The Sewing Place

Show and tell time - lets see some oldies!

Surest1tch

Re: Show and tell time - lets see some oldies!
« Reply #15 on: May 23, 2017, 12:23:13 PM »
I love those machines, when I've worked out how to upload pictures I'll show you mine.
I'm just curious about those vintage buttonhole attachments, are the machines they attach to swing needles or lockstitch please?  I've got an old industrial machine I claimed when I retired, I love that machine above all the others but it's a lockstitch, if those attachments are for a lockstitch that will be next on my list.

b15erk

Re: Show and tell time - lets see some oldies!
« Reply #16 on: May 23, 2017, 12:46:33 PM »
SS they do buttonholes for both.  I have one Template Buttonholer for my slant shank 611g, which I love, and two others, one in the green box and one in the red plastic box (can't remember the model numbers), these fit the low shank machines, but are manual, and don't need templates.

Helen Howes is the lady to speak to for all things vintage.  She's a lovely lady, and gets a lot of recommendations because she knows her stuff.  She has a website (just going to have a look) http://www.helenhowes-sewingmachines.co.uk/

These buttonholers are well worth the investment.

Jessie

Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

Manuela

Re: Show and tell time - lets see some oldies!
« Reply #17 on: May 23, 2017, 13:36:02 PM »
Here is an overview of Singer's buttonholers, they are not expensive and really make the nicest buttonholes one can imagine:

http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/more-on-singer-buttonholers.html

Here an overview of most of Singer's machines and their specifications (needles, shank type, etc), sorted by model number. I find that particularly valuable when deciding if a machine is for me (I usually go for low shank machines that take class 15 needles, as all my existing presser feet and attachments fit).

http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/model-list/

B15erk, thank you for the link to Helen Howes site, off to have a look.
ETA: Love the site as well as her blog.
« Last Edit: May 23, 2017, 14:18:29 PM by Manuela »

SingingSinger

Re: Show and tell time - lets see some oldies!
« Reply #18 on: May 23, 2017, 14:13:34 PM »
Here are my old ladies.

My 1951 Singer 201K, which was a gift from a friend :) And my 1964 Bernina 730 Record. 
Mostly a dressmaker with a few other crafts thrown in. Teetering on the Darkside. Owner of vintage machines Singer 201K and Elna Lotus SP (and a Brother Innovis 350SE and Pfaff Ambition 620)

Manuela

Re: Show and tell time - lets see some oldies!
« Reply #19 on: May 23, 2017, 14:21:20 PM »
Lovely machines  :loveit:

Sewsuzie

Re: Show and tell time - lets see some oldies!
« Reply #20 on: May 23, 2017, 18:38:50 PM »
Nice machines, SingingSinger. Envious of the Bernina 730. That's what my mum had and I learned to sew on, then used till I was 18. She bought a Pfaff 1222 after that, which I still have and used until very recently.
Sad day when she got rid of the Bernina :(.

Suzie  :vintage:
Never let your sewing machine know you're in a hurry

Sewsuzie

Re: Show and tell time - lets see some oldies!
« Reply #21 on: May 23, 2017, 19:33:35 PM »
These are my 221ks. The one at the back was my first baby machine and is 1955. It sews beautifully and has a lovely shine still and very little scratching. I think it had an easy life, unlike its friend at the front, which I bought because I liked the scroll design on the end plate, and it was very cheap. It's circa 1948, but needs a lot of tlc to bring it up to a useable condition.
DH rewired a modern foot control onto the newer one so I feel safer using it now, and it's easier. Didn't like the old button one, even though I'd taken out the capacitors, after it decided to "go it alone" one day.



Suzie  :vintage:
Never let your sewing machine know you're in a hurry

Tamnymore

Re: Show and tell time - lets see some oldies!
« Reply #22 on: May 23, 2017, 19:38:10 PM »
I'm drooling at the sight of these lovely machines. :P
'One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art.' Oscar Wilde

Surest1tch

Re: Show and tell time - lets see some oldies!
« Reply #23 on: May 23, 2017, 19:40:52 PM »
Thanks Jessie, I was going to ring Helen Howes when I saw the link but apparently the are closed Tuesdays & Wednesdays.  I'm going to try and remember to ring Thursday, hope they've got one to fit it, it's a Singer 660a, probably older than me but it's worth a try if they are that good.

Manuela

Re: Show and tell time - lets see some oldies!
« Reply #24 on: May 23, 2017, 22:14:47 PM »
Sewsuzie, I hear you on the button foot controller, I don't like it all. While I kept the original ones, I got electronic foot controls to use when I sew on the machines.

arrow

Re: Show and tell time - lets see some oldies!
« Reply #25 on: May 23, 2017, 22:34:29 PM »
The 1948 machine looks very nice Suzie, I hope it can be improved upon. I hope to find a 201K2 with a similar art nouveau (deco?) decor. I'm thinking I have to import one from the UK, though I know they were sold here too :- )

I bought an electronic pedal, but I went back to my button controller. Mine is fine, doesn't get hot, and I developed a feel for it. The speed control is good too, and I rather have the original when there wasn't a noticeable improvement. I think peldas are very individual, though they should be serviceable. Most of the YDK pedals on ebay.uk are actually the same carbon resistor type as the old bakelite pedals. Not all of the electronic ones are that good either for some reason, and these should in theory (!) be much better (from stop to full speed and little inbetween).

LeilaMay

Re: Show and tell time - lets see some oldies!
« Reply #26 on: May 24, 2017, 13:51:54 PM »
This is the oldest machine I've ever worked on. It was rescued from a barn, in it's very dilapidated treadle table, by a friend. She drove the whole contraption half way to my house to hand it over, bless her.
It's not easy to convert to hand use, being so early it has no bolt-on section, and I cannot treadle, so although it seems a shame to separate the table from the machine, she has gone to the owner of a local sewing shop for display.

I'll include the finished treadle table too, which I'm using now as a table for hand crank machines.

(more another day :) )

DalronAU

Re: Show and tell time - lets see some oldies!
« Reply #27 on: May 27, 2017, 22:26:30 PM »
My Bernina 831 which I found in an op shop.  Had the manual, feet etc for the grand price of $15.


Sewsuzie

Re: Show and tell time - lets see some oldies!
« Reply #28 on: May 27, 2017, 23:09:56 PM »
My Bernina 831 which I found in an op shop.  Had the manual, feet etc for the grand price of $15.

Looks a beauty, and doesn't appear to have had a hard life. Great find! Don't know what that equates to in British £s, but it sounds incredibly cheap!

Suzie  :vintage:
Never let your sewing machine know you're in a hurry

Marniesews

Re: Show and tell time - lets see some oldies!
« Reply #29 on: May 28, 2017, 00:19:16 AM »
I know I've already put a photo of my 201K on here (but not on this thread) so, as I think she's so lovely, I thought I'd risk bragging here too. She now has a full set of the standard feet in a crinkle tin and hopefully a buttonholer when we get back from holiday so the only thing left now is to find a suitable electric motor and pedal for her as my early attempts have proven that I don't have the one-handed sewing gene for anything more than simple stitching jobs. When I was repairing a handbag I resorted to getting my husband to turn the crank while I manipulated the business end.  :D

Seeing the 800 Berninas here too, would my old Bernina 1020 be a candidate as an oldie? I've also got a Necchi Lydia Mk2 that I badly need shaming into   trying out and cleaning up...
Hopefully back more regularly! Ballroom sewing may be permanently paused but bag making is the current focus.