Thursday, March 26, 2015

Traveling

Just to keep you in the loop I'm in Portland,  Oregon at a conference for librarians. Didn't guess I was a librarian? Well, I like to research and learn new things so that's one of the many reasons I've become so fascinated with these vintage sewing machines.  While here we took a trip to the Pittock mansion to see how one of their founding families lived. Wouldn't you know it there was a sewing room with a Singer on display:

Singer 27 or 28
I quickly looked up the number, one with no letter prefix so you know it is old, and I think it dated from 1874. The decals were pretty well silvered but for its age it was still beautiful. It wasn't really from the Pittock family but just representative yet I appreciate the effort.

We did look in a few thrift shops (it rained the first few days so indoor activities were in order) but only found what I already had. Fun to look!

Here's one last look at the Pittock mansion just so you can see the trees are in full bloom:
Pittock Mansion, Portland,  OR
Short post but don't think I'm not thinking about you while conferencing!

Monday, March 23, 2015

Weekend Warrior

This past weekend started out fun with a woman coming over to buy her first sewing machine. I'm not going to guess her age but she said she had teenage children but wanted to sew a few things she could sell. Because she was interested in a sewing machine that wasn't the best to look at and didn't want to spend too much, she came to try out the Signature I had in trade with Cheri:
Signature
It worked just fine and she didn't mind the nicks in the paint but it didn't come with a manual and that was a deal breaker. Could you find one online for $10? Probably, but I hadn't found one just yet. So she asked what else I had for sale and as I turned the corner heading to the basement I pointed out the nice Brother 2010 in a cabinet:
Brother 2010
This sewing machine came to me from an ad I posted for another vintage Brother, asking if I would be interested in theirs. It came with a small cabinet, all of the original accessories, and that prized manual. Without even sitting down to sew on it, she was sold due to the detailed manual. I gave a brief overview and ran it so she could hear how it sounded, but she was sure this was the one.

The next morning I made a house call to Ellen's to clean up a treadle that is going to Haiti. The treadle mechanism was jammed but with a tap from a hammer (last resort) it popped free. I worked on the head while Ellen washed windows and promised to clean up the base another day. A small SUV was in the driveway getting packed for shipping to Haiti but this treadle wasn't going to go on this trip. As it turned out, I had to take the head home with me because I couldn't get it to stitch. After much tinkering I discovered I had put the bobbin race in wrong. This is a great sewing machine and I've heard White Rotary are one of the best treadlers, but you have to keep in mind it runs backwards to the Singers: instead of turning the hand wheel toward you in a counter-clockwise motion, the hand wheel turns away from you in a clock-wise motion. Sounds simple enough but it can keep the machine from sewing stitches if this is forgotten.

Classic White Rotary head
I came home to work on sewing up more of the men's shirts as aprons when I started to feel a cold coming on but dreading I had the same virus my husband has. That has laid me low but I'm off to the doctor today to hopefully get antibiotics before this turns in pneumonia like his. And to complicate matters even further, our kitchen sink has backed up. Plumbers are on their way but I'm thinking "What else could happen?" but we will try not to go there!

UPDATE: Before I could even get this posted I have been to the doctor and now on antibiotics and other things to easy my respiratory distress and the plumber cleared the clog. It does have a silver lining: the plumber was very interested in the vintage sewing machines and took great delight in the bentwood cases since he's a woodworker, too. You just never know, huh?

Friday, March 20, 2015

How Many?

Zigzag or straight is the question today. It seems all of the classic sewing machines that we love to own are only straight stitch. I'm thinking of the Singer Featherweight, 201, 301, 15's and their many clones, 66's with the drop-in bobbin are all straight stitch only. That's great if you are quilting and even garment construction primarily uses straight stitch. This covered most of the sewers needs for many decades after the sewing machine was mass produced. Wanted a buttonhole or fancier stitches? There are attachments to add to your sewing machine that can perform these tasks. Perfect.

But when we introduce knits into our wardrobe, we need stitches that have some "give" or ease to the line of stitches so they don't break as the knits move. This is acquired in two ways: a small zigzag stitch or a backwards and forwards stitch that is a classic stretch stitch. Either one of those actions require a whole new way of thinking about how straight stitch sewing machines work. As knit fabrics became more popular, so did sewing machines that could make those stretch stitches, even ones that could create a bound edge or cut and bind in one motion as with a serger. But let's back up; who needs a zigzag movement when sewing if you are not sewing knits? Seam finishing can be easily done with a zigzag stitch, it also enables you to make buttonholes, and other specialty techniques. When recommending a sewing machine to a beginner, I would love to start them on a Singer 99 but straight stitch only is going to hinder them from growing in their skills. What? You might think it's a whole other world just to learn to use all of the specialty feet, and that is true, but the ability to use zigzag in addition to those specialty feet is a big leap in skills.

