I need a new sewing machine

[elephantoverthehill]

Hi I have posted about this dilema before. I have a 30 year old electric sewing machine that either needs replacing or servicing. I have seen this www.wightbay.com/newport/leisure/vintage-singer-sowing-machine-5403980/ And I am sorely tempted. If I need to do anything fancy I can borrow a machine from school. What do think?

Thanks for your concern. It is actually a busy small industrial estate, lots of workers asked if they could help me, I obviously was a new face. I felt a bit silly saying I was looking for a man with a sewing machine. .

If anyone is still on this thread I have got the machine. All the mechanics seem fine, it's just me. I can't seem to get the bobbin threaded correctly. The serial no. is EC222553. I need to replace the leather belt, it has snapped 10mm fron the join. It seems to be held together originally with a metal staple, is this right and can anyone identify the model of the machine and a good place to get replacement belts please?

Here

ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/serial-numbers/singer-ec-series-serial-numbers.html

It is a 201k, very capable, I have got one and I love it (mine is a hand turn).

I only ever go to Helen Howes for stuff, am sure someone else will know somewhere else.

Here are belts

www.helenhowes-sewingmachines.co.uk/treadlebits.html

Gosh that was quick. Thank you. What I am I doing wrong with the bobbin threading please?

I can't really see. Try this link for a manual to download although I can't get it to open with my slow rural broadband.

www.singerco.com/uploads/download/1297_201k.pdf

Nice machine! My 201 is in its case so I can't double check but I'm pretty sure that the bobbin thread should come off clockwise, it then goes up and back through the clip. It looks like your bobbin is the wrong way round. This shows threading and the bobbin bits
m.youtube.com/watch?v=nkdBpOu2jiU

Also my machine won't tolerate a plastic bobbin. It only seems to like metal ones

I only use metal ones too. This is mine, opened in your honour OP

Can you see the threading?

You are all very helpful, thank you. I have somewhere, buried deep in a sewing box one of my Mum's original singer bobbins so I will dig that out on the weekend or tomorrow night if I can't wait. I have given it a good oil and I am getting there, slowly. .

I haven't tried yet but the older metal bobbins have slightly curved sides, rather than flat, this may affect the thread pick up. H'mm.

I've done it . Old metal bobbin and threading the needle right to left rather than left to right . It makes a lovely stitch, just waiting for the belt now.

So great the help you've got so quickly, elephant!

This isn't a machine I have. All I can tell you is the drive belt will come with a couple of little holes in it, and a metal staple thing to fasten, so that metal bit you were seeing is right...

I've read the 201Ks are extremely reliable and some think they are the best machine ever made.

www.sewalot.com/singer_201k_sewalot.htm

. Great news OP, I should have said that the threading is in at the top, over to the left and across really.

The manual tells you anything else you might need to know in a dull moment, including a bit on treadles.

I must confess that when I bought my 201 I wanted a treadle but it was such a nice example that I bought a hand crank. I could convert it but like it as it is. Then the Pfaff 30 came along when I was still looking for a treadle (it is electric), then a lovely table, the likes of which I hadn't seen before to put the Pfaff in.

I would still like a treadle .

Thank you to everyone for all your help, I am looking forward to a weekend sewing.

How are you getting on OP? I got one of my old machines out yesterday. I had forgotten how the stitch is the most beautiful of all my machines.

Because I was tired and couldn't be bothered to start anything new (after I had done a few repairs) I played with some of my feet.

Look at these perfect pintucks, no preparation, marking, ironing or thought. Just the foot doing its job on a scrap of fabric.

These machines are so capable with their attachments. I think I am going to have a new rule that one of them is out at all times.

Hi CatherineDeB thank you for asking and the answer is rather slowly. I ordered the new belt from Helen Howes last week and it did not arrive so I phoned them. Somehow the order had not been picked up upon, which was quite serendipitous as I could add on the order some new bobbins. I am still waiting. I have now 'broken up' from school so hope it will come today. I have bidded upon 2 lots of feet on e-bay but not won them. I am very excited about getting hold of pintuck and ruffler feet.

That is a shame! I would always phone up with my order if I could.

Shame about the eBay feet - are they much cheaper than buying the feet individually at Helens?

I suppose that GBSB is responsible for everyone wanting them. The man who services my machine said he has had endless enquirers about cover stitch machines since GBSB whereas he usually only sells one, if that, most years.

The price soon puts people off though £500 for the cheapest one. These are people who don't have an overlocker!

Well I hoped the feet would be cheaper, but I was outbid. I will ring Helen Howes about the feet. I saw some job lots which I thought would be cheaper. Your pintucks look great, now my mind is whizzing with applications. do you know anything about the quilting foot? Is it just basically a protractor?

The belt arrived today and I have been practising. I am going backwards less often now [Grin].

Not sure which quilting foot you mean Elephant. I just use one of those guide things on the back of my foot.

Pleased your belt came and you are going forwards!

I guess it's the age-old question of old vs new. I had a Singer (I don't know what Vintage!) handed down to me but it was never quite right and after a couple of attempts I wondered if I could ever get it repaired. There was a lot of sentimental value, to be honest. Then a good friend recommended a new Janome on Teepee, the recommendations app. I have to admit that I took the plunge and bought one, and much as I love the old Singer, I can actually sew now!

Congrats op! My new mum used to sew all my clothes on that machine. I often wish I had it . I buy old singers with just 2 stitches as the old ones are better made than the new computerized ones. Happy sewing!

I think it must have been your particular machine Head. Lots of us sew very well with vintage machines. Even my new Bernina is old style - no desire to modernise here .

headfirst it was most likely something very simple to fix - or maybe even a clean was all that was needed. ;o) Spare parts are rarely a lot more than a fiver, anyway.

The biggest thing that might go wrong is the timing being out. That's easy for a repair-person to fix. Most modern machines have built in obsolescence so when something fairly simple goes (which it will as they're made out plastic!) that's it.

The old machines tend to be well built work-horses you could use day in, day out, for years without a hitch! Sometimes when they have been stored somewhere damp or neglected a long time, something might seize up but it's never impossible to fix!