| Kenmore:158.10400 (Sewing Machine) | | Viewed 865 time(s) |
3 more reviews for this machine | Review rated Helpful by 1 people Very Helpful by 6 people | | Reviewed by: | poplin | 
| About poplin | | WA USA | | Member since: 5/28/06 | | Reviews written: 25 | | Sewing skills:Advanced | | Favored by: 18 people | | sewing machines reviewed: 4 | | Bio: more... |
| | Posted on: | 12/19/12 7:31 PM | | Approx price paid: | $140 | | Had this machine for: | at least 3 years | | Recommended? | Maybe | | Online Merchants: | Amazon.com | Features
- Needle Threader
- Free Arm
- Adjustable Stitch Length and Width
- Adjustable Presser Foot Pressure
- Adjustable Needle Position
Find the right Sewing Machine with the Sewing Machine Search Wizard
Discuss Sewing Machines with PR members Sewing Machine Forum | | What poplin likes about this machine
I can't believe I'm saying it, but yes, I have reservations when recommending the popular Kenmore 158.1040 to anyone who seriously wants to use it beyond piecing and admiring it for its cuteness.
It is only 3/4 the size of a full-sized sewing machine. It comes standard with its own rose-embossed case. The case does not add much additional bulk and everything--foot pedal and accessories--fits nicely inside. I like how the handle sinks back into the case, making it entirely compact and perfect for travel if you don't mind carrying about 17 pounds of heavy metal. Also, it wouldn't be difficult to hide one Kenmore 1040 in a closet if it were to be a back up machine. I say, one Kenmore 1040.
Its small size also took away my initial fears of opening up a mechanical sewing machine. My Kenmore 1060 and the Kenmore 1040 helped me learn a lot about sewing machine parts, how to clean inside and out, and how to apply grease on the metal gears.
It comes with a zigzag needle plate insert and a straight stitch needle plate insert that pops on and off without having to unscrew the large needle plate.
It is cute. It is very portable. And it did a fine job with piecing the squares for a quilt top I've been working on for what seems forever. What poplin does not like about this machine
Oh, where to start, where to start...
Let me start off by saying that I have small hands and slim fingers. On Machingers, I use an XS. On rubber kitchen gloves, I use an XS. Even with hands as small as mine, it was difficult for me to get the bobbin case in and out of the Kenmore 1040.
The front plastic extension got in the way whenever I tried to insert the bobbin case back in. Sometimes, I felt like I was going to break the front plastic extension. Now, when inserting the hook race, I wished my hands were even smaller!
When I installed a light bulb and turned it on, it would heat up the face plate. I burned my hand often whenever I touched the face plate, which wasn't difficult to avoid considering the small working area. So, I never installed a light bulb after that.
I also got a little nervous when the one Kenmore 1040 I used was left sitting out. Those front plastic extensions turn an ugly yellow when exposed to light. I always had to be watchful I don't leave it sitting out.
It was cumbersome to place the sewing machine inside the rose-embossed case. I had to put the machine on the floor (not on carpet or rug), slide the front side of the case to the front of the machine, and close with the other side. Sometimes, it seemed like the case would nick the machine. But the worse of it is, the case has no bottom, leaving the bottom plate of the sewing machine exposed to nicks and scratches. And these machines with paint on metal are definitely prone to nicks and scratches.
Of the four I owned (one being a Kenmore 1050), I sewed only on one but nothing more than piecing. The others basically sat in a closet for years. The one pictured above, the prettiest one I aptly nicknamed Trophy, I never even put to work.
It's odd that the Kenmore 1040 (and the other 158.10xx that look similar) has a tension knob that is the same size as the other full-sized 158 sewing machines. While piecing squares, though I have view of the presser foot, I cannot for the life of me ignore that tension knob not far off to the right. But I can completely ignore the same-sized tension knob when sewing on my other full-sized Kenmore.
