VINTAGE KENMORE SEWING MACHINE CAM TYPES AND STITCHES EMBROIDERY
For those who love vintage Kenmore Sewing Machines, discovering which cams go with which Kenmore sewing machine models, is difficult to learn, without joining the various Kenmore groups online, which disappear every several years, as the popular internet social platforms change. For this reason, I have decided to write this blogpost, to help. There have been various charts and spreadsheets shared on the internet, created by other Kenmore fans, so we MAY occasionally get something incorrect, because there are a LOT of models of Kenmore sewing machines, and there are some weird anomalies that we don't find out about, until we get the machine with those anomalies. I don't know who all contributed to the various printouts I have kept for decades in my home made VINTAGE KENMORE SEWING MACHINE NOTEBOOK, which includes printouts of catalog pages, model charts, cam charts, stitch charts, presser feet, and more, if you happen to know the original sources for information, please add it in the comments.
The C877 prefix models are not included in the charts of Kenmore information I have for cams, or for what company manufactured them. So far, I have not been able to find who made them, or information on which cams the various models take. If I do learn more about them, I will try to share that information.
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| Kenmore 1802 stitch samples from the Kenmore FACTORY, were included with all sewing machines which came with cams. Most owners lost or threw out their stitch samples, but they came with all of the new sewing machines, to show the machine sewed the cam stitches correctly, before leaving the factory. The 1802 uses C cams |
The blue bib, has all of the stitches stitched from left to right, firstdown the left side, then the right side, in numerical order, from the top of the bib, to the bottom, then I stitched the right shoulder, and down, and around all the way, then back to the top, those stitches on the outside, have the top, or right side of the stitch, to the outside of the bib.
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| Blue Bib full width so you can see the stitches sewn on the edges, as well, to match to the numbers in the photo up above, for the C cam used to sew each stitch |
Here is the link to the blogpost for troubleshooting Twin needle-
Twin needle embroidery with videos and machine settings for type C cams-
Twin Needle Embroidery Kenmore 1755 settings & troubleshooting
Kenmore stitch DISCS (according to the Sears Catalog) are now typically called CAMS by most vintage sewing enthusiasts. There are several types of Kenmore cams, but you must have the correct sewing machine models, for each type of cams, if you want to sew with all of them.
The x's represent other numbers, which were used to show a variation in either the machine model decor, or the accessories, among the same model. A model 158.18020 would have a different set of accessories, or a different bobbin winder, or similar details, from an 158.18021, or 158.18022. Kenmore was not consistent in how they used their numbering system, however, especially between the different manufacturers contracted to create the various models.
A (red) 158.88x, 90x, 92x It was just brought to my attention, that there are 2 DIFFERENT sets of the red A cams, that the TRI SPAN 88 cams are not all the same as the A cam set for the 90 and 92 models. The 88 cams have no reverse stretch stitches, just variations on the zigzag stitch going forward.
B (Black cams in a cream box with a clear orange lid, double stacked 16 cams in a set)
This is cam #20 that came with my 1931. It only had the number 20 engraved on it, but was so hard to read, I used a gold marker to highlight it, and label it for my 1931, in case it got separated from my 1931, I will know that is what it belongs with.
Cam #20 is part 26860 for at least one model, Sharon Watson, on one of the Kenmore Facebook sewing machine groups shared a photo. Most of them do NOT have the part number engraved on them, which is part of why it is so difficult to identify them, if you do find one.
Twin Needle Embroidery Tutorial Kenmore 1803
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Type A RED Cams in lavender box |
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| Faith Marston shared these Tri Span 88 Kenmore type A red cams, look closely at cams 21-30, they are DIFFERENT from those same numbered cams, for the models 90 and 92. Faith shared that the red type A cams in the set for 90 and 92, do NOT work in the 88 Tri Span model, which is why it is important to get the correct set of red cams, for the type A cam models. |
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| Faith Marston's photo Kenmore 88 Tri Span, 6 of the cams which differ from the other set of A cams. They are all red cams, but the double layer cams 21-30 in the set for models 90 and 92, do NOT work in the 88 Tri Span. |
B (Black cams in a cream box with a clear orange lid, double stacked 16 cams in a set)
158.35x, 47x, 48x, 51x, 75x, 84x
C CAM #20 STRETCH CAM - models 1756, 1757, 1760, 1774, 1931 & ????
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| Black type B cams |
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| Black type B cam advertisement |
C (Sage green, grass green, bright orange, cream)
158.68x, 95x, 96x, 1600x, 1601x, 1650x, 1651x, 1652x,
1654x, 1701x, 1703x, 1720x, 1730x, 1750x, 1751x, 1752x,
1753x, 1754x, 1755x, 1756x, 1757x, 1760x, 1774x, 1780x,
1785x, 1802x, 1803x, 1813x, 1814x, 1815x, 1913x, 1914x
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| Grass Green and Bright Orange C cams gray vinyl "book" case |
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| Sage Green type C cams |
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| Notice the MAGNETS (yes, they are magnets, they are only needed for the 1980 and at least one other Kenmore, cams 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85 which can sew only one cycle of the stitch, then stop), they can be used in other Kenmore models which use C cams, but will not stop after one cycle, and the magnets may snap off, in some models, due to not having enough clearance for the extra height these magnet cams have. The magnets can lose their magnetic strength, the first ones I had no longer were magnetic. ) You can use these NON magnetic double cams which have the same stitch design, 30 fish, 31 flower in pot, 32 swan, 34 pine tree, 44 bird, 45 Angel fish. |
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| Top of metal C stretch cam #20 |
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| Underside of metal C cam #20 for 1931 |
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| 1756 C stretch cam #20 part #26860 cam is open in the center, no top on it |
Models which require the metal C stretch stitch cam #20, in order to sew their built in stretch stitches-
1756, 1757, 1760, 1784, 1931 (possibly more, I will add more, if I learn of them)
1730
1756 part #26860
1757 part #36257
1760 no cap brown 4 holes
1766 brown silver cap 4 hole
1774
1784 sticker half green/white 2 holes
1785
1930
1931 No sticker engraved 20 silver cap 4 hole
This stretch stitch cam #20 can only be used in the models which require it (the built in cam stitches in these models, are all single layer, cam #20 provides the reverse action, which makes them stretch/reverse stitches) look different, depending on the model it came with, my 1931 has a plain dark brown metal cam, with 20 engraved on the top, and has a solid metal cap, at the top.
