Kenmore 1206 User manual

N S T
MODEL RUCTION
20/21 /23/1206/1300. S
ZIG-ZAG SEWING MACHINE

IRDEX
Adjusting for Good Stitching ......... 26
Bobbin:
Inserting & Threading - .......... 8
Picking up Bobbin Thread ......... 10
Removing ................. 6
Winding .................. 7
Buttonholes .................. 17
Buttons .................... 21
Cleaning .................. 22,23
Connecting Machine .............. 4
Corner, Turning ................ 15
Darning .................... 20
Fastening a Seam ............... 1!
Feed Dog Control ............... 15
Hems: Blind Stitched Hem ........ 18,19
Identification, Head Parts .......... 2,3
Installing Machine Head in Cabinet ...... 4
Inserting & Removing Material ........ 14
Needle:
Needle Size ................. 5
Needle & Thread Chart ........... 5
Placement ................ 5
Oiling Instructions ............ 22,23
Overcasting ................ 21
Parts List .................. 27
Presser Foot, Changing ........... 15
Presser Foot Pressure, Adjusting ...... 10
Sewing Light ................ 4
Stitch Length ................ 11
Stitch Width ................ 16
Stitching:
Reverse .................. 11
Straight ................ 1t ,16
Zigzag .................. 16
Tension:
Upper Thread ............... 12
Lower Thread ............... 13
Threading:
Bobbin Case ............... 8
Upper Thread ............... 9
Thread Chart ............... 5
What To Do ............... 24,25

FRONT VIEW ®
//
@"q,,,
1. Bobbin WinderSpmdle
2. Bobbin Winder Latch
3. Stitch Width Control
4. Stttch Width Limlter
5. Stitch Length Control
6. Reverse Stitch Push Button
7. Light Switch
8. Feed Dog Controi
9. Nomenclature Plate
I0. Needle Plate
1t_ Needle Clamp Screw
12. Feed Dog
13. Hand Hole Cover Plate
14, Presser Foot
15. Presser Foot Screw
16. Thread Guides
17. Upper Thread Tension Control
18. Thread Take-up Lever
19. Upper Thread Guide
20. Bobbin Winder Thread Guide

BACK VIEW
@
21. Presser Foot Pressure
Regulator
22. Face Plate
23. Presser Foot Lever
24. Thread Cutter
25. Hand Wheel
26. Clutch Release
27. Thread Spool Pins
28. Blind Stitch Knob
{Models 21, 1300 only}

INSTALLING MACHINE HEAD IN PORTABLE
AND CABINET
Loosen the two hinge screws under holes in the rear edge of the
machine bed (!).
Raise hinge pins in the cabinet cutout (2).
Slip machine head onto the pins and tighten hinge screws securely
(3).
Lower machine head to front flap.
Screw spool pins in place. Lay the plastic discs over the spool pins.
Discs and pins are packed in the accessory box.
SEWING LIGHT (Modets 21, 1300 only)
The sewing light is located inside the face plate as shown.
It may be turned on or off by pushing the light switch.
TO remove the bulb, disconnect the sewing machine and swing open
the face plate. Push bulb m slightly, turn it counterclockwise and
remove. To replace, push new bulb in and turn clockwise. See
illustration 4.
CONNECTING MACHINE
Push foot or knee control connector onto connector under the
machine bedplate, or over the motor. See illustration 5. Push the
two prong plug of the control into any 110-120 V° wall outlet. When
installing in cabinet, insert grommet with cord in bedplate.

NEEDLE THREADTABLE
THREAD SIZE _i_-r._EDLE FABRIC
ISIZE
Sheer cottons, silks, and synthetics
11 Fine Laces
Medium weight cottons
Medium weight silks
14 Medium weight synthetics
Light weight woolens
Heavy weight cottons
16 Medium to heavy weight woolens
Heavy drapery fabrics
18
Cotton 60-100
Synthetic
Silk A
Cotton 60-80
Mercerized 50
Synthetic
Silk A
Cotton 40-60
Mercerized 50
Mercerized heavy duty
Cotton 30-50
Mercerized heavy duty Heaviest cottons as for men's work clothes Heaviest woolen coating
NEEDLE 51ZE
Use KENMOtLE needles. The size of the needle should conform to the size
of the thread and both should be suitable to the material.
The same size thread should be used in the bobbin as on the upper part of the
machine for ordinary sewing.
Never use a bent needle nor one with a blunt point.
This is the exact length of the needle to
be used in your machine. Comparison
with this illustration will determine
t whether the needle you have is the cor-
rect one for your machine.
PLACEMENTOF NEEDLE
Raise take-up lever to its highest positron
by turning hand wheel toward you.
Loosen needle clamp screw.
Hold needle so that the fiat side is to your
nght, slip bhmt end of needle as far as _t
will go into needle clamp.
Tighten needle into place with clamp
screw.
Flat
side
faces
to
righ t.

