Singer Rotomatic 8 Manual

							5, 6, 8, 10 Stitch Sewing Machine 
Changing snap-on presser feet (B), (D), (J), 
(L) 
  
Your machine comes with the General Purpose 
Presser Foot (B) already attached. You can easily 
change to any one of the other presser feet which 
snap onto a common shank by following the directions 
below.
 
  
* Raise needle to its highest position by turning hand 
wheel toward you.
 
  
* Raise presser foot using presser foot lifter at back of 
machine.
 
  
* Push toe of presser foot (1) up, until it snaps off the 
shank (2).
 
  
* Remove foot from machine. 
  
* Place new foot under center of shank. 
  
* Lower presser foot lifter, fitting shank over presser 
foot pin (3).
 
  
* Dont turn screw. Instead, push presser foot screw 
(4) down, firmly until foot snaps into place.
 
  
  
Changing screw-on presser feet (H) 
  
Some special presser feet with built-in shanks can be 
purchased at your SINGER dealer and can be 
replaced as follows:
 
  
* Raise needle and presser foot. 
  
* Loosen presser hot screw (1) and remove presser 
foot with shank (2), guiding it toward you and to the 
right.
 
* To replace presser foot with shank, hook shank 
around the presser bar and tighten presser foot screw 
with the use of a coin.
 
11  
						

							5, 6, 8, 10 Stitch Sewing Machine 
Changing the needle plate (A), (C) 
  
Your machine comes with the General Purpose 
Needle Plate (A) attached. The Straight Stitch Needle 
Plate (C) may be purchased at your sewing center 
and can be attached as follows:
 
  
* Raise needle and presser foot. 
* Open slide plate. 
* Lift up needle plate from right corner and slide out 
from under foot.
 
* To replace needle plate, slide it under pin (1) and 
push it firmly to the left
 
* Press down until it snaps into place. 
  
  
Attaching the feed cover (F) 
  
The feed cover is used to keep the feed from moving 
the fabric when attaching a button, darning or sewing 
free-motion embroidery. To attach it, follow the 
directions below:
 
  
* Raise needle and presser foot. 
* Open slide plate. 
* Slide feed cover on top of needle plate, pressing 
tabs (1) and (2) into holes.
 
* Close slide plate. 
* To remove, open slide plate and lift front edge of 
cover; pull it away.
 
  
Removing the extension table 
  
Free arm sewing makes it easier to sew hard-to-reach 
areas.
 
  
To change machine for free arm sewing, lift right edge 
(1) of extension table, slide it to the left and off the 
machine.
 
To replace the extension table, slide it to the right 
keeping it even with the free arm, until the tabs on the 
right lock into place.
 
12  
						

							5, 6, 8, 10 Stitch Sewing Machine       
Fabric, thread and needle table 
 
The needle and thread you choose will depend upon the fabric being sewn.\
The table below is a practical guide to needle and thread selection.
Always refer to it before beginning a sewing project. Be sure to use the\
 same size and type of thread 
in both needle and bobbin.The fabrics can be of any fiber cotton, linen, silk. wool, 
synthetic, rayon, blends. they are listed as examples of weight.  NEEDLES
Fabrics ThreadTypeSize
Light-
Weight Batiste
Chiffon
Crepe Cotton-wrapped
Polyester
100% Polyester
*Mercerized Size 50
Nylon
2020
11/80
Medium- Weight Corduroy
Flannel
Gabardine
Gingham
Linen
Muslin
Wool Crepe Cotton-wrapped
Polyester
100% Polyester
*Mercerized Size 50
Nylon
2020
14/90
Medium- Heavy Bonded Wovens
Canvas
Coating
Denim
Duck
Sailcloth Cotton-wrapped
Polyester
100% Polyester
*Mercerized Size 40
*Heavy Duty
2020
2020
16/100
18/110
Knits Bonded Knits
Double Knit
Jersey
Tricot Cotton-wrapped
Polyester
Polyester
Nylon
Ball-Point 2045
 
 Size 11/80, 14/100, 16/110
*Not recommended on stretch fabrics
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							5, 6, 8, 10 Stitch Sewing Machines 
Winding a bobbin 
  
Winding a bobbin is quick and easy when you follow 
the directions below. Always wind the bobbin before 
threading the machine and needle.
 
  
* Push in indent (1) on hand wheel disc. This will stop 
the needle from moving.
 
  
* Place spool of thread on spool pin. 
  
* Slide spool cap (2) firmly over rim of spool to prevent 
thread tangling.
 
  
* Lead thread from spool and snap into thread guide 
post (3).
 
  
* Wind thread clockwise around front of bobbin winder 
tension disc (4).
 
* Pass thread end, from inside, through small hole in 
rim of bobbin.
 
  
* Place bobbin on spindle and push it to the right 
  
* Holding thread end, step on speed controller to run 
machine until desired amount of thread is wound. 
(Winding stops automatically once bobbin is full.)
 
  
* Cut thread; push bobbin to the left and remove it 
from spindle.
 
  
* Trim thread end from top of bobbin. 
  
* Return hand wheel disc to sewing position by 
pressing on side opposite indent.
 
14  
						

							5, 6, 8, 10 Stitch Sewing Machines 
Inserting a bobbin 
  
To insert a bobbin, follow the instructions below: 
  
* Raise presser foot 
  
* Turn hand wheel toward you until needle is in its 
highest position.
 
