Nena

Elna SU 62 C

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Star power

Elna originated from designs by Dr. Ramon Casas, a Spanish Civil War refugee, presented to Swiss precision-mechanism maker Tavaro S.A. in Geneva. Tavaro’s Elna 1 (1940) introduced the free-arm sewing machine, combining a built-in motor and light within a carrying case that doubled as a sewing table. The 1952 Supermatic added interchangeable Elna-discs, a cam-based system producing zigzag and decorative stitches, plus true forward-and-reverse stretch stitching, a feature rival brands did not match at the time. The Star Series (1964) brought electronic foot control to a domestic machine in 1968.

The Elna Star SU, produced 1972–1977, updated the Star Series in a square ivory casing with a light-blue top cover and blue metallic carrying case. It combined 7 built-in practical stitches with interchangeable Elna-discs, expanded from 6 to 12 discs from 1975, giving access to fixed utility stitches and swappable decorative/stretch patterns on one machine, a hybrid stitch-selection method not offered by competing brands’ single-system machines.

This model features what is probably the least ergonomic reverse control in the industry, bar none: a horizontal swinging flat metal slab that digs into your finger as you swipe it right to reverse. You can find it peeking just above the stitch length control dial.

This dial, on the other hand, is interesting in that it adds the ability to sew in reverse without having to actuate said reversing lever. This makes it comfortable to sew backwards when needed and adds greater control over a constant-length reverse stitch.

The stitch width, on the other hand, is controlled by a curious little square knob that provides very little travel, making it harder to fine-tune this parameter. In typical Elna fashion, this is countered by added functionality in the knob, which rotates to change its function: it can swing freely, or in 5 fixed steps (0 to 4), or as a sequential control for the most complicated automatic buttonhole mechanism in history.

User friendliness was definitely in anyone’s mind when engineering this machine, as the automatic buttonhole requires studying the manual to even know of its existence, and is processed in a sequence of steps that cannot be reversed or interrupted: once started, the process must be carried out to the end, to start again or exit the buttonhole mode.

The people at Elna were probably having fun coming up with creative solutions to problems that they should have avoided in the first place. Maybe they enjoyed a challenge. For example, they could have included a small indent in the hook race/bobbin case (as Singer had done for decades prior), to allow the operator to easily remove the bobbing. But no, that was too straightforward. Instead, bobbins drop into a well and must be extracted with a comically-shaped spring-loaded attachment that you pull down from near the very hot light bulb. This attachment acts as a small finger that pokes the bobbin’s center channel and then pulls it up with the help of that spring. You then pluck the bobbin from the springy plastic finger thing.

I still think they could have added more steps to the process.

Other idiosyncratic features include a rotating bobbin case that sits behind the needle (most machines place the bobbin front of the needle), a slider to pull down the light bulb assembly for replacements (did they expect that to be needed so often?), a gigantic needle thread tension assembly that sits to the left of the take-up lever and greatly obstructs view of the work, and a switch with two speeds (courtesy of newfangled electronic control) which, once again, is placed on the foot control instead of the machine body, for added inconvenience.

The stitch cams added access to a vast catalogue of ever expanding decorative stitches: Elna kept “publishing” and selling new stitches, adding to their catalogue. This was a fantastic way of updating the machine’s software, so to speak, and allows us to still create new stitches that can be 3D printed and used today. The cams can be one-layer or two-layer (essentially two cams pressed together), where the first layer controls needle position left-right, and the second layer controls feed direction forward-backward.
Here lies the greatest pitfall of this mechanism, the dreaded self-destruct mode: if you actuate the reverse lever while the machine has reverse engaged by a stitch cam, the pinion that connects the top shaft to the feed drive will shatter immediately, rendering the machine useless. This is not fatal, but requires a costly specialised repair.

Redeeming qualities are the included utility stitches that don’t require cams, the ability to use double-decker cams that add automatic-reverse stretch and decorative stitches, the mentioned permanent reverse control, and of course the extremely smooth sewing experience provided by the mechanism’s stability and the horizontal rotating hook that prevents the machine from bouncing up and down at speed. And it’s really that good and making a smooth and steady stitch, to the point of making you forgive and almost forget all of its shortcomings and ergonomic offenses.

Oh, and there’s also of course the iconic metal “ammunition box” transformer case, that turns into an extended sewing bed to envelop the free arm. Very practical, but no sure if I’d want to do clean work over the surface that’s been gathering dust and protecting the machine from the elements. I’m sure it’s OK if you’re sewing camouflage tarps in the battlefield, as it seems that’s very much the main intended use case for this machine.

Sources:
https://ismacs.net/elna/brief_history_and_stitches_created_by_elna.html
https://ismacs.net/elna/supermatic.html

Accessories include:
• Carrying case
• Accessory tray
• Decorative stitch cams

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ID

SPECS

Voltage	AC 220 V
Bed type	Free arm
Bed extension	Yes, carrying case
Feet/shank type	Low shank
Foot pressure adjustment	No
Bobbin type	Elna bobbin
Hook/race position	Horizontal
Hook movement	Circular
Bobbin winder	Yes
Spool pins	2, retractable
Bulb type
Original foot control	Yes
Current foot control	Original
Dimensions
Weight

FEATURES

Zigzag	Yes, free / stepped
Reverse type	Momentary / permanent
Needle position control	Yes, variable
Stitch length limiter	No
Stitch width limiter	No
Utility stitches	Yes, included and with accessories
Decorative stitches	Yes, with accessories
Stretch stitches	Yes, with accessories
Auto-reverse stitches	Yes, with accessories
Double needle provisions
Drop feed	No

ACCESSORIES

Presser feet	All-purpose zigzag foot
Straight stitch needle plate	No
Feed dogs cover plate	Yes

DOCUMENTS

User manual	Download PDF:
Service manual	Download PDF: