Semi OT question about sewing machine manuals

Hi,

My son inherrited a Kenmore 148.1203 machine (it is quite old) but the instruction manual that came with it is in French The only place I have been able to find online wants money. Does anyone know anything about this machine? Like say how to wind a bobbin, or insert it lol. It would be nice to figure out the correct way to straight and zigzag stitch too. The other stiches are probably too advanced for him anyhow. Silly french manual TIA

Carissa


--
http://community.webshots.com/user/Elywyn
Butterflies are not insects, they are
self-propelled flowers.-Heinlein

Hi Carissa, there are online language translators that may translate it for you. You type in the text, pick the language and cross your fingers that it works.
http://babelfish.altavista.com/

Wendy in NSW
"Carissa" wrote in message news:0xKui.83088$tB5.19825@edtnps90...
Hi,

My son inherrited a Kenmore 148.1203 machine (it is quite old) but the instruction manual that came with it is in French The only place I have been able to find online wants money. Does anyone know anything about this machine? Like say how to wind a bobbin, or insert it lol. It would be nice to figure out the correct way to straight and zigzag stitch too. The other stiches are probably too advanced for him anyhow. Silly french manual TIA

Carissa


--
http://community.webshots.com/user/Elywyn
Butterflies are not insects, they are
self-propelled flowers.-Heinlein

Hi,

My son inherrited a Kenmore 148.1203 machine (it is quite old) but the instruction manual that came with it is in French The only place I have been able to find online wants money. Does anyone know anything about this machine? Like say how to wind a bobbin, or insert it lol. It would be nice to figure out the correct way to straight and zigzag stitch too. The other stiches are probably too advanced for him anyhow. Silly french manual TIA

Carissa

Hi Carissa,
There is a site that has threading and bobbin winding instructions for
many common older machines. The page for your son's Kenmore is
http://www.sewusa.com/Threading_Diag...ng_diagram.htm

I find those translation sites are pretty lame; and just try
translating something in German sometime! This ought to be enough to
get the machine up and running, and I don't think it takes cams, so no
fancy stitches to worry about.

Maria in NE PA

ooo thank you for the bobbin diagrams Very helpful

Carissa


--
http://community.webshots.com/user/Elywyn
Butterflies are not insects, they are
self-propelled flowers.-Heinlein
"Maria O" wrote in message
oups.com...

Hi,

My son inherrited a Kenmore 148.1203 machine (it is quite old) but the
instruction manual that came with it is in French The only place I
have been able to find online wants money. Does anyone know anything
about this machine? Like say how to wind a bobbin, or insert it lol.
It would be nice to figure out the correct way to straight and zigzag
stitch too. The other stiches are probably too advanced for him anyhow.
Silly french manual TIA

Carissa

Hi Carissa,
There is a site that has threading and bobbin winding instructions for
many common older machines. The page for your son's Kenmore is
http://www.sewusa.com/Threading_Diag...ng_diagram.htm

I find those translation sites are pretty lame; and just try
translating something in German sometime! This ought to be enough to
get the machine up and running, and I don't think it takes cams, so no
fancy stitches to worry about.

Maria in NE PA

That is such a great threading diagram; truly clear and easy to follow. I
did notice that they don't tell you which way the thread needs to be coming
from the bobbin (probably clockwise) when the bobbin is inserted into the
bobbin case.
If you are holding the bobbin case with the opening facing away from you
and the 'finger' of the case pointing up; you want the thread on the bobbin
coming over the top of the bobbin and off to the right (which is clockwise).
I didn't go to manual writing school and don't necessarily know that
this is how it should work with your Kenmore - if it doesn't work, it's easy
enough to try counter-clockwise. Please report back and let us know how it
goes; we'll figure it out with you. Polly




"Maria O" wrote in message
oups.com...

Hi,

My son inherrited a Kenmore 148.1203 machine (it is quite old) but the
instruction manual that came with it is in French The only place I
have been able to find online wants money. Does anyone know anything
about this machine? Like say how to wind a bobbin, or insert it lol.
It would be nice to figure out the correct way to straight and zigzag
stitch too. The other stiches are probably too advanced for him anyhow.
Silly french manual TIA

Carissa

Hi Carissa,
There is a site that has threading and bobbin winding instructions for
many common older machines. The page for your son's Kenmore is
http://www.sewusa.com/Threading_Diag...ng_diagram.htm

I find those translation sites are pretty lame; and just try
translating something in German sometime! This ought to be enough to
get the machine up and running, and I don't think it takes cams, so no
fancy stitches to worry about.