REMOVINGBOBBINCASEFROMSHUTTLE
1/
.°
Take up t
lever
at its
highest
position.
Pull
out
latch.
Pull bobbin /
case straight
out.

WINDING THE BOBBIN
0
Place thread on spool
post. Draw thread as
shown.
0
Wind thread around
bobbin a few times,
front to back.
0
Place bobbin onto bobbin
winder shaft.
Push bobbin winder latch
until it clicks.
0
Release clutch by turn-
ing clutch knob toward
you. 8tart machine.
0
When bobbin is full, wind-
ing mechanism stops.
0
Tighten clutch knob and
remove bobbin.

INSERTINGBOBBININTOBOBBINCASE_CASEiNTO SHUTTLE
O" Guide bobbin onto center pm of bobbin case.
Pull thread through slot.
Pull thread under tension spring.
_IP Holding latch, position case into shuttle, then release latch.
@0
i I,,_,,ILJ,II i

THREADING
UPPERMACHINE Place thread as illustrated between discs of the
Thread Tension Control.
Prevent the spool of thread from 1;urntng and
by holding the end of the thread pull spr_ng
wire loop up and past the top hook unti_ the
thread can be slipped into the hook. When
thread tension Js released, the spring wire loop
will return to posit_on as shown with the thread
_n proper place.
Release spool of thread and continue to thread
machine as illustrated,

I0
PICKINGUPBOBBINTHREAD
Rinse presser foot lever.
Hold needle thread loosely in left hand and rotate
hand wheel toward you one complete turn.
Bring bobbin thread up by pulling upper thread (See
illustration).
Place threads back under presser foot.
ADJUSTINGTHEPRESSURE
OFTHEPRESSERFOOT
Push down outer ring of presser foot pressure regulator
_See illustration). This will release pressure of presser
foot. To increase pressure, push down inner pin until
suitable pressure is obtained.
For ordinary sewing, the inner pin should be about half
way down. When sewing multiple thickness or heavy
matenat, reduce the pressure. Increase it when sewing
sheer fabncs.
Insufficzent pressure may cause skipped stitches or
difficulty in guiding the fabric. If feed dog or presser
foot marks appear on the fabric, reduce the pressure.

SETTINGSTITCHLENGTH
Turn knob toany desiredstitchlengthpositionbetween
0and 5.At No. 5, the longes_stitchis obtained.The
sizeof stitchyou selectwilldepend on the fabricyou
are sewing.
The blindstitchknob must be on the "OFF" position
for alloperationsexceptblind stitching.{Models 21,
1300 only) For straightstitchingthe stitch width
controlmust be se_ at0.
REVERSESTITCHING
To sew in reverse, push the reverse stitch button as far
in as possible. Keep the button pushed as long as you
need reverse stitching. When you cease pushing, the
button returns and the machine stitches forward.
7
FASTENINGA SEAM
Be sure both threads are drawn back about 4 inches under the presser foot. Lower
needle into fabnc about ½ inch from beginning of seam. Lower presser foot, push
reverse button for reverse stitching. Stztch backwards until needle reaches beginning of
seam. Release button for forward sUtching and complete seam. When you reach the
end of the seam, push reverse button and sew back over ½ inch of comptered seam. This
is called back tacking.

ADJUSTINGTENSIONS
A perfect stitch wilt have threads locked between the two layers
of fabric with no loops on top or bottom.
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
PROBLEM
Upper thread too tight
Upper thread too loose
,.._!! li
Decrease Tension
Increase Tension
REMEDY
,, ','_ '_
Fig. 3
t2 NOTE: Never adjust more than one number at a time÷

When stitching is unsatisfactory as in figures
2 and 3, adjust the upper thread tension.
Lower thread tension requires adjustment
less frequently than the upper thread
tension.
When stitch is satisfactory, as in figure I and
seam is badly puckered, the cause may be
tight tensions and both upper and lower
may be adjusted. (See page 26)
When adjusting the tension on the bobbin
case, make slight adjustments with a screw-
driver. (See page 26)
INCREASETENSION
Turn Clockwise.
DECREASETENSiOH
Turn Counter
Clockwise.
13

