I’m learning to service sewing machines, and I’m starting with my own ever-expanding fleet. Come on my sewing machine servicing journey!
June’s machine of the month is a Kenmore 8.
This is from the 158 series of Kenmores sold by Sears that are popular with vintage sewing machine enthusiasts. True confession: I own 3 of them, now nicknamed K8-1, K8-2, and K8-3. I learned to sew on this machine, so I also refer to K8-1 as the OG Kenmore.
I’m the problem, it’s me
Unfortunately, I let her sit unused for too long, and she did what any self-respecting motorized machine would do: she seized up. That hand wheel would not turn.
Back in my Phoenix era, I took a free-motion quilting class at a great quilt shop called Quilter’s Ranch. I used this OG Kenmore for that class, so I have all of the stuff for that machine. After being unsuccessful with a newer machine, I decided to return to the machine that offered me success. That’s when I discovered she had locked up and thrown away the key.
(Side note: The backup to my OG, K8-2 is an identical Kenmore 8. She also seized up.)
I tried to get my original two Kenmore 8s professionally serviced, but, alas, anyone with a vintage machine has a sad story to tell about their efforts to find a sympathetic sewing machine tech. So I decided to learn how to do it myself. It took a lot of patient effort, including careful cleaning, new grease on the gears, and Blue Creeper penetrating oil to get it going again.
What’s special about this machine?
The Kenmore 158 line is a huge and diverse series of machines made between the late 1950s to the early 1980s. Some are made to sit in a cabinet, some are free-arm portables like my Kenmore 8. These are metal machines that are easy to take apart and service compared to more modern machines. They are pretty powerful and make a nice straight stitch, IMO. The Kenmore 8 has a nice suite of versatile stitches, including my beloved bar tack stitch that’s part of its 3-step button hole. There’s a huge sentimental component to this machine. Plus, I have every foot made for the machine! My goal is to learn to use them all.
