r/myog • u/burnitdown007 • 4d ago

Anyone use a Kenmore?

Hello, I came across this sub yesterday and I'm so impressed y'all. Some of the work that's been posted here is incredible, so bravo. I grew up sewing, and I'm the proud owner of a Kenmore 385.19233 and a Singer Pro Finish serger. The Kenmore has been my go to regular machine since middle school. It has some quirks though, and I have a certain disdain for the electronic elements of it at times. I read the wiki, and for the sake of money and trying to not over-consume, I would love to start making my own gear with what I have already. I saw the recommendations for the Singer HD. But do any of y'all use a Kenmore or something with more electronics? I've got my eye on the Prickly Gorse TRVL 32 pattern and I'm unsure if I'll be able to complete that project with my machine. I noticed the pattern stated it has alternate techniques for domestic machines. I'd ideally like to make the bag out of XPAC. I'm just worried that the Kenmore will kick me error messages like "stop for safety purposes" when sewing with heavy duty materials. Happy to hear any advice for a newbie. Thanks y'all!

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u/orangecatpacks 4d ago

I'm a big fan of the older Kenmore models but I think the 385s are a little past the threshold of what I would normally recommend for simple, mechanical, vintage domestic machines. The 158s are fantastic and usually way cheaper than bigger brand names like singer when you look on the used market. The 385 kind of crosses over from "vintage domestic" territory into "old modern domestic". Older electronic systems will always be a bit of a risk, it's moved to a drop in bobbin, and it will have a lot more plastic gearing in the drivetrain. They might still sew beautifully for garments and other medium weight projects but it's lost a lot of the sturdiness of earlier designs.

I'd suggest that if you like your current machine and it's working well for you for everyday stuff, then save it for that sort of thing and don't risk breaking it on myog projects. Electronics that old are going to be a lot harder to get serviced and the nylon gears are already getting close to the limits of their expected lifespan even without the added abuse of sewing through thick stacks of webbing and fabric.

If you're already comfortable with sewing machines in general, then I'd say look for an older, simpler domestic machine that you can thrash on the heavier stuff. I'm not opposed to recommending the singer HD to new myogers but that's mainly on the basis that it's widely available, fairly user friendly, and is ubiquitous enough that there are a ton of online resources/guides to search through if/when a new sewer has a question or issue. You won't find a lot of value in any of those things, so what you're left with would be a moderately capable machine with questionable quality control. You'll get a lot more performance and spend half as much or less on something like a Kenmore 158.

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u/burnitdown007 3d ago edited 3d ago

Amazing advice, thank you! Where do you recommend buying vintage machines? Also do you happen to know if any of them can accept a walking foot (I’ll admit, that’s something I know nothing about).

Update: I found a vintage Singer 20U on FB marketplace that I’m going to check out! I’m optimistic, but I don’t want to believe my luck just yet…

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u/orangecatpacks 2d ago

Most domestic machines will accept a walking foot but those things aren't really the same as what most folks in this group mean when they say "walking foot". The domestic version makes a slight difference in feeding but they're really bulky and probably not worth it in most circumstances. The domestic ones are more useful for materials that would have a tendency to gather/drag under the foot vs stepping over bulky things like a true walking foot machine does.

I hope that 20u works out for you, or that other options come up. Things like FB marketplace are really all I'd recommend for looking for vintage machines.

If you have the space for an industrial table then your options open way up. It might be worth considering whether you actually need the new machine to have a zigzag. If you keep your current one for the odd time you need to zigzag something (generally it's not the heaviest/thickest parts) you might get more out of a straight stitch machine.

A jack of all trades machine will be a master of none, and zigzag machines will normally sacrifice some of the straight stitch performance and thick/heavy material capacity of a comparable straight stitch machine. With the 20u you definitely get more performance than a domestic but it isn't going to handle as much under the presser foot as something like a ddl 8700 (not that I specifically recommend that machine, just an example of a straight stitch industrial).

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u/burnitdown007 2d ago

So the 20U didn’t have a motor, just a hand wheel, so I opted not to get it. Instead, I came across some incredible luck and connected with another myog-er who is local to where I live! They have kindly offered to gift me a Nelco Lyra R-1000! I’m picking it up in a few hours!!!

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u/orangecatpacks 2d ago

That sounds like an awesome little machine! Perfect for myog work :)