cricket_iscute

I was given a Kenmore 158.? with cams and manual. I made a quilt on it, but had to go back and reinforce the seams at the beginnings. The smallest stitch I could get was 12 stitches to the inch. I am used to 25 or 30 to the inch with Singer machines, and those seams never pull out. For those of you who piece quilts on a vintage Kenmore, how small is your smallest stitch? How big is your biggest? Can you free motion quilt? Can you straight-line quilt and do you use a walking foot? Your appreciation of these Kenmores makes me think I want to keep and use this one.

cricket_iscute

I was given a Kenmore 158.? with cams and manual. I made a quilt on it, but had to go back and reinforce the seams at the beginnings. The smallest stitch I could get was 12 stitches to the inch. I am used to 25 or 30 to the inch with Singer machines, and those seams never pull out. For those of you who piece quilts on a vintage Kenmore, how small is your smallest stitch? How big is your biggest? Can you free motion quilt? Can you straight-line quilt and do you use a walking foot? Your appreciation of these Kenmores makes me think I want to keep and use this one.

Oh, where can I get more feet for it?

qbtexas

On the dial of mine, it goes down to 12 stitches/inch, but if you turn the dial further, between the 12 and the setting for the satin stitch, you can get smaller stitches. I've done 2 Judy Niemeyer paper pieced patterns on mine. I do have to be a bit more careful when taking the paper off. The biggest stitch is 6 stitches/inch.

I have used a walking foot for straightline quilting, and a different foot (don't know its name, but it has a circular plastic foot) for FMQ, though because the throat of the machine is small, I learned that trying to machine quilt anything much larger than a baby quilt is a pain. It *could* be done, but I'm not that patient.

Good luck!

shasta5718

I have 2 old kenmores and had 2 more that my son talked me out of and all of them sew and sew. they were built very wel.

caroloto

I also learned to sew on this one, was my mom's and now my youngest sister has it, still works. I believe these models were made by White for Sears. I have a White 77 same as this only in a blackish gray finish. Yet I also have 2 other Kenmores 1 is made by White 158.161 which takes cams and the other is a 385.1249180 made by Janome

caroloto

If you need a manual for your Kenmore Sear still offers most manuals for free you just need to type the model # to find it. Here's a link to do the search, this one has the manual and parts for one of mine, but just type in your model # and it should come up. http://www.searspartsdirect.com/part...Mod=3851249180

johns2ndwife

OMG.....sewbizgirl.... I recently acquired that blue "Godzilla" sewing machine! It was at a church bazaar and the pastor had it listed for $5.00..... At the end of said bazaar the Pastor came over and asked if I wanted it ...at first I said no but when she told me she was going to throw it out because she didn't want it back in her house I agreed to take it. It came with nothing but a cabinet...so now I am on the hunt to find whats what with it. I really liked the color.

banwell

I have one from the '60's and it is a good reliable machine. Go to the Sears website and ask questions--there are lots of sewers who still use one.

BillieJean

I bought one in 1977, my son learned how to sew in it when he was little.. I have gotten several since I had bought that one.
It was the first one that I had bought on my own...it is a workhorse.

sewbizgirl

The shape of those is like nothing else! I recently saw one at a church sale too, but passed on it for $30 simply because I have way too many old sewing machines now. But I did stop and fondle it and visit Memory Lane for a while before moving on! Hubby is more nostalgic than I am and kept asking me if I was sure I didn't want it? Maybe one day I'll collect one.