Q&A: Kenmore Sewing Machine 385.16227300 Automatic Buttonhole Thread Problems?
Question by M Wiley: Kenmore Sewing Machine 385.16227300 Automatic Buttonhole Thread Problems?
I am sewing vests for my daughters class for an upcoming field trip, and I am ready to attach buttons. This is my first time attaching buttons or making buttonholes. On my sewing machine, I set all the correct setting and I sewed one perfect button hole on a piece of scrap. Now, moving onto another practice hole, my thread keeps overlapping in the same spot. My fabric does not move. I end up with one big clump of overlapped thread. I do not know how to fix this problem and hope someone can help me out. I have all the setting in the correct place. It is an older machine, but does otherwise work well.
Best answer:
Answer by kay
The first thing I’d try is to take the thread out of/off of the machine and give it a cleaning, particularly around the bobbin case, make sure the feed dogs are completely up, put in a new needle right way around, and then set up a scrap piece exactly as your vest front or pocket is set up… presumably shell, lining and interfacing, probably near a seam allowance.
The most likely thing that’s happening is that the thread ends are tangling under the needleplate, so start by holding the thread ends behind the presser foot when you start to sew. Next thought is, could you be overlapping the seam allowance some with your buttonholer? If so, you might want to trim out extra seam allowance, or put some washaway embroidery stabilizer behind the low part of the buttonhole area to bring everything up level. Third, you may want to adjust the presser foot pressure and/or add embroidery stabilizer (or just starch the fabric very stiffly) in the area where you’ll make buttonhole.
I find that a new needle definitely improves buttonholes. If I’m sewing a bunch of shirts, I’ll sew shirt 1 up to the buttonholes, put in a new needle, do the buttonholes and then sew shirt 2 up to the buttonholes, change the needle, do the buttonholess… etc. etc.
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!
Comments are closed.