  
* Open slide plate and remove empty bobbin. 
  
1. Pull 4 (10cm) of thread from replacement bobbin 
and insert bobbin into case, as shown.
 
  
2. Holding bobbin in place, guide thread into notch (1) 
and then down the slot to the left and guide around 
into notch (2).
 
  
3. Draw several inches of thread diagonally across the 
bobbin toward the back of the machine.
 
  
4. While holding thread on outside, close the slide 
plate, allowing thread to extend through the slot 
between the slide plate and needle plate.
 
  
* Follow directions for Raising Bobbin Thread 
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							5, 6, 8, 10 Stitch Sewing Machines 
Threading the machine 
  
To thread your machine correctly, follow the steps 
below:
 
  
* Raise take-up lever (6) to highest position by turning 
hand wheel toward you.
 
  
* Raise presser foot to release thread tension. 
  
* Place spool of thread on spool pin (1). 
  
* Slide spool cap (2) firmly over rim of spool to prevent 
thread tangling.
 
  
* Lead thread from spool and snap into thread guide 
(3) and with only one hand pass the thread under the 
guide and through the slot, as illustrated (4).
 
  
* Thread the tension discs by leading the thread down 
and around the tension (5). Hold the spool lightly and 
pull the thread up, lifting the spring and allowing the 
thread to slip into thread guard.
 
  
* Slip thread into take-up lever as illustrated (6). 
  
* Pass thread through guides (7) and (8). 
  
* Thread needle from front to back, pulling 4 (10 cm) 
of thread through eye.
 
16  
						

							5, 6, 8, 10 Stitch Sewing Machines 
Raising the bobbin thread 
  
Once the needle has been threaded and the bobbin 
placed in the bobbin case, the bobbin thread must be 
brought up through the hole in the needle plate.
 
  
1. Hold needle thread loosely with left hand.
* Turn hand wheel slowly toward you, lowering 
needle into hole in plate.
 
  
2. Continue to do this until needle rises above needle 
plate.
* Pull gently on needle thread and bring up bobbin 
thread in a loop.
 
  
3. Open loop with fingers to find end of bobbin thread. 
  
4. Draw needle thread through left side opening in 
presser foot
 
  
* Pull both threads to back of machine. 
17  
						

							5, 6, 8, 10 Stitch Sewing Machines 
3 Straight stitching 
Stitch width selector 
  
Before you move the selectors to set your machine for 
straight stitching, turn the hand wheel toward you until 
needle is at its highest point.
 
  
Straight stitching can be performed with pattern 
selector in any position; stitch width lever must be set 
at only.
 
  
Needle position selector 
  
Needle Position Selector positions the needle in left 
(
) center () or right () needle positions. 
  
Stitch length selector 
  
The stitch length indicator is numbered O to 5. The 
lower the number, the shorter the stitch. Shorter 
stitches are best for lightweight fabrics; longer ones 
for heavy fabrics. To adjust the length of your stitches, 
turn the dial so that desired stitch length is positioned 
under ( * ) symbol.
 
  
* To shorten stitch length, turn dial toward a lower 
number.
 
* To lengthen stitch length, turn dial toward a higher 
number.
 
  
Reverse stitch button 
  
The reverse stitch button with the (???) symbol, is 
located in the center of the stitch length selector.
 
* For reverse stitching, push in the button and hold in 
place. The machine will stitch in reverse only as long 
as you keep the button pushed in.
 
18  
						

							5, 6, 8, 10 Stitch Sewing Machines 
Adjusting thread tension 
  
When an even amount of tension is exerted on both 
threads, a smooth even stitch, known as a balanced 
stitch, is produced.
 
  
Correct tension is important because too much or too 
little will weaken your seams or cause your fabric to 
pucker. Make a test sample with the fabric and thread 
you plan to use and examine it.
 
  
A perfect, well balanced stitch (1), will have the needle 
and bobbin threads locked between the two layers of 
fabric with no loops on top or bottom and no 
puckering.
 
  
Too much tension will produce a tight stitch (2) which 
will cause the fabric to pucker.
 
  
* To decrease tension, turn the dial to a lower number. 
  
Too little tension will produce a loose stitch (3) which 
will cause loops in your seam.
 
  
* To increase tension, turn the dial to a higher 
number.
 
19  
						

							5, 6, 8, 10 Stitch Sewing Machines 
Sewing a seam 
  
You can sew seams easily and accurately when you 
follow the suggestions below.
 
  
Placing fabric under foot 
  
Most fabrics can be placed under the foot by raising 
the presser foot lifter (1) to its normal Up position (2), 
where it locks in place.
 
  
When using bulky fabric, multiple fabric layers or an 
embroidery hoop, raise the lifter to the high rise 
position (3), thus increasing the space between the 
foot and the needle plate.
 
  
* Lower presser foot lifter all the way down and you 
are ready to sew.
 
  
Basting 
  
Pin basting and hand basting are easy ways to make 
temporary seams before machine sewing.
 
  
* To pin baste, insert pins at stitching line. NEVER 
place pins on the underside of fabric in contact with 
the feed. Do not sew over pins; pull them out as you 
stitch.
 
  
* To hand baste, make long stitches that can be easily 
removed.
 
  
Keeping seams straight 
  
To keep seams straight, use one of the guidelines on 
the needle plate.
 
  
The most commonly used line (1), the 5/8 inch (1.6 
cm) seam allowance, is extended onto the slide plate.
 
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