Sewing Pains

A handy list to record my sewing machine model information to date: SINGER 1947 66-16  Crinkle (AG968869)  1951 201K-1 Treadle (EG893178), Centennial 1954 99K-31 Knee-Control (EJ512725) 1957 201K-23  Electric (EM606358), Brown 1959 320K-2 (EP767923), 2-tone Green 1960 320K-23 (ER889901), 2-tone Green 1960 401G (ER889901) OTHER 1973 PFAFF 1222E 1999 HUSQVARNA Lisa 600

I performed actual mending of fabric today! The 320 performed admirably with the special Darning & Embroidery Foot #161236. I found I had to have quite loose needle tension to avoid needle thread breakage, so had the machine set on 2. #161236 is an unusual darning foot: the long upper bar slots into the area where the lever to lift the foot operates - and essentially blocks the lever from being operated. You use a mini-lever near the top of the spring foot to raise and lower the toe to remove or place work. Singer #161236, the spring foot which came with my 320. I've never darned jeans before, I think I once darned socks on my mother's Pfaff, but that was a long time ago and nothing but a hazy memory. The jeans in the photo below had been reinforced with a fusible patch, which I zigzagged in place and then darned over. I'm sure it could have been a bit neater, but the result seems like it will give my husband's jeans life for a few more months. Interesting

After several long weeks, my second 320K is finally here. My mother-in-law drove it up the coast for me, while on her latest Brisbane trip.  I was thrilled to see a zippered denim bag with feet and accessories - an unexpected bonus! I have replaced the original #173058 bobbin case with the modern modified version. The machine had a 15x1 needle fitted, but the bobbin case showed needle strikes. The modified bobbin case fits perfectly and the machine stitches like a dream! There were the usual issues... unpleasant smells and grime, but at least the machine wasn't dry, it had been well-oiled and well-used in its life. The original green bobbin tyre. I cleaned the body, tension assembly, feed dogs, and hook assembly in-situ, as I didn't want to upset the timing. Much energy was expended. I was happy to see the carbon brushes still have length of about 10mm. Linty yuck. I've never had multiple throat plates for a machine, and I didn't know I was getting any,

For several weeks I have been wanting to complete a few important machine repair tasks, this week I started knocking them over at last: Re-wire a better pedal for my 401G. Re-time my 320K after parts arrive from the UK. Schedule my Pfaff 1222E service. An additional task kept me busy last weekend when I finally found a 1980s Horn sewing cabinet locally for a good price. We brought the cabinet home and I set about cleaning every inch of it. It is in wonderful condition and has cleaned up like new. The hinges had some surface rust (very common - we live in a port city and sea air affects everything), but I lightly brushed some sewing machine oil onto them. The big attraction with a Horn cabinet is the built-in lifter, I tested the lifter and it worked - exactly three times before it failed. When this happened I was so bummed and figured I had gotten another bad deal ...my husband took pity on me and we took the lifter off, and then examined it. The lifter would stop at the fir

The non-working 320K, that is... It may not work, but it sure is nice to look at.

After discovering that my newly-purchased 320K was sold without the bracket for the bobbin case (a crucial part needed for the machine to be timed), I have been hunting for the part without success. Six local and international queries have been fruitless so far. This evening I found another 320K, this time working, and with a box of cams and unknown accessories - for half the price of the non-working first machine. Fingers crossed that this one is a success...

Yesterday I unexpectedly found my last wish list machine - an unusual free-arm zigzag machine in the prettiest shade of pale green! I'm still too excited to write. More next week, I collect it on Saturday.

A wish-list machine has been found! For AU$100 I am the proud owner of a lovely German 401-13: The machine was serviced in 2015 but still has a problem with zigzag stitches, I hope I can resolve the issue.

Well, another vintage Singer joined the collection this week, which brings the total to four! I hadn't planned on buying another machine so soon after my 99K, but this machine is unusual, and it was so cheap... :o So, without further ado meet Janice - a splendid and uncommon (in Australia) 1947 Singer 66-16 (sans motor) in the fashionable-at-the-time 'black side' crinkle / matte black, scratch-resistant, and low-glare finish! Machines with this finish are uncommon here because Kilbowie, Scotland normally supplied Australia, and it was less common for American machines to come to our shores. Singer 1947 66-16. Some of these machines are a 'blackside' series, where every piece of metal has been treated to have a black appearance. My machine doesn't have this, but I did manage to find a blackside thread guide and needle clamp, as well as a few black presser feet. I am on the lookout for a treadle cabinet for this machine, or perhaps a wooden base

I now have an extension table! I had a piece of dark grey acrylic/plexiglass/perspex cut today, based on a cardboard template I made for my Lisa. This model did not have an extension table as an option, so I had to DIY. The sheet is 10mm thick and very heavy. I need to find adjustable legs for it, but currently I use four pillars made from blocks of Lego Duplo - the engineering on that plastic is great, the table is perfectly level! ;) Very spacious. I also bit the bullet and purchased a walking foot in a mixed bag of Husqvarna attachments. The walking foot is about AU$180 new, this is the older style, so I got it and ten extra feet for $100. Originally for a Designer machine... that's a floppy disk in that sleeve, folks!

Today my mother offered me her Pfaff 1222E, the sacred machine! I'm beyond thrilled as I never thought she would part with her beloved. -In progress-

In December I added another Singer to my modest collection, a 1954 99K! It has a bentwood case and runs very nicely. It had no accessories, but as it shares common bobbins, feet and needles with my 201 machines, I'm not bothered. As usual, the TFSR manuals were my first stop. Auction photo. Beside my 1951 201K. Back-tack, not true reverse. I removed the screw inside the bobbin area which a lot of guides suggest not removing. I can see why they say that, but although the condition of the machine is good, it can't have been cleaned for decades. I had to open up the bobbin area to be thorough.  The TFSR manual made it easy, but it took two attempts to put the bobbin area back together, the first time I did not have the clearance right and the machine would not sew, but I followed the steps again more carefully and figured out the acceptable positioning, and the machine now works beautifully again. It is a tricky little area! Another area of concern was the bentw