Threads magazine had this article on vintage sewing machine feet and their uses. I popped it open and it was pretty durn good. It wasn't the be all end all, so I also searched away in my vintage Singer manuals and Talbots Complete book of Sewing.
I hadn't set up the Farmer's Wife in awhile and I just got inspired.
I started out with the "tucker".
Easy rows of even tucks. Seamed up one way and down the other.
And then tucking the tucks.
Can you say Addictive?
Then I tried the embroidery/darning foot...
Sweetly sketchy.
I had a drop by from a friend who does real serious art quilting. She helped me understand the only problem I'm having is hand and pedal speed coordination. That takes practice. Practice sounds fine. After all, it's just thread and scraps.
Then there's the adjustable hemmer. Okay... it just hems, but it hems a Variety of Widths.
I am really loving the mechanical way these devises work. Every one works with the straight stitch. No fussy width, length or tension adjustments. Industrial Elegance. With patience and practice at speed and guidance, the foot pretty well does the work.
And finally the button holer. Okay ... What? this absolutely SHAMES my modern machine. These button holes are gorgeous by comparison. And it does it by wiggling the fabric back and forth.
Three cheers for the good old days.
More footwork in the future... With some in depth tutorials, vintage how to book pages scanned and road tested vintage feet for sale on Etsy. ( Yes, exhuberence = multiple purchases = extra feet to share with you all)
And another give away coming right up from me and DIY Couture!!
15 comments:
Cool! I wish I had more feet! (and a better machine to put them on!)
...and we think we keep improving things!
Oh that looks like 'sew' much fun you're having! I'm glad you're loving your feet :)
So, you have a foot fetish. :D
An adjustable hemmer!! Of course *that's* what it is! I've got one, and just keep it hanging around cause it's so cool looking. I've got an old 1936 Featherweight - now in genteel retirement since my Bernina came along.
Where did you get instructions on the tucker? I picked up one a few years ago but it has just mocked me from my box of feet. I also have a foot fetish i confess.
Robin,
I collect manuals and vintage sewing books. I used the Singer manual for that one I think.
I'll be publishing all the info very soon, but can email you a scan or two if you need it.
BB
The tucks are so pretty!
Love those feet!
signed, chardgirl
Woohoo, aren't they fun?
It's nice to find another attachment packrat, um, I mean 'connoisseur' lol
When I got rid of my old Singer, I saved all the attachments for my Bernina. Using Bernina's extender thingy, I can still use my great old rufflers and other treasures.
Susie
Fancy Footwork! I need help grasping what this pile of old Bernina Minimac 840 feetisies do!
experimenting with tools is always such a fun thing. Thanks for the post
You must check out Charlene's book "the sewing machine attachment manual" and her blog: www.thesewbox.com.
It is amazing what you can do with some of these interesting sewing machine feet and attachments. I love the tucks :->
xo, suzy
bethany,i love your love of manuals. it is so good for the rest of us.
Oh you have shamed me. I have 2 Vintage..wait..no, THREE vintage Singers and a box and a giant ziploc of attachments. Rufflers and Pleaters and Hemmers oh my!
Anyway...thanks for reminding me. I am going to get them out and figure out how to use them. Did you mention tutorials????
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