There is also a Yahoo group for Heirloom Elna owners which this model is.
You can find threading diagrams and manuals at
www.sewusa.com. the supermatic will be closest to your Special. This webpage has images of threading the bobbin; all Swiss made Elna's have this wonderful top loading bobbin system and they are great. Important: use Elna bobbins, they have holes on the TOP ONLY. When you wind the bobbin, ensure the thread winds evenly by nudging the thread with your finger tip, keep the thread under tension as it winds by placing the handle of your scissors onto the top of the thread reel. Cut the thread, then place the bobbin into the bobbin case, holes upwards. The bobbin will turn anticlockwise as you pull thread from it. Follow the directions from the threading diagram, you need to "click" the thread into the tension spring. Now thread the top thread through the marked locations in the diagram. Hold the end of the thread as it comes from the needle and manually turn the flywheel to lower the needle down and up once to catch the bottom thread and bring it up to the needle plate.
ALWAYS hold both the two threads at the back of the needle plate when you start sewing, really important. I
You will have a knob with numbers going from -4 to 4, this is your stitch length dial. The negative numbers are "Reverse" normal stitch length is 2.5. The white knob is stitch width when the needle swings from side to side. Straight stitch would be zero, and then higher numbers for zig zag etc. The little wheel gives you different needle positions. And the metal slide at top of case is the reverse lever.
Hope this helps you a little. Early Elnas are all very similar and wonderful machines to use.
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