<p>I love my old Singer. 1985 or 86 I think. We were newlyweds - a romantic gift from my husband. :o</p>
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<p>But if it lasts for three or four years, and it costs less than $100, I’m thinking it might just do the trick. After a few years I’ll toss it and buy another one for less than $100.</p>
<p>fiona_: I checked out craftster.org and didn’t see anything about sewing machines. Interesting site, nevertheless.</p>
<p>I agree with the others, adjust the bobbin tension. Taking the time to figure this out will save you money you would otherwise spend on a new machine.</p>
<p>A few year’s back I helped with a middle school after-school sewing class where students used their mom’s old sewing machines. There were three common problems I got quite good at fixing. </p>
<p>First was verifying the thread path. You need to check that thread is moving freely through all parts of the thread path. Check the path against a diagram; there are lots online or in library books. </p>
<p>Second was low-quality thread. It shredded and then had to be cleaned out, tweezer bit by tweezer bit.</p>
<p>Third was bobbin holder issues. You need to make sure your bobbin holder is properly adjusted, that the screw holding tension is not slipping (it may need to be replaced), that there are no weird metal bits sticking up, and that it’s locking properly into position. </p>
<p>If you’ve done all that… well, it probably is time to move on to a new machine.</p>
<p>I have a real problem with the idea of buying a machine you’re planning to junk though. A quick check of Ebay shows some nice berninas available used for 100-200 dollars and you’d get a machine that you could keep for quite a while.</p>
<p>Yes, check the bobbin tension. You should also adjust the upper thread tension. Does yours have a dial (right above the needle) to adjust it? Try tiny adjustments, sew an inch and see how it looks from both sides. The stitches should be even and look the same. Also, take apart the casing for the bobbin and clean it out with a soft brush or similar. Another thing causing the problem could be the timing between the upper needle and the bobbin movement. My Singer had this problem and it was a very simple repair to fix it. Oh, and what kind of thread are you using? I ran into the same problem as you describe while using “button” or “coat” thread, which is a little thicker than regular thread. My Singer will only work with regular thickness thread.</p>
<p>And finally-- our local tailor charges $7 to hem pants. I never hem my H’s pants anymore!</p>
<p>Several other things to check:
- Maker sure the upper machine is properly threaded. Improper threading can bypass or misapply the upper tension.
- Make sure you have the right size needle for the fabric and thread that you are using, and that the needle is not bent or dull. (Also a few machines need special needles.) Is thhe thread straight through the needle? Thread twisted around the needle can cause it to catchj as it goes down into the bobbin case to lock the stitch.)
- Are you using the right bobbin for the machine? Some bobbins are sold as fitting machines that they simply do not fit. Does the bobbin have 2 sides? (My old Viking machine needs to have one side of the bobbin facing in, and the other side facing out, of the bobbin case.)
- Is there a trick to threading the bobbin? My machine used to give me problems until I realized that when I snap in the bobbin case, the bobbin thread needs to pass under the little “finger” that holds the bobbin case in place.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that errors in the top threading and tension can produce noises that sound like the problem is the bobbin case, and that uppwer and lower tension need to balance (ie, misadjusting the upper tension can also cause a jam in the bobbin area).</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Thanks to you all. I plan to devote some time this evening to evaluating all the things you’ve suggested. I know you’re all on the edges of your seats, so I’ll post about my findings and results. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>I went to buy a $200 sewing machine (zig zag/straight stitch) and my husband decided to come with. He was bored and while looking at the machines he found one that sews through 8 layers of denim and leather. I ended up with a $600 Husquevarna which I love, but in his dreams if he thinks I am going to sew him a leather coat or do a Levi’s type hem on a pair of jeans! </p>
<p>I think that for $200-300 a person can get a really good machine.</p>
<p>Old Singers are worth looking into adjusting and fixing. New Singers are NOT Singers. The name is now “sold” to a variety of companies to be used on their machines. </p>
<p>I have the bottom of the line Bernina. It was not expensive. It is great. it does basic and some fancy stitches. I can sew denim and such. I have leaned to have a variety of needles on hand. I have sewn some vinyl for a seat cover. A good machine is worth its weight in GOLD. </p>
<p>And look for old featherweight Singers on Craigslist.</p>
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Argh, I forgot they changed the front page to a ‘collage’ of popular posts. It’s actually a HUGE forum – everything from bath soaps to hand-binding books.</p>
<p>Here’s the sewing machine forum: [Sewing</a> Machine Reviews, Advice on the Best Sewing Machines - Craftster](<a href=“Splitcoaststampers : Card Making, Rubber Stamping & Paper Crafting”>Splitcoaststampers : Card Making, Rubber Stamping & Paper Crafting)</p>
<p>I’m on my third sewing machine in 6 years. My first was a basic Brother and it worked well for about a year, then it completely locked up. It was pretty inexpensive, so I didn’t bother with taking it to get serviced. </p>
<p>About a year later, my husband bought me a Brother sewing/embroidery machine. It did have some quirks, but overall ran like a dream. I started having problems with it last year, which limited my desire to do much sewing. It had started locking up and making a horrible noise. It was VERY picky about what type of thread I used and seemed to be particular about how I used it. If it was on too long, it would lock up. If the bobbin got low on thread, it would lock up. The problems started happening more often, until finally, the week before Christmas, it basically died. The needle will move for about 3 seconds, then it makes a noise like when you forget your car is already running and you turn the key. </p>
<p>I finally said enough was enough and bought a Kenmore that day. It’s very basic and not at all fancy, but it’s worked like a dream. I had a ton of sewing projects that I had to finish up, so I used it pretty much non-stop for 4 days straight and didn’t have a single issue that wasn’t user error. </p>
<p>I don’t sew on a regular basis and tend to do a ton of projects in a month, then nothing for several months, so neither of the Brother machines got a ton of use, so it annoys me greatly that both seemed to last such a short period of time. I did some research online before buying the Kenmore and didn’t find anything negative about it. Also, the salesperson at Sears said that the one I purchases was their best seller and they’ve had no returns. </p>
<p>If you’re interested, the one I bought is called the Kenmore Drop-In Bobbin Sewing Machine. It has around 40 stitches, I think, and came with quite a few different feet. It says that it can handle quilting, but I haven’t tested that yet. It feels very sturdy and things seems to be situated so that it’s easy to do maintenance. That was one of my issues with the embroidery machine; that it was incredibly difficult to open up the bobbin plate to clean out the fuzz and stray threads.</p>
<p>splash79: How much $$$$??</p>
<p>The Kenmore was around $150, but I saw that it’s on sale right now at Sears.com for $129.</p>