Sew What’s Up Presents
The Sew What’s New Archive
This archived content is from Mary Wilkins’ sewing and
quilting message board “Sew What’s New,” which was
retired in August 2007. It is being provided by
“Sew What’s Up,”
which serves as the new home for many members of “Sew What’s New.”
From: Lynnie
Date: 02-27-2006, 07:28 PM (1 of 27)
Hi! I'm very new to sewing and am attempting to learn on my own. Lurking on this sight has been very fun and helpful.  Below is an intro to me and a description how my first attempts at sewing are going. Sorry it got so long.A few years ago I tought myself to knit. So when I decided to try sewing I figured, hey, how hard could it be.  Yeah... well, I like a challange. I inherited my grandmother's old Singer Fashion Mate 237. I got it running and did a few home dec projects on it, but it became clear that it would need some serious profesional work before I dared do anything more than pillows with it. So when the tax return came in and I decided that I was serious about attempting to learn to sew clothes, I started looking for a decent, reasonably priced machine that a beginer could grow with. After much research, I decided on the Janome 8080 from Sears. There are almost no dedicated sewing machine dealers in my area so my choices were Sears, Joanne's or Walmart. I ordered the machine off the website because it showed that there wasn't any in stock in any of the three Sears within a 45 minute drive. No problem, I ordered it on-line and had it shipped to the nearest store for pick-up. It took a week of patient waiting. In the meantime, I happened to be in one of the other stores (not the location it was being shipped to) and saw three 8080's sitting on the shelf. So much for Sears' inventory system.  So it finally came. I was so happy!  : I read through all the instructions. They were pretty straight forward. I fell in love with a lot of the neat features like the up/down button, the "lock-o-matic" stitch that auto reversed at the begining and end, and I was especially excited about the Automatic tension feature. That was a big problem with my old Singer. The bobbin tension had been messed with and that combined with the simple age/wear on the machine meant that the top and bottom tension was never just right.I began to sew. I practiced on some scrap first to get the idea of how everything worked. That went fine. I made some drapes for my step-daughter's room. They came out pretty good for my first attempt. I noticed though that on long seams the machine seamed to "shorten" the fabric ever so slightly. I thought maybe I wasn't feeding the machine evenly and took special care not to push or pull the material through the machine. Still the same effect. It was as if the feed dogs were pulling the fabric too fast for the length of the stitch and making it gather ever so slightly. Then I tried making a simple belt by stitching two pieces of ribbon together. After stitching one side of the belt I had a 3 ft long smiley face looking back from the table at me. The two pieces of ribbon came out even, but the side that was stitched was definatly shorter than the other.  Then I practiced some ZZing on some scrap cotton. I tried it on the edge, in the middle, and on a doubled piece of fabric. Each time the ZZ stitch pulled the fabric together so much that it folded over and left a ridge running down the middle of the zz.  I took my machine to the mother of one of my husband's friends who has sewn for years. She confirmed that it was the machine and not me that was screwing up. So I have schleped the machine back to Sears and they have sent it out for repair. Three days. That's all I got to play with it. It won't be back for two weeks. I am currently praying that they at least find/admit there is a problem and either fix it or replace the machine.  My biggest fear is that it will come back with an "It's Fine" and I will have to attempt a return (maybe even have to pay a restocking fee) and start my hunt all over again. So that's my weekend in 2000 words or less. Once I get a machine that works properly I'm sure I will have lots of questions for you. Hope you don't mind. I'm very excited about being able to make clothes especially for my 10 y/o step-daughter. She is extreamly tall (5'2") for her age and it is so hard to find shirts for her that fit. Everything becomes a "belly shirt". Thanks for being here, and if you made it all this way, congratulations.
