All things Sewing Machines!

[Lady Day]

The threadbanger is a cool machine. Ive worked on one. I also love the metal frame and guts too Can you get one without all the fancy tattooing on it? Thats a bit too hard core for me.

LD

 

[Gracie Lee]

I don't have much money, so I was thinking a good machine to get would be the Janome ThreadBanger TB-12. It has a metal body and is a very basic machine. I learned to sew on my mother's old Riccar, which looked very similar to me.

Hi! When I bought my machine several years back, I needed to keep it under $200. I ended up going with a Kenmore, since they were rated highly by Consumer Reports. Coming in around $175 during Sears' Christmas sales, it has TONS of options, and is expandable with a bunch of feet. It's three or four years old, never been professionally tuned (I'm a delinquent, I know), and is still going strong! In all reality, it does more things than I'll likely ever need it to.

 

[LizzieMaine]

For those who like a good, basic simple machine, let me put in a good word for the old Singer 66 -- it was manufactured for over fifty years, and millions of them still exist, so you can usually get one for less than twenty dollars if you look around a bit. Parts aren't a problem, either -- you can find enough parts on eBay to build your own machine from scratch if you were so inclined.

It is a very basic machine -- it sews a straight lock stitch, period. The later models also had a reverse feature. But there are attachments to do just about anything you're likely to need to do, and any low-shank foot ever made will fit on it. It was the first machine ever to feature a drop-in bobbin, and that assembly is pretty much foolproof. You can get the bobbins and needles at any sewing shop in the world.

Singer also manufactured some really fine accessories for more advanced sewing. I have the 121795 buttonholer, introduced in 1939, which is as fine a buttonhole unit as you'll ever use -- it has three very simple adjustments to make just about any kind of buttonhole you'll likely need. There's also a very good zigzag attachment of the same vintage that works really well on these machines.

The most fiddly thing on these machines is the tension. Prior to 1929 or so there was no numbered tension adjustment, just an unmarked thumbscrew which can be difficult to set properly. But the later tension assembly with a numbered dial is easily retrofitted to any Model 66 machine -- you can find the part on eBay, usually for ten or fifteen dollars or so, and it takes about five minutes to install with a screwdriver.

The Singer 66 is a full-size machine, but it's often found in a portable case for tabletop use, which is how I use mine. These are vintage machines -- but they are *not* "collector" machines. They will stand up to hard, daily use, and for learning the basics of sewing-machine operation and maintenance, I really think they have no equal.

 

[FountainPenGirl]

HI, I agree completely with Lizziemaine. Also I would like to add that there is a model 99 Singer which is a smaller version of the 66 and mostly in portable cases. I have two. One is a 1935 and the other 1924. All of the model 66 attachments are the same and also the bobbins. These seem to show up for about $60.00 in general. These are an excellent machine and very reliable. I use mine for going to quilting classes and other sewing get togethers. I've gotten to know a bunch of gals who only sew with treadles and hand crank machines. I carried in my 1935 machine and it was the newest one in the bunch. They have a low opinion of any machine made in the last 50 years. I also learned a new deffinition from them. The meaning of "sear sucker". It came from Sears and it really Sucks.

 

[59Lark]

201 similar but stronger

IF IT was up to me go for a 201 it looks just about like the 66 but instead of oscilating hook its a full rotary and much stronger and smoother but takes same bobbins etc. has full steel gears makes it stronger able to sew much heavier projects than the 66 or its 3/4 SIZE VERSION THE 99K. JUST SEW YOU KNOW 59LARK.

 

[FountainPenGirl]

This is true. I have a 201-2 from 1951. It's a Singer Centenial machine with the centenial badge 1851-1951. It was my first machine. Another nice feature of this machine is the reverse feed.

 

[kymeratale]

Hey all,

Completely inexperienced (since grade 8 home ec) sewer here.

So, I have a dilemma and I just can't seem to make up my mind. I have my mother's Singer Stylist model 477 (manual copyright is 1968). I have had it sitting in a box for years. I am a convert to the idea of making my own vintage repro clothes, so I dragged it out and it does still work. I took it into a repair shop to get it serviced and the guy in the shop was kind of iffy about whether it is worth doing the work on or not.

It needs a new belt and there is something wrong with the tension dial. He won't know until he opens it up, but he said it should be fixable. The foot pedal is not as sensitive as it should be, you have to press it all the way down to get decent speed. He said it is possible that it will crap out on me. The machine was used a lot, like a lot. The numbering on the stitch length selector is almost all worn away and he could tell from the wear on the front edge it saw heavy use. He said the gears could be fine or they could be brittle (they are plastic?) from sitting for so long. He can't tell for sure, but he suspects the gears have been replaced already.

I am looking at $130 or so to get it tuned up and in working order. If the gears were to go, it would be around $200 to fix that. Now, I have always been under the impression that these old Singers were nigh on indestructible, but he seemed to think it might not have that much useful life left in it.

