard. Sorry. :(

[ErinE]

Rethread the whole machine and adjust the tension. Rethreading, then adjusting seems to fix this problem for me.

 

On tune ups, I get mine done once every year. I may go two years if I haven't used it all.

[Annie G]

Make sure you have a fresh needle, also. A needle with a burr or a worn tip will produce stitches like that. Just today I was doing a blanket stitch and it dropped stitches like that- for my machine it always means that I need to change the needle. I did, and worked for a couple more hours with no damaged stitches.

[Carol in Cal.]

I agree with what has been said so far, and also I have heard that sometimes sewing machines actually work better if you use them more. They can get a bit gummy sitting around, like old clocks. So although the sewing machine attendent may have sounded self-serving, she might turn out to be right. I would try the new needle, rethreading, and retensioning first, though. Those are really typical problems.

[stripe]

And oil it, too!

[Harriet Vane]

Thanks for the feedback. I'll try a little of this and a little of that and see if I can work this out on my own. If not I'll try a different repairman with better manners.

[itsheresomewhere]

Try a good quality thread like Gutermann.

[Catwoman]

I hope you're able to fix the problem on your own!

[WeeBeaks]

I agree with the others - unthread it completely, dust out any lint you see around the bobbin casing, etc., and then rethread carefully with a new needle. See if that helps.

 

Do you have a relationship with the place you took it? Some are hesitant to diagnose without officially taking it on too. Hard to tell.

 

Lots of times though I have been able to fix minor tension things/skipping myself.

[KatieJ]

All good replies.

 

I would also start with a fresh needle. Just this week I was having problems with a knit fabric and had to go buy a stretch/ball point needle to get it to stitch properly.

 

I have had repairmen that wanted to "scare" me into buying a new machine. I had my hubby pick it up and I took it to the another repair shop. It was a simple fix and it happened to my machine regularly. Now we know how to fix it and DH does the fix for me.

 

Last time I had my machine in for tune up they forgot to clean the bobbin casing and it jammed completely when I got it home. I was just starting to sew 5 bridesmaids dresses for my son's wedding and I was so upset! Again, DH to the rescue and he got it unjammed.

 

 

My DH is now my repairman. He does a better job.