Which sewing machines introduce zigzag but nothing else? Not as many as you would think. Singer introduced their Fashion Mate series so their 237 is a simple machine with straight, zigzag, needle position adjustment, and reverse for back-tacking (securing the stitches):
Singer 237



Singer 252
Unless a person new to sewing requests something special, I always suggest a sewing machine with basic zigzag included but not much else. Decorative stitches are fun to use but have limited use when you are just learning. A sewing machine loaded with those stitches can be overwhelming to a beginner and there are some comments about feeling guilty when only a few of the stitches are used. Why have all of the variety if you aren't going to use them? Sewing is all about skill and that just takes time and practice. Just like with sports, you only get better with practice. Quality equipment is great but it doesn't really make you perform much better. A good seamstress can even work around marginal equipment because it's their skill they have honed over the years. Good equipment makes the job easier and probably less frustrating, but it's usually about the skill level.

The message here is to keep practicing, be prepared to start over and have some failures along the way. You will get better with practice and a few well placed lessons; there is no magic and few who are "naturals" just like in sports. Each one is a different spot along the road: enjoy the journey!

The title of this post asks a question. How many refers to the number of posts I have made for this blog and my adventure in buying, refurbishing, and selling vintage sewing machines. The answer is 150 (this post is #150) so my response is WOW, how could I have found that much to write about? It's all for the love of these beauties (and the encouragement of my mom) that I continue to write. Thanks for being a reader of Sewing Machine Mavin!

Sunday, March 15, 2015

Ebay Elna 5000

I can be a sucker for a good brand so that is why I bought an Elna 5000 without its foot control. I've had great success with Elna's and think they are one of the fine vintage brands although they are not one of my favorites for personal use. I have a friend who absolutely loves her Elna 7000 and we have had several discussions about when and why you should take it to a technician. Because she has really bonded with this sewing machine she would pay a repair cost of almost a new one because it's that great to her. So when an Elna 5000 came up on my local Craigslist I jumped on it. It was missing a foot control, a very pricey item, but I knew I could borrow one from my friend to see if it was going to work. Imagine my surprise when it was Joyce who called to arrange the pick up of the Elna 5000. I  sold her a nice Singer 401A and now she has launched her own vintage sewing machine repair adventure. It was nice to catch up with her when I picked up the Elna; she was selling it for a friend of a friend so no guarantees but I was willing to take the chance.

Elna 5000 just arrived
With the borrowed foot control I put Elna 5000 through her paces: straight stitch in various lengths, zigzag in various lengths and widths, decorative and stretch stitches with their preset settings. It did okay but knew the stitch quality would take some fine tuning but it could stitch forward and backwards. One of the failures on this series of Elna's (5000-9000) is a step motor that is used to drive the feed dogs. When this goes it no longer can move the fabric as it should and this particular motor is no longer made. But the one in my hands didn't have this trouble so now I'm please with my take-a-chance purchase. Onto a new foot control.

Why are foot controls so pricey on some sewing machines? The one I need is over $120 so I try to find another way around this. Enter Ebay from the side stage, waiting for me to remember prior successful purchases. No great prices on the foot control but I do see another Elna 5000 for auction with a foot control that works. It's being sold for parts but it has the part I need plus some extras mine doesn't have. This time I'm patient and smart, or at least I've learned how to bid much better, and I get the sewing machine for a fair price, at least it's less than a new foot control. It comes in only four days and there is no damage! There are so many horror stories about machines bouncing around in boxes that I feel I have to hold my breath when I ask to have something shipped but this was a very positive experience.
Elna 5000 parts machine

