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I'm working on a bathrobe! I went out to buy one, but they're all ugly pastel colours, with sleeves that are too damned short, and made with fabric that sends shivers up my spine when I touch it. I have an old one that sort-of fits but is too short and ugly, so I made a pattern from it, modified it, and will soon be purchasing some awesome fabric (once I determine the yardage I'll need) and sewing it up. I'll show y'all the before and after once it's finished, if there's interest. Strelnikov posted:
That looks really cool. Do you have any clearer photos of it? Pile of Kittens posted:I just keep wanting to make Burning Man clothing. Origami crane tail bustle made of layered muslin and tulle. Do you have a pattern you use for the bustle? I've been meaning to try my hand at one for a while now but I don't know where to look. Zhentar posted:My gf would like to sew more often, but whenever she does, after a little while her back gets really tired. How does one go about maintaining a proper posture while sewing? I get this exact same problem, and I can't really place why. The really odd thing is that it will happen even in chairs/benches/whatever that don't give me problems while doing other things. So far the best solution I've found is to get a comfy computer chair (one of the swivel types on casters) and force myself to lean back against it (not slouching - just so some of the weight of my upper body is resting on the chair rather than my spine), which will at least postpone the aches and pains. When I sit straight with "proper" posture it just fucks my back up sooner. Anyhow, just have her experiment with different chairs/postures until she finds one that is at least tolerable. Wish her luck for me!  Goldaline: that monster tunnel-filled dress is all sorts of awesome. Anyhow, the main point of my post is to see if any of y'alls have any suggestions as to why my machine's straight-stitch keeps loving up!  It's a Babylock EA-605, built like a little brick shithouse and in near pristine condition. I managed to get it with the instruction manual, and set it up, oiled it, adjusted tension, everything according to the manual. It does both overlocking as well as some fancy-assed form of straight stitch that I'm not really familiar with; Double-Chain stitching. As far as I can tell, it's a lot like overlock in terms of the movement of the needle, only, you know, doesn't overlock. Now, the overlocking works just fine and peachy (kept missing stitches but I adjusted some things and now it's great). My problem is this - When I use the double-chain setup and stitch through rather thin fabric (two layers of lovely-threadcount bedsheets), it will get would up around the underside-thread-feeder (I've no idea what the thing is called, so here's a photo):  (thumbnailed) The yellow dotted line is the thread path, the pink loops at the end of it are what happens with the thread passing through the needle after a few stitches. It gets bundled around, then the needle's thread snaps, and all sorts of hell break loose. I've tried different speeds, different tensions, all sorts of stuff but nothing seems to help. The kicker? It only started this maybe a week ago, with no prior modifications to tension or any other settings. Suggestions? Muffy_the_Diver fucked around with this message at 05:05 on Jan 8, 2008 |
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Jan 8, 2008 05:02
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DeliciousDarkness posted:A few companies to google are Truly Victorian, Mantua Maker, Past Patterns, Ageless Patterns. Even Butterick has one. To get you started this website has a pretty good source of reviews of patterns, mostly historical: http://www.gbacg.org/GreatPatternReview/index.htm Holy cow, that site looks like an awesome resource! Now I know what will be taking up the remainder of my afternoon  I've always loved older styles of clothing, but I've never really been able to find anything that I'd actually wear (and within my budget), so a while back I stocked up on a whole host of patterns - a pile of simplicity costumes, butterick/mccall's historical pieces, and a bunch of vintage simplicity/mccalls/anne adams (don't know who this one is, but seems to be mail-order) dresses/pillows/menswear. One of them is dated 1955 (postage on it was $0.06), and a bunch of the others are stamped with $0.01 postage, which gives a bit of a timeframe on them. Once I get my sewing/art room sorted out and organized (recently moved), I'm hoping to mix/match/edit patterns so I'll have some really cool, completely unique things to wear. DeliciousDarkness posted:About the machine tension, off hand my suggestions would be change the needle, and clean/dust the machine to make sure there's no lint. Also, rethread every thread, maybe something came off. I already dusted it and re-theaded per the instructions, and I'm currently waiting on some needles I ordered a few weeks ago (it takes some really obscure needles with much thinner shafts than most other machines); hopefully the needle is the problem! RobertKerans posted:It's the tension, and the weight of fabric together. You might be able to get around this by keeping the material very taught, but that might be a pain. This is really good to know! I've got a Singer CreativeTouch FashionMachine 1036 (quite a mouthful) without a foot pedal, so I think I'll go hunt for a pedal and then just use the Babylock as an overlocker.
