Singer 20U User manual

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3NIHOVIAI ONIM3S
H3ONIS

Congratulations!
As the owner ofa SINGER*artisanzigzagsewingmachineModel
20U, youare about to enter a wonderful new world of sewing!
From the moment you begin tosewat yourModel 20U, you will
be delighted with its easy dependable operation.
• Perfectstraightstitching.
• Zigzag and ornamental stitching ina variety of width and stitch
lengths.
• Superfinecontrol of stitchlengthinsuresperfectsatinstitching.
• Speeds upto 2,000stitches per minute at maximumzigzagstitch
width (9mm) and 2,500stitches per minute at zigzagstitchwidth
of 5mm or lessdepending on materialbeingsewn and type of
work beingdone.
May we recommend that, before you begin to sew, you discover all
the manyadvantages of yourModel 20Uby goingthroughthis
instruction book step by step while seated at your machine.
SINGER* Service is alwaysclose at hand. If yoursewingmachine
shouldneedservicing,callyourlocalSINGERCENTER tobe sure
of warrantedSINGER*Parts and SINGERService. You will find
the addressunderSINGERCOMPANY inthe classifiedtelephone
directory.
*A Trademark ofTHE SINGERCOMPANY
Copyright ©1987 SINGER SEWINGMACHINECOMPANY
All Rights Reserved Throughout The World

CONTENTS
Page
Principal Parts of Model 20U Machine 2
Fabric, Thread,Needle and StitchLength Table 3
Needles and Thread 4
ToSetthe Needle 4
Threading the Needle 5
To Remove the Bobbin 5
To Wind the Bobbin 6
Threading the BobbinCase 8
To Replace the BobbinCase 9
Raising the BobbinThread 9
To Adjust Stitch Length 10
To AdjustPressure 10
To AdjustThreadTensions 11
Needle Position Selector 12
Stitch Width Regulator 12
How to Control the Width of ZigzagStitch 13
Needle Bar FrameClampingDevice 15
StraightStitching 15
Changing the Throat Plate and Feed Dog16
Lever Positions for StraightStitching 16
How toSewa Seam 17
Page
Satin Stitching 18
ZigzagStitching 19
LingerieSeams 19
Seams in KnitFabrics 19
DecorativeStitches 19
Buttonholes 20
Monograms and Motifs 22
ScriptLettering 22
Applique 24
Hemmer Foot 25
PlainNarrowHems 25
Zipper Foot 26
ZipperInsertion 26
CordedSeams 27
OtherPracticalApplications 28
Caring for YourMachine 30
Assembling the ThreadUnwinder 32
ToUsethe Spool Cap33
ToUsethe Anti-Spill Sleeve 34
Knee Operating Stitch WidthControl 35

PRINCIPAL PARTS OF MODEL 20U MACHINE
Thread Guide
Take-upLeverGuard
Take-upLever
PressureRegulatingThumbScrew
Arm Top Cover
FacePlate
Thread Guard(upper)
Slack ThreadRegulator
Needle Bar FrameClamping
ThumbScrew
Thread Guard(lower) -
Needle Bar
Presser Foot Screw
Presser Foot
ThreadGuideHolder
Spool Pin
BobbinWinder
Bed Slide
ThroatPlate
Stitch WidthRegulating
PlateThumbScrew
HandWheel
FeedRegulatingDial
StitchWidthRegulator
FeedReverseLever
NeedlePositionSelector
Tension(complete)
NeedleClampThumbScrew
-2-

FABRIC, THREAD,NEEDLE AND STITCHLENGTHTABLE
Fabrics
DELICATE — tulle, chiffon, fine
lace, silk, organdy, fine tricot
LIGHTWEIGHT — batiste, or-
gandy, jersey, voile, taffeta,
silk, crepe,, plastic film
MEDIUM WEIGHT —gingham,
percale, pique, linen, chintz,
faille, satin, fine corduroy,
suitings
Thread sizes
FineMercerized
80to 120 Cotton
SyntheticThread
50 Mercerized
60 to80 Cotton
A Silk
SyntheticThread
50 Mercerized
50 to60 Cotton
A Silk
Synthetic Thread
Needle sizes
9 or11
11 or14
Stitches per
inch
15 to 20
Stitch length
setting
1-1/2- 1-1/4
12 to 15 1-3/4- 1-1/2
(8 to10for plastic) (3-1/4 ~ 1-1/21
12 to15
1-3/4- 1-1/2
MEDIUM HEAVY — gabardine,
tweed, sailcloth, denim, coat-
ings, drapery fabrics
Heavy Duty
Mercerized
40to50 Cotton
16 10 to12 2-1/2- 1-3/4
HEAVY — overcoatings, dun-
garee, upholstery fabrics, can-
vas
Heavy Duty
Mercerized
30to40 Cotton
18 6 to10 4-1/2 -2-1/2
-3-

