Boy .....
they don't make sewing machine adverts like this anymore!
Does anyone have one of those automatic zigzaggers,
they look really snazzy!
they don't make sewing machine adverts like this anymore!
Does anyone have one of those automatic zigzaggers,
they look really snazzy!
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4 comments:
That's so cool! I love all those old ads, they really don't make 'em like that anymore do they - what a shame!
I have used one of those zigzaggers, and also the buttonholer that works the same way. They really don't produce acceptable results on anything but nice stiff starched muslin, since it's gripping the fabric from the top and dragging it sideways. Tension is also terribly finicky, once you put a zigzagger in the mix.
If you seam a knit fabric with it, it will look bunched and ugly.
I love my vintage singer for straight stitch, though; it simply can't be beat for going through anything without balking.
Ooh, Ahh. What a cool gizmo.
Love the commercial!
I have a few of the old zig-zag attachments and Camilla is right - they're tricky to use and without a lot of starch and practice, (and the right "sewing words!" ;) you're not going to get pretty results from them. I keep them with my vintage machines just so they'll each have a complete "kit" of all the things that were available for them in their time.
Same with the old style Blind Stitch attachment. It works - barely - with lots of starch and lots of practice - and really only on wovens.
The buttonholers are another thing, entirely - those old mechanical buttonholers make absolutely gorgeous buttonholes!
I admit that they're a bit fussy to set up, but once you get them adjusted, you can whip out a buttonhole in less than a minute and it will be beautiful and strong. I haven't seen a computerized machine that makes as nice a buttonhole as these.
You can buy these attachments (cheap!) for low, slant and high shank machines and they're virtually all made by the same company (Griest) - if you find a Kenmore low shank, it will probably work just fine on a Singer low shank and vice-versa.
Another attachment that's worth the trouble is the picot and hemstitching attachment, especially if you can put it on a treadle machine and control it stitch by stitch - such a beautiful detail to add to linens or clothing. You have to be sure that the attachment comes with the plate that is specific to your machine. Without the plate, the hemstitcher is just a collection of metal parts. :)
Have fun!
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