Dinner was in the oven so I had time to play and I find out this machine works just fine. Why was it sold for parts? The seller didn't have to guarantee anything since it wasn't necessarily working...but it was. Foot control was great (I could return my friend's), the bobbin cover plate was switched (mine was missing the center plastic window), and there was a wonderful tray full of parts that slid under the free arm that would hold extra feet, bobbins, tools, etc.
Elna 5000 accessory tray fits under the free arm
New bobbins came in the mail, too, so I was all ready to go except for the bobbin winder. Mine had half of the plastic on the spindle cracked off and this was not going to be an easy fix. I opened up the parts machine but the bobbin winding assembly that can be removed would entail I pull apart my good machine to install it and I really don't want to open it up for fear I could accidentally damage the electronics. My husband did take a look at it again and thought the plastic part was being held with a small pin so maybe we could get the pin out of both and switch? I hope so. We purchase a two punches and he goes to work:
Pin removal on the bobbin winder
Success! The pin came out on both machines and we could put the good one on the first machine. Even though the parts machine isn't going to sew on its own again, I can still sell the power cord, electronic board, and the step motor, all in fine working condition. I work again on the stitches and this time they come out better, using the fine tuning button on the bottom of the selection panel:
Command central on Elna 5000

Nice work, huh?
There is an extension table that fits around the free arm for a nice work surface, a vinyl cover for storage, and a reproduced manual that is not bad for an Elna. I think she's ready to go! This is one good sewing machine and I think there will be someone out there who is missing their beloved Elna and will want another one. This one. There was an element of chance in this whole adventure but it turned out well this time. So what about those three Kenmores that won't backstitch? I'm afraid that's another post that doesn't have such a happy ending but I'm smiling today with my Elna 5000.

Saturday, March 14, 2015

Rock Star Kenmores

There are rock stars even in the sewing machine world: Singer 201 and 221, Bernina Record (pick your number), Elna Grasshopper, Viking 6000's, and Kenmore 1914. I want to sew on a Kenmore 1914 just to see what all the hype is about. In my pursuit of such a sewing machine I came close last week via Ebay auction but didn't have a reliable internet connection and lost that final bid. Just when I feel downtrodden (yea, a little dramatic here) another machine pops up that I think is just as good.

On Saturday I found a Kenmore nearby that was way cheap, in a cabinet, with accessories. It looks like one of their top-of-the-line models so I quickly get over there only to find they cannot find the power cord and foot control. Some of the accessories are there but no pattern cams either. I check the model number and it's a 158-17032 and looks like my 158-1802 that I've recently been sewing on and have come to appreciate (when it's folded down into the cabinet with two sewing machines on top it's harder to appreciate it on a regular basis). I take it anyway and they promise to keep looking because they had it when they went to list it so it can't be too far gone. When I get it home and check with Sears Parts Online I find out it takes the same electronic cord set at the 1802 so I can at least try it out.
Kenmore 158-17032
But the sellers were right: it doesn't run right. The clutch is disengaged so it's always in bobbin winding mode and I can't figure out how to engage it. With the hand wheel off and a penlight probing into its innards, I'm mystified. Then I check the Kenmore Yahoo group postings and note there is a bobbin winding button that can cause problems.
Button for the bobbin winder on right
 Sure does but I can't figure out how to get it to work again. I next day I get out the hair blower and get everything all warmed up so I get more movement in general (who doesn't like to get all warmed up?) and voila, the button pushes and the lever engages: we have movement!
Green arrow points to clutch engagement lever

We have more than movement when this sewing machine takes off and stitches like nobody's business. Kenmore's are not known for being speedy and this one isn't either but it performs remarkable well with no adjustments, just a cleaning and oiling. She is perfect. Except... no foot control.Yet isn't she a beauty? How does this Kenmore compare to the 1802 and 1914? The Kenmore Yahoo group has a spreadsheet with member contributed information on all of the models we own. This is quite valuable since, in a chart format, I can see features of all and compare apples to apples, so to speak. Here are the differences as reported by owners:

External cams only on 1802 in contrast to internal and external cams on the other models.

That's it? According to the self reported spreadsheet. I think there is a margin of error there because new models are introduced with additional features. All have buttonhole attachments, external C-cams, and a monogrammer attachment.
Top open with cam inserted for decorative stitches
 Maybe I don't have to wait for the 1914 to come into my hands because I already have an excellent top-of-the-line Kenmore with my own 1802.

I can't wait for the 17032 to have it's own electronic foot control and think I'm not going to get one from the sellers but it's not an expensive purchase, only $20 on Ebay and I should just break down and buy one. But not yet. Hope springs eternal, doesn't it?

