It had not been professionally serviced since I got it for my college graduation, 11 years ago. It was looked at by a home repair woman when I lived in Hokkaido in 2002..
A really awesome and totally random Japanese experience-- I was in my apartment and the doorbell rang. I answered and found a woman there, asking if I had a sewing machine. Huh? I showed her to my machine and she said she'd check it out and give it a tune-up. I said "Ok" and went back to my guests in the living room. "How cool is this that sewing machine repair people make unsolicited house calls" I thought. After she was done I thanked her and she left, then just wrote it off as one of the many cool-yet-bizarre experiences I was having in Japan. It's only now, as I write the post that I realize I probably should have offered to pay her.. and with hindsight, the 32-year-old me really regrets missing out on this chance to talk sewing with a knowledgeable Japanese lady.
But anyway, back to the machine..
I haven't used it much since I got the Janome in '10, but I decided to get it cleaned up so I can bring it
to our house in Athens. The repair guy said I'll need a transformer for the power issue, but they sell them at the shop so I guess I'll just pick one up when I go back next week. Has anyone dealt with this type of power issue before (bringing a machine to a country with a different wattage)? I'd love some advice/guidance, thanks.
Since this is the machine I used since college, I treated both it and its case like I was some sort of folk singing guitar player, plastering stickers all over them.
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| (February 2010-- he's really gotten big, huh?) |
So, I'm happy I finally took it in, and wonder why I waited so long. The cost for service is actually less than I was expecting (provided nothing's broken), and I'm anxious to see how she runs after the tune-up. Next in line is the Janome, which in 14 months has quite a few miles on it and the bobbin thread has started to get hooked on the feed dogs when I free-motion. That's a problem I need to get fixed, but I couldn't take both machines at once, I'd have separation anxiety..
I have one of those units to transform the electric current when in a foreign country. Not expensive. I actually got mine out of necessity a few years ago. I bought a machine on Ebay and did not realize if it was from France that the plug in would be different (duh!). So in order to be able to use it I had to get the transformer.
ReplyDeletehugs from Louisiana
beebee
I've never taken mine in but noticed it's not as quiet as it was 4 years ago. I wonder if it's time. Athens sounds exciting! I visited there years ago.
ReplyDeleteWhen I lived in Germany you just plugged your electrical item into the transformer and the transformer into the wall. The transformer converts the current from direct current to alternating current. The Europeans went with direct current(Tesla) and America with alternating current (Westinghouse).
ReplyDeleteKnow about separation anxiety. I bought my second machine as a back up for those inevitable service visits. And then I bought a third....just in case! I must stop this.
ReplyDeleteYou know I LOVE that you have stickers and stff on your machine! I read a blog not all that long ago about 'pimping' you machine and I thougth what a great way to personalize your machine! We put bumper stickers on our cars, why not our machines (as long as you don't plan on reselling them! LOL)
ReplyDeleteI love the photos on your machine!
ReplyDeleteAs far as the power converters go I used one in the uk with my I-phone to charge it and it worked fine. So I'm sure it will be fine for the machine.
I assumed that iin Japan they used 220V - if you used this machine there, you should be able to use it in Greece without issue. I know on my machine there is a 110/220 switch...
ReplyDeletehi Jessica ! just to assure you I brought my machine over from the states I got an adapter over here and it works fine, hope you have a nice time in Greece ,I am flying over to Oregon to help out my mom or else I could have met up with you,have a nice flight.
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