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Jan 8, 2008 23:25
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I'm really interested in trying my hand at a Cathedral Window quilt after reading through the thread (Goldaline, you are a horrible influence on me  ). I have a pile of white bedsheets (and I do mean a PILE) that I can use for the backing fabric, but I really want a black-or-very-dark backed quilt. What sorts of readily available (and preferably cheap!) dyes are there? The only one I know of offhand is Rit, which I am scared to death of using since I expect it will run/bleed like crazy when (not if) I need to wash the thing, ruining the window squares. Is there something that is colourfast enough that will, when it bleeds, not affect the windows? This is going to be piecemeal, probably with silk and wool and synthetics and all sorts of fabrics used. I am okay with shopping online, since JoAnn's (the only fabric store near me) almost certainly doesn't happen to carry anything of decent enough quality (their site appears to be somehow down right now so I can't check). Oh, I'm also not worried if the backing itself fades. I just don't want the windows getting dyed in the process. Thanks!
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Dec 2, 2009 05:23
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4R7 THi3F posted:there's a dye fixative called retayne that will help you set your dye Searching for this, I stumbled upon http://www.dharmatrading.com and am thinking of putting in an order for a couple of basic colours from them (the permanent fiber-reactive dyes). Do any of you know about the general quality of the stuff they sell? It seems leaps and bounds ahead of anything I could hope to get locally. edit2: I forgot to ask; do any of you know how many tbsp are in one of their 2oz jars? I'm trying to figure out how much I'll need for my project. edit1: Cross_ posted:Last weekend I used Jacquard acid dye on white silk twill with very good results:http://dharmatrading.com/html/eng/1344-AA.shtml?lnav=dyes.html Look at me and my inability to read new replies before posting! Apparently the acid dye is only for protein-based fabrics, like silk and wool. Their 'Procion' dyes seem to be for cotton/rayon/etc, which is what I'm leaning towards. Though, judging by your experience, it looks like their dyes are of pretty decent quality, which is promising! Thank you! Muffy_the_Diver fucked around with this message at 09:03 on Dec 2, 2009 |
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Dec 2, 2009 08:57
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Handbags and Cross: thank you both! Just placed an order, I am excited.
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Dec 3, 2009 02:33
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So, I went ahead and ordered some black dye from Dharma Trading Co a couple weeks ago, went ahead and dyed my fabric, and started on a cathedral window quilt using it as the backing material. I went for black and the fabric was a nice deeeeep purple in the tub, then I rinsed it and ran it through the wash a couple times, and it came out a sort of dusty purple. Why, you ask? I sort of forgot to check to see that the fabric was 100% cotton; turns out it was 50/50 cotton poly. I still really like how it turned out, though. (this is a roll of cut backer squares for the quilt, the three different colours came from three separate sheets) I started the quilt last weekend, since I got my wisdom teeth out on the 11th and was forced to sit and do nothing all weekend. I started with 2x2" windows, and found that I couldn't actually get the needle through the fabric in such a tiny format, so I upped it to 4x4". It is a lot more manageable now, and I am actually enjoying working on it instead of fighting it. AND I can machine-stitch everything on it, which is a gigantic plus. I hate hand-stitching, as it turns out.   My feet are in there to show scale. I think I am going to piece the backers together completely and then start in with the windows, so I can lay them out and sort of plan the patterning I want instead of having it all willy-nilly. I have a bunch of scraps I need to use up, and I bought a bunch of 5" swatches at joann's the other day to spruce it up a bit. I am excited My boyfriend's mom thinks I am absolutely bonkers for doing something this involved for my first quilt (she might be onto something, there). I also have a king-size quilt in the works composed of 5"x7" diamonds of velvet. Cutting velvet is so unbelievably messy 
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Dec 21, 2009 04:24
