The Sewing Place

What is the stitching like from a 500a...

Roger

What is the stitching like from a 500a...
« on: January 20, 2018, 08:35:17 AM »
A bit like this:

Straight stitch across the top and a ribbon pattern cam around the middle.
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

Madame Cholet

Re: What is the stitching like from a 500a...
« Reply #1 on: January 20, 2018, 10:33:45 AM »
Thank you for posting that pic Roger, as I drool over photos of stitch patterns... please feel free to post some more!
 :)
(edited as I inserted wrong emoticon !!  0_0)
« Last Edit: January 20, 2018, 10:57:50 AM by Madame Cholet »

Roger

Re: What is the stitching like from a 500a...
« Reply #2 on: January 20, 2018, 14:03:01 PM »
I really ought to do a sampler... but the 500 has so many stitches between the built in ones and the cams...

Glad these ones are drool worthy! :D
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

Madame Cholet

Re: What is the stitching like from a 500a...
« Reply #3 on: January 20, 2018, 16:11:29 PM »
Oh yes, you really ought to do a sampler!  :ninja:

arrow

Re: What is the stitching like from a 500a...
« Reply #4 on: January 20, 2018, 20:26:25 PM »
It looks all fine. I don't have a 500 to compare with, but my 201, 99 and Bernina 730 have the most even neat stitching of of the vintage machines I have used. I assume his has mostly to do with machtching correct needle and thread for the fabric, regular the adjustments, (things like that). Getting a perfect even stitch can some times be a bit of a trial and error thing, I once went from a rather fancy machine to a 99, and it did the job with ease (same needle and thread). Some models are just easy to sort out. For the zigzaggers, a neat zigzag or satin stitch is a good test to compare with.

It's not always easy to know why it doesn't turn out to give a so called perfect stitch, but I guess most models should be up to it. A 99 is the most basic machine, even though the bobbin case and oscillating hook was top of the line at one point, a 500 should be a step further. The bobbin is placed in front of the needle and feed dogs, not to the side of it?

I'm just thinking out loud really, I'm sitting here testing my buttonholer and wishing I had a large spool of blue Gütermann thread.
« Last Edit: January 20, 2018, 22:18:57 PM by arrow »

daisy

Re: What is the stitching like from a 500a...
« Reply #5 on: January 20, 2018, 21:57:48 PM »
Oh yes, I'd like to see the other stitches that the 500a can do.
I love pretty decorative stitches though I never actually use any of them beyond testing them on scraps of fabric and oohing and aahing over them  :S

Roger

Re: What is the stitching like from a 500a...
« Reply #6 on: February 02, 2018, 21:52:43 PM »
I started doing the sampler... I underestimated the number of stitch variations...

See pic:
Gold knob - does A-J (10 options)
Brown knob (under gold knob) does k- R (8 options)

Any of the GK options can be combined with BK options however a lot of these look somewhat similar until you tweak the needle position/stitch width (1-5 analogue- it’ll take a middling position ie 2.3) and combined with stitch number 5- 30 per inch (analogue again)

I understand why Singer only provided the minimal advice in the lid.

That is without the cam variations and the variations you can make on each cam stitch...

I feel inadequate in the face of a sampler.  :S
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

Roger

Re: What is the stitching like from a 500a...
« Reply #7 on: February 02, 2018, 22:28:14 PM »
And here is a sampler...

Very very partial.

the 2 letters are the knob letters the single number is the needle position and the number p” is stitches per inch.

So GR3 20p” is Gold knob - G Brown Knob -R needle position 3 and 20 Stitches per inch.
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

arrow

Re: What is the stitching like from a 500a...
« Reply #8 on: February 02, 2018, 23:22:56 PM »
Neat stitching, and multicolored variegated thread! I have had single color variegated that's as fancy as I have gone in that direction so far.

I have seen some samplers of the combo stitches, they look like a mess to me? A bit like when I have forgotten to put my Elna in Automatic position for the double cams, not exactly how they are suppose to turn out. Do they all have a useful purpose?

Either way, I like the stitch patterns on the 500, lots of them and it's only some of the combinations that turnes out a bit odd. My Bernina 730 is probably my neatest zigzagger, I think it has 20 built in cams,  a lot of them utilitarian.
« Last Edit: February 03, 2018, 22:59:13 PM by arrow »

Roger

Re: What is the stitching like from a 500a...
« Reply #9 on: February 03, 2018, 22:53:33 PM »
Thanks Arrow, I’m glad you think the stitching is pretty neat. There’s a fair few patterns that do look like a mess, or that I couldn’t think of a use for, but I do like the more embroidery style stitching, I’m looking forward to using them more. :)
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