sewing machine? tarps, pants

The machine that you got will be perfect for sewing patchwork quilts if the sewing foot is narrow (1/4") side on the right side of the needle. Just use Universal needles and good thread (not serger thread) The big quilting frame machines are expensive and take up a lot of room. In the long run, it would be cheaper to find someone else with the machine and pay to have the quilting done. I usually quilt by hand but it is much slower and needs a bit of room to set up the frame. I watch(?)/listen to a lot of baseball and football games while quilting.

 

Thanks woodwidow. Here are the feet it came with..... would the foot on the bottom be sort of what you are talking about? there is only an eighth of an inch on the right side. the other feet are similar, but one appears to have heavier springs than the other one. I believe you about the quilting being cheaper to have sub contracted out. It is just something she wants to learn. I have old quilts my great grandmother made years ago. I think it just intrigues my daughter. Not a money making venture on the quilting for her, just a hobby.

 

yes, that's the foot. If you measure from the needle when it is down, and out to the side, You should find 1/4" easily. Most quilt piece sewing uses 1/4" seams. If the edge of the foot isn't at 1/4" from the needle, then put a piece of tape down at the mark and use it for a guide for the seams. The more accurate you are with seam width, the easier it is to get consistent sizes of finished blocks.

I learned this the hard way. When I started quilting, I just used the edge of the foot as a guide because it was close enough. Halfway through a quilt, I changed machines and did the same thing. Feet were different widths and it really mucked me up. Now I put a guide down with tape and stick to it.

 

Thank You. That makes perfect sense. I did just measure the distance, and on straight stitch it is exactly a quarter of an inch. I really appreciate the advice.

 

Good advise here. This is something I need to get into! I would like to sew leather for knife sheathes and holsters and such.

 

thank you for the kind comment. Sewing for me is great fun and exercises my brain cells. I really like to see people doing it as well.

 

Woodwidow I have been doing a lot of reading and research the last few days. Interesting stuff really. It seems most of the top selling machines names are made by the same factory. Juki, Jenome, and babylock are essentially the same company. Those machines are supposedly Japanese, but a little digging and calling shows them to be made in China. Most of the complaints are the same. Still too light of a machine to set up comfortably without a lot a movement and shaking. Consew is a great machine I guess buy very expensive. Most decent sewing machines are sold out everywhere. It seems everyone has been buying up supplies to make masks and their own clothes. Even the heavier, older machines are still around 200 plus shipping from ebay. I have a two week wait on parts online simply do to back orders on parts. I have also found out that I would need to spend close to 1,000 dollars for a machine similar in ability, and durability like the one given to us. Time to do some sewing machine hoarding too now.

 

That is great news wildwest. There is a sewing machine parts website that sells everything almost. Easy to navigate too. I see most machines on craigslist here in montana are for leather. Ebay still has tons of stuff for older machines too. Something to note about the wall coming down is that it apparently went back up, just all around Germany. More East than West now. Maybe your mom can get the model number to you now? So many videos and information about serving, tricks, tips, and repairs to be found. I may end of getting rid of some aquariums to make wall space for awhile.

 

I am a hoarding of sewing machines my ancestors used. I have my grandmother's electric Singer and my aunt's very old electric Singer. The bobbins are long rods. I will probably end up with my mother's treadle sewing machine and her electric as well. My grandmother's machine still sews but my aunt's has timing problems. they both came in those really neat sewing tables.

With your research, you probably know now that the two very similar feet are for installing zippers. The top wider foot, I would use for the majority of your sewing. If you don't get a buttonhole pattern cam, then you will probably be looking for a separate buttonhole attachment. If you are just using it for mending and tarp production, you won't be doing a lot of buttonholes.

 

I have found quite a few sources on adjusting timing. Not nearly as stressful as it sounds. It seems that most of the servicing that folks have done is cleaning on older, all metal geared machines. A customer is giving me his mothers kenmore she bought in the fifties. I guess she just made some bibs, and a blanket with it before passing away in December at 96 years. He remembers driving it three hours away to be serviced a few years ago for her. When he returned to Bozeman to pick it up, the repair shop said it just needed cleaned and the thread tensioner polished. He was glad not to have it dropped off at the thrift store. I happen to have known the lady my whole life. I believe she sewed rank, and hemmed on my dress blues in the mid 90s for a funeral. I actually remember passing inspection in Missouri when I returned from leave a couple weeks later. small world

 

Nice thing about living in a super small town. You ask one person a question, and folks start calling within minutes.

 

My son-in-law's favourite small town story is " you know you live in a small town when the Post Mistress gives you Christmas present hints for your mother-in-law." I collect stamps and the ladies at the Post Office knew that.

 

Woodwidow could you give me an estimate on how long one bobbin will last for? Can my daughter sew for a hour or so steady with out filling the bobbin again. I ask because I am needing to use a cordless drill to fill them for her. Our parts for the bobbin winder will not be in for a few weeks. They are even rationing elastic right now. (10 yards a week).

 

The length of time a bobbin lasts depends on the length of sewing thread in the bobbin and how steady she sews. An hour seems rather a long time. I do a lot of stop and start sewing. Do you happen to have several bobbins? Wind them all at the same time with same colour thread and then just switch them out until they are empty. I have often wished that sewing machines could be designed to have thread from a big spool go through the bobbin area and eliminate the small bobbin.

If you don't have any extra bobbins, send me some measurements of the bobbin you have and a picture. Width across the bobbin, the width between the flanges and from outside to outside of the flanges. I have a collection that might have something in it that you could use.

 

Thank You. That was something we couldn't figure out by googling for answers. I do have four bobbins, and I ordered twenty more. The price was only three dollars per 10. They are class 15. That is a very kind offer. I'm glad they are still made today. We did quite a bit of work on one bobbin, and I am estimating that I wasted half by making mistakes. My daughter actually did better than myself. She has steadier hands, and moves more patiently.
Here in Montana, it looks like there is only one repair place that will work on machines they do not sell. I don't believe a computerized machine is something we would want in that case.
Thanks again for your help. It makes the learning curve less painful by far. It has been nice doing something with my daughter. Bucking firewood has been hard on her shoulders. She says they are still sore. She did manage to cut several cord over the last couple weeks.