INSERTINGANDREMOVINGTHEMATERIAL
For all kinds of sewing, consult chart page 5.
Before placing the material on the machine see that:
• The presser foot and needle clamp screws are both
tight.
• The sizes of needle and thread suit the kind of work
to be done.
- The needle and the thread take-up lever are at their
highest position.
. The ends of threads have been drawn about 4 inches
to the rear of the machine.
• The feed dogs are up.
• Stitch length and width controls are set at desired
settings.
Expenment by sewing on the fabric to be used to
determine tension adjustments and correct stitch
settings.
Place material under the presser foot, insert the needle
into the material by turning the hand wheel toward
you, lower presser foot and start sewing.
To facilitate placement of heavy fabrics under the
presser foot, the presser foot lever can be raised
beyond the normal "'up" position.
To remove the work, first turn the hand wheel toward
you until the needle and the thread take-up lever are
at their highest position, then raise the presser foot,
draw material to the rear and cut off excess thread
with the thread cutter located on the presser bar.
IMPORTANT: Always turn the hand wheel toward
you! When the machine is not being used, place a
piece of material over the feed dog and lower the pres-
ser foot. Always have fabric under the presser foot
when operating the machine. Operating threaded
machine Without fabric will cause it to jam by forcing
lint into the shuttle. See Pages 22 & 23.
14

TURNINGA CORNER
Stop your sewing machine and make sure needle is in
thbric, Raise presser foot. Turn fabric to desired direc-
tion. Lower presser foot and go on with your stztching.
FEED COHTROL
This knob is situated on right front of machine bed.
When knob is turned to the left, feed dog does not move
material Thzs allows the operator freedom of movement
of materml. For regular sewing, turn knob to the right.
"'U" (Feed dog up),
CHANGINGTHEPRESSERFEET
The various presser feet availabie for certain kinds of
work are to be fastened to the presser IJar,
To attach the foot, raise the presser bar to its highest
position by raising the presser foot lever.
Loosen the presser foot thumb screw, choose the proper
foot, insert from the front. Tighten the screw using the
large screwdriver and make sure that the foot is secure. 15

ZIGZAGCONTROL
To produce a zigzag stitch, turn the stitch width limiter B upward. As the knob is moved up, the stitch becomes wider.
The indicator on the stitch width control knob A points to the numerical setting. The width knob can be manually turned
to a higher number, but the limiter must be rolled downward to produce a narrower zigzag stitch. Zig-zag stitch width
Increases from No. I setting to the No. 5 setting. Straight stitching is possible only when the knob Is at thc 0 position.
Zig-zag stitching will be practical for repairing elastic garments, seaming knitted garments, overcasting seams, tacking
points of strain, binding blankets, and st_tchlng darts m mtcrfacmgs.

BUTTONHOLES Stitch length about V__
Stitch width about 2
Feed dog control to right
1. Stitch forward until desired length for buttonhole is obtained. Stop with needle on tlle left side of stitching (A). Drop leed
dog, set stitch width control on 2Vzand take one stitch to the right (B).
2. Raise presser foot and turn material with needle in material. Lower presser foot and take one stitch to the left (C).
3. Turn stitch width control to 5 and sew 4 stitches. This method of fastening the ends of buttonhoies is eNled bartaeking.
Bartaking should be completed with needle on the left side (D).
4. Set stitch width back to 2. Raise feed dogs and sew back to other end of buttonhole. Stop w_th needle oil tile left (E).
5. Turn stitch width control to 5. Drop feed dog and bartack. Raise feed dog.
It is recommended that tailor's chalk be used to determine length of buttonhole before sewing. For a firm buttonhole, tile
stitching can be repeated over the same area, then cut buttonhole opening. For a professional look to your buttonho|e use an
interfacing between the layers of fabric.
A
C
E17

HEMS
BLIND STITCH HEM
(Models 21, 1300 only)
The Blind Stitch Knob must be
on the "OFF" position for all
operations except blind stitching.
1, Prepare the hem with a turned
and edgestitched finish, or
2_ Apply seam tape along the
raw edge with eitner straight
or zig zag stitching, then fold
hem as shown.
_8

3. Make second fold as shown. 4_ Turn blind stitch knob (black
arrow) to the "ON" position.
Set stitch width at 0 and
stitch length 2-3 €as desired).
Then, blind stitch along fold
until hem is completed.
5_ Unfold, exposing right side of
material with completed blind
stitching.
Press hem.
_9