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Do you guys have any good resources (preferably cheap/online) for different eras of clothing? I'm looking at 1850s through 1980s+. There are a lot of different styles I like, but I'm having one heck of a time pinpointing what the style is called, or what era/region it is from. Some sort of reference/textbook would be ideal. I'm especially partial to fashions from the 1910s-1950s, so if there's something that mostly focuses on that timespan and only lightly touches on the rest, I'm fine with that. I'm also looking for a good, solid "basics of sewing" type resource. Things like "oh, this here pleat is called a french dart. These weird wavy sleeve things are called such-and-such. Pencil skirts look like this, and here is how they differ from, say, a-line. This is how you make ruffles without a stupid ruffle-foot (  )" If it included some sort of step-by-step how-to, that would be icing on the cake. Oh, and an explanation for the various types of fabric (organza, tweed, tulle, etc) would be awesome as my fabric knowledge is pretty much limited to corduroy, muslin, and "that stretchy stuff." I do have the Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing, although I've never actually seriously looked through it.I ask because I'm in desperate need of new clothes, I have a million yards of fabric, and am unemployed so I have countless hours to devote to learning how to make myself some nice dresses for summer. Sorry for the derail Edit: Reader's Digest, not Better Homes + Gardens! Muffy_the_Diver fucked around with this message at 09:51 on Mar 13, 2010 |
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Mar 13, 2010 09:40
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Molly Bloom posted:I like 'Costume: 1066 to 1990' for the general shapes of the clothing from different eras. It can be had cheaply and seems to turn up secondhand fairly often. Costumes.org looks like almost exactly what I'm after - thank you! I'll also keep an eye out for the book; most of the reviews I'm seeing bemoan the fact that it gives such a brief snapshot of each era, but that's actually really in line with what I'm after, so I'm hopeful! handbags at dawn posted:I can't help on the eras of clothing, but you need to put the two bolded parts up there together. You have a really good resource you're not using. I actually started reading through it last night after posting, and you're absolutely right. It has, like, twenty pages on nothing but different fabrics and weaves and textures and... I am really excited.  Thanks for the suggestions! Once I get some proper sewing learnin' under my belt and start projects, I'll be sure to share. My last major endeavour turned out abysmally; I made a halter dress and wound up making it too big, then cut away (instead of folding back and stitching) bits around the zipper, and removed almost 6" too much. This was two summers ago and I've been too fed up to even think of touching my machine since. I think I'm ready to try again, though; you guys are awesome inspiration.
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Mar 14, 2010 01:40
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Hopefully I'm not doing anything bad by resurrecting this thread! I've finally actually finished some projects (for the first time ever!), and wanted to share. First off, I made myself a skirt and three pairs of legwarmers! One red, one a deep plum, and one brown. The red legwarmers are in the first photo:    The second photo shows the fancy machine stitch I used for the hem (yeah, I cheated, so what), and the third photo shows my first ever zipper/buttonhole. They're kind of wonky and not very pretty but goddamn am I proud. Next up, I finally finished piecing and basting my very first quilt (I may or may not have mentioned it here about a year ago)! I'm waiting on a darning presser foot in the mail, and then I'll work on quilting that sucker up. It's roughly 4'x6' and the face is made of velvet, the backing (second photo) is an old sheet I dyed myself.   Piecing the velvet was a huge pain in the rear end as, even with copious amounts of interfacing, it was stretchy and the fuzz of the velvet made the pieces move around all over the place under the presser foot. Even so, I already have the pieces cut for a second identical quilt, except it will be shades of red (like the piece in the middle of this one), with a single teal square (the lightest of the colours on this quilt) in the center. This one's for my BF, the red one is gonna be for me. D'awww. edit: Yep, just checked back, and I started this quilt at the same time I started the cathedral window quilt I posted about back in December of '09. Speaking of, I've got a quarter of the CW quilt's backing done, and all the 'window' pieces cut. I'm excited!
Muffy_the_Diver fucked around with this message at 04:45 on Nov 2, 2010 |
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Nov 2, 2010 04:41
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Arien posted:I finally took my sewing machine out of the box and wow, I suck. I did a good job on a bag I made during a class but on my own I'm impatient and cut corners. I made a simple tote yesterday but didn't like the handles so I tried to fix it and spent more time on it than I would've if I had done it right in the first place. When you first put the fabric under the feed dog and start sewing, are you holding onto the loose thread ends to make sure they're not getting sucked under? When I forget to do that I get the same problem. If you are doing that already, though, I have no suggestions.
