Kenmore 1336

In the late 1970s (I think it was 1976, but I'm not 100% sure), I bought this machine brand new from Sears. For years, the 158.1336 was my only machine and it has always done everything I've asked.  

As you can see, it's a free arm machine and the little tab over on the right lowers the feed dogs. It's a low shank machine and it uses class 15 bobbins. One feature I like a lot is the way the presser foot lever works. You can use it to raise the presser foot what I'll call a "normal" amount and you can keep pushing the lever up to raise the presser foot higher if you're sewing something thick. A lot of machines can do this, but not all of them can. 

You turn the dial on the top to select the stitch you want to sew. This machine can sew straight, zig zag, blind, straight stretch, rick-rack stretch, and overcast stretch stitches. It does not use cams, so it doesn't do any fancy stitches. The pressure regulator (in the upper left corner on the machine in the photo above) on this machine adjusts more precisely than any of the regulators on my other machines. 

There's not much to see on the back side, except the label saying the machine head came with a 25 year warranty. Fortunately, I never needed to use the warranty. A bit of oil and a good cleaning now and then has kept the 1336 perfectly happy. The machine fits inside a plastic case which doesn't have room for much of anything except the machine and the foot controller and cord. 

When I said this machine has always done everything I've asked, I wasn't kidding. I've used it to sew everything from a silk jacquard dress with double-layered silk organza sleeves . . . 

. . . to the seat and side panel upholstery for a 1991 Geo Metro convertible.

I can't imagine I paid very much for this machine, because I didn't have much to spend. Whatever I paid was well worth it, though. Happy sewing everyone!