My vintage Kenmore 158.130 picks up the bobbin thread, but won't stitch. It is threaded correctly, the tension is OK, and I cleaned and oiled it. Everything moves so smoothly just as if it's stitching, but it never forms a stitch. Could it be the needle length? The needle I'm using was already on it.
By Penny
Is the needle currently on the machine even coming down far enough to penetrate the fabric? Turn the handwheel and watch to see if it is. If not, there's your answer - order the correct needles for the fabric you want to sew and watch for the postie or courier van:)
However, the problem may be something different. As you write you're in a remote location, give serious consideration to using the Sears website to order a replacement manual for the machine if you don't already have one. You don't say if you do have it, so I'm taking a jump and suggesting the manual purchase.
Also, whilst on the Sears parts and repair site, look for the location of the closest authorised Kenmore machine repair tech - as this is a vintage machine, even though you've cleaned and oiled it, there may be a worn part inside that is best looked at by a repair tech.
I love vintage machines and do a good bit of repair on them here in Scotland where I now live (lived in the US 40+years). But buying and using vintage sewing machines is not for the faint of heart - parts wear with age and conditions-of-use (dusty, going too fast, more, all can wear a machine no matter how good it looks on the outside), and all sewing machines require periodic inspection by a qualified repair tech to stay on top of potential problems (wearing parts, parts about to fail, etc).
Best of luck to you. I've lived in a remote, rural area and know how sewing machines (and other home-craft tools) are needed for household items, and creative outlet! I hope you and your machine have many happy sewing years ahead.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
My Kenmore 1941 is not stitching. Any advice?
This can happen for many reasons:
maybe spring is broken,
maybe lint or dust got into the oil during sitting unused for long time and oil inside becomes glue like and freezes up moving parts. Then warm up your sewing machine with a hair dryer set on medium during 20 min, clean areas that you can get to easily and add 1-2 drops of fresh sewing machine oil.
There is a post about repairing (if you have any more problems): www.thriftyfun.com/
I have a Brother sewing machine. I can sew perfectly fine on my scrap material and some flannel blankets I have, but as soon as I put my uniform under and start it up it just skips stitches or won't stitch at all. What am I doing wrong?
Try using a Denim needle. It is made for tough fabrics. Also, some of the bargain thread has a tendency to break, especially when sewing on heavier fabrics.
My sewing machine is not stitching.
When my sewing machine would not sew, I found out that it had dust in it, and so it was not catching the thread. So periodically, I have to take the piece off that is holding the bobbin, and clean in there with a Q-tip! I don't know if that will help you but it's a possibility. Wrong thread tension, (mine can be tightened on the bobbin case and on the tension dial), or the wrong thread. Wrong needle for the fabric you're using, if your machine needs to be oiled or if any parts are loose, those can all be reasons why your machine won't sew.
Gale 100 is correct - there are so many things that could be wrong. Here is the checklist I go through every time I sew: Correct needle for fabric or if you are embroidering, do you have an embroidery needle on? Is the needle sharp or dull? I change my needles very frequently. Is the needle in correctly & in the correct position? Correct thread for fabric? Correct upper & lower tension? Is the bobbin wound correctly? Are you using the correct style of bobbin for your machine? I have 3 machines that all have different bobbins & if I get the wrong one in one of them, it will either break my needle or the stitches will not catch or will cause a 'birds nest' mess on the back of the material or under the shuttle plate - really hard to get out if really bad! Yes, it also matters how you put your bobbin in & thread the bobbin thread through the plate or not. Are you using the correct foot for the project &/or stitch-type? Is the machine threaded correctly? Sometimes just re-threading it solves the problem. And after going through all of that, I use scrap material from my project to check & make sure my tension is correct, sometimes sewing line after line & adjusting both the upper & lower tensions until the stitch looks the way it should on both the top-side & bottom-side of the fabric. I also clean & oil my machines at least once a month whether I use them or not - which I usually have. Also, I still have the manuals that came with my machines, but I also have them on my computer. Google your brand of machine & the type or series of machine that you have & you should be able to download a free copy of the manual to your computer. If need be, you can always print out a copy of it. I hope this helps! Good luck!!!
I have a Morse zig zag 4100 sewing machine. It has thread on the spool and the bobbin, but it doesn't make a stitch.
By Wrplm
Do you have the user manual and have you tried all of the troubleshooting tips (usually listed at the back of the manual)?
If you don't have the manual, have a look at this freebie reprint of some very important pages from the manual-if you aren't threading, and inserting the bobbin case correctly, the machine won't sew:
www.sewusa.com/
That link also offers a purchase of the manual at a fairly reasonable price. It's always good to have that manual, it usually solves or prevents sewing machine problems.
If proper threading and bobbin insertion doesn't solve your problem, the next thing is to take the machine to a trustworthy repairman. Look for a sewing centre near you or online at your area community bulletin board for reviews and contact details of someone who can fix your machine.
The vintage machines are superbly built but sometimes a gear or belt breaks and you need a sewing machine repairman with the right parts to get your machine back to sewing.
The needle of my Kenmore sewing machine got broken when I was sewing. After replacing it with the same size needle it has refused to stitch even though it is able to pick up the bobbin thread.
The fabric only passes through without stitching.My Brother sewing machine's top thread just isn't sewing at all. I've tried changing tension, oiling it, etc. The lower one is fine. Please help, I am so frustrated.
make sure it's threaded correctly, one missed spot will cause problems. Also put in new needle, sometimes the needle can have a burr or slight bend
This might be a possibility. I was having the same problem and same frustration. Took my machine into the shop and the guy looked at it and noticed it was threaded wrong! I somehow mis-threaded time after time and hadn't noticed (even though I knew better). Good luck.
I do repair-refurb work on student machines (I teach Sewing 101) and would love to try to help but you've not given enough information for me to even try making a guess. The problem could be anything from a tiny piece of thread fluff (lint) caught somewhere in the thread path (oh those tension discs, they do love to gather lint!) to a broken/worn gear. Without more information it's hard to say.
You write that you've changed the tension, oiled, etc - I'm wondering if you've checked to be sure the machine is set back to sewing mode after winding a bobbin, and if you've used the 'troubleshooting' pages of your manual?
If I knew the model, age, and more about what's happening, I might be able to hazard a guess. As you've not included that info, I'm going to suggest you take the machine to a qualified repair tech for a check.
I have a Sears Kenmore sewing machine model 385.1884180. It picks up the bobbin thread, but does not stich. I have gone by my model's booklet and have changed the needle twice with #15 to sew cotton. I have re-wound the bobbin 5-6 times and changed the bobbin. I have re-threaded the machine/needle, opened the bobbin section, cleaned it (sucked it out with vaccum cleaner) and oiled it.
Still no stitching. Your help would be greatly appreciated. I need it to work properly. I do a lot of volunteering sewing. Thank you. No stitching at all. Sometimes a couple of stitches, then a big skip then a a stitch or two. Then nothing.My JMB sewing machine is not stitching. What could be wrong?
By Rachael
I just got a Brother CS6000i and it does not really work as far as I can tell (I'm very new to this). It picks up the lower thread, the hook timing is right, the tension seems fine too. But no stitches are made.
