'Universal' Monogrammer?
 

Is there any such thing?

My Kenmore 158.840 (aka Model 84) would be my ideal machine, except that I don't believe there's a monogrammer attachment for it.

I'm keeping my eye out for later model machines, but ideally I'd like to find a monogrammer for this machine instead.

If you've ever tried to find out about these monogrammers, you'll know that it's an exercise in frustration. I've trawled the i ternet trying to find out which monogrammers work with which machines, and there is barely any information out there.

I have read tantalizing reports of monogrammers that work with any zigzag machine, and this would seem to be the ideal solution.

Does such a beast exist?

What type of foot does your machine take? I suspect there is a monogrammer out there that will fit your machine.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1960s-Sears-...item4866692257

I know a lot of the 158 series machines take a monogrammer (different than the one above)

from doing a bit of research - it looks like yours is a high shank, but it has the throat plate to the left and not towards the front.

I don't know if the above monogrammer is short of high shank. I know the Singer one is slant, and I've got a Greist one that is marked "low shank" but so far I've not been able to find out what the Kenmore is - and didn't figure I wanted to buy one to find out. The hard part with that style monogrammer is getting the cams, and the ones in the later Kenmore sets (black cases) do not fit.

I have a high shank foot, which is good because it means I can also use low shank or snap on feet with the appropriate adapter.

The 158 designation doesn't appear to help much when looking for a monogrammer. It simply means that it was manufactured by Jaguar in Japan. The actual model number is 840 (or 84) and I don't thin the Kenmore monogrammers work on this model.

It seems that the Kenmore monogrammers only work on machines that have a drive pin under the side plate, which mine does not have.

This is why I'm hoping to find a universal monogrammer that is driven by the needle bar or something.

I doubt there is any such monogrammer that works with "any" machine, however I've got one that will work with just about any short/low shank zig zag machine.

I did find one blog that said the Kenmore like I posted above is for short shank machines, and if so I don't think there is one for your machine.

James, if you have an adapter so you can use low shank attachments, then you should be able to use the Kenmore one I posted. (Or the Greist Designer in the "Low Lift" model). The one with the Singer name on it is for Slant machines.

Where did you get the adapter for you machine? I don't think I've seen one of them and it would be neat to have - since I collect attachments and also have a Kenmore high shank machine. I bought mine because I've got a thing for chainstitch machines - I have no idea why, but convertable machines fascinate me.

Thanks, I'll do some more research now that you've given me a bit more info to go on.

The shank adapters are all over ebay and amazon. I bought a high-shank to snap-on adapter for $3.50 including shipping. These are modern adapters, not vintage, but it's opened up a whole new world of presser foot options for my old machine.
Instead of searching for elusive 50 year old feet on ebay, I can now get a bag of 10 modern snap on feet for $12, and I don't have to make any permanent modifications to my machine.

but the search is where the fun is!

Touché! :D

Although for a user rather than a collector (ie me) it makes life a lot easier...