MaureenT

Funny that got me thinking, I used a treadle as a kid, and there was no reverse, turn the material, it seemed very natural.

ArchaicArcane

The other thing I've heard of people doing is holding the fabric in place and not letting it feed at the end of a seam to lock it. An OSMG told me that's what the tailors did "back then".

miriam

I suspect some of them could use sewing lessons.

ArchaicArcane

The tailors? Probably Most of the professionals in any field that I've met have some pretty bad habits. You should see mine in computer stuff!

Macybaby

CD - I think your machine is Foley & Williams, not a National. They take the same shuttle. It looks exactly like my F&W. Measure the width of the throat plate, the F&W is about 1.07" wide and the National is about 1.175 wide. National also has the serial number stamped on the front under the slide plate, the other does not.

The other difference is the distance between presser bar and needle. National has .50" and F&W has .425"

ThayerRags

Thanks for the information, Macybaby. My machine is in storage. I’ll have to get it out the next chance I get and do some measuring. If it’s a Foley & Williams, it’ll be my first and only one.

CD in Oklahoma

Macybaby

CD - I can't quite tell on your pictures - is the serial number on the base by the bobbin winder? It sort of looks like something is there, and then you for sure have a F&W and not a National. I was moving my machines around and was looking to see where the serial number was compared to the National.

miriam

Nope the folk I bought the machines from

ThayerRags

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macybaby

....is the serial number on the base by the bobbin winder?

Here’s another photo of it, but I still can’t tell for sure if there’s a number on the base or not. I’ll just have to dig it out and get more information.

CD in Oklahoma

Macybaby

Note - I'm posting this info to help others learn what to look for when identifiying machines. Since I started out with names of Mfg and then went looking for machines they made, I sort of went backwards and spent a lot of time looking at pictures so I could identify machines for sale where the seller had no clue. Most people find a machine they like, buy it, and then try to figure out what it is.


CD - What I noticed about yours first off is the raised area around the plates - there are very few Mfg that have the whole end of the bed raised up like yours does. National is not one of them. And though I'm not sure if this would always hold true - all of my Nationals have the needle information on the back slide, the F&W has it on the front slide like yours.



Here is my F&W - you can see they are the same.




Here is the front of an early National - notice how the raised part follows the outline of the plates and the part that goes around the bed mount screw hole. New Home also has this pattern.



Contrast with the F&W - this is something to pay attention to when identifying machines -



Here is my newest National - it has the same raised area, and though the front slide is blank, the back has the needle information on it. This is a 3/4 size machine, and the width of the slide is the same as my older full size National machines, and it takes the same feet.



So far with all the different machines I have, determinging what attachments fit seems to be a good way to determine US Mfg for those that are not side clamp machines. So far my low shank side Clamp machines are identical to Singer for the attachments that fit.