Things You'll Need
Singer Merritt 2404
Stitch cams
Thread
Bobbin
Sewing machine needle
Small flathead screwdriver
3-in-1 machine oil
The Singer Merritt sewing machine or Singer 2404 is a mechanical sewing machine dating to the early 1980s. This machine can produce a variety of stitches via the use of stitch cams. If you have a Singer Merritt, learning to use this machine is quite easy and requires only a bit of time and practice. Start by winding the bobbin, threading the machine and then learning how to use the individual stitches.
Step 1
Start by cleaning your Singer 2404 sewing machine. Remove all removable parts and clear away any lint, thread or dust. Oil the moving parts and machine gears where needed. The case of the machine should have small holes to allow you to oil the machine innards where needed. Replace any parts and screws you have removed and check the motion of the machine by turning the handwheel.
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Step 2
Insert a new sewing machine needle into your Singer Merritt. Loosen the thumbscrew and insert the needle with the flat portion to the back. Secure the thumbscrew.
Step 3
Place a spool of thread on the spool pin and secure with the spool holder. Loosen the inner knob on the handwheel by turning it toward you while holding the outer wheel in place securely. The bobbin winder is located under the top cover of the machine. Lead the thread around the thread guide and through the bobbin winder tension disc. Run the thread through the small hole in the bobbin and place the bobbin on the spindle. Move the bobbin winder to the right and start the machine. Stop the Singer Merritt when the bobbin is full and push the winder to the left. Remove the bobbin. Place the bobbin in the bobbin case and close the sliding top.
Step 4
Thread the Singer Merritt 2404. The thread should run through the two thread guides closest to the spool, then around the tension disc. The thread should then run up through the take-up lever and back down through the two thread guides before you thread the needle.
Step 5
Raise the bobbin thread by holding the needle thread forward and turning the handwheel. A loop of bobbin thread should come up and through the machine. Pull both the needle and bobbin threads to the back.
Step 6
Set the machine tension to between 3 and 4 on the tension knob. Set your stitch length as desired using the large knob on the front of the machine. The stitch width is set using the control on the left of the machine. The control to the right determines the needle position.
Step 7
Experiment with cams to try out different stitch patterns. The stitch cams are small black plastic discs. Graphics on the right side of the machine show the stitch possibilities. Insert the cam under the top cover of the machine to use these stitches.
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