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Nov 5, 2010 07:41
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drat Bananas posted:Jamming the teeny foot hole into the sewing machine and keeping it even the whole way round is worrying me enough as it is. :/ It might be easier to just hem it by hand at that point. Granted, I've never hemmed pants before so I don't really know what I'm talking about, but handstitching is a lot easier to get super-precise (especially if you want a blind hem), and your hands are more flexible than your sewing machine. Do y'all know how I can recreate the ruffly hem on this scarf?  The fabric appears to be stretch jersey; is it just an overlock stitch with a super super short stitch length? Or do you need to actively stretch the fabric by hand as it's going through the machine? A mix of both? Help
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Dec 3, 2010 02:52
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Thank you, handbags at dawn! Do y'all have any decent, cheap-ish resources for leatherworking/shoemaking? I'm mostly interested in how to make the soles, and how to attach the uppers to them. Goldaline, if you're still keeping up with the thread, I seem to recall you have some experience with shoemaking? Do you have any resources you're willing to share? I'm also looking to learn the basic principles behind draping - I looked around online and at the bookstore, and all I found was a vintage draping book from the '70s which would be awesome if I had $40 to blow on it. I even poked through the current wave of Art-Institute-recommended 101-level fashion design/patternmaking textbooks, and they all basically amounted to "Draping? Uhh, yeah, you can if you want, that's cool, whatever."  A good basic textbook on how to create patterns/clothing from scratch (I know how to alter patterns, thankyouverymuch mister bookstore!) would be rad. Edit: I also finished my first paid commission! A friend wanted some panda mittens as a gift for his GF:   I really like how they came out
Muffy_the_Diver fucked around with this message at 12:25 on Dec 19, 2010 |
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Dec 19, 2010 12:12
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Ropes4u: I don't have too much dressmaking experience, but if you have a pattern that fits her well, it should be straightforward and not too difficult - just follow the pattern and voila (usually patterns will say the difficulty level somewhere on the envelope). As pattern brands go, Butterick, McCall's and Simplicity tend to be pretty easy to follow, though I've heard that Vogue patterns are extremely confusing unless you have a pretty good handle on sewing (I've never used Vogue, myself). If you have to edit the pattern to fit her, then it becomes a lot trickier, though if you're handy with visualizing where and how areas need to be taken in/lengthened/etc (or have a guide), then it'll probably work out okay. Personally, I'd make a test garmet out of muslin and fit it to her, then use that as the pattern. My experience with cheaper patterns (McCalls and Simplicity, specifically) taught me to do that since their sizing tends to be woefully inaccurate. For example, I tried to make a skirt that said the waist was 28" and when I stitched it all up (accounting for the seam allowances and such) it wound up being about 34". It's entirely possible that I misread the pattern, but even if I somehow didn't account for allowances, there shouldn't have been that huge a difference! Depending upon your skill level, a basic sewing book (I use this one) that defines terminology and gives step-by-step instructions on things like installing zippers or making blind hems is super useful. Not sure how much help that is, but good luck! If you do make her things, be sure to post them
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Dec 21, 2010 01:10
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I got a dressform!  A friend was (I guess) feeling guilty that she kept asking me to watch their house on short notice, so she got sneaky and had my BF take my measurements, and ordered me one of those Dritz adjustable ones. I had been trying to make my own through elaborate use of papier mache and expanding spray-in builder's foam, but it wasn't working out. Once I finish a couple backlogged projects, I'm all OVER this thing. SLE posted:pleather stuff Don't worry about not having started the project before asking for help; being informed is never a bad thing! Also, any traffic to this thread is honestly good traffic. It doesn't move nearly fast enough (please post pics when you're done, though! this sounds like a fun project). Since it's some sort of vinyl/PVC material, leather dye will likely not work (plastics won't absorb the dye). If you use sharpies, they'll wipe off and leave stains on things. Spray paint sounds like a really neat idea, especially if you want a distressed look - it will probably crack and wear off in interesting ways, but unlike sharpies will just drop little flecks of dried enamel (which don't stain couches and whatnot). They also make a special "plastic" spraypaint that is flexible and bonds to plastics; you might try that if you don't want it cracking off eventually. Dunno if it'll work long-term, though. Experiment! You might also look at the stencil thread in CC for some spraypainting ideas. The talent in that thread is amazing! Also, be careful if you try sewing things to it - make sure you place them where you want them the first time, because if you remove stitches the vinyl material will be left permanently perforated. Although that might be an interesting design element itself; make some neat designs on paper, tape the paper to the coat, and then trace the design with an un-threaded sewing machine (just so you have perforated lines on the jacket). Play around with stitch length and needle size (your girl should know what I'm talking about if you don't )
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Jan 15, 2011 23:56
