First sewing machine. cant get fabric through?

Question

Got this sewing machine 10 years ago... never used it. My little sister took it once determined to learn. So of course she lost the manual. looked up the one on Singers website and it was no help.

so anyways... after I thred the bobin and needle plce my fabric down and I pull down the lever ( sorry dont know the technical name) and it is so tight i can even run a thin fabric through it.

is there a way to take some pressure off it?

btw it is a singer 5825 just in case you need to know.

Answer 1

It's supposed to be tight under the presser foot. Underneath the material, the feed dogs will pull the material through for you. If they are not pulling, she may have dropped them. Just open the machine down where you would put the bobbin in, and look for a switch to bring the feed dogs back up again.

Even though it hasn't been used, the machine will need to be oiled, tuned and cleaned. When you have that done, the technician can show you how to work it.

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Answer 2

If it's been sitting that long, it needs a professional cleaning -- the lubricants have quite possibly seized up, thickened, or flowed out of the area they're supposed to lubricate.

Yes, there's probably a presser foot adjustment unless it's a very cheap machine.  It's typically a k**b on top of the machine, though it may be a dial.  You'll need to get a copy of the manual anyhow, and the adjustment will be there.

Try this: set the machine for a straight stitch, stitch length 3 mm or 8 stitches per inch.  Place a folded piece of cotton fabric (or even paper towel) under the presser foot.  Turn on the machine and step on the pedal to see if the fabric will feed.  

If the stitch length is set to 0 or a very short stitch, the fabric will not feed or will feed only slowly.

Answer 3

Here is a link for a manual and two for troubleshooting.

http://www.sewingmachinetech.com/trouble...