1/4" Foot for left needle position (Vintage Machine) question
06-19-2011, 01:48 PM
#1
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I bought a new vintage machine today http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-131663-1.htm and it's one of the few (I think) machines that has the needle off-center. It's standard sewing position is to the left. So...this means any of the typical 1/4" feet I have won't work with this machine. The needle would hit the foot. And of course, because it's vintage I can't move the needle position to center.
Does anyone know if 1/4" feet are made for these off-center machines? I've googled and only found the common center position feet. Although I like the stitch quality I'm thinking the lack of a good 1/4" will be a pain...
Does anyone know if 1/4" feet are made for these off-center machines? I've googled and only found the common center position feet. Although I like the stitch quality I'm thinking the lack of a good 1/4" will be a pain...
06-19-2011, 04:31 PM
#2
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I don't like using the 1/4" feet. I get better accuracy by making my own 1/4" guide out of moleskin. Here's what I do.
Moleskin is available in the foot section of any pharmacy (Target, Walmart, etc.). I use my rotary cutter to cut strips from it. To measure accurately from the needle, I place a trusted ruler under the presser foot and lower the needle until it touches a scant 1/4" on the ruler. I lower he presser foot to keep the ruler in position. