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Vintage Millinery Singer Sewing Machines (Sweatbands, Binding, Ribbons, ETC)

humanshoes

One Too Many
Messages
1,446
Location
Tennessee
This is too coincidental, I have been considering learning the cobbler's art as well and been researching it for the past 2 years. I know though that my wife would divorce me if I started another hobby :)

You should check out Sveta Kletina on youtube: Sveta Kletina - YouTube
She also has an online course, that is $1,000 and you get access to all the videos she has listed for 1 year. How To Make Shoes? Watch and Download My Shoemaking Courses ✅ (shoemakingcoursesonline.com)

I'll share some other links when I find them again. You might be tempted to invest in a new boot sewing machine ;)

Seems like those that like making men's hats also have an inclination to do leather work and cobbling!! Good luck and I can't wait to see your shoes/boots.
Thanks for the useful links CWV! Yeah, it seems like anyone that's crazy enough to invest in the tools to make hats is restless by nature and always looking for the next thing to do. It's been no small investment to gear up for shoe making. I need to find cheaper hobbies.
 
Messages
10,847
Location
vancouver, canada
Thanks for the useful links CWV! Yeah, it seems like anyone that's crazy enough to invest in the tools to make hats is restless by nature and always looking for the next thing to do. It's been no small investment to gear up for shoe making. I need to find cheaper hobbies.
At one point I considered becoming a shoe repair guy as I looked to simplify my life but what stopped me was what I discovered when I learned bicycle mechanics to repair my own bikes. Neighbours would bring me their abused bikes that had never seen a lick of maintenance and ask me to make them work. I hated working on their abused pieces of crap bikes and stopped doing it. I focused solely on building and repairing bikes for ME. Had the thought that folks would bring me their abused leatherware and expect me to fix it and make it right. But the thought of building a new pair of boots/shoes is highly appealing.
 

ChicagoWayVito

Practically Family
Messages
699
Thanks for the useful links CWV! Yeah, it seems like anyone that's crazy enough to invest in the tools to make hats is restless by nature and always looking for the next thing to do. It's been no small investment to gear up for shoe making. I need to find cheaper hobbies.

Also on Youtube, Lisa Sorrell who is a Western Bootmaker. Link to all her videos: Lisa Sorrell - YouTube

Nice intro/overview video:
(watch carefully and you can see all the vintage machines in her shop)

Video on Curved needle machine:
(Apparently her machine likes The Gibson Brothers song Last Letter Home). I am sure you can relate to finicky machines ;)
 

humanshoes

One Too Many
Messages
1,446
Location
Tennessee
Also on Youtube, Lisa Sorrell who is a Western Bootmaker. Link to all her videos: Lisa Sorrell - YouTube

Nice intro/overview video:
(watch carefully and you can see all the vintage machines in her shop)

Video on Curved needle machine:
(Apparently her machine likes The Gibson Brothers song Last Letter Home). I am sure you can relate to finicky machines ;)
I love this lady. I'm driving to Atlanta this weekend to spend some quality time in a working custom shoe shop and purchase some smaller equipment. However, at about 800lbs and, considering the required real estate, I will NOT be bringing home one of these beautiful Landis curved needle sewing machines.
 
Messages
11,374
Location
Alabama
I love this lady. I'm driving to Atlanta this weekend to spend some quality time in a working custom shoe shop and purchase some smaller equipment. However, at about 800lbs and, considering the required real estate, I will NOT be bringing home one of these beautiful Landis curved needle sewing machines.

You may have read the story, Rick. She answered a newspaper ad for someone to do sewing at Griffith-Blucher boot shop, (the oldest continuing operating cowboy boot shop) owned by boot maker Dennis Griffith. She started out sewing tops for them and learning from there. $10K is the base price for a pair of her boots, now.
 

humanshoes

One Too Many
Messages
1,446
Location
Tennessee
You may have read the story, Rick. She answered a newspaper ad for someone to do sewing at Griffith-Blucher boot shop, (the oldest continuing operating cowboy boot shop) owned by boot maker Dennis Griffith. She started out sewing tops for them and learning from there. $10K is the base price for a pair of her boots, now.
She definitely makes beautiful boots, but......10K??!! Holy crap!
 

humanshoes

One Too Many
Messages
1,446
Location
Tennessee
You may have read the story, Rick. She answered a newspaper ad for someone to do sewing at Griffith-Blucher boot shop, (the oldest continuing operating cowboy boot shop) owned by boot maker Dennis Griffith. She started out sewing tops for them and learning from there. $10K is the base price for a pair of her boots, now.
She definitely makes beautiful boots, but......10K??!! Holy crap!
 

