I owned a Singer from the early 1970s that sat for some years. When I took it out to use, the feed dogs had completely deteriorated and didn't move the fabric. They were made from some black rubbery material and had to be replaced with new metal ones. Some machines have a lever that lowers the feed dogs so machine embroidery can be done without interference from them. It's usually in the same compartment where the bobbin case is. Put your finger under the presser foot (Remove the needle) and see if the pressure is good on it while slowly running the machine. This should tell you if it's a pressure problem or a feed dog problem. Since the machine sat idle for so long, the mechanism that lowers the presser foot may be stuck. The lever may work, but the inside mechanism could be stuck and cause a lack of pressure under the foot. If that's the case, you can usually unstick it manually. Once the stuck part is broken loose, it should work. Remove the pressure plate and make sure there's not a ball of thread or dirt caught between the feed dogs and the plate. Also, turn the plate over and check the bottom of it. Machine oil and lint can sometimes stick to things. That could distort the plate and cause the feed dogs not to reach the fabric. Someone else had a good suggestion to check the bar that sticks out of the top of the machine. It looks like a bolt with or without threads and controls the pressure on the presser foot. If it's sticking up, push it back in. If it causes too much pressure, let it back out till the foot pressure is correct. Once in awhile, when sewing is started, the beginning thread gets caught on something and impedes the movement of the fabric. If there's a burr or something else the thread is catching in, it can usually be sanded or filed off. Linda

I have one of these machines: Model 1400; I wouldn never get rid of it. Got it as a gift in 1972, and I have made tons of things using this gem of a machine and attachments. I have a problem now, though. The zig-zag just stopped working. I cleaned the machine and will oil it next. There are no clunks or weird sounds or reactions -- the straight stitch works fine. But when I switch it to zig-zag (or any other settings on that control knob), it just does straight stitch. In a mending project, it worked fine for one item; then just stopped when I tried to do another item. If I move it to adjust the width of the zag, it still just does a straight stitch wherever I move it. Also, another problem that suddenly appeared: loosening the clutch on the wheel does not stop the needle mechanism from going up and down when I want to wind the bobbin. I haven't had it serviced in several years--I rarely use it now--mostly for mending and occasional projects.Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks!

My late MIL had an old black Kenmore - she had a buttonhole attachment that came with hers and it worked like a charm. Call a sewing repair centre and have your model number ready and inquire if they can order you an attachment OR ask if they have a generic one that would fit (take the machine with you and get them to show you how it would work when you go pick it up). Check local thrift shops and see what they have..sometimes you can find exactly what you need for little cost. This means you would have to know if your machine is long or short shank....if you had another attachment like a zipper foot, you could hold it against the buttonholer and see if the shank is the same and screw is on the same side. I would definately call some repair places and get some prices or ask about old machine parts - some trade in machines are stripped of parts and attachments and you can get some great bargains. If you have a manual it should show you what the attachment for your machine looks like at least. I think if you need it soon, generic maybe the way to go. Budster

I found a machine by a trash dumpster a few years ago. When I first saw it, I thought it was just a case. When I went to pick it up, I knew it was a full machine. Got it home and cleaned it up and it works beautifully. I tried to get a book for it, but no one had heard of a Golden Stitch sewing machine. Hunted around farther away and found an old repair guy that recognized it. He said they were made in 1958 & 1959 before the patent was bought out by Singer. The book he sent off for cost $25 and I am so grateful to have it. That book showed me tricks that were not obvious that the machine would do.