singer touch and sew zig-zag help please?

[roseyroses]

I'm feeling like the biggest oaf, for the life of me I can't figure out how to do a basic zig-zag on this machine, it's a model 758. Does anyone know the correct setting?
Thanks.

[SophieAnn]

Do you have a user manual? I find that reading through it helps when I'm stuck, though sometimes it doesn't have all the answers.

You can get a manual here if you don't have one:
http://www.sewusa.com/Sewing_Machine...ng_Machine.htm

To sew zig-zag:
Usually a machine will have some of (or all of) the following things:
1) Stitch style/type selector: here you might see basic straight stitch, basic zig-zag, 3-step zig-zag, some rounded looking zig-zags, etc. - diagrams along the selector. Make sure you have the right one selected there
2) Stitch length selector: mine is 0-5 - make sure you haven't selected 0 - start with a mid-length to start
3) Zig-zag width selector: this is also generally a numeric selector. If you select 0, then the width of the zig-zag is 0 and you end up with a straight-line stitch (well, that's how my Viking and my mom's Singer works).

Give that a try, tinkering with those settings, and sew on some scraps of fabric to experiment.

Also, here's a link I found while searching for info on your model that may come in handy:
http://www.sewusa.com/Threading_Diag...ng_diagram.htm

If you still aren't able to figure it out - could you try posting a close-up picture of the controls on your machine? I/we might be able to figure it out then...

[roseyroses]

Thanks for the reply, I don't have a manual, trying to avoid buying one because I don't know if the machine is worth it, more likely to just throw it out the window with frustration. I don't see a stitch style/type selector, so that's out. I do have a stitch length selector, I've tried moving that around and it doesn't do much, and I don't see a zig-zag width selector, there's just a regular stitch selector. I am wondering if something is broken or stuck maybe. The link is to a pic of the machine. Thanks for your help.

http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m...ouchsew758.jpg

[potatocraft]

looking at the picture it seems to me that to get a zig zag you would want to line up the 2 trianges on that top selector. I'm not sure if it will work or not without having the machine in front of me but it might. Try it and if it doesn't work let me know and I will take another look at the pic for any more ideas.
Shawna

[SophieAnn]

Did you get it to work?

In the picture, at the top I see a chart that shows a zig-zag stitch (I think) but I can't read the writing around it..... Those pictures of different stitches remind me of a stitch selector.

[lightheart]

You need cams to make the zigzag work on this machine... I'm not for certain but probably this machine takes the "flexi-stitch" cams... white ones... it might but probably not take the ones called "top hat" they are black and resimble a top hat. Singer also make flat disc cams, this machine does not take them I know... look at the picture o the flip top, it shows a picture of th cam....

the cams come in different patterns and you put the cam on the little spindle up there and the mechanics of the macine move around this cam making the machines needle move in different dirrections... actually a neat to wtch process....

now where to find them... a local old sewin machine repair person's shop, places online, auctions, sewing machine dealers... once you figure out if the machine is flexi or top-hat then you can look for those type of cams, sometimes you will get lucky and find a box that is for your machine specific, with it's model number on the attachment box, but there was a whole slew of mahines that used the same style cams... so chances of finding cams that are 'labled' for xyz machine rather than your machine will probably be easier (and cheaper) but you have to know first which style you are looking for...

Without sending you off to commercial sites or auctions to show you pictures which I don't want to do... you might want to join one of the Yahoo " singer" sewing machine collector groups, I know some of those places have picts to look at and documents and knowledge to tell you whether its a flexi or top hat cam....

Without the zigzag cam you will not be able to do get the machine to zigzag

[courtenay_e]

Originally Posted by roseyroses

Thanks for the reply, I don't have a manual, trying to avoid buying one because I don't know if the machine is worth it, more likely to just throw it out the window with frustration. I don't see a stitch style/type selector, so that's out. I do have a stitch length selector, I've tried moving that around and it doesn't do much, and I don't see a zig-zag width selector, there's just a regular stitch selector. I am wondering if something is broken or stuck maybe. The link is to a pic of the machine. Thanks for your help.

http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m...ouchsew758.jpg

AAAAGH! DOn't throw that away!! That is a GREAT machine!! The little sewing machine repair stores in our area sell them for $275-$300!! They are all metal and WONDERFUL as far as bobbin ease of use goes! I'll go take a look at the picture and see if I can remember what I did to get a zig-zag (I grew up using that machine! used it for 20 years).

[courtenay_e]

Bummer, that is the one BEFORE the one I had, I think. Yes, I am pretty sure that it DOES use the discs to get a zig zag. My thought is that you could probably get them at a sewing machine repair shop or on ebay fairly inexpensively.

[retro.mama]

Originally Posted by courtenay_e

AAAAGH! DOn't throw that away!! That is a GREAT machine!! The little sewing machine repair stores in our area sell them for $275-$300!! They are all metal and WONDERFUL as far as bobbin ease of use goes! I'll go take a look at the picture and see if I can remember what I did to get a zig-zag (I grew up using that machine! used it for 20 years).

I'm pretty sure that machine was made after they switched to plastic gearing. The T&S 603 was the last model that had all metal gears. The plastic gears are at the end of their life cycle now (30+ years) and might be contributing to the zig-zag problem, if it's a built-in cam for that stitch.

I would call a repair shop and ask. Many mechanics are happy to help with an older machine. You could also ask the people at "wefixit" yahoo group. If you need a cam, they might be able to source one for you.

[retro.mama]

OP - you need the '0' cam to do the zig zag on this machine.

[courtenay_e]

Yup, I thought she was talking about a different model.

[grniys]

Sorry to hear about your machine troubles.

I hope this doesn't sound dumb... but what is a cam?