|
User: Lynnie
Member since: 02-23-2006 Total posts: 44 |
From: LeapFrog Libby
Date: 02-27-2006, 09:01 PM (2 of 27)
|
Lynnie, It sounds like your automatic tension was too tense.. (tight).. That is so disheartening when you are all excited with a new toy and it won't do right.. I hope you get it back soon in better shape.. It shouldn't be hard for the techie to adjust to the proper setting.. Or to find out why it won't set itself like its supposed to..My Janome always does that just fine.. Once in a while , the Satin blanket binding will confuse it a little, but I have learned to just go a little slower with that, and it does better.. Sew With Love
Libby |
User: LeapFrog Libby
Member since: 05-01-2002 Total posts: 2022 
|
From: Magot
Date: 02-28-2006, 12:36 PM (3 of 27)
|
Welcome out of the dark into the light Lynnie - alwasy nice when some one de-lurks. I can't imagine how frustrating it must be to have your machine to need to go back! Hope it comes home soon with a happy purr.
love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626 
|
From: debsews
Date: 02-28-2006, 01:14 PM (4 of 27)
|
Lynnie, When I first made curtains for my bedroom they did the exact same thing on the sides. I finally read something that suggested turning in an inch on the sides twice. Makes a heavier edge and hangs better. Also lengthing the stich just a little will help. But on a brighter note I'm thinking once your machine is fixed you'll be just fine! It's so much fun getting to know your machine and sew all kinds of things. Hope you get it back and it works really well for you. |
User: debsews
Member since: 09-16-2005 Total posts: 254 |
From: Lynnie
Date: 02-28-2006, 02:10 PM (5 of 27)
|
Thanks everyone for the warm welcome. For the curtains, I was following directions in a very old book that did have me turn the sides in an inch twice but the problem still occured. I'll be happy as long as they actually find the problem and are able to either fix or replace the machine. If they say it's fine, or I get it home and it still has the same problem, I'm going to have to attempt a return and start my search all over again. I really hope I don't have to do that. I love everything else about it, but that won't do me any good if it doesn't stitch properly. Here's hoping.  ps. I love your graemlins.  A lot of them are the same as another message board I use. It's so much easier to post frustrations when you have this guy -> 
|
User: Lynnie
Member since: 02-23-2006 Total posts: 44 |
From: wghmch
Date: 02-28-2006, 02:51 PM (6 of 27)
|
Lynnie, My knowledge is of older machines, so this possibility is merely something that I read which someone posted on another board. If what I read is correct, the main line of Janomes that are sold thru dealers have a foot pressure adjustment control, the Kenmores made by Janome have a foot pressure adjustment control, but the Janomes that are made specifically to be sold as Janomes by Sears, do not. If this is accurate, not being able to adjust the amount of foot pressure could be a big contributor to problems like this, and will probably necessitate the purchase of a walking foot to reduce the drag from your presser foot on the top of your fabric. Bill Holman |
User: wghmch
Member since: 03-04-2003 Total posts: 249 |
From: plrlegal
Date: 02-28-2006, 07:24 PM (7 of 27)
|
Thank you Bill for posting this information, once again. The majority of machine owners (buyers) assume that a Janome is a Janome is a Janome, etc. And, the same for the Singer machines. However, the machines sold by the brand specific dealers are different and of a higher quality than the ones made to be sold at sears, wal-mart, costco, etc. Why is that so hard for people to understand. If they have a problem with a Janome purchased from Sears, Hancock's or Joann's, they say all Janomes are bad. If they have a problem with an inexpensive Singer purchased at Wal-mart, Sears, etc., they automatically run down all Singer machines. Patsy Patsy
|
User: plrlegal
Member since: 05-19-2001 Total posts: 318 |
From: Lynnie
Date: 02-28-2006, 07:51 PM (8 of 27)
|
You are correct that my machine does not allow you to adjust the foot pressure. However, I don't see how the foot pressure would cause the problem I'm having. It appears that the machine is pulling in too much fabric for the length of the stitch. If the foot pressure was too low, wouldn't that mean that it would slip on the fabric and take too little? BTW, my machine did come with a walking foot but I didn't get a chance to try it out. |
User: Lynnie
Member since: 02-23-2006 Total posts: 44 |
From: Lynnie
Date: 02-28-2006, 08:03 PM (9 of 27)
|