NEEDLES AND THREAD
This machineusesneedleCatalog1910-05,available
in sizes 9,11,14,16and18.
The needle youuse should be straight,with a sharppoint,
to ensure perfect stitchformation and needlepenetrationthrough
the fabric. The needleshouldalso be fine enough to prevent the
fabric frombeingmarredwithlargepunctures, yet heavyenough
to pierce the fabric without being bent or deflected.Remember,
too,that theeyeofthe needlemust be largeenough forthe thread
to pass through it freely; too fine a needlewillcause the thread to
fray.
Be sure touse likethreads for bothneedle and bobbin.
TOSETTHE NEEDLE
1. Raiseneedle bartoits highestposition by turninghandwheel
towardyou.
2. Loosen the needleclampscrew and insertneedleintoclamp
as far as it will go, with the long groovetoward you. Then
tighten the needleclampscrew.
LONG GROOVE
TOWARD YOU
-4 -

THREADING THE NEEDLE
1. Turnhandwheeltoward youto raisetake-uplever
to its highestposition.
2. Raise the presser foot.
3- Leadthreadfrom the thread unwinder through allthe
threading points shown. Thread the needlefromfront
to back.
4. Draw about 3 inches of thread through eyeof needle.
TO REMOVE THE BOBBIN
1. Turnhandwheeltoward you until needle isatits
highest position.
2. Open bed slide.
3. Reach up from under the table with lefthand,open
bobbincaselatch A,and lift out bobbincase B.
4. Release latch and removebobbinfrombobbincase.
B \ 5-

TO WIND THE BOBBIN
1. Stopmotion of needle by looseningstop-motionscrew A. Holdhand
wheel with left hand and turnstop-motionscrewtoward you with
right hand.
2. Placebobbin on bobbinwinderspindle B, pushing it on as far as it
will go.
3. Placethreadspool on spool pinand pass the threadthroughthread
guide G! , betweentension discs D and throughthreadguide C2 andto
the bobbin. Wind endof threadaround the bobbin a few times and
press latch E againstbobbin, then start the machine.
4. Allow the tensiondiscs to control flow of thread. Donot guide or
holdthreadwhenwinding the bobbin.
5. Winding willstopautomaticallywhen bobbin is fully wound.
6. Removebobbin from spindle and tightenstop-motionscrew A by
turning it away from you withrighthandwhileholding the hand
wheel withyourlefthand.
-6-

TO WIND THE BOBBIN (cont'd)
Bobbins canbe woundwhile the machine is stiching. To windbobbins
while the machine is stiching,follow the precedinginstructionsonly do
not loosen the stop-motion screw.
To adjust the amount of thread onthe bobbin,loosenscrew F on latch
E and whileholdingstud G with a screwdriver,swing latch E away from
you or toward you, as required.
•For morethread on bobbin,swinglatch E awayfromyou.
•For lessthread on bobbin,swing latch E towardyou.
• Tightenscrew F
if threadwindsunevenly on bobbin,loosenscrew H and movetension
bracket I upor down, as required,then tighten screw H.
G F

THREADING THE BOBBIN CASE
1. Holdbobbin so thatthreadunwinds inthe direc-
tion shown, andput bobbin in bobbincase.
2. Pull thread into notch A and draw it undertension
spring B.
3. Drawthread out from slot onendof spring and
pass it throughbobbincasethreadguard C. Allow
about 4 inches of thread to hang freely from
bobbin.
NOTE: When straight stitching, a betterresult can
be obtained if bobbin-thread isnot threadedthrough
bobbincasethreadguard C.

TO REPLACE THE BOBBIN CASE
Hold bobbincase by latch A and place iton spindle of bobbin case holder
B so thatposition finger C entersnotch D at right of bobbincaseholder.
Release latch and pressbobbincase firmly in place to assureproper position.
Close bed cover.
RAISING THE BOBBINTHREAD
Hold needlethreadlightlywithleft hand. Turnhandwheel so thatneedle
enters throatplate and brings up bobbinthread.Pull endof bobbinthread up
through throatplate and placebothneedle and bobbin threadsdiagonally
under the presser foot.
-9