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As someone who avoids buying new whenever possible, and who loves to tinker with and recondition crap I am pretty biased, but: The main difference between old machines and new is that all the guts on older machines are super beefy and made of iron or steel; new machines are mostly plastic and thus pretty fragile (my old workhorse doesn't even bat an eye at sewing through 4+ layers of leather or denim; try that on a newer model and you run the risk of the gears stripping). Old machines also cost a heck of a lot less (even if you take them in to get serviced, you're still out no more than a new machine), and most repair shops will have a good stock of replacement parts. There is a surprisingly large selection of aftermarket parts for sewing machines, since there are a lot of people who prefer the old to the new (just like with cars). Even my totally obscure '60s serger has replacement parts available online. The main weakness of older machines is the motor; sometimes they'll have worn down the brushes (a pretty easy and inexpensive fix), burned out, or are just weak due to the technological limitations of the era. And yeah, old machines can be dirty, but they're easy enough to take apart, clean, and re-oil. Doing that is super satisfying, too. Edit: they're also dead-simple to operate. Once you've used one, you've basically used them all. There are minor differences between brands, but generally they will all have the same capabilities and similar placement for knobs and crap. They don't have any of these new-fangled automatic threaders or crazy computerized embroidery stitches or whatever; just a few clearly-labeled knobs and switches and levers. They're pretty intuitive. Muffy_the_Diver fucked around with this message at 23:26 on Jan 21, 2011 |
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Jan 21, 2011 23:07
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CaptBubba posted:I'm wondering if I should just replace the remaining parts myself (it is missing a foot, slide plate, throat plate, and need s a new bottom cover, $20 or so total), or also take it to get a full overhaul? Your machine looks a lot like my mom's, which is a total workhorse and great little machine. Congrats If you have the money, I'd say definitely take it in to get serviced (especially since it looks like your particular machine has been through the wringer). You might consider replacing what you know is missing/broken, since your source sounds like it is a heck of a lot cheaper than buying the parts through a repair shop (they mark things up quite a bit), and then taking it in to get serviced, since it's probably out of tune after so many years. I've been broke as hell since I bought my machines, so haven't taken them in for service. Though it wasn't really noticeable at first, my machines are definitely in need of a tune-up. The tensioners on both are really screwed up, so they like to either snap the thread or skip stitches, especially on fleece (which I have been working a lot with lately). The frustration I've gone through has cost me a lot more than the $100-150 it would take me to get both my machines serviced, but at this point I really can't afford to take them in.So yeah, don't be like me
Muffy_the_Diver fucked around with this message at 00:28 on Jan 28, 2011 |
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Jan 28, 2011 00:25
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Singers are generally pretty bulletproof, and machines are a lot nicer to use when they're sunk into a cabinet like that instead of on a tabletop, so good eye for that. It's hard to tell whether those are particularly good buys just by looking at them - it's definitely wise to try them out before you buy one. A lot of times the foot pedal won't work (replacements are $30-50 depending upon what configuration the plug is), or it will be missing a manual ($10-20 for a PDF replacement online) so keep those in mind. Another thing to pay attention to is what sorts of bobbin it uses; I didn't check that before buying my machine, and it turns out that if it doesn't use the generic metal bobbins you can get for cheap at JoAnn's, replacements/extras will either be more expensive, harder to find, or both. I would also suggest not buying the machine from someone who is clueless about them (like your first link), as they tend to over-estimate what the machine is worth, or fail to notice problems with it. Also, keep in mind what sort of stitch functions you want on the machine. The one in your second link most likely only does straight-stitch and that's it; more modern ones (probably starting in the mid '70s) will have zig-zag, buttonhole, and reverse-stitch, and some will even have decorative stitches like little leaves or rows of diamonds or whatever. The super-vintage ones may also not have a built-in bobbin winder (not sure on this, so check for it), which is a huge pain in the butt to do without. If you don't care about all the stitch-functions/winding, though, that second one is super super cute. Good luck!Edit: Eponine posted:...although I'm not a fan of built-in machines, simply for the portability of a stand-alone. Though if you're a student or moving around a lot, I can see where having to drag a cabinet around with you would suck. Muffy_the_Diver fucked around with this message at 00:50 on Jan 31, 2011 |
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Jan 31, 2011 00:44
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very posted:Commercial clothing seems to use a different kind of straight stitch. There is only one thread that loops back through itself on the wrong side of the fabric. There is no way that the fabric can slide around... Does a regular sewing machine have a stitch that emulates this? I don't seem to have any such stitch on my machine as far as I can tell. It's called a Chainstitch, and actually uses two threads. If you've ever opened a sack of flour, pet food, or kitty litter by yanking on the string on top such that it unravels, that's the stitch you're looking at. It's not advised to use without the accompaniment of an overlock stitch because it is so easy to unravel. If you really want a machine that does that stitch, look for a four-thread serger.
