Sewing machine?

[eveled]

Kind of a long shot, but does anyone here sew? My mom made sure I knew how, she made sure I could do all of the house hold stuff. In her words. “If you get married do it for love, not because you can’t take care of yourself”.

I took over her Viking 6020 machine when she downsized. I didn’t realize it was giving her trouble. But when I tried to use it, it was mostly frozen up. I tore it all apart and cleaned the old lube out of it. The grease on the gears was actually brittle. I chipped it off with a dental pick.

Then cleaned everything with Hoppes9. Reassembled now and lubed appropriately.


It’s a good machine, all mechanical no electronics or computer to fail. It’s basically the Cummins diesel of the sewing machine world.

Ironically the same day I finished her machine, I finally solved the light strike issue my Dad was having with his Marlin 39AS rifle. I like to think they were holding hands and smiling down on me.

I find myself needing a heavier machine sometimes, and was wondering if anyone had a Sailrite sewing machine.

They make a portable machine that can sew canvas and webbing. It’s pretty neat. Family owned and good customer support. If it breaks they will sell you parts and video instructions if you need it. Most importantly the machines are serviceable.

Anyone have one?

 

[GasGuzzler]

My wife has one and used to make stuff for the kids when they were babies. We might have two. I don't use it but I use a needle and thread to put buttons back on my work pants (rentals) and to close up holes in socks and pocket liners.

 

[DGW1949]

Nope, none of those....Two steel Singers and an even older old Fritster-Rossman here, One has a motor, two are hand-cranks. My wife wants a new-fangled newer/lighter/faster/better machine but so far, these three have refused to wear out. I mean really, ya can't sew but with one a time anyway, eh?....
And yeah, I agree on keeping them cleaned and oiled.

DGW

 

[eveled]

I had bought a non running parts machine on EBay that matched my mothers She had a less fancy machine but in the same series as hers. I think it was her cousin’s who died a long time ago. My mother said it didn’t work but saved it for parts.

I just repeated the process I learned fixing hers and now have 3 running Viking machines. . I guess I still need a parts machine! I’m not complaining a spare runner beats a parts machine any day.

These are all from the 60’s made by Husqvarna in Sweden.

@GasGuzzler buttons aren’t hard to sew on by hand, but a machine does a better job faster. Just a zigzag stitch with the length set at 0.

@DGW1949 . Sounds like she has some nice old ones. If she does get a new fancy one don’t let her get rid of the old ones.

 

[WAYNO]

I sew often, fixing tears, reinforcing fabric, fixing buttons, etc. My sewing is seldom pretty, but it is functional.

A couple years ago I bought a new heavy duty Singer, to sew my denim and leather needs. It is not up to the task. Oh how I miss the old machine my Mom had in the fifties. Suited me well thru my high school years, and always worked so easily.

My old Gramma, who I love and miss, sewed her whole life on an old treadle machine. My Sister has it now, and I suppose if it was ever called upon, it would still sew as magnificently as my Gramma commanded it to do so many decades ago.



.

 

[Yaworski]

I do emergency sewing. Buttons, split seams, and such. I am also really good at sewing patches on uniforms.

Don't touch sewing machines.

 

[Joe Chartreuse]

Same as Yaworski, without the "emergency". I actually like to sew- it gives me a chance to relax the brain. I know how to use a Singer, but for me the machine takes the fun out of it. Other than repairs, I make things like gun socks ( which I spray afterward) Pool cue cases, etc. from old clothes if I get really bored and am out of unread books.

 

[GasGuzzler]

I do emergency sewing. Buttons, split seams, and such. I am also really good at sewing patches on uniforms.

Ever try to sew patches on the vinyl sleeves of a letterman jacket? Paying for it locally is extremely cost prohibitive and takes them at least a month to return the goods. Thinking about doing it myself.

 

[eveled]

My Vikings could do it, but knowing how important Letterman jackets are, I’d be nervous.

Those of you who sew by hand. Do you use a needle and thread, or one of the speed stitch awls?

 

[wproct]

I grew up in the 1950's and my mom made all of my shirts until I was probably in the 5th grade or so. Later on my wife could sew and make about anything, drapes etc. and she even made her own wedding dress. She would repair and alter clothes for our kids and grand kids. My son bought a sewing machine and would do repairs, his wife didn't sew. I never sewed but I would work on my wife's machine whenever it was acting up.

 

[XUSNORDIE]

I haven't sewed anything in years. My Mother had a sewing room with a couple machines on custom tables, foot pedals and stuff. Entire wall was covered with thread spools and stuff. Actually it was a craft room I guess. She also had a loop thingy for needlepointing and a racks for quilting.

