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Understanding the Singer Touch & Sew 758
The Touch & Sew 758 is a zigzag-capable, vintage Singer with a reputation for excellent results—when threaded precisely. The problem it often arrives with is “nesting”: huge loops of thread on the underside. That’s not a slight imbalance; it’s a total lack of upper thread tension, usually caused by missing a critical step in the top threading path.
Nesting looks dramatic because it is—a massive tangle of upper thread underneath the fabric. If you see this, stop and re-thread from the top before touching the bobbin tension.
Quick check
- Look under the fabric. If you see big loose loops, it’s almost certainly the upper thread not actually in the tension system—re-thread from scratch with the presser foot up.
Pro tip
- Keep the owner’s manual nearby for the threading diagram. Singer even highlighted the tension area with warnings in later printings, because this step is that easy to miss.
Mastering the Top Thread: The Key to Perfect Tension
The threading path on the 758 demands precision. The key rule: start with the presser foot raised. This opens the tension discs so the thread can slip properly into place.
The ‘Flossing Maneuver’ explained - With the presser foot up, pull the thread through the tension area in a firm, gentle “flossing” motion. Listen and feel for two clicks: one as the thread seats behind a small L-bracket, and another as it engages with the check-spring fork. No clicks = no tension.
Watch out - If you don’t get both clicks—L-bracket and fork—the machine will loop and jam underneath. There’s no workaround here; re-thread until you hear click-click.
Once the thread is seated, route it up to the take-up lever and back down through the thread guides. From there, you’ll thread the needle straight through, front to back.
Needle insertion: front to back - Orientation matters: the flat side of the needle faces the back. After confirming that, thread front-to-back through the needle eye. If access is tight, briefly lower the presser foot for finger room, then raise it again before tension checks.
Quick check
- After threading, lower the presser foot and gently tug the thread near the needle. It should feel like someone’s holding the thread—solid resistance means the tension path is engaged correctly.
From the comments
- Several owners struggling with looping reported an instant fix once they re-threaded with the presser foot up and felt two distinct clicks in the top tension path. If you’re not feeling those clicks yet, slow down and repeat the flossing motion.
If your sewing interest overlaps with embroidery, note this: while the 758 is a sewing machine, many readers also keep separate hooping tools. For that separate workflow, you might hear folks mention magnetic embroidery hoop for stabilization—just remember that’s a different setup than the 758’s sewing-only path.
The Self-Winding Bobbin: A Touch & Sew Innovation
The Touch & Sew’s signature feature is the self-winding bobbin: you wind it inside the machine using the upper thread. These bobbins are transparent with white concentric circles and screw together. Handle them like a sandwich cookie—two halves, tightened snugly.
Disassembly and proper tightening - Unscrew the bobbin halves and clear any leftover thread. Always wind on an empty bobbin; do not wind a new color over an old one. Reassemble firmly—“tight right before it breaks,” as the tech jokes—so it doesn’t sit too deep and hang.
Watch out - Loose halves, leftover threads, or overfilling are the classic causes of poor winding and feeding later. Snug and empty wins.
Winding within the machine: step-by-step 1) Place the empty bobbin in its spot, close the tab, and push the bobbin winder button to the left. 2) With the machine set to straight stitch and the presser foot up, bring the top thread under the back of the presser foot and wrap it around the presser-foot screw 1–3 times. 3) Run the machine to wind. It will snip the tail automatically at the side.
Stop winding between the second and third concentric circles. More than that can distort the bobbin, causing feeding issues. Remove the thread and you’re done.
Quick check
- Confirm: empty bobbin, halves tight, winder button left, presser foot up, and fill level between circles two and three. If the bobbin won’t spin, remove the bottom cover and visually confirm that the hook turns and gearing is intact before trying again—several commenters discovered broken winder parts were the culprit.
From the comments
- When a bobbin wouldn’t wind, the advice was to verify the hook rotation and check for a broken gear or bobbin-winder driver set too low. Another viewer with a stuck winder lever freed it with a drop of oil on the lever shaft (access from the bottom), nudging it gently—mind the plastic cam.
If you’re also outfitting a separate embroidery setup, some sewists keep accessories like embroidery machine hoops around for stabilizing fabric when they switch crafts. That’s a different machine family than the 758, but it’s common in mixed sewing rooms.
Keeping Your Machine Running: Gears and Belts
Singer originally produced steel gears on earlier Touch & Sews (e.g., 600-series). Later models often used hard rubber/composite gears that eventually become gooey or gummy. The machine in the video had its worn gears replaced with white nylon versions for long service life.
