SINGER 401A - Manual (Page 94)

76
DARNING
SELECTOR: AK
RED LEVER: 3
THROAT PLATE: STRAIGHT STITCH (RAISED)
PRESSER FOOT: NONE
STITCH LENGTH: FINEST
Household linens, children's clothes and knit
wear of all kinds can be repaired with the darn­
ing stitch.
Trim away any ragged edges from the area
to be darned. Center the worn section in em­
broidery hoops or the SINGER Stocking Darner
(available separately) to hold it taut.
Remove the presser foot and raise the throat
plate. Set Selector at AK and Red Lever at 3
Position the work under the needle and lower
the presser b^r to activate the tension. Hold the
needle thread loosely with the left hand, turn
the hand wheel oWr and draw the bobbin thread
up through the fabric with the loop of the needle
thread. Hold both thread ends and lower needle
into fabric.
Outline opening with running stitches V a '
from edge for reinforcement.
Stitch across the opening, moving the hoops
under the needle at a slight angle, from lower
left to upper right. Keep lines of stitching closely
spaced and even in length.
Run machine at a moderate speed and control
the hoops with a steady continuous movement.
Slow movement of hoops will produce a short
stitch, while more rapid movement lengthens the
stitch. Fairly long stitches are best for knit and
tricot fabrics as they are softer and more flexible
when the garment is worn. Short stitches are
best for cottons and household linens as they
approximate the weave of the fabric and are
strong enough to withstand many launderings.
The darning and embroidery foot (available
separately) will also contribute to the smooth
handling of difficult materials as it provides a
close control of both stitch and fabric.