Three Little Kennies in a Row

Occasionally I get asked by friends, church members, co-workers, neighbors, and family if I could "take a look" at their sewing machine to see "what's wrong with it." This can be a bit of fun

1. to see what they have been sewing with
2. usually to find out it's nothing major
3. to hand it back running again, to their amazement

Today was just such an experience. A co-worker brought her mom's sewing machine but apologized because she had dropped it. Was it too broken? I had noticed a crack on the left side but the handwheel turned fine and everything was moving so I told her not to worry, it just seemed a bit stiff. Her mom reported it had tension problems (don't they all at one time or another?) so I went back to my office and looked at it again. I noticed it had one of those front storage compartments like the 3/4 sized Kenmore 158-1030,1040,1050 machines but this one wasn't that size and just looked different. I looked at the model number twice before I realized I had a Kenmore 158-1060, the last 3/4 sewing machine in that line:

Kenmore 158-1060

I had never seen one before and it's not quite full-sized but not as small as the others in this line. By now I was all excited and practically ran back to her office to tell her what a rare sewing machine she had. I tried to check ebay sold listings as well as current but there were none to be found:everyone is hanging onto them!

She goes home with me as a proud rider in the passengers seat (yes, I cast loving glances her way, thinking about the fun I would have getting her up to speed) but when I show her off to hubby he says "oh oh, you have a problem here." He was right, the crack was on the metal, reaching the plastic and was not going to respond to glue and clamps. When it was closed, the take-up lever rubbed against it, not at all acceptable for sewing.

She got the royal treatment, a real spa time, cleaning out stray threads, oiling all those dry parts, and a bit of grease on the 2 gears I could reach. She responded nicely and was all limbered up when I started stitching. Ouch! The bobbin tension was way off so I got that adjusted and away she went. All stitches were performing nicely but I had to leave that side compartment door open. The light was shining in my eyes but it worked fine, no catching on the broken section. So she's heading back home tomorrow for another consultation. I don't feel comfortable mending that kind of break so they will probably have to decide what to do. Before I packed her away I had to have a bit of fun with a photo shoot of the three Kennies:

Kenmore 158-1030, 1050, 1060

Take a bow, girls

 You can easily see how they changed colors and with plastic on the 1060 front face plate. They all have plastic storage compartments but metal bodies. Sturdy little ladies, huh? Below is a birds-eye view to show the stitch patterns but it's difficult to see they are increasingly more complex.

Top: 1060, Center 1050, bottom: 1030

It was a fun evening but just a bit sad that 1060 has an irreparable injury but the 1030 had a broken piece for nearly 10 years until I got a donor machine for the part. Maybe 1060 will find one some day, too, or will have a story to tell about her great injury. If only they could talk...

Needle Bars That Serve No Drinks

Necchi 575 FA (Free Arm)

On the same day I picked up the Singer Genie, I went far out of town for this Necchi  575FA, knowing it was not an Italian made model but I didn't have one of these and was curious. As with so many I rescue, it had been out in a barn and was dirty, dirty, dirty but cleaning her up was going to be fun. It wasn't too bad inside so I had hopes for a well run sewing machine. It has a nifty "sleeve" or table top that slides on and the lever that locks it in place plus a small storage compartment in the back:

Storage compartment at back slides out

As I tested out the stitching I noticed it was skipping stitches when I would try the widest width. I changed the needle but no difference. I did not want to re-time the machine, either. Timing deals with the precise moment the needle enters the bobbin casing:

Note needle tip as it enters

It needs to enter the small hook so that the hook can grasp the thread shown below as the hook travels to the bottom:

Hook with thread (bobbin removed)

That didn't seem to be the problem, though so I went online and tried to find possible solutions. Could it be the needle is too high or low? I tested it out by lowering the needle in the tiny slot where it's held by a screw and it worked! All the stitches came out great but now I needed a permanent fix, not just to instruct the next owner to set the needle a smidge lower. Lowering the needle bar shouldn't be too hard but this sewing machine had so much packed into the left side I wasn't sure how to proceed. I found the needle bar and screw that holds it in place so I lowered the needle until the screw was in a spot I could slip a screwdriver in to release:

Right above the red arrow is the screw.

It worked! I got the needle bar lowered, tightened back up, and tested the stitch selection out:

This Necchi might not be made it Italy but it is still a good one, easy to use with a variety of features to make it appealing. It even has a handle for portability so the desk it came in might not be hanging around too long. In the end this Neechi had a needle bar adjustment and doesn't even have a hangover. Sweet.

These Feet Were Made For Walkin'

Not exactly the Nancy Sinatra song "There Boots Were Made for Walkin'" but this post is about walking feet and walking feet sewing machines, the Pfaff 1222 with IDT specifically. IDT = Independent Dual Transport is the Pfaff way of saying "built-in walking foot system" instead of an attachment you put on the back in place of your regular foot. Here's what a regular walking foot looks like and then one on a Viking 1100:

Generic Walking Foot

Viking Walking Foot

The idea behind a walking foot is to keep fabric layers from slipping away from each other as you sew. In normal sewing, the feed dogs (those grippy things that stick up out of the needle plate) move the fabric along on the bottom while the presser foot keeps things steady on top. You might have noticed when you get to the end of some seams they no longer match up but the top is now  longer than the bottom, having slipped forward as you were sewing. What happened? The top layer did not move at the same pace as the bottom and this especially happens on multiple layers such as in quilting. Here's an example from a toaster cover I've been experimenting with:

Front: no walking foot on left

Back: no walking foot on left

On the front it's not as obvious but the top slipped down so now the top and bottom layers (with Insulbrite in the center) do not match up causing more trimming and waste. On the back side it's quite obvious that without a walking foot it did not feed right. The walking foot has the same kind of gippy surface you have on the feed dogs so now you have feed dogs on the bottom of your fabric layers and on the top for even feeding. Pretty ingenious!

So what's on the right of these examples? They were sewn with a Pfaff 1222 with the IDT functioning as it should, feeding the fabric evenly on top and bottom:

Pfaff 1222 with IDT

Why not just get a walking foot for the sewing machine you love best? That is a good plan but I found the machines didn't like the added-on walking foot, having tried it on a half dozen sewing machines. The Viking model did work well but it was quite a bit of a strain on the machine and I got the feeling if I used this as often as I needed to for my craft show side of the business it would cause a breakdown of the Viking 1100. The Pfaff is intended for use of a walking foot and handles this one perfectly. You can disengage the IDT with a release lever but I only did that once and said "Why not use it all the time?" and went back to using it for all sewing on this model. It should work well when matching plaids, to keep them matched as intended with careful pinning.

Here's what the sample toaster cover looked like in the end:

Waverly fabric with a food theme

Side front of toaster cover

Not bad as a prototype but will have to see if I can speed up the process and make them able to fit a variety of toasters. Do I go to the store and try mine on various models? Send it home with co-workers for test-toasting? We shall see but I'm making them all with the Pfaff and the "Independent Dual Transport" system engaged!

Those 3/4 Sized Machines

What is it about pint-sized things that we think are so cute? Is it just size? Is it a bit of the toy-kid-fun factor? I have several 3/4 sized sewing machines and I love then all. For starters, there is the classic  Featherweight:

Singer 221 Featherweight with Sewing Kits

So much has been already said about this little wonder that is aluminum so is very lightweight at 16 pounds and comes with a compact black carrying case. Thousands of these sewing machines were made so they are not scarce but demand is high (and so are the prices!).

A Singer 99 is another classic 3/4 sized sewing machine and my favorite of this type: drop in bobbin, straight stitch only, belt driven. I have several Singer 66's which are the full sized model with one as a treadle and another with a hand crank. The smaller sized 99's fit nicely with the bentwood cases to make them portable but they are not light: 31 pounds in the bentwood case. Here are two of my stars:

Singer 99 Hand Crank

Singer 99 with bentwood case behind

Another one that deserves the cute award is the Singer 185, this one in green:

Singer 185J in cabinet

It is also not very light and works best in a cabinet due to it's weight and inherent vibration. Not to be outdone, Kenmore wanted a piece of the action so in the 1970's they produced a whole line of 3/4 sized sewing machines with the model numbers 1030, 1040, 1050, with 1060 becoming a full sized model. I have a 1030 on permanent loan from a friend (thanks, Fran) and a 1050:

Fran's Kenmore 1030

Kenmore 1050 with case behind

 

As each model number progresses, more stitches were added so the 1030 has basic straight stitch, zig zag, blind hemmer, and 4-step buttonhole and the 1050 has all of the previous stitches with a rick rack stitch, and several stitches for stretch fabrics. They come with the clam-shell carrying case that has a rose embossed design and, oh, it's really is a lighter model at only 21 pounds.

Now we go back to Singer who made a very groovy Genie 354 with a compact carrying case:

Singer Genie 354 in case

Singer Genie 354 opening..

Singer Genie 354 ready to sew!