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Feb 3, 2011 04:43
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A friend commissioned these for his girlfriend:   They're panda paws to go with a panda hat he bought for her. They're my first actual commission piece, and I am really proud of them! quote:Quiltchat Muffy_the_Diver fucked around with this message at 10:07 on Feb 19, 2011 |
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Feb 19, 2011 10:03
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If the material is fabric (as opposed to leather), I can see it working but being a bit of a pain in the butt. You'll want to look up embroidery techniques - this will give you a starting point on at least the terminology; dunno how in-depth that site is, though. Once you've determined that one of those is acceptable/doable, you'll need some embroidery needles, embroidery floss (DMC is generally accepted as a decent brand), a thimble, and probably some needlenose pliers to pull the needle through the shoe material. The reason I say it'll be a pain is because shoe material is pretty thick (hence the pliers), and it'll be kind of hard to maneuver your hand inside the slipper to push the needle back out. Otherwise, though, I see no problems*. Oh, and practice on some scrap material before you start out on the shoes themselves. Good luck! * Keep in mind that I'm by no means a pro or anything at embroidery; I just dabble at it and don't really know the proper techniques and all that. Someone with more knowledge is welcome to correct me on anything!
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Mar 1, 2011 00:32
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Maybe use a bunch of Fray Check on the point of the godet? That, or some fusible interfacing. If I were making it, once everything is stitched together, I'd do a whipstitch around and around where the three seams come together just for a bit of added stability.
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Jun 2, 2011 06:06
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If I were you, I'd send her some money to buy a vintage machine (or wait to go shopping with her, as you said), and then a gift cert to a good repair/tuning shop. Most old machines could definitely use a bit of freshening up, which is generally not easy to do yourself. Whatever you decide, it's going to make an amazing gift and I'm sure she'll be tickled pink.
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Jul 10, 2011 21:02
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Maybe, but if you try it, be sure to put wax paper or parchment between it and your iron, or else you'll have a burned, sticky, goopy mess on your iron's face. I'd suggest running it through the dryer on the hottest setting for a cycle. It (in my experience) makes the fibers shorten and get kinky/wavy, without melting them together.
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Oct 31, 2011 01:32
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Do any of you know what model Singers these are?   I've got a Singer 1036 which, after much drama and headache, I bunged up the bobbin tensions and am too pissed at the thing to bother fixing it. I'm looking to replace it ASAP (and on a next-to-nothing budget, go me) since I've got a backlog of stuff to repair for folks. My preference is for a low-shank Singer that uses universal needles and has a reverse-stitch (the 1036 doesn't reverse and it suuuuucks). Zig-zag and buttonhole would be awesome but are not strictly necessary. Pre-1975 machines, or ones that are built later but still use the same simple mechanics, are very much preferred. Are there any widely-available (and easily reparable) Singers that fit that bill? Preferably ones that can be found used and in basic working condition (I.E. will stitch but probably needs a tune-up) for <$50? Also, Goldaline So glad to see you back here! I read through your whole blog over the past couple nights; you do some amazing things.
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Nov 21, 2011 04:40
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Yeah, my 1036 was $7 at a garage sale, complete with fold-out table. No foot pedal, though, which ran me $50. Still a good deal, considering the machine lasted me through a couple years of (frustrated) sewing. Around here the thrift stores either have obviously broken machines for $25ish, or working models which range from $100-$150. Garage sales are where I generally find good deals on machines, but we're in the rainy season so those aren't common. I'm mostly looking for some models that are widely-regarded as good workhorses, and are popular enough that parts/documentation will be commonly available. I've bought enough machines with little surprises I wished I'd known beforehand, that I want to do my research first. (For example, my serger takes needles that I can't find anywhere reputable, and my current dud takes stupidly hard to find bobbins and has plastic pattern-stitch cogs that are wearing out, replacements for which are apparently unavailable.) Also, I want low-shank because I have quite a collection of rather expensive low-shank feet. v v
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Nov 21, 2011 06:37
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Awesome, thank you! I did some more searching and found (among other things) a Singer 99 with the backtack function, and a Brother Wizard (apparently a Singer 15 copy?). Both the same price, though the Wizard's had a tune-up recently. I think I'm becoming a crazy sewing machine lady, because I really want both. There's also a free treadle Singer that I want to take in and restore. Urgh. That slant-o-matic is a BEAST. When I get rich enough to throw down $100+ on a machine plus proper tune-up (because clearly only rich people can afford things that cost $100, right), I know what'll be on my wishlist. Thank you!
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Nov 21, 2011 23:52
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Thanks for the help, everyone! As it turned out, neither of those two machines I posted were in actual working condition, so I went for a third option. Behold, my 99!  It's tiny, adorable, and stitches like a sonofagun. And it can backtack! The motor is a little tired, eventually I'm going to replace the brushes in it. The only problem with it is the rubber disc on the bobbin winder is dry-rotted and sort of worn away, so I have to manually press it down to get it to wind. Totally livable, though. Sucker was $40 and as of last night has already paid for itself. I love it
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Nov 30, 2011 02:53
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If you have them, I'd also suggest using needle-nose pliers to grab and push the needle through; it goes a lot easier than with a thimble (still keep a thimble on hand, though!). Just be prepared to snap a few needles; they tend to be pretty brittle. You can even get cheapo 'sewing kits' at the dollar store - needles, a few colours of not-so-great thread, usually a thimble and a needle threader.