Patsy, I understand what you're saying and I knew when I purchased it that my machine was not a "true" Janome. There's a reason this model doesn't appear anywhere on Janome's website. However, it did appear to be the best bang for my buck. I don't have a lot of money to spend and the 8080 comes with half a dozen different feet and lots of "perks" that you don't usually find on lower $ models. I am happy that I got it at Sears and not something else at Joanne's or Walmart. At least Sears will attempt to fix it. With the others I would be stuck with just returning the item. |
User: Lynnie
Member since: 02-23-2006 Total posts: 44 |
From: wghmch
Date: 02-28-2006, 11:30 PM (10 of 27)
|
"It appears that the machine is pulling in too much fabric for the length of the stitch." Perhaps I am not understanding the problem, but it is quite common for the feed dogs to push the bottom layer while the presser foot drags on the top layer, causing the two to feed unevenly. When this happens, it can frequently be corrected to some degree by varying the amount of pressure that the foot is placing on the top layer of fabric. Bill Holman |
User: wghmch
Member since: 03-04-2003 Total posts: 249 |
From: paroper
Date: 03-01-2006, 05:36 AM (11 of 27)
|
If your curtains were not cut on the straight of the grain they would pucker. You also need to be sure that your needle and thread are correct for the project. Do you pin your fabric as you go? Although some people do not sew over pins (I do...I'm very bad about that), don't underestimate the fact that the pins keep the fabric together evenly (if done correctly) and also will "show" you if the fabric is feeding at different speeds and you can always remove the pins as you go. Your walking foot will also help with that!!! If you are pinning your curtains, are you laying them down flat to match the edges. Make sure that your edges are even all the way down your seamline. Don't pin at each end and assume they are the same exact length, because they may not be (pattern pieces seldom are exact if you don't use a pattern, as in curtains). If your edges are uneven your seam will pucker. When you sew the curtains, put your left hand flat on the left side of the presser foot. It is used ONLY to slip the body of your garment or project as the machine pushes the fabric through so that the body of the project advances with the seam. It does not push the fabric as it stitches. Place your right hand either below the machine front or a few inches in front of the needle to assure that your fabric feeds straight into the machine and doesn't waffle off to one side, making your seam crooked. Your right hand is merely a guide. As your fabric feeds into the machine, do not "roll" the fabric over your hand as it will cause the fabric to feed unevenly. Let it rest on the machine bed so that it feeds top and bottom at the same rate. As for the presser foot pressure, Your machine should comfortably advance the fabric. If it is too loose and there is much play below the presser foot, not only will the fabric feed at an odd rate, you will also have bouncing as it makes stitches and may have knots and broken thread. If it is too tight, it will dig into the fabric and cause a pucker in the fabric. If it is bad enough, you may actually see a pucker as it is working. One other thing, if you left the selvages on the fabric, that could easily be the source of your problem. Selvages should either be cut away or you should make multiple clips through the selvages (even before you sew). They do not always give as the rest of the fabric, also selvages sometimes shrink when the fabric is washed, even if the fabric does not. I've seen fabric curl at the selvages when held up, even if the fabric has never been washed (just a thought). This is particularly true of medium to light weight fabrics that will drape when held up. You might not notice it with a heavier weight fabric or even some chintz. pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: Dustbunny01
Date: 03-01-2006, 05:59 AM (12 of 27)
|
what # is the stitches on? try 2.5 and test a fabric out and see if it puckers the fabric.. It almost sounds like you have the stitch set too long. you should have a dial, that looks like a round bolt, with a slotted screw driver, it will have a + and - move the slotted up or down and see if that helps with the stitches. If it does then the machine may need to be calibrated. and Please don't' take my word on all of it, I am no expert.. Just someone who is trying to help. Nothing is more upsetting them a sewing machine that is not working right, I had problems with Janome 4800 sewing machine, mine was a web order.. as I am in the same shoes No other place to buy from. It was sent back, then a week later I received it back, still not working, because they did not fix the stitch relator, (SP?) but It seems that my sewing machine had some other problem, to do with the pressure foot ( top part) which came from the factory not sewing right. it was My new one doesn't' have a that problem, but may still have something wrong with it.. as it doesnt seem to take layers of fabrics without stopping and giving me an error code. I haven't took the time yet to call and ask about it yet. DB
