Originally Posted by
vintagemotif
I agree that Rain has sanity-saving help to offer. Thanks, Rain!
Don't feel bad. Getting that ring back on a Singer 201 is the hardest meching job I have ever done, and I have fixed and serviced numerous machines. Follow Rain's instructions and you will be okay. If it makes you feel better, it took me three days of aggravation; I did not have Rain's instructions then. Even 40-year sewing machine mechanics I know have trouble doing this because it LOOKS right but doesn't sew.
Once you get it back working, ALWAYS hold your thread tails on the 201 at the start of a seam and/or use a small piece of scrap fabric for your first four stitches. Then sew on air for a stitch or two and begin your seam. This is really important with a 201 (mine, anyhow) and now you see why.