NEEDLE POSITIONSELECTOR
Left, Center and Rightneedlepositionsettings are available
for placement of bothstraight and zigzagstitching.
To position, push lever inand move tothe desiredsetting.
Center setting is preferred for normalsewing.Settingsleft
and right are onlyusedwhenspecialplacement of stitching
is desired. For example:buttonholes,buttonsewing.
Donot make any needle positionadjustmentwhile the
needle isinthe fabric.
Left
Center Right
L ± JILL
Needle
Position
Selector
STITCH WIDTHREGULATOR
The width of zigzag stitch is controlledwith the spring
biasedstitchwidthregulatinglever A. This lever regulates
swing of needle from its straightstitchingposition to maxi-
mum zigzag width of 9mm.
Do not make any stitch width adjustmentwhile the
needle isinthe fabric.
NOTE: The stitch widthregulatinglever A maybe turned
upward, if desired,simply by loosening screw B and turning
lever A upward.
-12-

HOW TO CONTROL THE WIDTH OF ZIGZAG STITCH
Thetwo thumbscrews A andB provided on front ofarm allow
you to control the width of zigzagstitches.Thumbscrew A is used
to control the width ofthe wider zigzag stitch and thumbscrew B to
control the narrower zigzag stitch.
1. To obtainminimum to maximumwidth(9mm)zigzagstitches,
first loosenthumbscrew B to permit the stitchwidthregulator
Cto return toits zeroposition and retighten thumbscrew B.
Then loosenthumbscrew A, turnstitchwidthregulator C
clockwise asfarasit will goand whileholding the regulator C in
thisposition,retightenthumbscrew A.Youcannow regulate
the stitchwidthregulatorwithin the range of zero to 9mm.
2. To makenarrowerzigzagstitches, for example, a zero to5mm
wide zigzag stitches, loosenthumbscrews A andB and retighten
thumbscrew B as explainedabove. Then turn stitch width
regulator C to5mm setting and whileholdingregulator C,
retighten thumbscrew A.
Setting For Zero To9mm
WideZigzag Stitch
- 13

3.Tosew zigzag stitches infixed width,loosenthumbscrews A
andB, turnstitchwidthregulator C to desiredstitch width and
while holdingregulator C in thisposition,tightenthumbscrew
B. Thentightenthumbscrew A. This will lock the stitchwidth
regulator in desiredposition and leavebothhands free to handle
the fabric.
4.For sewing two differentwidthornamentalzigzagstitches, set
the machine as instructedbelow.
First, loosen thumbscrews A andB. Turnstitchwidthregulator
C to desired width forthe narrow zigzag stitch and while
holding the regulator C, tightenthumbscrew B. Then turn
stitchwidthregulator C to desired width forthe widerzigzag
stitch and tightenthumbscrew A.
Having setthe machine as instructedabove, the narrowwidth
zigzag cannowbe sewnwithoutregulating the stitchwidth
regulator C.Tosewthe widerzigzag, the stitch width regulator
must be turned asfarit will goand held in thispositionuntil
the widerzigzagstitching is completed.
Thismethod of setting the stitch width is veryconvenientwhen
sewing the sidestitches andbar tacks ofa buttonhole.
o
Setting For Zero To5mm
Wide Zigzag Stitch
Setting For DesiredFixed
Width Zigzag Stitch
Setting For DualWidth
Ornamental ZigzagStitch

NEEDLE BAR FRAMECLAMPINGDEVICE
When straightstitching, a bettersewingresult canbe
obtained by locking the needle bar frame immovable with
the clampingdevice.
To clamp the needle bar frame, turn knobclockwise as
far asit will go (about 1/4 turn).
When zigzagstitching, be sure the clamp is released.
To release the clamp,turnknobcounterclockwise asfar
as it will go until the whitemark onthe knob is located at
the top.
STRAIGHTSTITCHING
General Purpose Presser Foot, Throat Plate and Feed
Dogare used forall utilitysewing and where there is
occasion to alternatebetweenstraight and zigzagstitching
in the sewingprocedure.
Straight Stitch Presser Foot, ThroatPlate and Feed Dog
are used for straight stitching only. These Fittings are suited
especially for stitchingdelicate or spongy fabrics, syn-
thetics, knits and tricot.Additionalmaneuverability is also
obtained whensewingcurved and shapedseams,precision
edging and hard-to-reachareas.
- 15 -

