OldSewinGear News Reviews & How To's

To Greist or Not to Greist?

6/8/2013

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.

24 Comments

kay e brown

11/8/2014 08:30:38 am

Thank you so much for the information.I knew they were old but I did'nt recognize the name on the accessories. That along withSimanco. Thanks for the info.

Donna

6/25/2024 07:13:51 pm

My friend don’t remember how to thread it can you please tell me how to do it

sartis

8/16/2015 08:11:48 am

I have a few questions: #1 looking for extension table for my 543.
singer stylist. #2 I am also looking for the feed plate cover. # 3 Will the Griest products work on a singer stylist 543. If so which products works best with it. I am new at this (sewing) so any info you give will be greatly needed. Thank You.

Melodye

12/9/2015 08:30:44 am

When we cleaned out my parents' house, my dad gifted me with a box of Greist attachments and I dutifully bought the attachment foot recommended, only to learn that the piece of the attachments runs parallel to the feed plate, not perpendicular, as the attachment foot requires. What kind of attachment foot do I need and where can I find it? Thanks.

Tiffany

12/26/2015 10:58:17 am

My dad gifted me a Morse 600 with a box of Geist accessories. I have NO idea what the feet and accessories are! Any suggestions of where to go to find what each foot and "thingie" are used for? I'm totally intimidated by this machine! I've only ever used my Husqvarna Emerald 118 machine!

Fabuloussita

4/5/2016 09:31:02 am

I bought a box of attachments at the thrift store with Greist stamp. I have a brother machine. Are there adapters for them? I want to use them. Or do I need to buy a singer? I'm a newby at this

Marie Bouman link

1/17/2017 11:16:23 am

All buttonholers and monogrammers are designed for a specific category machine: high shank, low shank and angle shank. Either the attachment is designed to be used on that type machine or it isn't. There are adapters for anything. Make and model has nothing more to do with fit and are just marketing tools.

Phyllis

4/8/2019 04:37:21 am

If the attachments are low-straight-shank side attaching, then they will work on any low-straight-shank, side attaching machine.
Machines can be low or high shank + straight or slank shank. A presser foot or accessory will attach (screw on with a thumb screw) on the left side or front/back.

Michael Truesdale

2/11/2016 06:49:55 am

I have a vintage singer sewing machine and the greist buttonhole kit. Could you tell me what it could be worth? ???

Marie Bouman

4/5/2016 11:32:07 am

Anyone ever see a Greist Monogrammer? Anyone have one for sale? I have a high shank Necchi BU (Circa 1951).

Julie

8/10/2016 06:49:13 pm

I have one Greist Monogrammer (The Designer) with one cam but the box is labeled Bernina and I think it's for a slant model machine. I also have a Singer Deluxe with four cams, for vertical needle machines. We are downsizing and I had planned to list them on eBay or Etsy along with some other misc. old sewin gear. :)

Clarice

1/16/2017 10:42:51 am

Looking for a zig zagger for White Sewing Machine purchased late 1950's, early 1960's.

Marianne

4/15/2017 09:50:28 am

I have a Greist Zigzagger with attachments and instruction book in the original box. If it will fit your White machine you can have it.

JANICE

12/11/2018 01:23:08 pm

Do you still have the attachments that you talked about in your post

Espressive

4/2/2017 02:57:11 pm

Thanks for a helpful article with great photos. I just scored a Greist buttonholer at a yard sale that works great on my featherweight. A quick check of Ebay shows that there's a premium for Singer-labeled buttonholers, but your article confirms that I can expect good results from the Greist. I just love these old mechanical attachments.

Duchess

10/29/2017 09:07:00 pm

I have a Greist buttonholer. It attaches to my old Brother sewing machine well. However, when the needle feeds through it hits the bobbin holder. Is there some way to adjust the buttonholer where this does not happen? When I take it off and replace the presser foot the needle feeds straight through not hitting the bobbin holder.

janice crosby

12/11/2018 01:19:31 pm

I purchase the sewing machine table from a thrift store that has all the greist attachments and they're amazing

Sue

7/24/2020 04:43:12 am

Is there an adapter for Greist rotary feet that will accommodate a featherweight 221?

Santosh Kumar link

10/24/2020 05:52:41 am

What a beautiful piece of writing. This brings back memories of my own mother, who also worked at home on a Brother, exactly like this sewing machine. The comment about the vibrations from the machine really resonated with me – I remember waking to that sound and I’d forgotten how reassuring it was (until I was a teenager, when I just found it really annoying when it woke me up early!).
Thank you for writing this.

kathy link

1/11/2021 11:27:13 pm

I just buy my 1st manual sewing machine last month, now planning to buy sewing table. please suggest which attachments is needed ?

Andie

12/31/2021 10:17:13 am

Thank you for posting this information. I found a Griest old ruffle set and was wondering if I could use this on my Gram's old Singer. I would have given it away if it was not for your blog.

Jana Groefsema

4/11/2022 01:00:27 pm

I have a Kenmore 120.49. New gear company made it. I am looking for a bobbin case and bobbins. Kenmore is a badge machine sort of. White company had new gear company to make this machine. It has the white plug and connector. The bobbin case from pictures. has a tear shape with what I call upside wishbone on the outside. The bobbin is solid with 1 hole near center. Free Westinghouse, Janome, and Kenmore and 120 uses the bobbin case and bobbin. Do you have any thought on this. I am looking for one.

Mary Beth Hallahan

9/11/2023 03:24:49 pm

Are the cams from the Greist Buttoholer compatible with the Singer buttonholer with cams? To the naked eye, they look the same. Thanks!

Chris Ranick

12/30/2023 07:11:08 pm

I have a Greist buttonholer and other attachments in a green velvet box, I am wondering what the value might be and if there is any interest if I wanted to sell it.

To Greist or Not to Greist?

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