The evolution of gears: from steel to nylon - If your 758 still has aging rubber gears, they can be replaced with durable nylon parts. The job is complex due to timing, and even very handy people often end up needing a technician to complete timing adjustments.
Crucial timing belt care: what NOT to do - Do not oil the timing belt. Oiling dissolves rubber and accelerates failure. Keep it dry and inspect for cracks, flaking, or goo. A clean, dry, intact belt helps the machine run smoothly.
Watch out - A machine that hums but doesn’t drive the mechanism may have a loose motor gear set screw, a fractured gear, or a motor mount that shifted. Inspect before forcing anything.
Pro tip
- If you discover broken non-metal gears or a deteriorated timing belt, the practical choice is to have a professional do the rebuild. Several commenters noted that once composite parts begin failing, full rebuilds are the sensible path.
Readers who bounce between garment sewing and machine embroidery sometimes park separate gear like a mighty hoop in the studio for hooping heavy items on an embroidery rig. That’s unrelated to the 758’s operation, but worth noting for multi-craft spaces.
Troubleshooting Common Sewing Problems
Problem: Nesting (big loops underneath)
- Fix: Re-thread from the top with the presser foot up. Perform the flossing maneuver and listen for two clicks—L-bracket and check-spring fork. Lower the presser foot and pull; strong resistance confirms you’re seated.
Problem: Straight stitch okay, zigzag shows slight looping below
- Fix: Re-thread top carefully, verify presser foot position during threading, and confirm take-up lever engagement. If the top path isn’t fully seated, wider stitches often reveal tension misses.
Problem: Motor runs, needle doesn’t move
- Fix: Inspect the motor gear and driven gear for a loose set screw or fractures. Check that the motor is firmly mounted.
Problem: Bobbin won’t wind or the winder button is stuck
- Fix: Confirm the bobbin halves are tight and empty. Ensure the winder button is actually moving left. If it’s stuck, add a drop of oil to the winder lever shaft from below and gently nudge it—plastic cams don’t like force. If the hook or winder parts don’t turn, look for broken gears.
Problem: Needle bar doesn’t move when using pattern discs
- Fix: The cam stack should rotate whenever the machine runs. If it doesn’t, the plastic gear at the cam stack’s base may be broken; that’s an expert-level repair.
Quick check
- Needle flat side faces back. Threaded front-to-back. Presser foot up while threading. Two clicks in the tension path. Fill bobbin between the 2nd and 3rd circles. After threading, lower the presser foot and tug—feel that resistance.
From the comments
- One viewer reported that turning the stitch-length selector beyond the fine stitches finally engaged the flexi stitches (after ensuring the buttonhole dial was off). Another learned the ON switch location (top right, white slider) after inheriting the machine.
Some sewists reading this guide also outfit separate embroidery spaces—if that’s you, you might run into tools like snap hoop monster or magnetic hoops. Those are embroidery add-ons and don’t apply to the 758’s sewing path, but they’re common in hybrid studios.
When to Call a Professional
Replacing degraded rubber gears, setting machine timing, and diagnosing drive train failures can be intricate. Even highly technical DIYers often end up seeking a final timing adjustment from a technician. If your timing belt is cracked or gooey, or if multiple plastic gears have failed, professional service (or a full rebuild) may offer the most reliable outcome.
A final sew test After you wind the bobbin correctly and seat the top thread with both clicks, move the needle to its highest point, close the bobbin door, sweep your thread tails to the rear, place your fabric, lower the presser foot, and go. A well-threaded 758 “sews like a house of fire,” as the tech says.
Watch out
- Never oil the timing belt. Keep oils to pivots and slides only—away from belts and gears unless the part specifically calls for it.
If you keep a separate embroidery setup too, you may eventually compare hoop hardware categories (e.g., a simple embroidery frame versus a heavy-duty magnetic hoop). For the Touch & Sew 758, though, your wins come from pristine threading and sensible maintenance—not hoop hardware.
From the comments: three quick wins
- Stuck winder lever: a single drop of oil on the lever shaft from the bottom cover, then gentle nudging, freed it.
- No stitches but lots of hum: check motor gear set screws and look for fractured composite gears before running the machine hard.
- Still nesting after a tune-up: re-thread with presser foot up and insist on both clicks in the upper tension path; confirm the take-up lever is correctly threaded.
One last note for mixed-craft studios If you also embroider on a different machine, you’ll see product terms like magnetic embroidery hoops or mighty hoops. Those tools are for embroidery rigs and aren’t part of the 758’s sewing workflow—keep your 758 focused on clean threading, correct bobbin winding, and dry belts for the best results.