CHANGING THE THROATPLATE AND FEED DOG
1. Open bed slide; thenremove throat plate.(Use
screwdriver A furnished withmachine for removal and
replacement of throatplate and feed dog.)
2. Using a screwdriver,remove bed plate B as shown in
sketch at right and removefeed dogC.
3.To replacegeneralpurpose or straightstitchfeeddog,
fasten feed dogto machinetemporarily and replace
general purpose or straightstitchthroatplate. Set feed
dog correctly in position so that it will nothitthe
edges ofthe feed dog slots inthe throat plate.
4. Replace bed plate and press it firmly in place.
LEVER POSITIONS FOR STRAIGHT STITCHING
Before you begin to straight-stitch, be sure the stitch
widthregulator issetin position as shown in sketch.
For ordinary stitching, center needle position is pre-
ferred, buta line of stitching maybe placed to left orright
of centerwhenspecialplacement of stitching is desired.
The generalpurpose fittings must be usedwhenplacing a
line of stitching to left or right of center.
UJ
III
- 16 -

r
HOW TOSEWA SEAM
1.Set feedregulatingdial for desiredstitchlength.
2. Raisetake-uplever toits highest point and place
fabric underpresserfoot.
3. Positionneedle in fabric,lowerpresserfoot and
stitch toendof seam.
4.To reinforceseamends,press stitch reverselever
down toits lowestposition and backstitch.
5. With take-up lever atits highest point, raise presser
foot and removefabric.
6. Cut threads on thread cutter at rear of presser bar.
Mostfabricsneed tobe guided in front ofthe
presserfootonly.Somefabrics,however,requiresupport
while beingstitched.
—- For filmysheers,knits, tricots, etc.,applygentle
tension by holdingseam in front and back of presser
foot.
17 -

SATINSTITCHING
Satinstitching, a series of closelyspacedzigzagstitches that
form a smooth,satin-likesurface, is useful for both utility and
decorative work.
When you wish to produce a satin stitch, make a testsample
first so that youcan adjust the stitchlength and threadtension
properly.
Soft fabric may require a backing to ensurefirmsatinstitching.
Crisp organdy or lawn is suitable for thispurpose.
Adjusting Stitch Length for Satin Stitching
If you wish a closelypackedsatinstitch,turn feed regulating
dial clockwiseuntilstitches are closelyspaced and form a smooth
surface.
Adjusting Tension for SatinStitching
All zigzag stitchingrequireslesstensionthanstraightstitching;
and satin stitching requires even less than open zigzag stitching.
Furthermore, the wider the satinstitch, the lighter the tension
on the threadmust be.
Notice the stitching on yoursample. Ifthe stitchinglooks
too taut, orifthe fabric is puckering, lower the needle-thread
tension by turning the tensiondialcounterclockwise. A proper-
ly balancedsatinstitchshould lie flatacross the material.

r
ZIGZAG STITCHING
LINGERIE SEAMS
Dainty lingerie seams canbe madedurablewithplainzigzag
stitching.
1, Afterstraight-stitchingseam onthe wrongside,press both
seamallowances inthe same direction.
2. From theright side,top-stitchwith a fine zigzag letting the
needlealternatelyenter the seam line andthe seamthickness.
SEAMS IN KNIT FABRICS
A narrow,closelyspaced,zigzagstitch is ideal for seamingknit
fabrics. Itis particularlydesirable for underarmseamswhere
elasticity and give are needed.
For neckline and waistlineseams,where a stay is needed to
prevent unduestretching,thissamestitch canbe used to applyseam
tape. To insure a flat, smoothstayedfinish,positiontapewithedge
exactly on seam line. If seam is curved, pre-shape tape tofitby
steampressing, and baste in place. Stitch, allowing the needle to
enter seamtape and seamallowancealternately.
DECORATIVE STITCHES
Variousdecorative stitches, as shown atright,canbe made by
using LEFT, CENTER and RIGHTneedle positions, and also by
regulating the stitch widthregulator.
- 19 -

BUTTONHOLES
Needle Position Selector: Left
Stitch Width Regualtor: 2mmand4mmor
21/£mm and5mm
Stitch Length:SatinStitch
Throat Plate:GeneralPurpose
Presser Foot: Buttonhole Foot
Marking
Line
Buttonhole Foot
For buttonholes, usea satinstitch as
described on page 18.You willneed two
stitch widthsettings, onefor sidestitching andoneforthebar tacks.
Two practicalcombinations are shown in sketch at right.
Always make a test buttonhole ona sample of yourfabric. Be
sure' to duplicate the thickness ofthe garment and include
interfacing if appropriate.
First, decide how long the openingneeds tobe. Thiswilldepend
on the diameter andthe thickness ofthe button. Addat least 1/8
inch (1/16inch for each bar tack}, and markbuttonholelength on
fabric. Thisbar-tackmeasurement is approximate; on some button-
holes, youmay need to increase itto arrive at pleasingproportions.
Preparation: Set needlepositionselector at LEFT and stitch width
regulator for sidestitchwidth(2mm or 2^mm) andbar tackwidth
(4mm or 5mm) as explained in page 14.
Length of
Cutting
Space