Kenmore Kenmore 1791 User manual

TABLE OF CONTENTS
KNOWING YOUR MACHINE Page
Knowing parts and features 1 - 2
GETTING READY TO SEW
Setting up your machine 3
Electronic needle contro|, stitch selector and indicator 4
Winding the bobbin
Threading your machine
Checking for correct tension
Changing needies, needleplates
Special fabnc chart
STRAIGHT AND ZIGZAG SEWING
Using the free-arm
Straight stitching
Securing seams, top-stitching
3 ways to do basting
Zigzag sewing -- the basics
Blind hemming
Mending, darning, fagoting, bar-tacking
Interfacing
BUTTONHOLES AND FASTENERS
Using your "built-in" system
Your "attachment" system
Choosing the right buttonhole
"'Regular-worked" buttonholing
Purl-edging, bound buttonholes
installing zippers
5 Machine-sewing buttons
6- 7 STRETCH AND SPECIAL STITCHES
8 Straight stretch stitching
9 Rick-rack, stretch
10 Feather, elastIc and overcast stretch
Page
25
26
27
28
29
30
3t
32
Paris point stretch, built-in decorative stretch stitches 33
13 FINISHING AND PERSONAL TOUCHES
14 Satin stitches, machine emboridery
15 Narrow hemming
16 Edgestitchlng, even feed foot
17 Shell stitching, lettuce edging
19 Appliques and quilting
20 CARING FOR YOUR MACHINE
22 Performance check chart
Keeping your machine clean
23 Oiling your machine
24 Ordenng replacement parts
34
35
36
38
39
4O
42
44
45

KNOWING YOUR SEWING MACHINE
!. Free arm
2. Free-arm cover
3. Bobbin window
4. Bobbin cover piate
5. Swing-away base release
6. Needleptate
7, Presserfoot
8. Needle bar thread guide
9. Needle clamp screw
t0. Needle bar
11. Thread guide
12, Face cover pIate
13. -Thread tension spring
BACK VIEW
!4. Top threading path
!5. Slotted take-up lever
16. Top thread tension control
17. Built-in buttonhole control
18. Bobbin winder shaft
19. Bobbin winder latch
20. Stitch indicator
21. Stitch width control
22. Stitch selector
23. Reverse stitch control
24. Basting switch
25. Needle position control
26. Cord connection
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:27. Nomenclature plate
28. Power/light switch
29. Speed range switch
30. Stitch modifier
31. Stitch length control
32. Spool pins and caps
33, Hand wheel
34. Rear thread guide
35, Bobbin tension disc
36. Rear thread guide
37. Presser foot lever
38. Presser bar
39, Presser foot lock
40. Thread cutter
41, Attachment cover release
42. Feed dogs
43, Attachment cover plate
44. Swing-away base
45. Foot pedal
46. Foot control
SOLID STATE FOOT CONTROL

FRONTVIEW
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GETTING READY TO SEW
SETrlNG UP YOUR MACHINE
When you open your Kenmore carton, you'll find the basic machine,
foot control, the instruction book you now are reading, and one box
of attachments {Accessories end ButtonholerL Set your machine on a
sturdy flat surface. Be sure to wipe off any excess oil that may have
accumulated in shipping,
Step 1: The spool pins
You'tl find Spool Pins (32) packed in
the Accassones and Buttonholer
Box. Using a screwdriver, attach
them securely at rear as indicated.
Step 2: The electrlclty
Plug Foot Controt {46) into Cord
Connection {26). Then, connect cord
into any 110-120 volt wall outlet.
Important safety notes
Your machine will not operate unless
the Power/Light Switch (28) is
turned on. This same switch controls
the machine power, sewing light, the
indicator lights on the stitch selection
panel (20) and needle controls (24
and 25). If you are interrupted or stop
sewing, turn off the switch-this is an
important safety feature that
prevents accidents.
!llt_ i

ELECTRONIC
NEEDLE CONTROL Needle stops precisely in up or down position
The electronic control panel contains three switches. One switch provides an
electronically controlled basting or tacking to take the chore out of hand basting.
The other two switches electronically control the needle to stop in either the up
position for general sewing, or in the down position for intricate work.
1. This feature gives you the option of
stopping your machine with the
needle man up position each time.
When the needle is at this high
position, there is no possibility of the
needle becoming unthreaded when
the next seam is started. The upper
left button is pushed and lighted for
this type of sewing.
2. If you wish for the needle to remain in
the tabnc when you stop (exampte is
turning acorner), then push the lower
STITCH SELECTOR
3.
left switch. Indicator lights quickly
show you m what position the needle
will stop, See page. 15.
The third switch labeled "'Basting"
enables you to sew very long stitches
by simply tapping the foot control-
one complete stitch will be made and
you can freely move the fabric to the
desired spot for another basting tack,
See page 16 for defin=te setting used
to accomplish this.
i iii i i i iii i i I
I
Push before turning dial
A) To select astitch, be sure needle is out of fabric
at its highest position. Push the stitch selector
(22) in before turning to select a stitch.
B) Then turn the dia! to left or right until the
required stitch is illuminated in red on the
indicator (20),