|
User: Dustbunny01
Member since: 11-11-2005 Total posts: 159 
|
From: Lynnie
Date: 03-01-2006, 08:49 AM (13 of 27)
|
hmmm.... I don't think I've been explaining myself very well. I'll try to be clearer, but I don't know a lot of the technical terms yet. The problem is not that the bottom fabric is being pulled faster than the top. I place my pins about 6" appart and made sure everything stayed lined up. I also sewed (2) one-yard lengths of ribbon together to make a belt. The two ends came out even, but when you layed it down flat on the table, it curled up into a big smile. For my curtains, I did make sure the grain was straight by pulling threads and cutting allong them. Everything appeard square when I did that. I cut off the selvedge, folded the sides in 1", pressed, folded in 1" again, pressed then sewed. I had lengthened the stitch out from the machine standard of 2.2 up to 2.6. These are long curtains (74", I have weird 72" tall windows). If you were to lay them down flat on a long table, it would look like the stitching line is just slightly shorter then the fabric on the left and right of it. It is not extreamly noticable, and a little ruffly on pink curtains is kind of appropriate, but it just didn't seem as flat and smooth as I had hoped it would be. At the time my thought was, I need practice and not to worry, I don't have to run seams that long on garments anyway. Then I started playing around and practicing with the ZZ stitches. I tried ZZing with the regular foot and the overcast foot. I tried it on the edge of the fabric and a couple inches in. I tried it on a single layer and double layer. I tried adjusting the top thread tension (no way was I going to mess with the bobbin tension :nervous . I even tried adjusting that +/- streatch adjustment thingy someone mentioned. Each and every time I ended up with a similar result... a pronounced ridge down the center of the ZZ. In some cases the fabric actually completely folded over itself. That's what really had me worried. Nothing I did would make the zzs come even close to laying flat. I let a friend, who is an experienced sewer and used to work in a fabric store, try it out and she agreed that the zzs shouldn't look the way they did. I'm just hoping the technitian at Sears agrees with us. |
User: Lynnie
Member since: 02-23-2006 Total posts: 44 |
From: LeapFrog Libby
Date: 03-01-2006, 05:36 PM (14 of 27)
|
And that ZZ problem is what made me say it is a tension problem, not a presser foot problem.. I had that problem once with my machine. (Janome Memory craft 4000) and it seems to me that is when I found out that my Janome and Dual Duty sewing thread had a lifelong feud and would not get along together AT ALL.. Someone on this site alerted me to that fact.. I have since rid my house of all D D thread. (it all lives at DIL's house with my Singer 221 happily) and I have no more problems of that sort.. But all the symptoms were like tension problems..
Sew With Love
Libby |
User: LeapFrog Libby
Member since: 05-01-2002 Total posts: 2022
|
From: plrlegal
Date: 03-01-2006, 06:06 PM (15 of 27)
|
If you're using dual duty polyester thread of any kind, try rewinding a new bobbin at a slow speed and then sew with it in the machine and see if that might be the problem. One of the problems with dual duty/polyester thread is that when it is wound onto a bobbin extremely fast, it stretches and once sewn into a seam, it shrinks back to its original length causing a puckering/tunnelling effect in a seam. After reading that bit of interesting information, I stopped winding my bobbins as fast as the machine would go, slowed the winding speed way down and the tunnelling effect with zig zag stitches and puckered straight seams no longer tortures me. My Singer Quantum winds at top speed if you use the auto winding feature but I now force myself to find the foot pedal to wind my bobbins at a slower speed if I'm going to be sewing on the Quantum for any length of time. Also, a 2.5 or 2.6 stitch is very small, try lengthing your stitch to about 3.0 or 3.5 and see if the effect is any different. Patsy Patsy
|
User: plrlegal
Member since: 05-19-2001 Total posts: 318 |
From: paroper
Date: 03-01-2006, 06:33 PM (16 of 27)
|
Until I started started doing embroidery, I bet I could count on one hand the number of times I had adjusted my presser foot pressure. In most cases there just aren't that many reasons to adjust it and I've sewn tarps, jeans, chiffon and all kinds of fabrics in between. I've just kept the pressure on the mid point and I've been fine for over 40 years.
