Schill93

I have read online about the Kenmore 1914 being the best machine Kenmore ever made. Don't know if that is true, bit that is the word going round. Anyway, I had the opportunity of purchasing one locally from a lady that bought it new. It was put in a cabinet, and included every accessory it came with, including 30 cams, button hole maker, monogrammer and about 50 bobbins.

It is a pristine machine, and I am excited about it. The only problem I see with it is that it uses a "Left Leaning" needle. Which means the needle is left of the center of your feet, which makes it wider than 1/4". I am not sure if this is their ultra high shank or just a high shank, but I think it is the ultra.

I don't know if I will be able to purchase another foot that I can use for a 1/4" seam. Does anyone have any experience with these machines or any Kenmore with the ultra high shank, and if so, how did you handle piecing? (Short of piecing with a larger seam)

bkay

I'd love to hear what you find out. I just sold a 1941 out of an estate I'm managing. I think it's the super high shank. It didn't interest me, and the estate is going to auction, but one of the principal's friends wanted the machine for his daughter. I sold it, then looked it up. Seems like a nice machine, but it's ultra high shank.

bkay

pennycandy

Yes this machine is super high foot and you can buy an adaptor. https://shop.sew-classic.com/Adaptor...Low-P60666.htm This will allow you to use short shank feet.

My problem with left homing needles isn't the foot. It has to do with the wide opening in the needle plate to allow for zig zag sewing. Second problem is that usually only the left feed dog grabs the fabric and tends to pull it to the left. I have learned to work around this with practice.

This is a great machine. You may need some time to adjust to the left homing needle.

OurWorkbench

I'm not familiar with this particular machine, but I know some Kenmore machines have a straight stitch foot and a straight stitch plate. I don't know if with all the "goodies" that came with your machine, if you also got a manual. The manual should tell you how to straight stitch. I'm thinking that while you could get an adapter and use low shank feet, you will have to be careful if you try to use a low shank straight stitch foot. I believe most low shank straight stitch feet would have the needle position in the center of the zigzag hole rather than the left side. Consequently if you tried to use one (not made for Left-homing machines) the needle would hit the foot and if you have a straight stitch plate for the machine the hole would not match the foot.

Generally speaking, I think that, the straight stitch foot is narrower than the zigzag or general purpose foot. I would think that you could use a seam guide (which may be included in with your "goodies") to make a 1/4" seam.

Good luck on getting it figured out.

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.

rryder

The 1914 is a super high shank machine. It is also left homing, which means that you can’t use any of the quarter inch feet on the market since these are designed to be used for a center needle position. If it has a good selection of the super high shank feet, then there is really no advantage to getting an adaptor to allow it to use low shank feet. The super high shank feet that work with this machine are wonderful and they change out quickly without needing a screwdriver (similar to Bernina).

There is a fellow (James Rogers) on youtube who shows a way to jury rig the needle position in a 1914 so it will sew a straight stitch in the center needle position. I haven’t tried his method yet since I use mine for things other than piecing.

Rob

Farmhousesewer

I don't want to sound snotty,so please take it as intended. If you a quilter, why would you buy this machine and try to make it do what it may have not been designed to do? It may have a great reputation, but for what purpose?

Left homing machines are great for 5/8 seam allowances used in sewing of clothing and home décor. Let the poor guy or gal be and get another machine that will work for you. Lots of Japanese made machines used Singer's design and added drop feed and LMR needle positions. Check them out and you will be pleased. Many are straight stitch only, which is great for quilters. If you need zz, get a machine which also has a straight stitch plate, as Jean mentioned.

Schill93

I am new to all of this, and did not realize the implications of a left homing machines. Now I know. Was hoping there was some way around it. It sews like a dream. It is so smooth and sews so straight when using it as a straight stitch with the single needle plate on it. You hardly have to guide the fabric at all. Using Zig Zag plate, I can get a 3/8ths seam.

As long as I am consistant with the seam, I don't see why I couldn't make a quilt with 3/8ths seams. Unless there is something else I don't know. I actually do have a Juki 2010 straight stitch which I recently bought, so this is not my only machine. Just very curious about all metal older machines and learning how to fix and maintain them. I also purchased a used Singer 403a at an auction, but it hasn't been delivered yet.

rryder

Schill93- 1/4" seams for piecing are standard when piecing traditional blocks or using a pattern and you will need to stick with that when following a pattern if you want your blocks to come out the correct size. However, if you don't mind drafting your own patterns, or if you are mainly interested in improv piecing then you don't need to worry about your seams being 1/4" or scant 1/4". In any case, since you've got the Juki 2010, you can use that to do any piecing that requires precision 1/4" seams.

The drawback to piecing with the left homing machines is that you end up having a situation when sewing a 1/4" seam where the right feed dog does not properly engage the fabric unless you turn your work so that the bulk of the fabric is contained in the harp- in other words, instead of reading your quarter inch from the right side of the foot, you are reading it from the left side. That can get to be a pain when you're putting a big quilt together because of having to put the bulk of the quilt through the harp, but it's no big deal when working on a smaller piece once you get used to it.

If you don't turn your fabric so that it is all inside the harp, then your right feed dog won't be covered when sewing your quarter inch seam and that causes the fabric to veer away- which is also a major pain.

If you enjoy sewing on the Kenmore, then by all means go for it. I love mine, though it does require a lot more maintenance than my PQ1500s (similar to your Juki2010). I use my PQ1500s whenever I'm working on a piece that requires 1/4" seams and generally only pull out the Kenmore when I'm working on home dec.

Farmhousesewer- I mentioned the fellow who jury rigs his left homing 1914 to straight stitch in a center needle position because I thought it was kind of interesting. He tends to do things with his sewing machines that are a bit out of the ordinary and I enjoy seeing folks tinker with their machines to see just what they can get them to do- for me, that's part of the fun of sewing

Rob

bkay

It won't matter what size your seam is if your pattern is relatively simple like a 9 patch, 4 patch or any other that has all square or rectangle pieces. As long as you sew a consistent seam, the pattern will turn out fine. Your result will just be a little smaller than one made with a 1/4 inch seam.

If you get into complicated patterns where you are going for a certain size triangle or odd angles, you will have a problem. If you are aren't into more complex patterns, your machine should serve you well.

Bkay

Farmhousesewer

Rob, My comments were not in response to your reference to the video, rather , the purchase of various machines in general. I don't mind people trying to jerry-rig to see what it can due, but am concerned wasting money on a machine when others are more appropriate for what is its intended use.

Other than I can't find the correct feet, or they are priced high, I would not seek an adaptor.