Comment by Wilma Ramsey on June 2, 2009 at 4:53pm

I envy you being petite. At least you can hem the clothes but when they are too short it's impossible. I have always had a problem buying pants. In my younger days I only weighted about 100 lbs. and at 5'7" that is skinny. I bought most my clothes back then from Beeline Products because they sold talls. But I didn't wear pants much back then--it was mostly skirts, dresses and heels, I had been buying my pants thru Lane Byrant for several years because they sold talls but they have stopped seling the pants I bought so now I am out of luck. I am now about 50 lbs overweight and it's all in my stomach---I look 9 months pregnant !!! So I have to buy things that go around that stomach which makes them too big everywhere else. I can't wear jeans because of this---but never wore then before either. Our weather has been horrible and I am beginning to think we're not going to have a summer. Most days are in the 60's and high 40's at night and I think it has rained everyday for the last 2 weeks.
Right now we have no idea when or where we will move. But move we must. This place is just way too small and the neighborhood is going downhill more and more every day. We had hoped to move last year but it didn't work out because of his job. He was only on a 4 day pay for almost a year and then got laid off this past March and just got called back last week. We rent and we will be doubling our rent no matter where we move. It will be close to where we are now but hoping to get into a township and get out from under the city taxes we have to pay every year. I am in Ohio. Where do you live?

Comment by Bonnie on June 2, 2009 at 7:43pm

Hi Wilma!
I am in AL, almost as far south as you can go without wetting your feet in the Gulf. We're about 35-40 miles from the closet barrier island right at the Gulf. Don't go to the beach much cause it's small and not very wide and unless the Coast Guard has rebuilt it's facility for it's people, we'd have no restrooms or showers. We put in an above ground pool when my granddaughter was about 7 because she was terrified of water. Within 2 weeks she was in the pool all day if you'd let her and was swimming like a fish.Not surprised ---her name is Ariel. we've had custody of her since she was ; bad mama and my son could not take care of her financially the way the court wanted. She was bonded to us and to him so we got a good lawyer ,proved her mother was a liar ,among other things , and got her evaluated by an independant custody evaluator and by the time everything came out, she was in therapy for neglect and abuse. Been a long hard road but she;s a beautiful girl, little too stubborn sometimes, but will be a senior next year at a really good Christian academy ,which has been the best thing for her yet. They don't put up with bullies and troublemakers so it's a wonderful learning environment. This has been her best year ever and she has matured beyond what I expected ; she is a really level-headed young lady that uses her head.
I imagine you have as much trouble finding talls as I have finding petites. A lot of places here only carry a small line of petites or just the 'young kicky' stuff that looks ridculous on somebody over 25. I have the same tummy problem you do; when your back starts collapsing, things have no where to go but out front. Couple that with slender legs and small butt and i look like a marshmallow on toothpicks. My rib cage has settled down on top of my pelvic cradle so I have almost no waistline. Guess I shouldn't complain, at least I'm still walking and not in a scooter chair or worse.
I hope you can find a bigger place to your liking; I know what those 4 day weeks are like because my son was doing that last fall thru the winter. Didn't lay him off beacuse he's being 'groomed' to step into his supervisor's job when he retires. My daughter-in-law works for a shipping company or something of that nature and has all she can handle. hEr boss gave her a bonus at Christmas that almost gave her a heart attack--- she thought he'd made a mistake and put too many zero's on the check. That bonus really helped them out over the winter.
I knida of envy your weather; it's so hot here and the sweat just rolls off me when I go outside. We have a 'container' garden this year and we have to water twice a day.Haven't had any rain for almost 2 weeks ,but that would probably just make it more muggy . Tonight seems like it's going to be a little cooler -- I didn't roll sweat when I went out and watered about 5:30.
We live in a rural area in Mobile county, and just did escape annexation to the city of Mobile when they tried to grab the commercial corridor that goes through here. The community is looking at incorporating so we won't have that to worry about anymore. The sales tax for the city adds up to 9.5% by the time they add their few cents to state and county. Property taxes are lower than a lot of places but high when you look at the pay scale here.
I don't envy you with the moving mess; I did that about 6 times in 16 yrs with the Coast Guard.
Keep yourchin up; I'll say a prayer that you find something you like with more room and not a lot of rent increase.
Will catch you later-- got to give the dog her insulin shot and I'm done for the day.

