The Sewing Place

Greist Buttonholer

badgermat

Greist Buttonholer
« on: September 09, 2020, 10:35:24 AM »

Has anyone here ever used one of these buttonholing attachments?

Probably getting ahead of myself, but I'm a bit underwhelmed by the 4-step buttonhole on my Bernette B33 and I saw a Greist thing on YouTube producing lovely teardrop buttonholes.

Do they actually do this and can they be used with domestic machines?

Enquiring minds, and all that :)

bm

wrenkins

Re: Greist Buttonholer
« Reply #1 on: September 09, 2020, 10:42:39 AM »
@Roger 's probably your man for this.  :)
Harbouring resentment is like swallowing poison and waiting for the other person to die!

Acorn

Re: Greist Buttonholer
« Reply #2 on: September 09, 2020, 10:47:17 AM »
They do wonderful buttonholes, and can certainly be used with lots of machines.  @Roger is one of the people who knows a great deal about them - although there are others on here who do as well.

I believe that a low shank Greist buttonholer will work with any low shank machine, but please wait for someone else to confirm (or contradict) that!  I suspect it may not be that simple...

[Cross-posted with wrenkins.]
I might look as though I'm talking to you, but inside my head I'm sewing.

Roger

Re: Greist Buttonholer
« Reply #3 on: September 09, 2020, 11:12:19 AM »
Hi all,

Griest buttonholers, theres 2 types, one is more flexible and you alter the 2gauges on the side (one is length and the other is width) and the other type takes a template.

I prefer the template type. They are very straight forward to use. You use standard straight stitch align the device a little fiddly and gently let it go. I usually go round the buttonhole twice altering the bite so it doesn’t stitch into the same place as the previous one. These devices are well known for their consistency and being easy to use.

Griest made buttonholers and ingenious devices for all the main brands (he was an inventor for Singer, and decided to get more credit for his work by going alone).

It is a little hit or miss, because the boxes aren’t clear if the device is for a low or slant shank and the angle is hard to tell. But in general I’ve found the black metal Griest buttonholers in the U.K. are straight/low shank.

There are up to 11 templates for the device, 5 straight buttonhole 5 keyhole buttonhole and 1 eyelet. But eyelets are incredibly rare and hard to find, so if you stumble upon one enjoy it.

But yes a low shank buttonholer should work on any low shank machine, although maybe not easily on Bernina because of their specialist feet, but there maybe an adapter.

I have heard of people with modern machines buying a hand crank 15 or 99 for £10-15 and using it just for buttonhole devices...
A bit of a vintage sewing machine nut! Singers: 500a, 401g, 48k Elnas: lotus SP & grasshopper, Bernina 530-2 F+R 504, Pfaff 30, Cresta T-132

badgermat

Re: Greist Buttonholer
« Reply #4 on: September 09, 2020, 12:01:19 PM »

Yowzer ... loads of information here, and super quick too.

Many thanks @Roger and everyone else.

My only supplementary question is how to tell the difference between the template and gauge types?

The current eBay listings aren't entirely clear on that point.

Thanks though, it sounds like I could go either way without regret :)

bm

Roger

Re: Greist Buttonholer
« Reply #5 on: September 09, 2020, 12:43:44 PM »
Hi Bm,

Both types are good, but gauge ones usually look like this:
  [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]  
And have more variety in size and width but will only do straight buttonholes.
Please notice the 2 gauges on the upward side

While template ones look like this:
  [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]  
And will only produce the buttonhole for the template provided... but you can cheat a little by moving the template either forward or back in process. But I haven’t tried that myself.

They are both very tidy, in the template one please notice the templates upright in the box, the little screw and the feedplate cover, and manual.

Not all of this is necessary. The templates are very necessary, as is the device, but if you’re not picky most Sewing machines don’t need a feedplate cover as they can drop the dogs. Or the small screw to retain it. And you can probably find a digital copy of the manual... I may even have one. So there could be scope for an incomplete bargain... and sometimes there are some really good bargains to be found, because they are under appreciated, and not well known.
« Last Edit: September 09, 2020, 12:46:03 PM by Roger »
A bit of a vintage sewing machine nut! Singers: 500a, 401g, 48k Elnas: lotus SP & grasshopper, Bernina 530-2 F+R 504, Pfaff 30, Cresta T-132

Efemera

Re: Greist Buttonholer
« Reply #6 on: September 09, 2020, 12:54:13 PM »
 @badgermat i have one for sale if you’re interested.

badgermat

Re: Greist Buttonholer
« Reply #7 on: September 09, 2020, 13:09:55 PM »
Hi Bm,

Both types are good, but gauge ones usually look like this:
  [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]  
And have more variety in size and width but will only do straight buttonholes.
Please notice the 2 gauges on the upward side

While template ones look like this:
  [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]  
And will only produce the buttonhole for the template provided... but you can cheat a little by moving the template either forward or back in process. But I haven’t tried that myself.

They are both very tidy, in the template one please notice the templates upright in the box, the little screw and the feedplate cover, and manual.

Not all of this is necessary. The templates are very necessary, as is the device, but if you’re not picky most Sewing machines don’t need a feedplate cover as they can drop the dogs. Or the small screw to retain it. And you can probably find a digital copy of the manual... I may even have one. So there could be scope for an incomplete bargain... and sometimes there are some really good bargains to be found, because they are under appreciated, and not well known.

I guess the key question is: how can I achieve teardrop buttonholes?

My machine certainly allows dropping the feed-dogs (as it does square buttonholes). But I'm hoping for teardrop buttonholes.

Apologies if this seems like a dim question. It's probably just a matter of finding mutually understandable terminology.

bm

badgermat

Re: Greist Buttonholer
« Reply #8 on: September 09, 2020, 13:13:31 PM »
@badgermat i have one for sale if you’re interested.

Brilliant, yes I'm interested :)

PM sent.

bm

Roger

Re: Greist Buttonholer
« Reply #9 on: September 09, 2020, 13:20:31 PM »
The template ones do Keyhole which sound like possibly teardrop, straight with a pronounced circle at one end?

But you may want to look for one with a full set of templates so you have the most options on keyholes.
A bit of a vintage sewing machine nut! Singers: 500a, 401g, 48k Elnas: lotus SP & grasshopper, Bernina 530-2 F+R 504, Pfaff 30, Cresta T-132

Efemera

Re: Greist Buttonholer
« Reply #10 on: September 09, 2020, 13:25:31 PM »
Brilliant, yes I'm interested :)

PM sent.

bm
I’ll post a picture..

badgermat

Re: Greist Buttonholer
« Reply #11 on: September 09, 2020, 13:30:01 PM »
The template ones do Keyhole which sound like possibly teardrop, straight with a pronounced circle at one end?

But you may want to look for one with a full set of templates so you have the most options on keyholes.

Keyhole sounds exactly what I’m looking for - the same shape that I have on my suits.

Many thanks

Bm

Efemera

Re: Greist Buttonholer
« Reply #12 on: September 09, 2020, 13:39:15 PM »
The only thing missing is the screws to attach the feed dog cover to your machine base but ant attachment screw would work.

Kwaaked

Re: Greist Buttonholer
« Reply #13 on: September 09, 2020, 13:51:10 PM »
I have a manual if you need a scan of it. 

badgermat

Re: Greist Buttonholer
« Reply #14 on: September 10, 2020, 23:54:34 PM »
I have a manual if you need a scan of it.

That would be brilliant, thanks.

bm