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Dec 6, 2011 19:34
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Eden: Pick up the Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing at your library or goodwill or something, they're seriously indispensable. All the basics are in there, although you will probably still need the manual for your specific machine, to figure out how to thread it, whether or not you need to oil it and where, etc. Eventually you'll memorize it all, though! Congrats
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Apr 14, 2012 21:28
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You can buy plaster fabric - similar to what casts are made from - at the craft store. Cut them into strips no larger than about 2"x5", cover your face in vaseline and maybe saran wrap (unless you want to yank out all your facial hair), and have someone wet them (dip the strips in a bowl of water) and lay them on your face. Make it 3-4 layers thick, sit around for an hour until it firms up, then carefully peel it off, cut it to shape, and spackle the crap out of the front side to make it thicker and have the details/forms you want. Spackle can be picked up at Home Depot; it's in the drywalling department. You'll probably want armature wire inside the horns to make them more stable, and you might even consider making them out of Fimo or Sculpey so they're lighter. Then paint/adorn it to your heart's content. Post pics of your finished product, it sounds really cool!
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Jun 8, 2012 20:26
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Holy poo poo, Queen Elizatits, did you use a pattern for that (which you could direct me to? ) or was it pretty much just trial and error? I bought fabric to do the exact same thing, but am waiting on it because a) I need to fix my serger, and b) I'm scared to mess it up. Also, if you haven't already, you need to post that in the women's fashion thread. Goldaline I'm consistently blown away by your attention to detail. I wish I enjoyed piecing half as much as you seem to. Those are gorgeous, and I'd love to see the finished products! The only thing I've done lately is patch a crapload of horse blankets. It pays for my addiction, but isn't what I'd rather be sewing!
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Jun 13, 2012 19:48
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What issues were you running into with the Singer, and what about the Elna makes you willing to pay $2400 for it? Unless you're completely and utterly dead-set on it, I'm willing to bet folks in here can steer you in a comparable and cheaper direction if they know what you're looking for in a machine. I've never been in the market for a fancy computerized setup, but it seems like the software/hardware is going to get outdated and obsolete long before you get old and stop using it. I would therefore, personally, be hesitant to say it's the last machine I'll ever need. I could be way off base here, though. v vContent: I bought a giant frumpy wool A-line skirt at the thrift shop a while back, and finally altered it into a bangin' pencil skirt! I think it won me a job! The lighting in my house is pretty awful, but the first image at least gives you an idea of the silhouette. it fits like a glove, but I think I need to make the kick pleat a little deeper, as climbing stairs is tricky.    Not any sort of major accomplishment or anything, but it's one of the first alteration pieces I've started and completed, including finishing, all in one go. Feels good.
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Feb 9, 2013 20:33
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That's an amazing machine, awesome find! It reminds me of my 1940s Singer.  Regarding your feed dogs, there are a couple things that come to mind. One is that they're gunked up with old hardened grease/oil and lint - if you're able to remember how things go back together, open that puppy up and go in there with rubbing alcohol and some q-tips (if it's bare metal, paint thinner or acetone will work really well). If it's still stuck after that, buy some spray-on penetrant (WD40 isn't one - use something like Liquid Wrench) and hit every joint you can find. Let it sit for a half hour or overnight - chances are things will have loosened considerably. My serger siezed up after sitting in a barn for a winter and after fussing and cleaning and oiling and driving myself mad, penetrant loosened it right up. Make sure to generously re-grease/oil everything afterwards! The other option is that the part of the dogs that comes into contact with the fabric either had its teeth worn off or used to be rubber, and is now hard and slippery or just plain gone. The dogs will need to be replaced, but they're cheap and relatively easy to find online so long as you have your model number. That happened on one of my machines and, while it isn't likely for rubber to be stock on one of that vintage, they were apparently The Thing back in the '70s/'80s and could've gotten swapped on. The final option I can think of is that the dogs are belt-driven (again, probably not likely on that machine), and the belt is worn or broken. Seriously though, amazing find. Post-war era machines are generally designed to be 98% user-serviceable. Mine even has the service manual written into the instruction booklet. I love it. The only problem is it will occasionally start bunching thread up on the underside of the fabric, but that just means "HEY. My bobbin housing is full of lint. Clean me out, rear end in a top hat." Anything that goes wrong with mine can be attributed to not enough cleaning, or not enough oil. Oh, and for the love of all that is holy, believe the manual when it tells you to NEVER TOUCH the bobbin tension screw. Not sure if your machine is young enough for this to be an issue, but I completely hosed over one of my machines because I thought I was smarter than the manual thought I was. I've spent hours trying to get that screw back to the right tension and nothing has worked, and I'm too cheap to take it to a shop.