So, I caution you. While its small size is an attraction, it might end up becoming a detraction when put to work. | *LOGIN to add a comment to this review
*Only registered members can post comments to the reviews. Membership is free. if you are not a member, please Sign-up now! |
|
5 Comments
Login to Add a Comment |
|
|Login|Help]
I find that on old machines, the front end gets hot because of the light - I did get a tiny burn from my Pfaff once in the last few months - forgot how hot those lights get and with the newer - cool running - machines, this doesn't happen. Thanks for a great review and such a good picture! :)
12/20/12 0:09 AM
Yes, loved the pic.... that really helped.
12/20/12 5:47 PM
This was my very first sewing machine. I bought it new in 1974 after lusting after a girlfriends model. So cute. I sewed on it for over 20 years. My daughter took it to college in 1996. It finally died somewhere along the line. But neither my daughter or I gave it any special care. I never sent it for a tune up in all those years. Oiling was an occasional treat. I sewed lots of stuff on it. My husband's wedding shirt. Baby accessories. Halloween costumes and kids clothes. Giant fleece floor pillows. It just chugged away without complaining about thread or much else. Somewhere in the early 90s I bought a Bernina 1130, but I never bonded with it in the same way despite the bells and whistles. I recently looked at the wedding shirt, (muslin with hand embroidery by me -- yes, we were flower children.) I thought the stitches were impressive, rivaling my Bernina and Elna in the straight stitch. Recently, in a fit of nostalgia, I purchased two 1030s and one 1040 on eBay. One my husband cleaned (even fixing the infamous frozen feed dog drop) as a present for a young friend who is very in to retro. Another will be for my daughter and one for me. Soft Scrub with Bleach does a spiffy job of whitening the yellowed plastic. I agree with the tricky insertion of the bobbin case, more so now with older hands. But I seem to remember with frequent use, there is a subtle trick/motion that makes everything snap into place. Hand memory. In terms of the case, I always found it easiest to set the machine on a tabletop and put the case on from the top. There is a definite front and back to the case. Once that is aligned, you should be able to slip the bottom into place and the latches will snap closed. Again hand memory. Despite the end and sides that drop down and fold in, it is not a true free arm. Not as much of a problem for us "oldies" who learned to set in sleeves and sew cuffs without that luxury. But a little awkward -- although some modern "free arms" seem pretty wide to me. It is heavy for its size -- not the 12 pounds of the Jems. But I think they are indestructible ( the case is the most vulnerable part). I love the compact, easy stored size, especially now that I live in a condo. It has a small footprint. I think it would also be great for the occasional sewer/mender who put her machine away after each use.
12/20/12 9:30 PM
@ JaniceM: Soft Scrub and bleach? Wow! Never heard of that as a solution to bring back the true creamy color of the front plastic extension and accessory box. I wonder if it will work for the 1060's accessory box. I'm glad to hear that your little Kenmores were workhorses. I had hoped that the kids I taught would learn how to sew on these little Kenmores, but sadly, they all wanted to learn on computerized, top-loading sewing machines. Although I was patient with myself when feeling and listening for that "click" when inserting the bobbin case, those kids had no patience whatsoever. Still, these little Kenmores are popular for a reason. And your story, JaniceM, is a great reason why.
12/21/12 3:01 AM
My grandmother had the "upscale" version of this machine. Same color, but it was a zig-zag and a full-size machine with that familiar tension knob. She had a 1948 Kenmore that she had bought right after the war. Those machines were made by White. It was a straight-stitch only, but it sewed beautifully. She gave me the old Kenmore, and I sewed with it until 1984. I bought a spiffy new Pfaff, and she asked for the Kenmore back! While her 158.xx Kenmore still worked, she never thought it sewed a straight stitch as well as the old White-built machine. I have to agree. That old Kenmore was the standard against which my current sewing machines are measured. Still, the 158.xx she had made a lot of memories.
1/20/13 10:41 AM