Pfaff 1222E

This is one of those machines that I've read about, authors lauding it to the skies.  I look at them and I think 'Meh.'  The look is so utilitarian and uninteresting, I hope Germans throw them out their cars on the Autobahn: no one would have trouble keeping their eyes on the road.  Still,  they sell for pretty pennies here in the States (often $250 - 300) and are highly sought, particularly for those needing a portable walking foot machine for auto upholstery and larger home dec projects like sets of drapes and awnings.  But the look?  *Yawn.*  I call it Bauhaus Bathroom.

So, what do I do when I find one locally for $25?  I buy it, of course.  I went to the seller's house at night after her work (she must work a later shift) and she seemed like she knew it's a very good machine but didn't want the hassle of trying to get rid of it for what it's likely worth.  She was a little reluctant and I asked her if she was sure.  She mumbled "Yeah, I guess."  We laughed.

So here it is.  A really nice 1222E in original condition.  This is a machine with utility and decorative stitches (buttons under the lid on the top cover) and as mentioned, has a built-in "walking foot" that can be deactivated.  The cams are plastic/nylon/composite and are known to be very well-built except that people oil them and they disintegrate.  I hear replacements are available but are very expensive.  Another weakness is the light On/Off switch which can fail after many years of pressing.  And the nylon timing belt, of course.

Fortunately, mine is in perfect working order but I'm treating it...gingerly.

One feature I really like is the reverse lever (the black lever above and to the right of the needle area).  Pressing it down makes the machine sew in reverse, predictably.  Flipping the lever up, vertically, makes the machine sew in reverse constantly.  This is really nice because it allows you to sew from any corner in either direction -- good for projects that are larger where you don't want to move a lot of material around.  I've tested the machine and the stitch-matching between forward to reverse is excellent so back tacking is easy, visually unobtrusive, and low-profile within a seam.

It includes an automatic needle threader and another neat feature is the presser foot lever: it can be lifted partially to complete just one rotation of the hook, say, to bring up the bottom thread.  The needle up/down feature is accomplished by pressing the presser foot lever down.  Very efficient and very cool.

Needle position is the center dial on the front.  The outer ring of this dial controls a combination of width and length.  I actually prefer separate controls but I admit this application works well and is efficient.  Another nice touch is that each stitch button has recommended length/width settings.  Each produces a very nice stitch with a satin stitch perhaps just a little looser than I prefer.

So, is this really a walking foot machine?  I'm not sure this really qualifies as a walking foot.  The machine uses a traditional single-contact presser foot found on most sewing machines.  There is a back piece that can be engaged to assist the feed dogs from the top, so a walking foot is simulated in that it helps feed material from above, from the back.  However, the main foot operates just as a traditional foot does without a true 'walking' motion found on a genuine walking foot machine.  Pfaff calls this the IDT (Integrated Dual Transport) system.  I'd say it works well because the fabric feeds evenly, not skewing left or right.  But a genuine walking foot?  Not really.  Almost.

There are other features I haven't covered here.  I will be updating this post as I continue to familiarize myself with this quite clever machine.  Is one of these available in your area?  If the price is less than $50, grab it.