OldSewinGear News Reviews & How To's

Zigzaggin' Along. Singer Automatic Zigzagger

6/23/2013

Early Singer Buttonholer

Sewing machine attachments, especially the really old ones, can be pretty strange looking.

Some look like instruments of torture while others look like dental appliances.

(Come to think of it, aren't dental appliances and instruments of torture the same thing?)

For example, the early Singer buttonholer...have you ever really looked at it?

Bernina Darning Attachment

I've had nightmares about getting my hair caught in that thing...

Then there's the darning hoop. Bernina made one that looks like a really painful retainer. Singer's version is pretty scary too.

One of the strangest looking contraptions is the zigzagger. It looks like the product of a lab experiment involving spiders and robots.

"This spidery
looking guy..."
Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell, Apollo 13

Sometimes it makes me think of the Lunar Excursion Module (LEM) from Apollo 13...

Singer Automatic Zigzagger sewing machine attachment

Other times it reminds me of the scarab beetles in "The Mummy."

"Bugs? I HATE bugs!"
The Mummy

Zigzagger with 221 Featherweight

Either way, it's a strange looking device but a brilliant invention.

And it's a "must-have" for a Featherweight or 15-91 straight-stitch machine.

So how does it work?

On a zigzag sewing machine the needle moves side-to-side to produce the zigzag stitch. Obviously a straight stitch machine can't do that, so that's where the zigzagger attachment comes in.

The zigzagger moves the fabric side to side to produce the offset stitches. Early zigzaggers produced a simple zigzag stitch, but later evolved into the Automatic Zigzagger which used interchangeable cams to produce a wide array of decorative stitch patterns. (Visit our Singer Accessories Gallery for more photos.)

The Automatic Zigzagger attaches to the presser foot bar and needle bar similar to a buttonholer. The cams are top-loading, which allows you to change stitches without removing it from the machine.

Sewing with a zigzagger can be a little tricky because the fabric has to move side to side, which makes sewing in a straight line difficult. A little practice (or a lot) goes a long way. It does get easier!

By the late 1950's zigzag machines were sounding the death-knell for the straight-stitch sewing machine, but Singer continued manufacturing straight-stitch machines and zigzag attachments well into the 1960's.

So are you ready to zigzag on your straight stitch machine?

Zigzaggers still show up in thrift stores from time to time but may need a good cleaning and lubricating. They're also readily available on eBay but can get pricey. They come in vertical-needle and slant-needle variations, so be sure to get the right one for your machine.

Happy Sewing!
Barbara
OldSewinGear...dedicated to helping you get the most out of your old sewing gear.

2 Comments

Just for Kids? Chain Stitch Basting Basics

6/15/2013

3 Comments

Single-thread chain stitch basting.

If you've every played with a toy sewing machine, you know what chain stitch looks like.

So maybe you think it's kid stuff.

But did you know that Singer made full-size "grown-up" machines that also sew chain stitch.

What exactly is chain stitch? Is it useful? Which Singer models have a chain stitch feature?

Good questions! Let's answer them.

First let's briefly review how a sewing machine works.

A sewing machine typically has two threads. The top thread passes through the needle and the bottom thread is wound on a bobbin. When the needle point pierces through the fabric it draws the top thread down to where a hook grabs the thread and wraps it around the bobbin thread before releasing the top thread.  When the needle raises back up through the fabric the two threads are "locked" together to form a complete stitch.

Chain stitch is different because it uses a single thread.  When the needle pierces through the fabric, the machine loops the top thread around itself, forming a series of interlocking loops.  From the top it looks like a normal straight stitch, but from the bottom it looks like a chain.

The beauty of chain stitch can also be its fatal flaw, because chain stitched seams can be removed with a single tug on the end thread.

Which is great if you WANT to sew a temporary seam, but a real frustration if need a permanent seam. You can lose an hour's work in seconds if you pull on the wrong thread.

Which is why chain stitch is typically reserved for toys or handheld "quick repair" sewing tools. But there are situations when a temporary stitch is a desirable tool for dressmaking or quilting.

Which is why Singer included chain stitch as a feature on some Slant-o-Matic and Touch & Sew Models.

Which ones? Let's take a look:

411G, 600E, and 603E are notable examples of chain-stitch capability along with steel gears and a slant needle. Most Touch & Sew models have chain stitch capability, but beware of plastic gears!

So if you're looking for a heavy duty machine or quilting machine with the added bonus of chain-stitch basting keep an eye out for one of these remarkable machines!

Happy Sewing!
Barbara
OldSewinGear...dedicated to helping you get the most out of your old sewing gear.

3 Comments

To Greist or Not to Greist?

6/8/2013

21 Comments

Greist Sewing Machine Attachments

One of the things I most enjoy about my job is tracking down the "correct" accessories for the sewing machines we sell.

Which makes me a bit of a snob when it comes to sewing machine accessories. If I'm selling a vintage Singer machine, I really want all of the attachments to have the "Singer" or "Simanco" mark.

