Replies

1. 
   karen_morris_ | Nov 02, 2001 08:11am | #1

   *
   Welcome, Gail. To get a manual for your machine, you can try the Sewing Machine Museum in Arlington, TX. I know that Frank Smith has a lot of manuals for older machines. The web site is rampages.onramp.net/~arlprosv/museum.htm, and you can telephone him at 817-275-0971.

   You can also try Viking, which I believe owns the White sewing machine co. now (31000 Viking Parkway, Westlake, OH 44145;440-808-6550). Good luck--I hope you find it.

1. 
   Gail_Eakins | Nov 06, 2001 02:54am | #2

   *Karen ,thanks so much for your reply to my cry for help!I will definitely try both of the locations.Whatever were you working on at that time of the morning ? a special project just curious thanks a bunch !Gail

1. 
   karen_morris_ | Nov 06, 2001 10:52am | #3

   *oh, Gail, i'm just a total night owl....

1. 
   Paula | Nov 12, 2001 07:13am | #4

   *Gail,If you can understand your machine you won't really need a book. They don't really tell you that much anyway, they do help with the different buttons but don't give that much information about tensions. If you can get the tensions to sew right then you can practice and learn what all the buttons do.With an old machine I would start by cleaning out and oiling the bobbin case [one drop of oil in the housing that you set the bobbin case into] and checking that the bobbin case has the right tension on the bobbin thread. This is often unexplained or overlooked in sewing machine manuals. And many sewers do not know what the right tension is for the bobbin case. They are fighting to adjust the top tension when the bobbin tension is all goofed up.There is tiny little screw on the side of the bobbin case, you can usually turn it with your finger, it may only need to be adjust a quarter turn to the right or to the left. Remember this 'Righty-tighty and Lefty-loosey'. With thread in the bobbin and the bobbin in the bobbin case hold it up by the thread only and give it a little jerk. If the tension on the bobbin case is correct it will drop down about two inches and hang there. If the bobbin case does not drop down at all the tension is too tight, turn the screw to the left. And if the bobbin case drops down several inches the tension is set too loose, turn the screw to the right. After you have made this adjustment then you can work on setting the tensions for the upper thread.more later...

1. 
   Paula | Nov 12, 2001 04:47pm | #5

   *continued...I have helped a lot of people understand their old sewing machines so here are two more common problems that you need to check for.Is the needle in the machine correctly? [Start with a new needle.] I have had several people bring their machines to me complaining that they won't sew right or wont sew at all, when the reason was simply that they had put the needle in sideways and backwards. Here's how to tell which way the needle goes, look at the needle and see that there is a long groove down one side of the needle and know that that groove is a channel for the thread to pass set in to protect it while punching through the fabric. That groove will be either facing you or facing the left side of the sewing machine depending on how your machine is made. Please notice how the bobbin case is sitting in your sewing machine, do you remove the bobbin out to the front or to the left side? The front [grooved side] of the needle will face the same direction that the bobbin is removed.Also notice the the top of the needle [shank] has a flat side. The flat side is the back. When placing the needle up onto the machines needle bar the flat side must be to the back against the needle bar, it will fit better too. You can take a little mirror and look up at this needle hole and then you will see how the needle should fit.Is the sewing machine threaded correctly? This is the biggest reason that you need a manual. But if you can find a generic manual even that will help. Remember this, the thread always has to go through the tension guides BEFORE passing thru the take-up lever. Try to find which guides are for aiding in this route. I can't help you much there because all machines are so different and I would need to see yours.If you have more questions ask again. We will try to help.Paula White

2. 
   karen_morris_ | Nov 13, 2001 06:35am | #6

   *Paula, this is great basic information. Thanks.