Celeste, I think you need to take a new photo of the Buddha with it sitting right next to your toy sewing machine. Love the Buddha.

My toy Singer from around 1953.[ATTACH=CONFIG]292615[/ATTACH]

Celeste, do you happen to know what year your model was made?

I really like your toy Singer sewing machine. I haven't been able to find one. The prices get way up there on ebay. The search continues, which is part of the fun.

In my research, I've discovered that if this type doesn't have numbers to tell you where to put the thread, it is made between 1914 and 1922.

More Info found..
 

Found that the year also correlates with the number of spokes. Looks like you have 7 spokes. Per Meeker's site "This Singer 20 example is known as the 1922 model, and features the black painted 7-spoke handwheel with a nickel plated rim." And yes it does correlate with the lack of numbers. This is supposed to be a 'rare' model as noted in 'WorthPoint' Price Guide.. so Congrats!.. :)

I have a Sew-ette toy sewing machine, battery operated, red colored. I'm having trouble finding needles. It needs something shorter than one inch. It still is cute though
Enjoy yours.

I have 2, a Singer and a German made one. I need to find needles, too! Haven't had much time to play with them. I loe both the pics, especially the white one!!

Celeste...your problem with bird's nests are due to lack of tension...I would take that entire tension mechanism apart and clean it, then lightly oil it....when you thread it make sure that the thread is actually in the tension guide, and not next to it...sometimes it's hard to see...you will need to tighten the screw to make more tension on the thread.
If that doesn't work, then get a helper to turn the wheel slowly while you pull on the thread from the top..creating your own tension...if this fixes the problem, then you will just need a new tension spring..sometimes hard to find an original, but you can take the old one to a hardware store and they can usually get you something close enough to make the machine work in the meanwhile. Don't throw away the old spring if you can't get a new one, it is still the original part and will add value to the machine should you ever choose to sell it...Congrats...very nice little machine!

1914 8-Spoke Singer Model 20
 

Here is an 8-Spoke Singer 20. It predates the 7-Spoke, and is sometimes referred to as a “1914 model 20”. I understand that they began making them in 1914. Prior to that, the model 20s were 4-spoke machines. I’m not sure what year mine was made, but sometime after 1914, and before 1922.

CD in Oklahoma