Help on 1957 singer
 

I inherited this machine from my mother in law and though she's a great machine I'm back,g problems and maybe you can help. I was given three box's of upholstery samples and want to make some pillows and bags with them. I'm using a 16 -18 needles, upholstery thread and a 40wt in bobbin. It starts to sew fine, but then it misses the stich or it gets tangled. Any suggestions, or is this machine not able to handle large bulk.

If you just sew a standard cotton fabric are you having the same problem? I can't imagine that it can't handle the fabric. What is your stitch length you are trying to use.
So folks know the model that you have give us the serial number. Or do you know which model you have.

I have a 1956 Singer 99K, it has no problem sewing the fabrics you mentioned. Perhaps it’s not threaded quite right?
I downloaded the user manual from the internet and found in the beginning I was threading one step backwards- it wasn’t sewing correctly. Also make sure the bobbin is in correctly. I’ve never used upholstery thread- I would try regular cotton or polyester thread & see if that makes a difference. I use Aurifil thread without problems

Are you holding on to your thread tails for the first few stitches? This used to be taught back in the day but isn't needed on many modern machines.

Cari

Its an AL235182. My phone won't let me upload the pics. I had watched a you tube where she said to use a 16-18 needle, upholstry thread, which is nylon, and a poly in bobbin. It starts stitching fine, then it starts to skip, like its not catching the bobbin thread. Yes I've so downloaded its manual and really never had a problem sewing with it until now. It seems it sees well using the threads mentioned, but not when it gets thick. I'll try to use the same top thread as bobbin tomorrow. I also cleaned and oiled everything real good, maybe the thickness isn't allowing the needle to catch the bobbin when its too thick

It's a 15 of some sort.

Sorry, I'm no help past that.

bkay

Is it extremely heavy upholstery fabric? I've sewn on a lot of upholstery fabric and never used larger than a 90/14 needle and regular weight thread. Maybe the difference between the weights of the top and bobbin threads are giving you problems. I'm not sure what upholstery thread is or why you'd need it or why you would want poly in the bobbin with it just for sewing upholstery fabric.

Double check your threading path, make sure the thread is coming off the bobbin in the correct direction, clean around the bobbin case and feed dogs, and check that the flat side of the needle is to the correct side. I find when my Singers "complain," that I have missed a seemingly small but critical step.

Have you checked that your needle is in the right way? I ask because I fixed my DH hunting jacket the other day and when I changed the needle for my smaller needles I put the needle in with the flat side facing to the right. This machine needs to have the flat side facing to the left. It was doing exactly what you say yours is doing. Just a suggestion. I sew and quilt all the time, but have a few different antique Singers and some of them are quite different to thread and needles go in different ways.

Try a different style bobbin