Buttonhole sensor I am having trouble making the buttonhole sensor work on myViking 950E. it says to line up the white lines on the wheel (which I found) and the withe line on the foot which I cannot locate. Can you help me?

Try making 2 or 3 in a line and then cut out the sections to open the length you need. http://www.auto-tune-up-and-repair-options.com/worn-motor-treatment.html

You do it using narrow rows of side by side zig zag stitches and bar tacking the ends of the rows. Make a line where you want the hole to be. Set the zig zag stitch width very narrow, whatever is closest to what suits the fabric. Coarse or loose weaves need a wider width, finer ones a narrower width. Experiment on some scraps to get it right. Number of stitches per inch, or stitch length, should be very fine, at least 20 per inch, but not 0. Try a few more experiments on scraps to make sure it looks right. Make a test hole to be sure it is the right size for your buttons.

Stitch a straight line of zig zags down one side of your line, with the edge of the stitching not quite touching your line. Stitch a second row directly on top of the first one.

Repeat on the other side of the line. Ideally you should still be able to just see the line you drew when the rows are done, but not see any bare fabric on either side of the line.

Then move to one end of your rows. Leave the stitch length the same, but change the width to match the width of your two side by side rows. Stitch a bar tack, about the same length as your two rows are wide. If your two rows are 1/8 inch wide, your bar tack should be 1/8 inch long. Do the same at the other end. Make sure the bar tack covers the very end stitches in the rows as it is the anchor that will prevent unravelling. This is exactly what machine buttonhole makers do, but they do it all for you.
Carefully slit between the rows to open the hole. I like to put a drop of Fray Check or something similar on my buttonholes after I cut them open. It makes them much stronger and they will never come out.

the machine probably needs to be serviced to see why it's not making
a buttonhole and see if the gear or cam for the zig zag stitch is
worn or damaged.

Automatic BUTTONHOLE making with 979:

1. Carefully mark the position of buttonhole on your garment.
2. Slide the button carrier and insert the button.
3. Attach the buttonhole foot.
4. Place the garment under the foot so that the needle pierces the fabric at the beginning of buttonhole.
5. Lower the buttonhole lever and the presser foot lever.
6. Push the buttonhole lever away from you.
7. Start machine to complete entire buttonhole.

NOTE:

• While making buttonholes, maintain an even sewing speed for uniform buttonholes.
• When buttonholes are completed, be sure to push up the buttonhole lever as gar as it can go.

the button hole will sew backswards first

Make sure the plug from the buttonhole foot is going all the way in when you insert it. If that doesnt correct it, then the foot may be bad.

Don't think of it as a button hole. Run 2 lines of satin stitch (both forward) about 1/4 an inch apart. Bar tack the ends. Voila'! Large button hole.

Hi, I had the same problem, but I finally found my manual. The solution is that you have to use the presser foot for buttonholes but the most important part is that you have to lower the buttonholer lever. It is located right next to the needle to the left. It is a metal lever with a little square white plastic end. You need to pull that down in order the the buttonhole feature to work. My button was too big for the buttonhole presser foot, so I had to use the regular presser foot, but hit the buttonhole lever with my had to make it go up or down.

I do not have a buttonhole foot, but I can tell you how I do it with the zig zag foot on the Singer 132Q machine.

1. Mark the spacing and size for the buttonholes with chalk or marking paper. This consists of a straight line with a perpendicular line at the top and bottom that lets you know how big to make the hole. There is probably a pattern piece to let you know what the spacing should be, and you can get the size of the hole for the top and bottom line by laying the button you are going to use on top of the line you draw with the pattern.

2. Make sure the bobbin has plenty of thread.

3. Put the zig zag foot on the machine.

4. Set the stitch size to 1 or maybe a little less. You want a tight stitch to hold the hole together.

5. Start at the top of the buttonhole with the perpendicular line barely visible in the zig zag foot. Think of it as placing the "T" made by the mark in the "T" made by the opening in the zig zag foot.

6. Set the needle pattern to #1 of the buttonhole pattern (2nd from the top). Make sure it is toward the top of the number to insure you get a wide zig zag stitch. If you are getting a narrow stitch, you may have to fiddle with it, but it will work. Stitch 4-6 times making sure the stitch is wide, and end on the left side of the stitch.

7. Change the needle pattern to #2 of the buttonhole pattern and zig zag stitch down to the bottom mark. Do not pull the fabric or you will stretch the stitch. Make sure your last stitch is on the left hand side.

8. Change the needle pattern to #3 of the buttonhole pattern (same as #1), and zig zag stitch 4-6 times ending on the right side this time. Make sure the stitches are wide.

9. Change the needle pattern to #4 of the buttonhole pattern and straight stitch back to the top mark. Be prepared to hand roll the needle the last few stitches to make sure you do not pass the top stitches you have made.

10. Change the needle pattern to #5 of the buttonhole pattern and zig zag stitch back to the bottom mark. Hand roll the last few stitches and end on the left side.

11. Raise the foot and remove the fabric. You are now ready proceed to the next buttonhole or cut the buttonhole open with a small pair of scissors or a seam ripper. Make sure you do not cut any of your stitches.



Make sure you practice on some scrap fabric of the same thickness (2 layers of fabric plus pellon) to make sure you have the size right before you sew the buttonholes on the garment.

GOOD LUCK.

I'm afraid that you are unable to correct this glitch on your own. Any sewing machine service center/shop will do...call around and look for the shop with the lowest 'minimum' charge. It is such a simple fix. However, although simple, the adjustment is so incrementally precise that without thorough understanding, your stich patterns could be rendered unuseable. I have no idea of the current value of your sewing machine, but if you deem the repair costs prohibitive, there is a workaround so you can complete your buttonhole. Complete your buttonhole setup as normal. I assume that you run tests first to adjust your stitch length/density of the buttonhole using the Step 1 setting. When you find the the length/density that you want, using an ink marker/crayon...whatever...being as precise as possible, mark a linear line from the edge of your length selector dial, continuing to the body of your machine. Now, select Buttonhole Setting #3, and increase the stitch length until you see the length/density that you want. Find a clear spot on your length dial and repeat the marking procedure. When you are ready to make a buttonhole, align the markings for Buttonhole Step 1 on your stitch length dial and proceed, complete your tack of step 2, stop, manually raise your needle out of the fabric using the balance (hand) wheel on the right, adjust your stitch length dial accordingly for Step 3, then on to your final tack #4. If it's only your buttonholer that is giving you trouble, take the extra 15 minutes or so, and use the workaround and mark your machine. It doesn't have to be ink, it can be pinstriping tape...whatever, and spend the money you saved on fabrics and notions instead.....good luck my friend.