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: swartzrn
Date: 03-02-2006, 12:47 PM (17 of 27)
|
Lynnie--I got a new machine back in Oct and had some glitches as well. It just took ALOT of time and ALOT of patience and after trial and error worked some of them out! Once I started feeling more comfortable, I felt better about what I was working on. I was telling my mom yesterday that some of things I made even back in Nov/Dec that I was so proud of and thought was just wonderful are nothing compared to what I am doing now! I learn something new everyday! It's so much fun to me to discover new tricks and new things to do! Welcome to the group. I just joined and have already enjoyed being on this message board! Great group!! Happy Sewing! Julie
"To see the future, look into a child's eyes." |
User: swartzrn
Member since: 02-17-2006 Total posts: 436 
|
From: Lynnie
Date: 03-02-2006, 08:00 PM (18 of 27)
Warning: This is a vent. I appologive for it being so long. Don't feel like you have to read it but I just needed to whine to people who actually know what I'm talking about. My husband's eyes just kind of glaze over when I start talking about sewing, but bless him, he tries.  I came home today to a message from Sears that my machine had "tested okay at the shop."  I immediately called them at the number they left. I asked if they had looked at the swatched I had sent with the machine and if it was "okay" why did the stitches look like that? Their answer... "You'll have to speak with the technitian, but we only have one. She works from 5:30 a.m. to 2:00. What would be the best number for her to call you and when?"  So my choices are she can call me when I'm showering, trying to get the kids out the door, or at work. I told Sears that I would rather just return the item and have my CC credited. They can't do that. They only do repairs. Besides, my machine is already on the truck to come back. I will have to return it when it gets back to my local store. So I asked when that would be. She looked it up... Tuesday or Wednesday.  For the love of Pete! It's going to be almost an entire month since I ordered the thing before I can get my money back and I only had the darn thing 2 1/2 days. So I called my local store where the machine is being shipped back to. I wanted to see if I could go down there tonight to fill out the return paperwork or maybe do it over the phone, have them credit my CC, and then they could just keep the machine when it gets there next week. To be fair, everyone I've ever dealt with at my local store has always been very friendly, polite, and attempted to be helpful. The manager I spoke to appologized because he only had a few months experience being a manager and didn't know if what I wanted to do was possible or not. He suggested I call the morning shift customer service manager tomorrow and talk to him. I may have to pay a restocking fee, but I'm going to attempt to get them to waive that. We'll see how that works. On the plus side, I finally located a semi-local sewing machine dealer. A real one where they actually know how to operate, repair, and maintain the machines. Where you can test drive and get advice before you buy. What a concept. They are a little over an hour away, but they seemed very friendly and knowledgeble when I spoke with them over the phone. They sell Janomes, which is nice because I really did like the features on my 8080, just not some of the end results. I'm thinking I will try out the 3050 which is almost identical to the Sears model... just double the cost. But I'm starting to think it will be worth it to be able to work with a dealer that actually knows what they are doing. Thanks for letting me vent. You may now return to your regularly scheduled lives. 
