Ask a QuestionHere are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community or ask a new question.
My Singer Diana sewing machine won't sew. The machine is running, but the needle doesn't go up and down. Any suggestions?
Make sure the clutch is not engaged. If you filled the bobbin with thread you might have forgotten to disengage it.
My 1940s Singer sewing machine was working fine until the needle arm and hand wheel froze. When this has happened in the past, I usually waited a moment and the hand wheel and needle arm relax and I'm able to continue. This time, the bobbin thread broke (I think I extracted all the pieces from the bobbin socket) and the hand wheel and long needle arm completely froze in place; they won't budge.
The motor seems fine and was recently oiled and overhauled so this seems to be something with the handwheel or bobbin area?
Before you take it in for expensive servicing, which you may need to do, take a warm/hot hair dryer and blow the heat into the gears. This will unstick the hardened oil or grease. Since you just had it serviced, this may not be the problem through. It's worth a try, and doesn't cost you anything.
I have a Singer Curvy and it won't sew. All the lights light up and blink, it makes a beep, and will not do anything. Any help would be appreciated. This happened not long after I had a professional fix the timing and clean it.
If your machine was working before you brought it in, then he did something to it. I would tell him that I was going to contact the Better Business Bureau if he doesn't fix it. This is not acceptable.
I have a Singer Merritt. I changed the bobbin because the last one broke. I tried to use it to sew and it just revs the motor and won't move at all, but when I take the fabric away and put the presser foot down the needle moves and sews. Could this be a timing problem? or did I tighten the bobbin too tight?
I would take off the needle plate and see if there is any thread or fabric bits jamming the machine.
I have a late model Singer 15, with number tension dial. I've set up a few vintage machines, but this has stumped me. The thread is being picked up from underneath, but will not form a stitch at all. When I try to sew, the thread comes off the spring. Could it be timing? Any help would be appreciated as I don't have much hair left!
It doesn't sound like the timing - it sounds as though the bobbin gear is gone. You could try fixing this yourself, or you can take it to a professional.
If you want to give it a go, message me (click on my screenname and it should take you to a box to write me a message) and I'll come back here and post a link to a refurb manual for these old lovelies:) They really aren't that hard to work on at all, the most difficult thing is finding replacement parts - and I can also post a link for you to a USA based parts supplier (he also gives a lot of information on his site, some free, some low-cost). I'd post the links now but my battery is about to die and I can't find my charger - so it may take me a day or two to find and post the link.
Otherwise, take the machine to a repair tech with experience on these vintage machines. The 15 is a little different from the 99 and 66 models I work on the most, so I may be wrong about the bobbin gear (but I don't think I am as what you're describing is pretty much a universal symptom of bobbin gear failure).
Best luck getting back to sewing, and well done for having such a lovely machine!
I bought a new bobbin case (verified for the correct one) for my Singer 6104. When I hold it in with my finger it sews fine, but when I put the lever over it that holds it in place it locks up.
What is the problem?
By Gloria
The packaging for the new case was labelled incorrectly - take the part back to the shop along with your machine and show them it's not the right one. If you bought the case online, take pictures of the part in the machine, and email the company.
And if you ordered this directly from SingerCo, you need to let them know this part and the lot it came in with is mislabelled. They'll take care of the problem for you but it may take a few weeks - be sure to keep a note of the lot number on the incorrect part so that you can check the next one before you even open the package.
The reason it works when you press on it with your finger but not when the lever is closed is because it's the wrong one - the weight of your finger compensates for the incorrect size but when the lever is closed and the case 'seated', it doesn't really seat. A millimetre difference is enough to cause the problem you're having.
You need to find a Singer trained repair tech in a sewing centre - he/she will be able to source the correct part, and will keep at it until it's right.
So my boyfriend's birthday is coming up and he's turning 16. I don't know what to give him. But I want to get or make him something really special that he can keep for a long time. I just want it to be something special because he's leaving to go to Dallas and I just want him to have something that reminds him of me. Do any y'all have any suggestions?
Buy a beautiful picture frame and put in a picture of the two of you.
I adore these customized bracelets. You can have anything you want put on them and you can get matching ones for yourselves:
www.etsy.com/
If you take a drivers education course you can get a learners permit at the age of 16 years. I think a nice key-chain would be very thoughtful and he can carry it with him !!
My sewing machine won't run. The foot pedal won't work and I can't think of anything to do. It turns on correctly, it is threaded, and the bobbin is fine. But the foot petal will not work and it won't stitch anything. What do I do? (My sewing machine is a Vivo Create and Repair machine by Singer).
You probably have a broken or loose wire in the cord to the foot pedal. You may need to replace it.
I would suggest you take it to a sewing/quilting shop/store and ask them as most of these people have a lot of experience with all types of machines. Sometimes it is something simple but other times it may need a new part.
You do not say that it was working the last time you used it but if it was, maybe you just need to unplug everything and replug just in case something did not sync correctly.
If a shop is not located in your area, try calling a shop and asking your question. I have even gotten some good answers from JoAnn's and Michael's craft stores.
I would start with the foot pedal. Try taking it to a shop and have it tested. However, I had one machine that the connections on the machine for the food pedal were bent and it wasn't making a good contact. Check the connections on the machine and make sure the cable is secured. Try moving the cable on the machine to see if you can make contact. Also check in inside of the cable for the pins. The pins can become loose or have moved. You might need to use a pair of needle nose pliers to pull the pins up in place.
I have a Singer Sewing Machine Model #4220. I tired everything to fix it. What has happened is that the wheel on side of the sewing machine will turn when doing it by hand, but when I push the foot pedal down it will not turn at all. It just makes noise. Can you help me?
Need to get a new belt or tighten/adjust the one you have.
How do I adjust the hand wheel belt
My machine turns on and all the buttons light up and the machine won't operate. Any suggestions on how to get it to work?
If a 'shock reboot' doesn't get your machine sewing again, it's time to take it to a Singer factory qualified repair tech - it's possible your software or motherboard have failed.
A 'shock reboot' is done by plugging the machine in, turning it on, letting it sit for 90 seconds, then pulling the plug out of the wall socket power point. Don't turn it off at the machine switch - pull the plug out of the wall while the machine is turned on.
Wait five minutes then plug it back in and turn it on - if your software isn't corrupted or the motherboard in fail, the shock reboot will reset the machine to the factory default settings, and you should be able to start sewing again following your user guide to reset your preferred settings.
Some Singer computerised manuals mention the shock reboot in the manual, some do not.
If you're not comfortable doing the shock reboot, simply pack it up and take it to the tech.
I tried the shock treatment, but no luck. I just received my Quantum L500 back from Singer repairs in South Africa. They claim the motherboard packed up. Where in the world can I buy a new motherboard or have mine fixed?
