Sewing machine advice

[fluter]

A lady a few doors down has a machine in her basement that she says I can have if I go get it...

If it's a treadle Singer that belonged to her grandmother, take it.

I was allowed (carefully) to use those as a child, and drove a modern machine very briefly as a teenager. My wife gave her Singer away about 20 years ago. All my experience is strictly amateur.

A couple of years ago, we acquired an entry level (~ $100) Singer from Target---I believe it was exclusive to the chain. It's fairly simple and straightforward, and it's mechanical. It works well for my needs, i.e. straight and zig-zag. I'll try a buttonhole one day, I'm sure, at least for fun.

I decline to try more than 4 layers of khaki-pants type material with it!! It sewed the front/outer waistband seam on my Xkilt, but I did the inside by hand. I didn't think it (and I) would be accurate enough to "stitch in the ditch," and I didn't want to tear it up on its first project.

If you're not doing Carhartt weight fabric, it might do the job. I've enjoyed mine. I probably would have done well to search a local repair shop for used machines, but this one was sort of a gift from SWMBO.

[fluter]

Wow, major score!

[Dixiecat]

1. make sure that the top tension is completely clean and the setting is between 3-5.
2. make sure your presser foot is all the way down when sewing. The presser foot is designed to engage the upper tension disks. When not all the way down or if you have a good thickness of fabric under it, it will not engage the tension disks properly and you'll get a rat's nest of thread in the bobbin area.
Also, make sure that the presser foot pressure is at normal setting.
3. make sure your bobbin is threaded correctly. when placing the bobbin in the holder, the thread should come off the top of the bobbin to the right.
4. check your bobbin tension. after the bobbin is in and the thread hooked in, hold the bobbin thread and jerk the bobbin assembly, the bobbin should release thread on the jerk, otherwise hold steady.
5. post a pic or two so that we can see how you've got it threaded

Lucky score btw!

[Whidbey78]

Thanks Dixiecat. Good call. I took the tensioner cover off, cleaned a bunch of compacted crud out of the very center of the disks and the adjustment now seems pretty linear and not touchy at all. Tried a slow stitch and it works great even if the needle starts at a snail's pace. You're a lifesaver!

I talked to the prior owner and she said that the instruction book(now lost) did say to thread through that loop that I skipped, but she never could get it to work either and even took it to a repair shop in Rapid City right after she got it. They said that they had a dozen people in with the same problem and weren't sure why it was there as they had never seen it one a Janome or most other makes that was that high up and that far to the left. It's not like it's not needed, just it the wrong spot to be useful. So I guess I'll let that remain a mystery...it works great now.

Until I get used to the machine I'm just practicing basic straight stitches, following lines, and working out any other kinks that pop up!! Maybe tonight I'll make a few sets of flashes out of some material I have on hand and when I'm a little more confident start on a solid color kilt, semi-traditional style. The real question now is box or knife pleat. Or go for broke with a RevK?

Thanks again for all your help!

[Dixiecat]

YW Whidbey. I used to teach sewing machine use and maintenance.

Dixie's Sewing Troubleshooter

Whenever you encounter a stitching issue always start with the acronym TNT.
T: Tension
N: Needle
T: Thread

Tension: unthread machine, clean tension areas and adjust tension if necessary, rethread carefully, try again.
Once I did this 10-12 times when finally a small piece of thread fell out of the tension disks and everything was fine.

Needle: unthread at needle, check to make sure needle is inserted properly, that the needle is not bent or has any burrs, rethread, try again and replace if problem reoccurs. Does needle match thread requirement, fabric type? replace with proper needle if necessary. Do you have a Singer needle in a non-Singer machine (it will have a red band on it)? Replace with new non-singer needle.
I hear people say all the time, 'I sew over pins, it's no problem'. Not true. The needle can nick a pin and get a burr, or just get bent slightly and screw your stitching up. Take your pins out as you come to them to save your sanity. And, you'd be surprised the number of times people have a Singer needle in their machine when they shouldn't. Stupid Singer marketing says their needles are good for tons of machines. Only true if your machine was made by Singer, and old to boot. Your needle should match the project you're stitching on. Don't use a size 9 (80) needle to sew denim. Oh, and don't use a regular needle to sew knits. Check out machine needle size and type charts online

Thread: unthread machine, rethread machine, retry. Is thread the right kind for the needle or fabric type? Is thread old or was 3 for $1? Replace with new and brand name type thread.
OMG, if you see a bin of 3 for $1 thread, please walk past it. I've never had problems with brand names threads (well, the old Coats Dual-Duty was temperamental) but, the cheap thread is just that, cheap.

If you've followed along with the Primer and are still having issues, walk away and have a cup of tea, then go back and do it all again, but this time, throw a clean and oiling in before starting. If you still can't find or fix the problem, post here or get some local advise. If that doesn't help, you probably have a real issue and should get it repaired.

BTW, that little loop for chain stitching? There is or was an attachment that would give you a chain stitch. A fork-type thingy if I remember correctly that either snapped on the cover plate or was inserted inside the bobbin assembly. Probably one of those things only available via special order.

[Old Hippie]

she never could get it to work either and even took it to a repair shop in Rapid City

Sounds like you got a good machine. My old New Home came from one of those little rail-siding towns between Huron and Brookings. I know Rapid City! Worked a few years there for Golden West/Duhamel Broadcasting.

Good luck with it!

:ootd:

[Pleater]

It seems as though you are on your way now.

The straight stitch is not a chain stitch - I have chain stitch on my machine, it requires the bobbin and holder to be replaced then the thread is caught and pulled through loops of itself rather than the normal two thread sewing.

You can get all sorts of different feet for different jobs, inserting zips for instance, or ones which look like tiny roller skates for knitteds. I have some which will put in small pleats for fine cloth - not kilt type pleats, more ruffles in shirts.

When starting off, I was taught to assist the motor by starting the wheel on the right turning, to overcome the resistance of the internal workings, though a clean and grease (lithium grease) a couple of times a year can help keep things moving easily. If the machine has stood for a long time it might take some little while for the new lube to work through all the bearings. It ought to get smoother with use and care.

My personal favourite kilt pleating style is the reverse Kingussie, by the way.

Anne the Pleater :ootd: