Thank you for the welcome. The 9W might have looked better but my son decided to clean it before they gave it to me. He may have damaged the decals but then again, a hundred years of use may have. My DIL is 25 and she says her grandma was still sewing on it when she was a teenager.

The 301 is a wonderful machine. It has become extremely popular. Another member and her husband have bought several that I know of recently. For a while we were bidding against one another and I finally figured that out and quit! No point in just driving them up. I really want a black 301. They appeal to me so much. I also have a cabinet that a short bed would fit in. I think it needs the LBOW.

Oh dear....I think I have a problem!

I got the belt on her and threaded her, but I'm sure I'm not doing that right. I got about 4 stitches and then a ball of thread underneath the material. I'm beat and will try again tomorrow night. I'll keep you posted on Erika's abilities. LOL! Thanks for asking, Nancy.

Finally home again after a lovely 4 day!
Didn't get to go check on the two spools...was just more driving than what he wanted to do...can't say as I blame him after a six hour drive to get there, and knowing we had another to come home.
Saw several nice machines, but nothing to really write home about. 2 Davis VFs, both nice enough, both with manuals and attachments, both priced just under $300. I really wish I'd have popped the $80 for that bright pink Brother, but maybe it'll still be there the next time I visit. Saw a nice Hale's Cresent for $245, and several Sphinx, 201-2, and 15-90 machines. LOTS of overpriced toy machines and featherweights. Nothing that screamed to come home with me tho, not at those prices!
What did come home with me:
a box of straight shank attachments for 78 cents.
a 1951 Singer Sewing Book
a slant shank monogrammer
a way cool little Singer sack...I imagine the sewing center put the needles that were purchased in it.
and needles...~grin~ 2 packs of the green/red 15x1 needles (I know, no big whoop there), AND 1 package of
"B. Eldredge Gold Swagged Machine Needles/Eldredge Rotary N.S. Assorted, Manufactured by National Sweing Machine Company Belvidere, ILL"
AND 1 package of:
Sewing Machine Needles Manufactured for Sears Roebuck & Co. World's Largest Store. Cloass No. 1, Suitable for use on the following sewing machines:
New Home Vib
Eldredge F.S.
Climax
New Ideal
Ruby
Greyhound
Paveway
Vindex Special
White Vib
Damascus
Imp. New Cottage
Brunswick
Etc. 1 doz assorted
(Thought the packages made for interesting reading, and yes, the needles are there! :) )

Also found, for a whopping $5, a Singer sewing low backed chair that will need upholstery...gonna make it my first attempt at an upholstery project! :)

Randa,

A ball of thread under the material usually means that the upper thread has no tension on it.
Is the tension complete with all of it's parts?

Cathy

Cathy that is great news. The 15x1s are so easy to get, but I was looking at ISMACS and the only needle they list for the Frister & Rossman is the 12x1, although the ISMACS site doesn't list needles for all Frister & Rossmans? I'd much rather have a machine that takes a 15x1!

Nancy

Randa, I wouldn't try using thread until you are sure which way the HW turns? I thought you questioned that?

Nancy

I am going to try posting a pic of the tension plate, and the plate side of the machine, tonight. The threading pattern (wear lines) looks correct, but this is so different from any other machine I own.

Well according to the New Home instruction book that you sent it says to begin sewing by turning the disc hand wheel away from you. I studied the feed dogs and it seems that they moved the correct way when turning the wheel toward me and when I sewed that little bit, they pulled the material correctly. Admittedly, I did not try it the other way (away from me) to see if they would still work correctly. Just seemed to make sense to me that it would go backward. Thoughts?? BTW, the instruction book was for a machine with a regular round bobbin and case. Mine is shuttle so I don't believe everything in the instructions pertain to my machine. Just my thoughts. I so enjoy reading the instruction book, tho....there are replacement parts with prices! LOL!

Randa I thought I sent you both types of manuals, I'm sorry if I didn't! One was for a rotary and one was for a shuttle? Anyway, here is the shuttle manual for the New Home and it says to turn the handwheel towards you on page 07a. Good luck with the tension problems! http://www.sil.si.edu/DigitalCollect...ges/image7.htm You have to print out the manuals from the Smithsonian one page at a time, but it is well worth it since this manual is for your machine.

Nancy

Charlee, it sounds like you had fun anyway - that is what counts! My DH and I went to old Sacramento yesterday then around that area just for a outing. We went into a couple thrift stores, and all I found was a Touch and Throw, so I passed on it. Still a fun day, but I never seem to have any luck at Thrift stores!

Nancy