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Kenmore Users

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Latest Activity: Jan 2

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Group Posts

walking foot for model 1980: 158.19800 or 158.19801 or 158.19802 2 Replies

First, hello everyone! I have the above model of Kenmore. It was my mom's; she passed it along to me when she got a lighter portable to take places. As some of you would know, this model is…Continue

Started by jbsews. Last reply by jbsews Dec 30, 2011.

Kenmore Elite Embroidery Machine 1 Reply

Hello. I have a Kenmore Elite Embroidery machine. I have been sewing all my life and am a very experienced sewer but this machine has me very intimidated. Does anyone have any suggestions on…Continue

Started by Jan. Last reply by mary Dec 30, 2011.

Help Please too!! 2 Replies

Hi everyone:My machine (Kenmore 19005) is doing the exact same thing as Anthony Vallee, but it only happens when I'm embroidering. My top thread wraps itself around the bobbin case at least 15 times…Continue

Tags: 19005, thread, bobbin, Kenmore, tensions

Started by Ma'amster. Last reply by Ma'amster Sep 28, 2010.

HELP PLEASE !!!!!! 5 Replies

i just got a kenmore model 158.18800 and it run great but the thred keeps getting stuck by the bobbin when it loops around . There are no burs on any thing and i dont know how to ajust it .somebody…Continue

Started by anthony vallee. Last reply by susan romine Jul 16, 2010.

"Kenmore 19005 embroidery machine" 3 Replies

Sent in by mary:"Help the Reader19000 has been back ordered for 2 years now and I need one to embroider on my machine. I know this is like some…Continue

Tags: JEF, Janome, machine, embroidery, 19005

Started by Susan. Last reply by Ramona Kuhn Feb 24, 2010.

Store Brand Question 8 Replies

Many years ago, my mother's neighbor said that she absolutely had to go to a certain store, like Sears, Montgomery Ward, etc., for different appliances. She told me that the store brand appliances…Continue

Tags: parts, brand, manufacturers, machine, Sewing

Started by Gayle Christopher. Last reply by Gayle Christopher Jan 23, 2010.

Manual for Kenmore 10 - 385. 81510?! 1 Reply

I need one!!!! The needle won't go up and down.

Tags: 385, 81510?!, 10, Kenmore, for

Started by Susan. Last reply by L Hutch Sep 28, 2009.

Kenmore 158-14-101 Question

New to group so please bear with me on my first post. I have a Kenmore Model 158-14-101 sewing machine in a cabinet available to me and the price is right, can anyone tell me anything about this…Continue

Started by Deb Aug 7, 2009.

A Kenmore for $2.50! 1 Reply

Check this blog out! Laura bought her daughter a Kenmore for $2.50! It cleaned up beautifully.Continue

Tags: blog, Laura, thrift, kenmore

Started by Susan. Last reply by Phyllis Jun 24, 2009.

Attachments and Feet and Decorative threads 5 Replies

As mentioned in my comment, have collected as many feet and attachment accessories as I could find. Now that I am retired, I hope to experiment with all of them to see their designs in real life,…Continue

Started by susan romine. Last reply by migdalia Jun 21, 2009.

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Comment by Suzi on December 16, 2010 at 12:16am: Hi all! I am new to this group and have a Kenmore 86 (148.861) I cannot seem to find hardly any information on it at all, and I do not have the manual. It belonged to my mom and I can remember watching her sew on it as a kid. Does anyone know anything about this particular model or why it is not popular?

Comment by Elizabeth Smith on November 29, 2009 at 11:12pm: I love my Kenmore. It stitches slowly enough to stitch the smallest pieces for the dolls that I make. My Singer wants to suddenly take off making it hard to control. It is stubborn to get started and wants to sit and hum then take off in a burst. And the Singer is my newest machine. I love my Kenmores. I got one at a flea market last summer. It is in a cabinet, has a multitude of stitches and also has cams for other ornate stitches. I thought $20 was a steal. It needs a couple of minor adjustments and I'll be off and running, oh, I mean stitching. I don't think you can go wrong with a Kenmore.

Comment by Ags on June 25, 2009 at 5:46pm: $135 in 1956 today would be equal to 1,058.99, according to DollarTimes.com where they have an inflation calculator. I was curious so I checked it out. I can't imagine the average home sewer back then being able to afford $135 machine.

Comment by Phyllis on June 24, 2009 at 4:41pm: Another Kenmore enthusiast here. My first was bought, to sew myself maternity clothes, in a Sear's Vineland, NJ store early 1958. It was work horse. Circa 1975, the stitch tension went awry. Was able to get the part because this happened 3 years before the 20 year limit on replacing parts went into effect. However, I have yet to get the part put into place.

The following URL might be of interest to members.

http://www.ismacs.net/sears/sears.html

My machine is near page end, with the caption below reading -
Perhaps it was an answer to Singer's popular Model 301? The "Kenmore 71", manufactured by White, was a rotary model made of aluminum and weighing only 17 1/2 pounds. It sold for a pricey $134.95 in 1956

Over the years since the early 1990's, I have purchased Kenmore's for my daughter, son, and most recently 2006.

Though I do know there are sewists who abhore anything "Kenmore."

Comment by Phyllis on June 24, 2009 at 4:21pm: Alie - Can appreciate your being slightly bummed. Any plastic part can present a problem. Having the other pieces does indeed make up for the irreplaceable part.

Comment by Ags on June 24, 2009 at 11:29am: I'm slightly bummed. My recent find of the vintage kenmore for $20 has just been declared unrepairable by my sewing machine repair man. It was sewing but the stitch length was messed up and when he looked at it he told me that the ONLY plastic part on the whole machine was cracked - the disc connected to the stitch length button. And Sears doesn't make that part anymore. It will sew but only with a basting stitch length. The good news is that the ruffler attachment I got with it, (not to mention all the other attachments) is worth more than $20. AND I can use those and the cams on my other Kenmore. He's giving my working Kenmore a tune-up. I can't wait to get it back, I have soooo much sewing to do!

Comment by M J Isenhart on June 20, 2009 at 11:26pm: Thanks Marty. It is nice to know I have a vintage. I bought my kenmore in 1979. It is still going strong. I have had no problems with it. I thought about getting a new machine, but not any more.

Comment by Margaret "Marty" Cobb on June 20, 2009 at 7:33pm: A sewing machine is considered vintage at 25 years old. An antique sewing machine would be 75 years old or older. Kenmores last forever it seems.

Comment by M J Isenhart on June 20, 2009 at 6:39pm: What age is considered Vintage for Kenmore sewing machine?

Comment by susan romine on June 20, 2009 at 6:11pm: Sinclair's sewing machine repair manual was available years ago at my library. Its probably out of print by now, but, if found it has many helps for the not-so-obvious adjustments for the iron-horse machines that aren't just quite right. Grab this old book if you find one. I believe they spanned different shuttle shuttle styles also.
When one of my Kenmores 'adjusted' itself when dropped on a concrete floor I was able to get the machine parts realigned and set back where they belonged before jarred out of place.