In the Navy I once tried to sew on my E4 crow with the sewing kit issued in boot camp. I thought it looked pretty good. That was a mistake because it was ripped off during inspection and as I watched it fall to the deck I was advised I was out of uniform....In JEST they taught us how to use all sorts of things to sew deep cuts and gashes together.....I have sewn ripped tarps with fishing line. But I guess that doesn't count.

I used to watch the PRs (Parachute Riggers now called Aircrew Survival Equipmentmen) use their sewing machines to make all sorts of stuff just like I used to watch my Mother make stuff.

Interesting post.

 

[eveled]

Thinking about the patches on the sleeves. It would be difficult with a regular machine. Because you can’t turn the sleeve to change direction. So you’d have to do it by hand. Maybe with one of the speed stitch awls?



At Laconia a guy who sold patches also sewed them on. He used an antique machine that the head rotated. So he never changed the orientation of the vest or jacket. Something like this one.

 

[contender]

Well, my sewing is limited to hand sewing.

But Miss Penny has 6 machines. Her favorite to use machine is a Singer Featherweight. She has a pair of those. Oldies,, but still one of the best simple to operate machines. She has a pair of embroidery machines, a more modern machine,, and a surger machine.

 

[eveled]

I kept my sewing a secret until I saw this episode of Duck Dynasty. Turns out I’m a renaissance man.

 

[Fox Mike]

Years ago, before I joined the Army, I worked for Singer. Was schooled in the function of the various machines and how to adjust/repair them. I also had to take lessons on 'sewing' so I could understand what the customer was talking about. I can still sew just about anything needed.

 

[KIR]

Recently sewed a button back onto a shirt.
My great grandmother had a foot pedal run Singer sewing machine which went to my mother, my cousin and then to me. My mother painted it green for some reason, something about giving it an antique look. Recently was either at the Carson City museum or the Heritage museum on the Univ. of NV campus and they had a new version, black, colorized painted on the machine itself.
I was told that the rubber "bands" can still be acquired. My wife sewed several curtains in our home until arthritis made it too difficult to work with her hands.

 

[eveled]

Ever try to sew patches on the vinyl sleeves of a letterman jacket? Paying for it locally is extremely cost prohibitive and takes them at least a month to return the goods. Thinking about doing it myself.

I just found a product called Badge Magic, or Patch Magic.

Comes in a sheet. Trace the patch, cut it out, peel one side, stick it to the patch, peel the other side, stick the patch to the sleeve. Supposed to be permanent, waterproof.

You could also add a few stitches to anchor it.

Pretty cool you can use it to take any patch and stick it onto any baseball hat.

 

[Track14]

I sew when necessary. When i was a teenager i was wearing out a favorite pair of swimming trunks and could not find any more of that style so i took the old ones apart and found a material i liked and made a new pair. they worked great. still sew when i need something. my wife knits so i have plenty of socks.

 

[GasGuzzler]

Pretty sure the liners come out of the sleeves on the letter jackets which makes it a little easier. My kids are good at band so they have or will have patches up and down their arms.

 

[eveled]

Sounds like you have some talented kids. Congratulations.

They don’t give out letters for what I did in highschool.

Both my sons have football letters. Pins go in the letters for whatever sports are played. Nothing on the sleeves.

Look into that patch magic. I guess it comes off if dry cleaned in PERC? Whatever that is.

 

[GasGuzzler]

Band kids can earn the same patches as sports kids ... qualifying for region, area, and State and all of those for jazz and symphonic separately (or each sport) then do that over four years of high school. Of course they don't make it all the way in everything every year ... well, mine don't. But the youngest lettered as a Freshman (qualified for State in solo/ensemble).

 

[vito]

My wife sews, but not clothing. Mostly it is for her quilting. The machine cost about $8,000 and I was told that I got off cheaply because some high end quilting sewing machines go for $25,000 to $35,000. And that doesn't count the "long arm" machines that take up a large room where the entire quilt is rolled up on the arm and the computerized "head" does all the actual quilting. Thankfully our home does not have room enough for such a machine. The one my wife had her eye on was about $30,000. Instead, when she finishes the piece work of the quilt she brings it to a woman with a long arm machine and pays her about $300 to do the quilting. I figure we are ahead of the game for about the first 100 quilts.

FWIW, I do remember once sewing a button back on a shirt.

 

[Busterswoodshop]

When I was a kid my mother made just about all of our shirts and patched and repaired all our clothes.
All my sisters are very good seamstresses.
My oldest sister made my wife's wedding dress.
My wife is also a good seamstress.
I still have an old pedal leather machine that was used in the hat shop.