How to sew button holes with my Elna Experience 520

The foot labeled R is the buttonhole foot. Raise the machine needle and put the foot on the machine. Pull the button holder to the back of the machine and place the button for the garment in holder. Push the button holder to close it against the button. For thick buttons, you may want a slightly larger space for the button. Just pull back the holder a fraction. Push the button hole lever down as far as it will go. (The lever is on the side of the foot near the button holder.) Place a corner of the fabric under the foot and press the up/down needle button twice. Pull the thread to the back of the fabric. Then position the fabric at the starting point where the button hole is to be sewn. Make sure that there is no gap between the slider and the stopper on the foot. Select the button hole style (06 regular, 07 oval, 08 keyhole). Then set the machine to sew. This is shown in the manual on pages 53-63 (pages 59-70 in the PDF).

For a rolled hem on a lightweight fabric, use stitch 10 and set the stitch width to 3.5 and the stitch length to 0.8. Use the Satin Stitch pressure foot (labeled F). Lay the edge of the fabric in the center of the foot. (Make sure that there is a clean cut to the edge with no dangling threads.) See page 48 of the manual (page 54 of the PDF).

Elna has the manual for the Experience 540 here on their manuals page: http://www.elnausa.com/en-us/pages.php?page=107 . The Experience 540 is listed on the left in the section labeled Top-loading 7 mm Max Stitch Width Machines. The direct link to the manual is http://www.elnausa.com/data/files/2_users/55/Inst-book-EL540%28EFG%29.pdf .

I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells

Just stitch the buttonhole without the automatic buttonholer. That's how we do it with machines that don't have the buttonhole function. Buttonholes can be done on any sewing machine that has zig-zag capability. A left/right needle position would be helpful, but if that is not available, just be sure to sink the needle into the fabric BEFORE changing the zig-zag width.

How to sew buttonhole with an old machine

Sew Buttonhole without Buttonhole Foot by Create Kids Couture

Buttonholes without using special feet or cams YouTube

see if this helps you out.... Helpful Hints to solve machine problems

Consult the owner's manual. As a computerized machine, it is important to oil ONLY as directed in the machine instructions. You may also contact an Elna dealer.

(FWIW, the only manuals for download I found were not free.) The instructions for the 320 and 520 do not specify oiling.

Automatic Buttonhole Foot:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzXcNfL38G4


Invisible zipper:
How to Sew an Invisible Zipper and Use Universal Foot

Do you have the buttonhole slide foot attachment that came with the machine? this helps you get the length of the buttonhole correct and also helps to keep the fabric straight. Buttonholing on a Lotus is covered on page 16 and 17 of the manual,

here is a link for a pdf manual
http://www.sewingpartsonline.com/instruction-manual-elna-7200-download.aspx

or you can check with youtube to see if they have a video

it has a built in button hole, check your manual and put proper foot on machine.