White 614

by Krista

Love it, hate it, or something in between? I love it, but I will admit that I haven't tried that many machines to compare it with. Part of my love is for its looks and for the way owning such a big, heavy, conspicuous sewing machine makes me feel about myself.

When did you buy this sewing machine? December 2007

When was it manufactured? 1972 (coincidentally the year of my own birth), in Japan

Where did you buy it? eBay

How much did you pay for it? $112.50, plus about $30 for shipping (that's where eBay gets you)

How many projects have you done on this machine? about 10

Describe the kind of work you've done with it. The first project was a sail cover for my husband's little boat -- it's made from Sunbrella, which is a really thick, UV-resistant canvas. I had some trouble with it until we replaced the machine's main belt (which we could see slipping), and then it worked great. Since then I've made some clothes and blackout curtains for my toddler's room.

What do you like and what do you hate about it? I really like that it almost never jams, which makes it miles above my new Singer for the sake of everyday usefulness, and its stitches look nice and straight and even. Feed dogs drop and the presser foot pressure is adjustable -- I don't know what I'm doing enough to really take advantage of these features, but they do help when I'm trying to put something under the presser foot in just the right position. It has some fun decorative stitches, but I really haven't used them.

I know this is kind of trivial to most people, but I am totally in love with its looks. It's painted metal, and really heavy, which has its downsides but which also makes it seem like a substantial bit of machinery to me. Having not been a very crafty person until I took up sewing, the whole process of learning has been, for me, a great chance to get in touch another side of my existence, and another side of my brain -- it's so different from reading, writing, and working on computers, where everything you're doing is abstract and sort of potential. When I'm making real, tangible things out of real fabric, the challenges are real, and the strategies I devise for dealing with them have results that can be either good or bad, but that can only be undone (and only sometimes, at that) with a laborious seam-ripping session. Doing this kind of hands-on work feels best, to me, for now, on a really sassy machine like this White. Sewing with a used, built-to-last machine also fits in well with my rationalization that by sewing I'm reclaiming my self-sufficiency and opting out, to a certain degree [never mind my fabric spending sprees] from our rampant consumer culture, but that's neither here nor there for someone reading this who's considering buying a similar beast! I have to add that I am the kind of person who doesn't base purchases of items like cars, laptops, or kitchen appliances on looks -- I appreciate nice design, but I don't value it above functionality, reliability, or price. I think that's why I'm so pleased to have this functional, reliable (so far), cheap, and gorgeous item.

In terms of problems, the bobbin winder does struggle a little bit sometimes, but not consistently so I haven't really investigated it. And a couple of times the bobbin has gotten a little (forgive me) discombobulated inside the bobbin case. As if it's shaken loose? Hard to explain, but I think maybe the tension needs some adjusting. So, although it's cute, it's certainly not perfect. But it's getting everything done that I'm asking it to and looking good in the process.

Comments

[Krista]

Woweee, I sat down and did a full oiling/lint-cleaning job on this sewing machine the other day for the first time, and it's purring like a kitten. I had noticed it was running a little bit rough, but I didn't realize how mucked up it had gotten over just a few months of sewing until I ran it post oiling and remembered that it sounded like that when I got it in December. Note to self...

[Chuck Materna]

I just bought a used 614 for my mom and I need a manual for it.do you have any sources for one? I haven't found one on the net yet.
Thanks Chuck

[Leona Jenkins]

We purchased a nice white model 614 and am in need of a operating manual

[Krista]

If anybody has specific questions about the White 614, email me and I'll try to find answers in my manual! I'm not in a position to scan it in right now, but I can certainly look stuff up for you.

[Tammy]

Hi Krista,
How did you date your White 614? I have a Domestic Automatic by White also made in Japan. There is no date in manual. Mine came complete with accessories and a dozen coloured cams to make fancy stitches. The lady I bought it from told me it was from the 1940s, but I really do not know when it was manufactured.

[Krista]

Tammy, I just emailed the White customer service address listed on their website. They got back to me within a few days, I think. Good luck!

[Frank Joseph]

off chance, do you have a pdf copy of the manual for your machine?

[Krista]

Frank, I don't have it as a pdf, but if you have questions, I'll try to look up the answers.

[Brianne]

My grandmother just gave me this machine and I am having difficulty setting up the bobbin. I was able to wind it but now I can't seem to get it back into the machine. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[Krista]

Hi Brianne -- are you having trouble getting the bobbin into the bobbin case, or the bobbin case into the machine? Let me know and I'll see if there's an help I can offer.

[Brianne]

Thanks, my grandmother actually stopped by and explained it to me. But now I am having a problem when I am sewing. The thread of the bottom of my material is getting all bunched up, kind of like a bird's nest. Is there some way to fix this?

[Krista]

Hi Brianne, that's so frustrating. That happened to me for a while on a different machine, and I realized I was putting the bobbin into the bobbin case backward. When you hold the bobbin up, before putting it into the case, the loose end of the thread should be coming over the top and pointing to the right. You drop the spool into the case, and then pull the loose thread through the slit and over toward the left. Does this make sense?

If that's not the problem, let me know and I'll try to think of some other fixes. Good luck!