WINDING THE
BOBBIN A) Place thread on Spool Pin
(32) and cover with acap (32) as
shown below. To wind bobbin,
draw thread from spool through
Rear Thread Guides (34 and 36)
and the Bobbin Winder Disc (35)
as indicated below.
\
B) Pull end of thread through any
hole m bobbin; place bobbin on
Bobbin Winder Shaft (18) with
end of thread coming from top of
bobbin as shown above.
C) Push Bobbin Winder Latch
(19) against bobbin until it clicks.
Then pull Hand Wheel (33) away
from machine to disengage clutch
(see diagram below), Hold end of
thread coming from bobbin (see
above) and step on foot control.
After several rotations of bobbin
re_ease thread.
D) When bobbin is full, winding
stops automatically. Push in Hand
Wheel (33L Remove bobbin from
shaft and trim thread end.
Treat Hand Wheel as a "clutch"
It controls the needle mechanism
so that when pulled out, (disen-
gaged) the rest of the machine will
not operate while the bobbin fs
being wound,
Putt out to
disengage
Push in
to engage

THREADING THE
BOBBIN CASE
Drop-in bobbin
makes this a simple
sure operation
A) Make sure needle is in
highest position (this will
always be true if top left
needle position light is on).
B) Remove Bobbin Cover
Plate (4) -- just lift up the
front and it slips right out.
C) Now place the full bobbin in Bobbin Case with
thread coming off in a counter-clockwise direction.
ii_i ,_i !i_i_ii! _ D) Pull about tour inches of thread
through tension slot (shown by
arrow at left) toward back of
machine as illustrated above.
E) Replace cover plate, allowing
thread to emerge through opening
between Coverplate (4) and Needle-
plate (6). This completes bobbin
threading.

THREADING THE
REST OF YOUR
MACHINE
Upper threading ...
needle threading ...
now quick and easy
7
B) Now pull thread toward you
into Top-Threading Path (14),
down to Tension Spring (13) --
diagram above, Pull thread up into
spring. Then draw thread through
stotted take-up ]ever (t5} and
down again through either side of
lower thread guide (1t).
C) Making certain that needle is
in its highest position, thread it
from front to back.
D) Holding the needle thread with
the left hand, and basting button
pushed, gently tap the foot control.
A single stitch will be made. This
brings the bobbin thread up to the
top surface forming aloop. Reach
into this loop with a long instrument
like a screwdriver and pug loop free,
Then pull three or four inches of
both top and bobbin threads behind
the needle.

THREAD
TENSION:
STRAIGHT STITCHING
"Balance" isthe key
to handsome,
durable straight
stitching
o
Decrease tension Increase tension
CHECKING FOR CORRECT TENSION OF
THREAD
The good looking appearance of your straight stitching is
mainly determined by the balanced tension of the top thread
and bobbin thread. The tension is well balanced when the
two threads lock m the middfe of the layers of fabric when
straight stitching.
You can achieve balanced tension by regulating the Top
Thread Tension Control (17). if the upper thread appears to
be too tight, dial left (lower numbers) to decrease tension.
If the upper thread is too loose, dial right (higher numbers}
to increase tension.
STRAIGHT STITCHING
TOP STITCH
TOO TIGHT
TOP STITCH
TOO LOOSE
STRAIGHT STITCH
JUST RIGHT
THREAD
TENSION:
ZIGZAG STITCHING
CHECKING FOR GOOD LOOKING ZIGZAG STITCHES
Always practice stitching on two layers of the fabr=c
you will be using.
Make sure that you are using the right size and type
of needle for the fabric. See chart page 11,
Choose a thread of good quality and type for your
fabric. See chart page 11.
Remember -- the wider the zigzag setting, the more
chance for puckering. Reduce the top tension, if
puckering occurs,
The top thread will be visible on the bottom to
varying degrees depending on the thread, fabric,
type of stitch being used and speed of sewing.
The bobbin thread should never be visible on the
top of the fabric,
BOBBIN TENSION
The bobbin tension has been correctly set at the factory, so you do not need to
adjust it.

CHANGING
NEEDLES AND
NEEDLEPLATES
Needle choice depends
on thread _,.,both
determined by fabric
YOUR SIZE 14 NEEDLE IS BASIC., o
o,. to most of your sewing, To replace
needle: Turn hand wheel toward you
to raise Needle Bar (10) to highest posi-
tion. Loosen Needle Clamp Screw (9)
with screwdriver. Holding flat side
away from you, insert needle as far as it
will go. Tighten clamp screw securely,
using screwdriver.
Needteplate Ufts out Replacement Jocks =n
TO REPLACE THE NEEDLEPLATE INSERT
Raise needle to its highest position. Remove Bobbin
Cover Plate (4), Lift Needleptate (6) and remove by
lifting up and out (shown at far left). Insert other
needle plate; push down with both hands to lock.
Replace bobbin cover plate.
_1 1o
I,, ,,.I
For zigzag stitching, use
silver needleptate with
wtde oval hole
ol to
!,, I
For straight and strmght
stretch sewing, silver plate
has round ho_e