UPDATE:
Before I even get to post this I get an email from the sellers with an apology for not finding the foot control. Here's the deal they propose: refund of half of what I paid in lieu of the missing foot control OR they will take the machine back and refund the whole price paid. What? I sleep on this and in the morning I write back: no return, no refund, it's a great sewing machine at almost any price and their honesty should be commended. I've already ordered the foot control and found I have a complete set of attachments sans the templates for the monogrammer. Isn't this just the best ending for an item that is lost yet it has restored my faith in my fellow man to take responsibility, even with a stranger. May the Lord love you a bit extra today, Ryan.

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Menswear in the Kitchen

I'm back talking about aprons again. Maybe it's like shoes: you can never have too many pairs, one for each outfit, season, etc. I keep finding cute ideas for making aprons and the latest is using men's shirts. There are all kinds of ways you can do this but I like the idea of making a memory. If you have a grandpa, dad, husband, or boyfriend that you would like to either honor or remember, you can take one of their button down shirts and refashion it into a half-apron, the kind that is like a skirt. It's an easy sewing project and could even be free if you are using something right out of their closet. Here are the steps:

1. Start with a shirt, preferably size large on up (but there is a way around that, too), and measure from the bottom of the pocket to the hem.Tthat will be the length of the apron. Too short? You could add on a piece at the top of the apron. Too narrow? You could add on from the back.
Men's shirt: unsuspecting its new life

2. Cut the sides straight up from the hem to the underarms. If you are using a plaid or stripe, this is easy; if not, use a yardstick to draw a straight line. Lay a yardstick from left to right side about 1/2 inch under the bottom of the pocket and draw a straight line. Cut across. This is the base of the apron.
Measure, mark and cut
Hem sides with a small narrow hem; you can press the cut edge first to make it easier to sew.
Top shows side pinned for hem, underneath shows hemmed side

3. Cut around the pocket, leaving about 1/2 inch all around.
Pocket from shirt with half inch for turning under

Press cut edge to the back. Place it on the apron front, matching stripes or plaids if possible. Flip pocket up so that the top edge is exactly where you want it aligned and sew across.
Pocket top edge sewn in place (where's the green pocket?)

 Flip it back into place and pin around edge being careful to turn all raw edges under. Sew closely to the edge, backstitching at the top corners.
Pocket sewn onto shirt/apron skirt
4. Remove collar carefully using a seam ripper or small scissors. This will be the waistband. Lay it carefully up to the apron base, centering collar with the button band down the front. Pin a few pleats on both sides.

Pleats pinned and collar/waistband ready
Insert the apron into the bottom band of the collar and adjust pleats to make it fit, side hem to side hem from the collar button to the buttonhole. Baste first if possible. Sew across with all layers: front and back of collar band with apron layer sandwiched in-between.
Pinned and ready to sew

5. Cut ties from the back or sleeves, about 28 inches long and 3.5 inches wide. This might take some piecing, especially if you used a short sleeved shirt.


Sleeve cut open with ties cut from longest length. Top 2 are for the ties.
 Put wrong sides together and pin, sewing length with one short end left open. Reverse these 2 tubes so finished sides are out: press.

Top tie is sewn, bottom tie is sewn and turned right side out

Sew open edge at the collar edge, tucking raw edge in and sewing a sort of square to keep raw edge hidden.
Tie sewn down with raw edge inside of stitches

6. Press and you are done!
Ready to tie on and get cookin'

So what happened to the other shirt parts? I made this same apron in reverse:
Look familiar?
There's even enough from the backs and the other sleeves to make two more aprons. It would be a neat idea to combine dad/grandpa's shirt with mom/grandma's dress to make aprons to commemorate your parents or grandparents. I've got a project going for a bride where I've asked for dad and fiances shirts to make an apron for a shower present. You can get creative and add rick rack, ribbon flowers, buttons, or whatever suits your style. So which sewing machine did I use to make these aprons? I'll let you guess!


Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Long Distance

You never know when someone will contact you to buy, sell, or give away a sewing machine. An Elna  SU68 is the focus of our attention today, a very nice model that was still made in Switzerland back in the late 60's and early 70's. I had one I sold over a year ago and was not looking for another one until a woman got in touch with me via Craigslist and asked if I buy sewing machines. I'm thinking "Yes, but people usually don't get in touch with me quite like this?' yet she had an Elna. My ears perked up at the mention of this maker of fine sewing machines so we wrote back and forth until she finally brought it to me later that same day. So here was this fine model:
Elna SU68
Why would she ever want to get rid of this sewing machine? It still worked quite well and only had some surface dirt from being stored in the basement. As it turned out, she and her mother bought twin sewing machines and took classes together but now she was ready to move on. Move on? To what? I hate to tell you, my vintage sewing machine fans, but she had a friend who worked in a chain fabric store and got her a deal on a new Singer sewing machine. NO! No! no. New Singers are not very good sewing machines and I knew she was going to regret this so I suggested that maybe she was going in the wrong direction? But, no, she wanted to sell this old one because she liked her new Singer. I tried, honestly, I tried to convince her she had a better sewing machine with the older Elna than almost anything new. Yet we closed the deal and as she walked to the door she asked if I could look at her new machine "when something happens." I had to tell her that I wouldn't have the know-how for a newer sewing machine repair and that most repairs are quite costly and not worth the cost of the sewing machine. This did cause her to pause a moment but not change her mind. I was sad for her but delighted with this new acquisition! She was perfect, sewed wonderfully, only needed some minor cleaning. As I used her to make up some men's-shirt aprons I noticed the foot control was difficult to use. I consulted the Elna Herloom Yahoo group postings and found out the connection into the sewing machine need to be cleaned, an easy fix, and she was off and running.

I was enjoying her company when Mary Sue got in touch with me via this blog and asked if I had an Elna for sale and explained her saga of an Elna Jubilee that had a kaput motor and was looking for another one. Well, I did have an Elna but where was Mary Sue located? St. Louis? We both got a chuckle out of that one because I won't ship but I suggested maybe she would come up to the Twin Cities for a visit. Wouldn't you know it? A month later and many emails in between, Mary Sue and her husband come up to the cities to move their son from Madison to St. Paul. Not only interested in the Elna SU68, she is looking for a beginners sewing machine for a friend who might be interested in a new hobby. The only time we could meet was early Saturday morning and we were all on time with a selection of three sewing machines set up on the dining room table. Mary Sue tested the Elna that started all of this and it met with her satisfaction. It was different because her Elna Jubilee has all of its stitches on an internal camstack but the SU68 had a smaller selection on a camstack but was capable of additional designs with individual cams, something new for Mary Sue.

Then she tried an Elna 1500 for her friend but we both agreed the tension and threading was just a bit fussy so maybe sewing machine number three at the table would be good. It was a Kenmore with a nice variety of stitches that turn out quite well but it didn't have the feel of the Elna. It was a difficult decision but I had to agree the Kenmore was probably easier to use. And my readers know now much I continue to love vintage Kenmore sewing machines.
Kenmore 22 Stitch
New friends were made and Mary Sue promises to return in a couple of months with boxes of Sew News magazines for me. I haven't read Sew News before but I'm pretty much into educating myself and look forward to years and years of this magazine. Maybe there is someone else who is reading this blog and thinks "I'll never be in the Twin Cities" but life has a way of bringing many of us together in ways we never suspected. Right, Mary Sue?

Friday, March 6, 2015

What Is It Worth?

Just as "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" value and worth is in the eye of the seeker. As a sewing machine owner, you might think Great Aunt Minnie's treadle sewing machine is invaluable because you remember learning to sew right on that very sewing machine. Then it's probably not for sale but in very good condition. If that very treasure has peeling veneer, rings on the top from paint cans, and the irons are rusted up, I don't think that's much of a treasure because it's been stored in a garage and used as a work surface. Please don't ask $250 for this treasure because you have not treasured it, according to its present state of disrepair.

I have some very nice sewing machines in good condition and some in no-so-good cosmetic shape but they run all the same. Here's a photo of my Singer 201, a great machine but mine is not pristine:

Karen's Singer 201
The bed has somewhat of a crackled finish and she doesn't get real shiny anymore but, boy, can she sew! I had someone over to take a look at a few of the heavier duty sewing machines and even though it ran like a dream, it's condition made it look like it was worth less. Not worthless but not worth as much. Not so because to me it's valuable to have at least one Singer 201 in my collection.

Then there are sewing machines that are almost beat up but let's think of them as well-used. One is my own Brother Select-O-Matic:

Brother Select-O-Matic: full of nicks!