Comment by Lee on June 4, 2009 at 9:35am

Hey there all -- let's try to get back to the topic of our Kenmore machines and sewing with it, please! Thanks.

Comment by Kay on June 4, 2009 at 10:51am

I agree with Lee, let's talk about Kenmores and leave the life stories out!

Comment by Ags on June 7, 2009 at 5:26pm

Hi All! I'm Ags and I have just recieved a Sears Kenmore Model 158.151 in a sewing table, (for free) from a friend. She got it from someone but never used it, but thought the original owner said it was in working order. It came with those sewing discs and the original box of attachments! I haven't been able to find a manual online for it yet. I've seen a lot of manuals online but not for this specific model number.

I plugged it in and the light turns on and I hear the motor running but the needle seems to be disengaged or something, it does not move. I've tried playing around with it to try and see what could be wrong, but nothing so far. And without the manual I'm lost. I've thought about taking it in to get checked, but I don't want to pay for servicing if it's something as simple as a turn of a wheel or flip of a switch that I'm just not getting.

If anyone has any ideas, I'd be truly grateful. :)

~Peace

Comment by Kay on June 7, 2009 at 6:39pm

Ags, it sounds like the machine is locked up.Unplug it, take it apart wherever you can and oil all moving parts. Turn the wheel to see the parts that move. Blow it out with canned air, if you don't have any, just blow it out by mouth.
Take a toothbrush and brush out all the lint also.
If that doesn't help, it may be out of time or your belt could be bad. Some belts have grooves in them and may slip off the gears. If you can get to the belt, look and see if it's around the gears. Also the belt might be broken and will need a new one.
Don't try to run it with the pedal until you're sure it's ok as this will burn up the motor. If nothing works, call a repair shop, explain what's happening. They may tell you what it is and how to fix it or whether it needs to come in for repairs.
My serger did the same thing and I thought it was a goner until I took it apart and cleaned it, now she's purring like a kitten!
Good luck, don't give up..Kenmores are workhorses!

Comment by Wilma Ramsey on June 7, 2009 at 6:44pm

Alie, that is the exact same model I have. Lets try the easiest thing first. In the middle of the turn wheel there is a gray knob. Make sure it is tightened. (Standing in front of machine,turn it away from you to tighten it.) I am hoping that is all it is.

Comment by Ags on June 7, 2009 at 10:15pm

Oh Happy Day! It's working, YAY! Thank you Kay and Wilma for your suggestions. I plugged it in, opened it up, blew out the dust, and also tightened the knob in the flywheel (again) but this time I also turned the flywheel toward me several times and that seemed to help tighten up the knob, go figure. And now the needle is moving fine and the machine runs like a dream....smooth and quiet. I can't wait to sew on this baby tomorrow!

Thanks again! I love this site! :)

Comment by Wilma Ramsey on June 8, 2009 at 2:47am

I am so glad you got it running. You will love the way it sews and it can tackle the toughest of sewing jobs. In case you need anything, any parts, Sears still some. Thats where I bought the new bobbin case for mine. If you have any questions about the machine possibly I can help. If you remove the top part of the machine, it exposes the workings and there are oil holes there for future oiling. Happy sewing !!!!!

Comment by Kay on June 8, 2009 at 7:30am

Sewing machine are kinda like us, you don't use it, you lose it...lol so now you know next time you get another old machine! I have 9 machines altogether, I buy them cheap at the thrift store,yard sales, etc.
Here's a website for a manual where i got one for my serger. They have lots of manuals for all kinds of machines. WWW.SEWING-MACHINE-MANUALS.COM
Happy sewing!

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