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May 19, 2013 18:51
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If you have the time/inclination, you could do a classy patchwork on one side, and a simple memory piecing on the other (or even just piecing a few key memory pieces into the backing)? That way you've got the best of both worlds. I've also seen more subtle quilts where the patchwork is "normal" and then the quilting itself is done in cursive, or with important imagery. Just use thread that contrasts with the backing (and make the text readable from the back) and you're golden. I definitely think they will appreciate your effort far more than any expensive kitchen doodads.
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Jun 6, 2013 19:24
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I've got that machine (or one incredibly similar), and it's a goddamn tank. Sometimes it bogs down trying to go through lots of layers of fabric as the motor is a little weak, but for normal use (clothing, quilting, etc) it should be dandy. It might have trouble with jeans. The lever just above that golden medallion on the right determines stitch length, and it will allow you to backstitch - the main reason I bought mine. It doesn't immediately stop when you let off the pedal (it takes another stitch or two as the momentum dissipates), so it will take a little bit of getting used to. As far as maintenance and whatnot, they're from an era where 95% of the machine is user-serviceable. When the internals (particularly the bobbin housing) get clogged with lint it will start looping under the fabric or skipping stitches, but a good cleaning with a q-tip and rubbing alcohol, then copious oiling will keep it in top shape. Just make sure the innards aren't rusted and everything moves smoothly and you should be golden. I will say, though, the bobbin casing takes forever to figure out how to remove the first time. Find a manual. Oh, and it takes standard bobbins and needles. Unlike my dumb '70s Singer. < >Edit: You might need to replace the belt and the little rubber wheel for bobbin winding (on the contraption in front of the hand wheel there), as those tend to dry-rot and crumble away over time. It's also possible the carbon brushes in the motor are worn down and need replacement. If it's incredibly weak, that's likely why. Muffy_the_Diver fucked around with this message at 17:52 on Jul 4, 2013 |
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Jul 4, 2013 17:47
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Hey folks, since we're on machine-chat, what's your favourite modern serger? I've decided to just buck up and buy new since both of the used ones I've purchased have ended in tears and I'm tired of fussing and I have an actual budget now and I just want something that works. My ideal budget is around $250 but I'm willing to go up to about $450 if it's worth it. I'm used to Singers, have had bad experiences with Babylock, don't have much of an opinion on Bernina, Husqvarna, or Brother. The last serger I successfully used was a 3-thread Singer from the early '80s and I had no problems with it. I've been doing a bunch of reading and can't decide if the difference between 3- 4- and 5-thread will be at all useful/noticeable for home use. Is there a good guide somewhere? I plan to mostly serge knits and spandex, and would also like to be able to do flatlocking (which I've read you can fake on a 2, 3, and 4 thread), so I don't know if that has any bearing on the decision. So far in my research I've got my eye on this one, but without any experience with 4+ thread machines I don't really know if it's practical or worth the extra money. I also don't mind threading machines (I actually find it rather cathartic), so I'm not fussed about whether it's self-threading. Seems like more parts to break than anything, to me. Are there other considerations I'm not taking into account that I should be? Thank you guys!
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Nov 19, 2014 20:27
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I've had the best success with just running a sturdy needle through the existing holes in the leather, to be honest. Most of the time you don't even need pliers or a thimble or anything, it just goes right through, and the end results pretty much look stock. The hardest part is keeping the two halves of the zipper aligned as you're stitching it up to avoid weird tensions on the zipper tape once you've finished. Just make sure you pull out all the old thread when you remove the old zipper, otherwise it's harder to run the needle through and it looks janky. Bitter Beard, thank you for that! I did a bit more research as well, and I'm going to bite the bullet and go for it. The only type of negative review I've managed to find for that particular machine is "ugh I've been a quilter for FIFTY YEARS and I know EVERY last thing there is to know about machines and I CAN'T THREAD IT. DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY" (emphasis original) so I think that machine and I will get along just fine. So excited!
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Nov 30, 2014 09:11
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| # ¿ May 5, 2024 20:25 |
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I would also recommend looking at repair shops, they usually have older workhorse machines that have been overhauled for pretty cheap, so you don't have the Craigslist gamble of "will it even work?"
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Dec 8, 2014 17:54
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