|
User: Lynnie
Member since: 02-23-2006 Total posts: 44 |
From: paroper
Date: 03-03-2006, 12:00 AM (19 of 27)
|
I stopped dealing with Sears about 15 years ago. I took my beloved sewing machine in for its first cleaning (let's see...bought in Mar, 1974...it is now almost Easter, 1991, might be time for a cleaning?) They cleaned the machine and broke the thread take up lever. My machine was not a Janome. It was made by White and built like a tank...still in my opinion (and that of others) one of the best ever made. People on e-bay often call them commercial machines...they aren't they just really sew well. I told them I didn't want a NEW machine (not that they offered), I just wanted my machine fixed. I didn't care where they got the part, at the dump, trade in...I didn't care. I just wanted the machine fixed..they broke it, they could fix it. Although that particular machine was hard to find, they had several that were made like that machine and I think they could have located the part if they had tried, or even pretended to try. They refused and I couldn't get even a district manager to talk to. So, after having almost exclusively Sears appliances, tools, car repairs for almost 20 years, I stopped dealing with them cold. I found someone to try to solder the piece but the tension disks were involved and it never held tension again. I was sooooo upset. Maybe now that they have sold to KMart you'll get better service than I did. pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: Lynnie
Date: 03-03-2006, 01:30 PM (20 of 27)
|
Pam, I think the "service" at Sears has gone steadily downhill as they've attempted to compete with stores like Walmart and Target. Thing is, when I shop at Walmart, I expect service to end with the sale. I know that I'm pretty much on my own. However, If what I buy at Walmart turns out to be a piece of crud, I can almost always return it and get my cash back, no questions asked. At Sears, you pay more, but you expect more because they are supposed to be "full service." To be fair, everyone I have spoken to at my local store has been very friendly and attempted to be helpful. However, I think their hands have been tied by a lot of company policies. I spoke to the service manager this morning. He said that he could not do a return until they actually had the machine back in the store. I kind of figured that would be the case, but I had to try. That means I won't get my money back until sometime the end of next week. I buttered him up a little first and told him how wonderfully helpful all of the staff at the local store had been and how this return was in no way a reflection on them, the machine simply did not perform to my expectations. The sweet-talking seemed to work because he did agree that under these circumstances that they would be willing to waive the restocking fee. I'm very happy I've found a (semi) local Janome dealer. Tomorrow I'm going to make an afternoon of going down there to test drive the machines. Then I'll *know* before I take one home how it is going to act. I'm sooo excited.
|
User: Lynnie
Member since: 02-23-2006 Total posts: 44 |
From: paroper
Date: 03-03-2006, 01:40 PM (21 of 27)
|
I walked into a JC Penney's store after just making my 4th trip (over 60 miles round trip back and forth on my only days off) because a Troy Bilt Lawn Mower's auto pull mechanism was not working. My country lawn in the meantime was well over knee high and the Bermuda grass was taking over. I asked nicely to speak to the department manager. When asked if the associate could help me, I told them I had spoken to several associates and I really needed a manager. The manager walked up to me and asked if he could help. I calmly told him that he looked like a very nice man and I was very sorry but I was having problems with his product, I was tired, at my wits' end and I was about to loose it in their store and have a screaming fit and I explained why. He told me to hold that thought just a minute. He walked over to the phone, asked a man in the service department to pull a new lawn more, have it oiled, service, gassed and on the loading dock in 15 minutes and wait to meet with me and receive the old mower. That was the smoothest transaction I've ever had concering a problem purchase.
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: swartzrn
Date: 03-03-2006, 01:53 PM (22 of 27)
|
Before I went to nursing school, I worked at a major utility company. We had to go through NUMEROUS "good customer service" classes and the same mantra at every one of them was that if you give bad customer service, the customer will tell 10 people who will tell 10 people and so forth. It's SO TRUE! I have watched this thread and I will definately tell my mom and friends that bad service you guys have reported about Sears. Growing up, Sears was a household name. I can count on one hand I have been in Sears since I have lived in a town which actually had a Sears department store and not a little satellite store. We've had family pictures done there twice and neither time was I very impressed although I did think we paid WAYYYYY too much for them. I haven't found what I was looking for when I specifically went in there either. My dad has bought a few tools there and hasn't had any complaints though (so far.) JcPenny--I like to shop their children's clothes b/c I have found some sweet sales there. I have ordered scrubs from there and they've always been exactly what I wanted. Again, though I don't go in there much b/c it's at the mall. Used to be out at the mall to walk once a week before returning to work and would poke around in there a bit but that's about it. However-do like their sales. Julie
