Sewing
I have three sewing machines in my house again, but only one is working. I just ordered a copy of a manual for home sewing machine repair. Hoping to get them all working again.
Favored is the relatively new Kenmore my mom got me for Christmas several years ago now (2007?) It has nylon gears and a modern engine that purrs softly. It's been pretty faithful and hardy, and hasn't needed much apart from fresh needles and oil so far. It was giving me grief yesterday, though. Something was jamming up in the bobbin race, but I finally seem to have fixed that this morning, only to completely jam the gears somewhere in the top part. I removed the needle and thread, but when I turn the hand crank the gears won't turn at all.
I bought an old Kenmore at the Salvation Army a few weeks ago. It is likely from the 70s, and has all metal gears. It's dirty from disuse, but it turned on and moved nice in the store. It's khaki green, heavy, with a huge base. The bobbin threads a little awkwardly because I have to reach into a hole in the base at a right angle to load it. I tried to use it this morning, but the stitches are a little loose (I probably need to play with it to figure out how to adjust the tension correctly), and I jammed the bobbin similar to the problems I was having last night. I am also hesitant to mess with it much until I oil it, and I can't find my sewing machine oil at the moment.
The one that's working is my grandmother's 1960s Singer. It's an elegant little machine, black with gold filigree. The motor noise just sounds more metal and solid - it reminds me of a type-writer for some reason. It has no bells and whistles except for a funky collection of presser feet, and no reverse stitch. Compared to the more modern machines, the needle and bobbin thread sideways. It needs a little more hand-feeding than the new Kenmore so it doesn't slip sideways while sewing, and I don't dare try to adjust the stitch length or tension right now, but it's working beautifully.
Favored is the relatively new Kenmore my mom got me for Christmas several years ago now (2007?) It has nylon gears and a modern engine that purrs softly. It's been pretty faithful and hardy, and hasn't needed much apart from fresh needles and oil so far. It was giving me grief yesterday, though. Something was jamming up in the bobbin race, but I finally seem to have fixed that this morning, only to completely jam the gears somewhere in the top part. I removed the needle and thread, but when I turn the hand crank the gears won't turn at all.
I bought an old Kenmore at the Salvation Army a few weeks ago. It is likely from the 70s, and has all metal gears. It's dirty from disuse, but it turned on and moved nice in the store. It's khaki green, heavy, with a huge base. The bobbin threads a little awkwardly because I have to reach into a hole in the base at a right angle to load it. I tried to use it this morning, but the stitches are a little loose (I probably need to play with it to figure out how to adjust the tension correctly), and I jammed the bobbin similar to the problems I was having last night. I am also hesitant to mess with it much until I oil it, and I can't find my sewing machine oil at the moment.
The one that's working is my grandmother's 1960s Singer. It's an elegant little machine, black with gold filigree. The motor noise just sounds more metal and solid - it reminds me of a type-writer for some reason. It has no bells and whistles except for a funky collection of presser feet, and no reverse stitch. Compared to the more modern machines, the needle and bobbin thread sideways. It needs a little more hand-feeding than the new Kenmore so it doesn't slip sideways while sewing, and I don't dare try to adjust the stitch length or tension right now, but it's working beautifully.