A couple of friends have suggested spending the money on a new (or newish used) machine. One of the primary reasons being that the older ones are more temperamental tension-wise and they have both found their old machines very limited in what kinds of fabrics they can handle. The basic idea is that someone like me, who doesn't know how to sew would find the old machine difficult and frustrating to use right.

I keep waffling back and forth. If the machine were to keep on trucking, it would have everything I would need to be able to do. I imagine that it was a high-quality machine when new. I need to decide by Tuesday if I am going to go ahead and get the old one fixed up or go pick it up and buy a new one instead.

I would very much welcome your opinions. I know there is a wide variety of thought on vintage vs new machines, but I just have no idea myself.

 

[December]

I'm very new to sewing myself (only on my second garment) so I'm sure how much use this will be but I would think buy a new machine with the money.

I just think if you're very new to sewing then you could benefit from having a newer machine that will be in tip-top condition. Then later on, when you're more experienced, you could look into getting the other one serviced.

My first sewing machine was an old one (I think it was 70s) and it wasn't quite right. I tried using it but got so frustrated with it, I gave up on my project halfway through. Then I bought a new one a couple of months ago and I absolutely love it- I can't get enough of it!!

 

[kymeratale]

Thanks for the reply December. That was what both of my friends gave as the reason to go for a new one. It would suck to have a hard time and get all discouraged, thinking it was because you don't know what you are doing when the machine is a big part of the problem.

 

[FountainPenGirl]

Those '60's era Singer machines were never the best in the west. If you are looking at older machines you need to stick with the 1950's on back. The heavy black ones with NO plastic parts. Those machines are about indestructable with care. I would still recomend those machines. You can usually buy them for a lot less than a $200 new machine that's nowheres near the quality of a '50's and older machine. Like I said my machines are from 1951 on back to 1893. The two I use the most were made in 1916 and 1917.

 

[59Lark]

end of metal

The year 1968 is when singer stopped using all steel gears,and introduced nylon gears, if you get a stylist 447 its steel gears, if you buy a stylist 457 it has one plastic gear that goes but its still available and worth fixing. But by 1972 the stylist 513 had 4 plastic gears that go. So pre 1968 is actually the gear year.59LARK

 

[KittyT]

I just picked up a reprint of a book called "101 Things For The Housewife To Do - 1949" by Lillie B. and Arthur C. Horth at the Vermont Country Store. It's also available on Amazon and contains a ton of tips for things you would expect, but also a lot for things that you would not expect a housewife to do, like refinish a floor, mend electric cords or build a medicine cabinet.

I'll be posting fun tidbits around the Lounge in various threads!

 

[59Lark]

66 class drop in bobbin singer in a cabinet

THAT picture illustrates a singer 66 class which was a full size version of the 99k , full size 66 feature drop in bobbin and oscilating hook, it was the middle priced machine not the top and not the bottom and therefore was a pretty seller 59LARKfftopic:

 

[lareine]

Ah, the ruffler -- one of my favourite Singer attachments, second only to the buttonholer! I love how easy it makes gathers and ruffles. Ever since I got mine a few weeks ago I have been looking for things to ruffle just so I can use it lol

 

[FountainPenGirl]

It's funny how addicting that can be.

 

[Annichen]

I have not touched a sewing machine for ages but am thinking about getting a old one and try out some vintage patterns.
Some of these patterns make me swoon!

Do any of you use anything looking like this one?

Would it be tricky for a newbie to use this machine for fairly simple vintage dress patterns?

I have not bought one yet so if that one looks like a troublemaker, what would you recommend?

 

[BoPeep]

Annichen, you've got a hand crank machine there. I've sewed on them and while they're fun to try, I wouldn't recommend it for a beginner. One hand on the crank leaves you with only one hand to guide the fabric. This looks like it's in great shape, but find something electric. Up a few posts is a discussion on Singer machines. I use my grandmother's 1947 and love it.

 

[Annichen]

BoPeep

Thanks, Yes, I thought that perhaps having two clumsy hands insted of one might be a good idea
I was just worried about the electrical machines because they are so old.
I'll read through the posts and see if I can find some useful info.
Thanks again.

 

[lareine]

Hand crank machines

Hand cranks are actually easier to use than you might think. Although your right hand is kept busy turning the crank, it’s actually quite easy to guide the fabric using only your left hand because the speed of sewing is so much slower. I prefer my hand crank machine for very small or tricky areas where good control is everything.

Having said that, one major drawback of the very old machines like this is that they have no reverse stitch. You can’t go backwards – the only way to achieve stitching in the opposite direction is to spin the fabric around under the needle.

 

[Marla]

Would it be tricky for a newbie to use this machine for fairly simple vintage dress patterns?

I have not bought one yet so if that one looks like a troublemaker, what would you recommend?

If you decide to buy an older machine, purchase one that comes with its original instruction manual. With that, it will be a piece of cake.