Maria in NE PA

I believe on my old Kenmore, to wind the bobbin, I had to loosen the
hand wheel. The inner part turns and loosens. I also know that I
couldn't drop the feed dogs.

Linda
PATCHogue, NY

On Thu, 09 Aug 2007 20:10:36 GMT, "Carissa"
wrote:

Hi,

My son inherrited a Kenmore 148.1203 machine (it is quite old) but the instruction manual that came with it is in French The only place I have been able to find online wants money. Does anyone know anything about this machine? Like say how to wind a bobbin, or insert it lol. It would be nice to figure out the correct way to straight and zigzag stitch too. The other stiches are probably too advanced for him anyhow. Silly french manual TIA

Carissa
Linda
PATCHogue, NY

A quick hint about bobbins. When inserting the bobbin into any machine,
the thread has to go through some sort of tension device. On a removable
bobbin case the tension device is the flat metal piece that covers the
slot you bring the thread through to the out side of the case. BG In
any instance the thread *must* make a "U-turn" into that tension
mechanism. Always. If there isn't that "U-turn" there will be no tension
on the bobbin. Some machines have the bobbin turning clockwise, some
counter-clockwise (or deosil and widdershins to use the old terms, G)

This works on any machine with a bobbin. And I have dealt with/ sewn
with many different types and brands of machines, from little Singers,
to fancy computerized and several types of commercial/industrial
machines including a hat binder and so on. BG

Maybe this bit of info will help prevent some problems.

Pati, in Phx
http://community.webshots.com/user/PatiCooks





Polly Esther wrote:
That is such a great threading diagram; truly clear and easy to follow. I
did notice that they don't tell you which way the thread needs to be coming
from the bobbin (probably clockwise) when the bobbin is inserted into the
bobbin case.
If you are holding the bobbin case with the opening facing away from you
and the 'finger' of the case pointing up; you want the thread on the bobbin
coming over the top of the bobbin and off to the right (which is clockwise).
I didn't go to manual writing school and don't necessarily know that
this is how it should work with your Kenmore - if it doesn't work, it's easy
enough to try counter-clockwise. Please report back and let us know how it
goes; we'll figure it out with you. Polly




"Maria O" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi,

My son inherrited a Kenmore 148.1203 machine (it is quite old) but the
instruction manual that came with it is in French The only place I
have been able to find online wants money. Does anyone know anything
about this machine? Like say how to wind a bobbin, or insert it lol.
It would be nice to figure out the correct way to straight and zigzag
stitch too. The other stiches are probably too advanced for him anyhow.
Silly french manual TIA

Carissa
Hi Carissa,
There is a site that has threading and bobbin winding instructions for
many common older machines. The page for your son's Kenmore is
http://www.sewusa.com/Threading_Diag...ng_diagram.htm

I find those translation sites are pretty lame; and just try
translating something in German sometime! This ought to be enough to
get the machine up and running, and I don't think it takes cams, so no
fancy stitches to worry about.

Maria in NE PA

On Thu, 09 Aug 2007 20:10:36 GMT, Carissa wrote:
My son inherrited a Kenmore 148.1203 machine (it is quite old) but the =
instruction manual that came with it is in French The only place I =

The 148 part of the number indicates which maker actually manufactured
the machine... unfortunately, I don't know what 148 translates to.
But I know some folks who do: check into the yahoo group "wefixit",
and ask. You may even find someone who has spare parts or spare manuals
there.

Wefixit is a groups of "sewing machine shade-tree mechanics", folks who
enjoy fixing old sewing machines, and some retired sewing machine
repair folks. Kinda chatty group, and good people.

Kay

On Aug 10, 5:42 pm, Kay Lancaster wrote:
On Thu, 09 Aug 2007 20:10:36 GMT, Carissa wrote:
My son inherrited a Kenmore 148.1203 machine (it is quite old) but the =
instruction manual that came with it is in French The only place I =

The 148 part of the number indicates which maker actually manufactured
the machine... unfortunately, I don't know what 148 translates to.
But I know some folks who do: check into the yahoo group "wefixit",
and ask. You may even find someone who has spare parts or spare manuals
there.

Wefixit is a groups of "sewing machine shade-tree mechanics", folks who
enjoy fixing old sewing machines, and some retired sewing machine
repair folks. Kinda chatty group, and good people.

Kay

The source code 148 indicates that the machine was made by the Soryu
Company. White had the contract for decades and their code was 117,
Maruzen/Jaguar was 158, and Janome is 385. A few other source codes
are found for sewing machines. A lot of the information on Kenmores
can be found at the Yahoo group "vintagekenmoressew." I love WFI too,
they're like family.

Maria in NE PA