Sewing along with straight stitch slight sound and it refuses to sew. I must pull it to get it to move. then it makes a little noise begins to sew straight. Then repeats the same slow down. very disgusted.

feed dogs, bobbin case etc could be packed with lint. Also needle may be slightly bent.

Be sure to pull at least 4 to 6 inches of thread through the needle's eye before beginning to sew. Pull the bobbin thread up to the top of the fabric BEFORE beginning to sew.

How and Why to Bring up the Bobbin Thread (This works for regular everyday straight stitching too not just design stitches.)

Then, BEFORE taking the first stitch, hold both thread tails with the left hand and then slowly begin stitching. After a couple of stitches, let go of the thread tails and continue to sew.

If you need instructions on how to thread your machine, search the internet for a manual:

Make + Model + the word "Manual"

or look for videos on YouTube to help with the threading process.

...

try to pull the fabric as you hold the reverse lever.....pull away from front towards yourself. the dogs pull the fabric in the opposite direction. make sure your stitch length is narrow or "1" ...reverse only works with a straight stitch foot not a zigzag. Sometimes a machine needs a little help getting the reverse mechanism going......

Several things to try:
Pull thread tails (both bobbin thread and upper thread) straight back and when you lower the presser foot, make sure they are held down straight back. This may or may not be enough to solve the problem, but it is simple to try, and often works. You might want to hold the thread tails while you start sewing.
Use a starter--folded piece of fabric scrap about an inch long--and begin sewing oink middle of starter. Push the fabric you want to see right up to the starter and keep sewing from the starter right onto your project without lifting the presser foot or cutting the thread. When you finish sewing, cut the little piece of thread between the starter and your project.
Before lowering presser foot, use wheel to lower your needle once and then pull up bobbin thread to top surface of your project. Then hold both bobbin and upper thread tails, lower your presser foot, and begin sewing. Release the thread tails after a few stitches.
Hope this helps. Those nasty "thread nests" are a real pain.

If you can grab the hand wheel and move it right and left, then it probably needs a plastic collar that goes next to the left upper shaft bushing.
If not then the cam timing needs to be adjusted.

HI Evelyn,
sometimes its just the little things that stop your sewing project; so annoying isnt' it.


According to the manual I've found, this stitch width inner knob is turned to move the needle position. The outter part controls the zig zag width, so just move the inner knob to move the needle.

Hope that makes sense to you. Good luck finishing your project.

You can download a manual for your White machine from the Singer website, link is
http://www.singerco.com/uploads/download/1111_white-1760-xl-x.pdf

Here are the relevant pages from the manual:



Straight stitch settings as follows:
stitch length on 2.5 (selector marked with blue arrow)
stitch width on zero (no swinging of the needle) selector marked with red arrow
stitch selector on A - selector marked with green arrow

Generally all sewing machines will have a similar three controls, because all stitches are a combination of moving the fabric forward a certain amount between the needle going through the fabric - the stitch length; and moving the needle from side to side - the stitch width.

And then a stitch selector for different stitch forms such as a blind hem or shell stitch where the needle is going through a series of different moves in sequence to form a special stitch. You still have the width and length controls to vary this formation.

For general sewing machine information www.sewing.about.com is excellent, there is lots of pages on general tips, cleaning, threading up and sewing machine know how. Try this page to start http://sewing.about.com/od/sewingmachineindex/ig/Sewing-Machines.--9k/

If you are a beginner, then I'd recommend printing out the instruction manual for your machine and putting into a binder, placing beside the machine, and carefully read from the beginning going through all the instructions to wind a bobbin, thread up, three or four times until you can do it without reading the manual, then practice stitching out each of the stitches your machine does. Buy a cheap exercise book and on each page, write the name of the stitch, staple the stitch sample in and either write down the settings used or glue in a photo taken of the machine controls you used. This way you can quickly flick through and refer to your settings next time. ADjusting the top tension dial will also adjust the stitch formation so read the manual and set the tension dial to the setting it suggests but sometimes you'll need to adjust it slightly to get the stitch looking even (balanced between top and bottom thread), especially for zigzags.

Practice a bit and you'll soon feel much more confident using the machine. Also, refer to the cleaning and oiling instructions and do it regularly, along with changing the needle for each new sewing project, about 4-6 hours sewing time. The needle is the most important part of a sewing machine, always use the right sized needle for the fabric. Refer here for info http://sewing.about.com/od/sewingmachineindex/ig/Sewing-Machine-Needles/

I hope this helps you with your White sewing machine, there are lots of great sewing machine books on the market too or in your public library to refer to. Also taking beginner sewing classes will really help you learn how best to use your machine. I've been sewing for over 38 years but still enjoy going to a class and learning a new technique from another enthusiast - life long learner!!

You need to backstitch over the beginning and end of your stitching, Jodie. When you start out, manually turn the wheel to put the needle into the fabric. Push the foot pedal to stitch forward a little. Now, reverse over those stitches to nearly where you started stitching. Use the foot pedal to go forward again, stitch to where you want to end. Reverse again, just a 1/4 inch or so. Then take the fabric out and cut your stitching.

This backstitching keeps your thread from pulling straight out. You should always use it with straight stitches and general zigzag stitches. Don't use it with decorative or embroidery stitches, though, as it mars the appearance of them. But if you're doing any type of topstitching that uses straight stitches, backstitch in the area that will be in the seam allowance, ever so slightly, or your top stitching will pull out, too.

Hope that helps!

blind hem foot is good if you want to machine stitch a hem but not have a seam showing. it will have an adjustable piece you can move left or right with a screw. but blind hemming works best on straight grain and not on a curve like a skirt hem unless its a knit fabric that gives. to make a blind hem press the hem allowance up then turn the main garment piece back to form a Z shape. you then stitch along the hem side with your blind hem foot guidr running along the top fold and use the blind hem stitch which looks like three little zigzags then one big zig far to the left onto your folded piece taking a little 'bite' - this stitch shows on the right side when you press the top of the Z back flat. so you need to adjust the foot position and how wide the needle swings to minimise this stitch showing. hope this makes sense and helps you with your sewing.

It sounds like it is making a blind stitch, does it look something like this? -----v-----v-----v-----v-----v If so it might be on the blind stitch setting instead of the straight stitch! ;-)