But is that really necessary? There are a lot of vintage attachments out there with the "Greist Manufacturing Company" mark. Are they somehow inferior? Does the "Singer" mark automatically make an attachment better?

Maybe. Maybe not.

Obviously it matters if you are assembling a collector quality set of attachments for your Singer machine. But if functionality is your goal, then Greist attachments may be a viable alternative. Because vintage Greist attachments are sometimes nearly identical to Singer attachments.

Why so?

You guessed it...time for a history lesson!

Greist Manufacturing Company was founded by John M. Greist, an inventor who was employed by Singer to design sewing machine attachments. Greist is the inventor behind the iconic "Puzzle Box" attachments kit for Singer treadle machines. The patent was filed in 1889 by Greist but assigned to Singer. Greist Manufacturing Company went on to produce sewing machine attachments for many different sewing machine makers, including Morse and White.

Greist also manufactured attachments for Singer. I haven't been able to determine how many Singer-marked attachments were made by Greist's factory, but Singer clearly outsourced buttonholers to Greist in the late 1950's and early 1960's. A side by side comparison (Singer at left, Greist at right) confirms it:

As you can see, the box design and presentation are identical and the buttonholers themselves are similar in shape and size.

A closer look reveals that the only difference is the shape and color of the plastic cover.

Singer (top) and Greist instructions.

When it came to the instruction booklet, the source of the Singer buttonholer is even more obvious. Again, the books are identical, right down to the illustration in the Singer (pink) book clearly show the Greist-shaped cover!

So the next time you see a sewing machine attachment marked "Greist" don't be too quick to dismiss it. Greist produced quaility products and had a long history of partnership with Singer. So if it fits your machine, go ahead and use it!

Happy Sewing!
Barbara
OldSewinGear...dedicated to helping you get the most out of your old sewing gear.

21 Comments

"Industrial Strength?" What does that mean?

6/1/2013

1 Comment

A hotly debated topic in vintage sewing machine circles is whether it is appropriate to describe these old machines as "industrial strength."

Some folks insist that using "industrial strength" is NOT appropriate.  Others (myself included) feel it IS appropriate.

I confess.  I use "industrial strength" to describe the machines I test and sell. And I've received my share of nastygrams from the folks that disagree.

Why the debate?

What exactly does "industrial strength" mean?

"I don't know what that means."
--Dr. Temperance Brennan, "Bones" TV show

First of all, it's important to understand the difference between an industrial (or commercial) sewing machine and a household (or domestic) sewing machine.

Industrial sewing machine example

Industrial or commercial machines are larger than household models.

They are typically attached to a table that may be up to 6 feet wide with a large motor mounted in the base of the table.

These machines are designed to sew huge pieces of fabric at very high speeds for 10-12 hours a day. Some even have a self-oiling feature.

By comparison, household machines are smaller and are not designed for high-speed, high-production sewing. The differences are obvious. Therefore, when I review or advertise a vintage household machine I am well aware that it's NOT an industrial or commercial sewing machine.

So why do I describe them as "industrial strength?"

Because these household machines are capable of sewing the very same materials that industrial machines sew.

Let's look at the dictionary definition of industrial strength:

"Marked by more than usual power, durability, or intensity"
        - Merriam Webster

"Extremely strong, durable, or concentrated"
        - The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language

"Much stronger or more powerful than the product normally available to use."
        - Cambridge Dictionaries Online

"Used to describe such products as cleansers, lubricants, and stepladders, suggesting that they would be effective in hard use environments."
        - WhatIs.com

By today's plastic-happy, "throwaway" standards, the old vintage metal machines stand out as having "more than usual power." The majority of household sewing machines on the market today are made from plastic, cheap metal, and rubber belts. On the other hand, a vintage Singer 15-91 is solid metal with high-grade steel gears and a direct drive motor. It is unquestionably "more powerful than the product normally available to use."

Because of this, I believe that it is entirely appropriate to use the words "industrial strength" when describing an all-metal, gear-driven vintage sewing machine. Many buyers don't have the space for a 6-foot table and industrial machine but they want something that CAN do the work of an industrial machine every now and then. That's why these old machines are so popular.

Sellers should take care, though, to clearly state which type of machine is being offered. If you are using the words "industrial strength" be sure to explain that it's still a household/domestic model and NOT an industrial/commercial machine. A little education goes a long way toward avoiding misunderstanding.

Bottom line? Whether you call the machine "heavy duty" or "industrial strength," there is nothing like an old vintage sewing machine for quality and durability. They just don't make them like they used to!

Happy Sewing!
Barbara
OldSewinGear...dedicated to helping you get the most out of your old sewing gear.

1 Comment

Zigzaggin' Along. Singer Automatic Zigzagger

Just for Kids? Chain Stitch Basting Basics

To Greist or Not to Greist?

"Industrial Strength?" What does that mean?

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Zigzaggin' Along. Singer Automatic Zigzagger

Just for Kids? Chain Stitch Basting Basics

To Greist or Not to Greist?

"Industrial Strength?" What does that mean?

News, Reviews, & How-To's

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