Stuck carriage, please help?

Hello Violet,
Have you removed the carriage lock? It is a piece of metal that hooks into one end of the needlebed and is attached to the carriage by one of the thumb screws. Once you can move the carriage, it would be a good idea to remove it, turn it upside down and clean it then oil along the channels and all moving parts with knitting/sewing machine oil dropped on to a clean cloth. Also check the needle retaining bar as after so long it has probably degraded and will need replacing. Make sure there is no fluff inside the machine and pull all the needles forward and wipe them with the oiled cloth and across the needle butts. When you replace the needle retaining bar push down on the needles so that the bar slides in on top of the needles, foam side down.
Hope this helps,

Sue
February 2011