A little while ago I posted Here that I had bought a little vintage sewing machine on eBay from a hospice.
It was sewing a straight stitch well but I did notice that it was difficult to quilt using the walking foot as I realised the needle wasn't in the middle of the foot plate. I guessed it was something to do with the fact it wouldn't do a zig zag stitch & that the needle bar was stuck in the wrong place. The alternative was that something had broken off but everything seemed to move when I turned the levers.
I contacted Helen Howes who runs a great website with lots of advice about restoring vintage machines. She's a textile artist & designer & also sells lots of parts & I got my replacement Singer stitch lever from her.
Her advice to me was "oil, heat & wiggle".
So I oiled it yet again, blew the hairdrier on it a few times & eventually after about 15 minutes & wiggled the needlebar. Yes it released it & now it does some lovely special stitches including a lovely overlock stitch. Amazing!
So I now have a lovely little machine that works perfectly, I contributed to a hospice and I'm helping to save the planet by not buying a plastic throwaway sewing machine.
Feel a bit of a Heather Small moment coming on! Love this song.
It was sewing a straight stitch well but I did notice that it was difficult to quilt using the walking foot as I realised the needle wasn't in the middle of the foot plate. I guessed it was something to do with the fact it wouldn't do a zig zag stitch & that the needle bar was stuck in the wrong place. The alternative was that something had broken off but everything seemed to move when I turned the levers.
I contacted Helen Howes who runs a great website with lots of advice about restoring vintage machines. She's a textile artist & designer & also sells lots of parts & I got my replacement Singer stitch lever from her.
Her advice to me was "oil, heat & wiggle".
So I oiled it yet again, blew the hairdrier on it a few times & eventually after about 15 minutes & wiggled the needlebar. Yes it released it & now it does some lovely special stitches including a lovely overlock stitch. Amazing!
So I now have a lovely little machine that works perfectly, I contributed to a hospice and I'm helping to save the planet by not buying a plastic throwaway sewing machine.
Feel a bit of a Heather Small moment coming on! Love this song.
Still not used to that bobbin being under the needleplate though! Absolutely daft!!!