"To see the future, look into a child's eyes." |
User: swartzrn
Member since: 02-17-2006 Total posts: 436
|
From: plrlegal
Date: 03-03-2006, 02:07 PM (23 of 27)
|
Sears stores are like all other department stores; it depends upon their managers. Here in Oklahoma City I think there are 3 Sears stores and everyone of them seem to be a little different. The one in Midwest City (Heritage Park Mall) used to be a good store but now it is a waste of time to go in there. In fact, it's more and more like a K-Mart every time I go there, which isn't very often these days. You can never find anyone who knows anything about their merchandise or their policies and their stock is sub-par. As far as their Sewing Machine Department, it is almost non-existent these days. There are a couple of their lower line machines out on shelves that are at head level (duh, can you say how am I supposed to look at something above my head???) and there is not one person in the entire store that can tell you anything about any machine except well, there they are and that is what we have. The other 2 stores I've only been in once or twice and very briefly so I can't speak as to their management. However, the last trip dh and I made to West Virginia, we went through Little Rock, Arkansas and stopped at a mall there in went into Sears and boy was it a nice store and everyone was very courteous and helpful and there merchandise was very nicely displayed and neta. It felt like we were shopping in a high end department store instead of Sears. Patsy Patsy
|
User: plrlegal
Member since: 05-19-2001 Total posts: 318 |
From: swartzrn
Date: 03-03-2006, 02:27 PM (24 of 27)
|
Patsy--just had to say I love your signature quote! I feel preshrunk most of the time these days!! LOL! I've never understand why they put workers in departments at any store without any training whatsoever so they know what they are talking about. I know I went into a store and asked for grommets for a bag and they looked at me like I had spoken Greek! Julie
"To see the future, look into a child's eyes." |
User: swartzrn
Member since: 02-17-2006 Total posts: 436
|
From: paroper
Date: 03-03-2006, 02:37 PM (25 of 27)
|
I had taken my machine directly to the service center, not the store. Just prior to this event, I had spent over 2 years (thank goodness for extended warranties) trying to get them to fix my washer. It would stop when it started to agitate. With five in the family (3 small children at that), I couldn't finish a week's laundry. What was wrong? There was a little plug that looked like a phone plug that had never been latched into the motor. I think that when I was doing research to complain to a higher authority, Arkansas may have been out of our sales district. Hopefully some of the districts are better than ours. You are right, our stores are not very clean or nice anymore and you could cart the entire store away and there wouldn't be an associate to stop you. When I was a kid, we'd go to the main store over by Shepard Mall (long gone) and visit the toy department and Santa. It a huge event for me every year! WOW!!! I still get excited thinking about it. Over the past several years I have come to realize that there is just nothing better than a local authorized dealer for almost any kind of appliance. The department stores can offer a wide selection, but often they don't offer a full line of appliances. The local dealers depend on their patrons more and they have more of a personal interest in making sure that they properly show you their products and give good service. Plus, a authorized dealer has much more information about their products than a "general" department store salesman. The authorized dealers are required to attend training events and receive regular notices of problems/changes/updates from the mfgs. pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: Lynnie
Date: 03-05-2006, 09:57 AM (26 of 27)
|
I took the long drive to the sewing machine shop I found on-line. It's a small shop but they had just about every Janome sold right there on display. The owner waited on me. He was AWESOME! Turns out he is the only authorized Janome maintenance/repair person in the entire state. He does all the repair/warranty work himself. I was pretty sure when I went in that I wanted the 3050, but he answered all of my questions about it. He told me the differences between it and the 8080 sold by Sears. I got to try it out both on their fabric and some that I brought with me. He threw in a bunch of feet that Janome doesn't automatically include with it's machines and a dust cover. He does the 1 year tune-up for free and if you ever don't understand how something on th machine works, he offers free lessons for as long as you own the machine. I'm in love. I took it home and finished up my very first project, a tunic for my youngest SD. It's not perfect, but it's good enough to let her wear it out of the house. Now if only I can finish dealing with Sears and get them to take their's back. 
|
User: Lynnie
Member since: 02-23-2006 Total posts: 44 |
From: paroper
Date: 03-05-2006, 10:27 AM (27 of 27)
|
I'm soooo glad that you found a good dealer! That makes all the difference in the world in the way you feel about your machine. Often that is much more important than the brand (although Janome is a good brand)!!!! Congratulations!!!!!
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
Visit Sew What’s Up for the latest sewing and quilting tips and discussions.
This page was originally located on Sew What’s New (www.sew-whats-new.com) at http://www.sew-whats-new.com/vb/archive/index.php/t-18374.html
Sew What’s Up is hosted by ZenSoft