Some #20 cams have a green and white sticker, half white, half green, others have white and green rings on the sticker. Some metal #20 cams have a stainless steel decor plate stuck on the top center "hat" of this cam, and the manual for the 1760 shows an illustration of the 20 cam with no cap, or hat, it looks more like a single layer plastic cam, just in metal.
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| I am pointing the green and white pen at the top, reverse cam follower, and the silver envelope opener, is pointed at the lower cam follower, the one which moves up and down, when you change the stitch selector dial, to either the built in metal cams, or it moves up to the lower level of the C cams, when you install them to sew those stitches. |
This #20 stretch cam is a single layer cam, and is designed to ride at the upper camstack follower level, to engage the reverse mechanism, for 1 stitch, every 2 stitches. This is how the more complicated stretch stitches, and decorative stitches are sewn.
Please pardon how dirty this machine looks, I actually had to edit the photo light and color, dramatically, to attempt to show the cam followers, even with flash, they are so dark, that they were nearly invisible, on unedited photos! So while you do see some metal discoloration, that isn't what it actually looks like, lol!
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| The top cam follower on the right, runs along the edge of the #20 stretch cam (the metal stretch cam #20 is not in this photo, to attempt to show both cam followers, but they do not photograph well, due to how dark they both are), so this TOP cam follower, is the REVERSE cam follower. The lower cam follower, about that runs along the edge about 3/8 of an inch lower, is the cam follower for forward stitches. To sew stretch stitches, both of these cam followers have to be engaged. the lower cam follower is adjustable, and moves up and down, to either the built in single layer metal cams you see in the camstack (those are the built in stitches), or up to the lower layer of a double layer plastic cam. |
Cam #20 is part 26860 for at least one model, Sharon Watson, on one of the Kenmore Facebook sewing machine groups shared a photo. Most of them do NOT have the part number engraved on them, which is part of why it is so difficult to identify them, if you do find one.
TIP- If you can't find the metal #20 stretch cam, but want your machine to sew those stretch stitches, all you need to do, is collect those double layer C stitch cams, and use those cams. All plastic C cams can be used in all of the Kenmore sewing machines, which take C cams.
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| 1803 double C cams |
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| 1803 satin stitch C cams |
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| 1753 Stitch samples |
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| C cam designs on my dress and being sewn with my 1931 freearm |
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| C cam stitches, my test stitch swatches |
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| 1931 C cam stitches and built in stitches which are also C cam designs more around the border |
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| Twin needle embroidery on ribbon is done by using a paper or iron on basting tape, as a stabilizer, to prevent the needles from pushing the soft satin ribbon down into the needle opening. Tear away stabilizer after stitching is compelted, before stitching the ribbon to your project. |
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| Twin Needle Sewing in 2 shades of green thread, sewn on Kenmore 1803, for instructions on how to embroider twin needle on ribbon (without the ribbon getting stuck in the needle hole of the needleplate, here is a link to my blog post on making this dress and ribbon- |
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| C cam stitch designs, some are sewn in twin needle, 2 different colors of thread, which is why you think you are seeing double, on some stitches! Only sew 1/2 width with twin needle, to avoid needle breakage. |
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| 80 to 85 stitch samples and settings, with designs and alternative cams to use (sorry it's upside down, I don't have a way to turn it in my blog) |
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| 1802 C cam stitch samples sewn at Kenmore factory before shipping machine |
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C cam stitch samples notice some are sewn upside down, because I was sewing continuously, just turning the fabric halfway. 
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More type C cam sets to show the varieties of accessories which came with different models, some only had 10 cams, others had 30. YOU can actually acquire a set of 45 stitch cams of the type C cams, like I have, if you choose to, thanks to the internet! (No machine came with all of them, though the top of the line models had enough built in stitches, sometimes to come close.) You do NOT need to acquire all 45 cams if you have a model which has 12 built in stitches, you don't need duplicates of the built in cams.
D (light pink cams same style box as A cams, Sage Green lid)
158.92x, 1801x,
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| Kenmore D cams (light pink in sage green case this is model 923 A-2 set |
E (flat cams Red, Lavender, sage green REVERSIBLE DISCS!!! 2 STITCHES PER CAM)
158.15x, 16x, 52x, 54x, 64x, 1503x, 1749x,
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Kenmore Type E cams sage green double sided cams
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I recently learned that there are at least 14 double sided E cams! I don't have photos of them all.
F Cams black 117.84x
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| Kenmore F black cams |
G sage green cams double stack cream case clear orange lid 24 cams
158.37x
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| Kenmore G cams sage green |
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| Kenmore Sewing Machine C cams |
Notice this is an incomplete chart of Kenmore cams, it shows mainly models manufactured by Maruzen Jaguar, with manufacturer prefix 158.
I know there are Kenmore models with prefix C877, but do not yet know the manufacturer, or which cams they take. Model C877.782 reminds me of White and Morse machines, but I do not have a definitive source of information on them, so far, mainly other bloggers conjecture.
"The Globe Sewing Machine Company and Price (510, 550, 896)" https://sewingiscool.com/globe-sewing-machine-company/
