Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
My presser foot fell off when I touched it and the metal piece fell on top of it with the screw to the side. I don't know what it is or how to fix it. Suggestions?
The piece that came off the machine looks like it is broken and needs to be repaired. The presser foot is easy to put back on the arm. You normally just snap it back in place. The metal bar will be what the foot snaps onto when it is attached again. However,k the round spring looking object is a piece that has broken on the machine therefore you need to buy a new one and replace it.
Looks like something caused this piece to break. It's possible your machine was not set up correctly to sew several thicknesses (such as parts of the face masks).
You can contact your Sears Service Center for ordering your broken part and they may also be able to help you with proper settings for sewing the face masks.
You can contact your local center from this link. You should call or check to see if they are open or just taking emails or phone calls.
You can send pictures inside email as they may not open attachments. You will need your model number (if possible or a picture of your machine. Model number should be on manual).
www.service-center-locator.com/
I have been cleaning up and oiling this vintage machine, and it was sewing pretty decently. There was still a catch somewhere, so I was pretty liberal with the oil, trying to locate where it was sticking. But after loosening off the clutch now the wheel is slipping and not turning consistently. It stops, I turn the wheel by hand to get it going, and then it stops again. I wondered if getting oil on the belts might be a problem, so I cleaned those, but that didn't help. Can anyone help me understand why this might be happening?
Thank you!
This is the incident of a little to much oil. It is making your belt, shimmy and vibrate causing your machine to slip/spin without connection. Perhaps you could clean it up a little.
When a sewing machine is sticking and not sewing correctly it is not the belt or the motor that is the issue. The issue is in the bobbin case and getting it all cleaned out and oiled correctly. Adding oil all over the machine is bad for the machine and will cause the issues you are experiencing now. You are going to need to really clean up the mess and get rid of as much oil as you possibly can. Then open the bobbin on the machine and remove the casing. Do a really deep cleaning in here and get rid of all the dust and buildup that is in this area.
Clean the oil off the belt as well as the motor shaft and where the belt goes on your hand wheel. Also remove any thread or lint on those same spots. Once you have it all cleaned, it should be okay.
I have a really old Kenmore sewing machine and I have it all threaded right. But when I went to start sewing, I noticed that it was set to bobbin winding.
I tried to change it but it won't let me. No matter what I try and set it to, it just beeps at me.On older sewing machines there are normally 2 ways to wind a bobbin. The first way is to disengage the wheel by turning the inside knob. This will allow the machine to wind the bobbin. When you have wound the bobbin then you tighten the inside knob back up and then can sew. The second way is to engage the bobbin winding by placing the bobbin on the spindle and pushing it towards the rubber wheel or stop that is on the machine. I am not sure of the model number of your sewing machine or if it winds the bobbin in one of these two ways.
The spool pin on my Kenmore 24-stitch (I think it might be a 385, though I'm not sure) fell into the machine. I can't use the machine without thread, and I can't use the thread without the spool pin. How do I go about getting it out?
By Kelly M.
I'm afraid there is no safe way for you to use the machine until that spool pin is fetched out of the machine, and there is no safe way for you to remove it at home - you need to take your machine to a qualified sewing machine repair tech, the retrieval will cost you around £20GBP or $30+USD. Splash out for a servicing which will jump the price to mid-high double digits but is well worth it to keep your machine running well, and to inspect for any damage the dropping pin may have caused.
If the machine is under warranty you need to use the Sears authorised repair service techs - either telephone your local Sears, use the 'Net to find their local-to-you service centre, or carefully check all adverts for wording indicating the tech is an authorised service provider or you will void your warranty.
I have been using my great-grandmother's sewing machine for years, and it is just now giving me a problem. When I begin sewing by pushing the foot pedal, it will sometimes start and it will sometimes not. If it does, I have to have the pedal to the floor to keep it going, so I can only sew very fast. If I let it slow down, the machine gets stuck.
When it is stuck, turning the hand wheel toward me while pushing the foot pedal gets it going again. When I turn the hand wheel or when it does stop on me, it is always stiff or stuck in the same spot in its rotation. Every time I push the pedal, the motor does run, but I can't always get the needle to move.I have tried everything from cleaning it, disassembling what I can to check for problems, oiling it, and more. Am I most likely looking at a problem with the foot pedal, the motor, an internal belt or gear, or a timing issue?
By Jessica B.
It does sound like a problem with the foot pedal (timing problems usually show up as the needle hitting the plate or bobbin-you'll hear a little clunk every time the needle goes down into the bobbin area).
It could be as simple as a worn wire in the pedal, or it could be something more serious. You can try opening the foot pedal housing and giving the interior a look over-take clear photos first and be sure to check the photos before you disassemble anything-you may see the trouble straight off.
If you can't see any obvious problems, put the housing back on, check the voltage (should be printed on the bottom of the pedal), and try a different foot pedal in the same voltage to see if that sorts the problem. Foot pedals do go bad over time so that may be the problem.
You can find a replacement either at the Sears parts site:
searspartsdirect.com
You can also check eBay for vintage Kenmore parts.
There is a pressure plate right below the knob that u twist to unlock to wind your bobbin, this is your problem. U can get more life out of your machine without spending money. That that small plate and slighly bend it so it won't sit on there flush and it will work. I spent 285 $ fo get mine fixed
The presser foot on my Kenmore 385 19157100 sewing machine won't go up or down. The lever moves, but the foot does not budge. Does anyone know how to repair this?
If the lever is moving and he foot still stays in the same position then it means that it is not attached to the arm correctly. There is a screw at the back of the arm. Take off the screw and check the foot. On some machines you can change the foot around so check to see if the foot is on the arm correctly.
I recently acquired a vintage Kenmore sewing machine, model 1251. It looks like new, and hasn't been used much. I cleaned and oiled it, and it sews like a dream! However, the clutch knob is stuck, so I can't disengage the needle arm for winding bobbins.
Even when loosening the screw on the knob, it won't budge. Please help! Thanks!
I just found a beautiful Kenmore 158.523 machine, but the button on the machine bed will not turn to lower the feed dogs. Any idea how I can get this to turn?
The stitch selector dial of my Kenmore sewing machine 15358 will not turn in any direction. Kindly help.
