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« 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...