Then there is the newest member to my household, a White that is so full of chips and came so dirty that it was considered scrap. But a friend of mine picked it out of the trash, tested it to make sure the motor ran, and turned it over to me. It's a great sewing machine! The stitches are wonderful and it really runs well but looks like it has acne:
White Dressmaster 346R
A machine that came as part of a trade, this Montgomery Wards gem also has a nice stitch plus a variety of decorative stitches. It's so heavy that it needed a table/cabinet so now it might be protected a bit better but it's not a candidate for repainting. It will make a nice beginner's sewing machine but in a table is not where most beginners want to start.
MW Signature: Check out the hand wheel

Of course, there is a whole line-up of sewing machines that are in poor cosmetic shape but run like nobody's business but let's get back to the question. What is it worth? Even a great running car decreases in value when it needs a paint job so these great running sewing machines decrease in value when they need a paint job, too. But wouldn't you rather have a great running car or sewing machine with a few dings and scrapes than one that looks great but is finicky in use or breaks down frequently? Great Aunt Minnie's sewing machine has value but only to you when it is in poor cosmetic shape. Don't expect anyone else to see it's worth through your eyes and please don't price it at $250 because it will stay at your house, where it belongs.


Monday, March 2, 2015

Aquarium Treadling

In my collection of vintage sewing machines, I "only" have two the run on people power, know as a treadle.There's my Singer 66 Red Eye in a traditional four drawer cabinet and my Minnesota S in a parlor cabinet:

Minnesota S

Lowered down into the compact parlor cabinet

This is a nice treadle, a smaller cabinet and it feels somewhat easier to treadle but it's always such a pain to put a new leather belt on let alone having to adjust it. Then I heard about using a belt that is made out of rubber tubing and how easy it was to hook up and make adjustments. Sounded great so I ordered one but it got backordered and then just cancelled. I was disappointed yet my current belts were working on both treadles. Then the Minnesota's belt broke, the metal staple putting right out and ripping the end off. I would have to make new holes and struggle and...I was just not up to it. The poor Minnesota S sat idle.

Note belt: brown leather before it broke
Reading the posts on Yahoo groups I found out the others used tubing from medical supply so I asked my husband about it since he was a respiratory therapist. Sure enough, that would work fine he said but where would I get it and what would it cost? It went to the back burner until I had a moment of inspiration: fish tank pump tubing! It's readily available, cheap, and worth a try. On my last trip to Walmart I bought the smaller package of tubing, about 12 feet, for less than $2. At home it seemed to be the right diameter so I went ahead and measured, cut, and stitched the ends together. Actually, I stitched two ends together for practice to see if it would hold, type of needle and thread, etc. and then, when it worked, I tried it on the real thing. Easy, quiet, and perfect:



The noise is coming from the vibrating shuttle, always a bit noisy, but the belt is smooth and silent. It's even easier to fold down because it is so pliable. This seems to be a marriage of old and new that I find perfect!

Sunday, March 1, 2015

Antique Serging

Back in January when I had a whirlwind Saturday, I wrote about a Singer 75-1 that I brought home. I did manage to get it cleaned up but not stitching. I needed somewhere to put the thread, some kind of thread holder like modern sergers use. Thankfully, I found one for only $5 and it arrived yesterday so I had to try it out. The pegs for the spools were pretty big so I needed to switch to cones of thread. This also meant I had to rethread and six weeks was too long to remember. I found a manual online but there is no diagram, only a written explanation for threading and that's a challenge to translate from over 100 years ago. That's right, she is dated back to 1904.

Front opened
With a little perseverance I got it to form stitches on the finger so I ran downstairs to find some fabric to sew on. This is not a machine that will cut and overlock at the same time so the finished edge needs to be up against a guide that is screwed in place. When I put the fabric in place and turned the wheel towards me, as any Singer home sewing machine would do, the fabric moved towards me instead of away from me under the presser foot: I had been turning the wheel the wrong way! It's a marvel that it would stitch at all! Now moving the wheel clockwise the fabric feed through and made an overlock stitch. One of the threads wasn't engaged but who cares? It stitched fine with two threads!

Singer 75-1
After looking at the stitch sample the next day I could see it wasn't even so adjusting the top tension corrected the unevenness. It was meant to be in a treadle but it is so small I can't imagine one with an opening that size. I hope I can find some type of handle to insert into the small handwheel. There is a hole in the wheel so I think there's an off-chance I can come up with something.
Handwheel


I'm just so excited to have found this tiny gem that only does one thing but since 1904 it still does it so well.
Back of Singer 75