Singer Genie 354  features

There are not many features but all the basic ones you would want: zig zag in 4 widths, needle position, blind hemmer, rick rack, and another type of zig zag that goes from narrow to wide. Mine works quite well with the feel and sound of a Singer 401. The foot control should fit into a compartment in the shell that slides over the whole machine but it is too tight a fit and I fear I will break the aging plastic so I have it on the side as I do for many other sewing machines. The original had a pouch with accessories that is long gone but mine has a zipper foot and needles in a plastic box and I can add a screw driver, needles, and bobbins. The manual is available free on the Singer website, another plus. It weighs in at only 18 pounds but the handle is angled for right hand carry only and I'm a lefty so this was an oversight at Singer don't you think? All in all, they each have their plus and minus factors so should be bought like any sewing machine: what do you want to do with it? With so many choices I just had to try them all!

Start Them Early

I'm not talking about your garden but those wee ones in your household. Today we got out the Singer 99 hand crank sewing machine and let Grant, 7, and Joey, 5, give it a try:

Grant concentrates on a blanket 

Joey likes to go fast! 

We had fun learning how to make it work but what could we make?  Grant wanted to use his practice piece as a blanket but when we made a sleeping bag for a favorite stuffed animal it also needed a blanket with fluff in it:

Sleeping bag on left with "blanket" on right.

Joey has misplaced a beloved tiny bear so he wanted to make a new one. The concept of sewing something inside out was a bit tricky but new bear got done by Grandma with cranking help by Joey:

Bear with green eyes and his bag and blanket. 

Bear would need a sleeping bag and blankie,  too, but this time Grandma cut and Grant did the sewing as per Joey's request. The finished project gave both boys fun in the afternoon making up adventure stories with their new or enhanced friends.

And Grandma got to share something she loves with those she loves.

Let the Games Begin

I'm getting ready for the two days with my grandchildren and have decided that on Saturday morning I'm going to bring out the old sewing machine to tear down and see how it works. Here's the victim model I'm taking:

Singer 418

This one I got from a hoarders house and was found in a corner of the basement. The hand wheel is rusty on the belt-line and when plugged in the motor sparked way too much for me to feel comfortable. This is also not one of Singer's finest moments, although you might have one of these sewing machines that gave you many hours good use. Found in a damp basement after decades of storage? It's a good candidate for learning on.

When the top and bottom panels are removed you can see the gears, cams, belts, and pulleys just waiting to be explored:

Singer 418: note rust on right?

Singer 418 with odd feed dog belts?

Along with the sewing machine in a large cardboard box ("It has to stay in the box!"), the power cord, needle, and light bulb are staying at home but I'm bringing screw drivers, small wrenches, and a plastic box for sorting out their findings:

Made for jewelry or embroidery floss

As you might be able to tell, I'm an educator at heart and always looking for the next teachable moment. This could be the start of an engineer career for these kids, ages 7, 5, and 2 (or learning what they don't want to do) and grandma is always willing to give it a try.

I'm also bringing my trust Singer 99 hand crank

Singer 99 with hand crank

 with fabric for sewing up some items they will figure out they need, like sleeping bags for bunny or a cape for bear. You never know what is needed until you get the needle moving and the creative juices flowing! Tell me what you have done with children that has resulted in unexpected fun or even disaster since we even learn from our mistakes.

Toy Story

As with most collections, there's an element of fun, and even whimsey, in what we choose to find and save. Today I'm going to shave two of my toy sewing machines. The first one I actually purchased via Craigslist, a toy Sears with a vibrating shuttle:

Compact in its case, pink, of course.

All of its goodies!

Bobbin case open with shuttle exposed

 It runs on batteries (AC cord was lost) and makes a fierce noise when you use that miniature foot control but it certainly does stitch! It was a hoot to figure it out and listen to the racket it makes but probably delighted some little girl back in the '60's. I think a 3/4 sized sewing machine would do a much better job and still be small and manageable, but Sears was out to capture a portion of the market with this toy.

A friend gave me the next toy and it certainly does not stitch but is way, way too cute to just set on a shelf:

All closed up with treadle underneath

Top flips open to reveal....

...a tiny hand crank sewing machine!

Moving parts: crank, treadle, 2 drawers

It is only two inches tall and three inches across so this is really miniature. With a hand crank I'm not sure what the treadle is for but it is still pretty cute.

This weekend I'm babysitting three of my grandchildren. As you can imagine, I will need plenty of engaging toys for a 7, 5, and 2 year old. I'm not going to take either of these toy sewing machines but I will take a hand-crank for fun times indoors. Stay tuned to see what they try to sew with Grandma Karen!