Debby L

New in Town
Messages
4
Hi All,

Looking to purchase this particular Pribil sweatband sewing machine (model p-44).
Anyone who can provide any information about where can I get such a machine, I will be very appreciated.

Thanks a lot ,
Debby
 

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Asudef

New in Town
Messages
29
Location
Bay Area
Sooo..has anyone been able to figure out how to sew an unreeded sweatband? Is there a way to do it by hand? It doesn't look too complicated given some patience and ingenuity but it looks like the stitch goes in between the felt? I can't seem to see stitching under the headband.
 
Messages
10,847
Location
vancouver, canada
It is not easy and perhaps a curved needle would help but it is similar to sewing in liners. Instead of piercing right through the felt you must put the needle/thread across the felt, tunnelling in effect through the felt. This is an acquired skill so you might want to cheat and just pierce the felt and the sweat. It is painstaking if you wish to use the existing holes in the sweat. I am doing one now, takes forever and a bit. I am using a very small needle. Could it be the stitches on the outside are just very close together and buried into the felt? If the sweat was sewn in by machine there is no way for the stitches not to pierce the felt. I suggest being practical and do what works for you. If you pierce the felt it will be hidden by the crown ribbon and I won't tell if you won't!
 
Messages
19,001
Location
Central California
Sooo..has anyone been able to figure out how to sew an unreeded sweatband? Is there a way to do it by hand? It doesn't look too complicated given some patience and ingenuity but it looks like the stitch goes in between the felt? I can't seem to see stitching under the headband.


If you have patience, deep pockets, and the skill to figure it out, the Singer 46-100 is what you need for those un-reeded sweatbands. They do not come up for sale often.
 

Debby L

New in Town
Messages
4
Hi,

I will be happy for your help regarding sewing the sweatbands to the hat.
Till now I was using the p-44 Pribil machine, that was perfect for my work, but soon I will need to find myself a different machine, and get a new one.
As much as I tried finding that model, including a post in this forum, I understood that's it's impossible to get such one in a working condition. (And if you do, I will be super glad to hear!!)

For my understanding, most of the hat manufacturers use a standart arm machine, with a triple feed.
I saw a video of one of the bigger companios that there they sewed the sweatbands with an Adler 669 machine.

I would like please your advice what machine will be the best for me, for sewing those reeded sweatbands.

Thanks in advanced,
Dave
 

Kapalutch770

New in Town
Messages
12
Hi,

I will be happy for your help regarding sewing the sweatbands to the hat.
Till now I was using the p-44 Pribil machine, that was perfect for my work, but soon I will need to find myself a different machine, and get a new one.
As much as I tried finding that model, including a post in this forum, I understood that's it's impossible to get such one in a working condition. (And if you do, I will be super glad to hear!!)

For my understanding, most of the hat manufacturers use a standart arm machine, with a triple feed.
I saw a video of one of the bigger companios that there they sewed the sweatbands with an Adler 669 machine.

I would like please your advice what machine will be the best for me, for sewing those reeded sweatbands.

Thanks in advanced,
Dave
Hi Dave. Can you send me a photo of the Pribil P44 you own?
Thanks,
Benny
 

Debby L

New in Town
Messages
4
My understanding was that your P44 had problems, and therefore you needed another one?
No, that machine I was using till now works fine, just I need urgently to get another one, particularly for reeded sweatbands.
I will be grateful for any idea.

Thanks!
 
Last edited:

johnjohn

New in Town
Messages
4
Hi Benny,

It's not in front of me now, But I saw your post about the Pribil earlier in this thread, it's pretty similar.

Hope you can help me,
Dave
Hi Debby
I am in the hat business for a few years and am becoming independent.
I bought all the Mashines and all the stuff , the only thing I’m missing is the Pribil p44 sweatband sewing machine, I’ve been trying to find such a mashine for a while already and can’t get any further. Can you please help me with some information where I could possibly find it?
Thanks allot
 

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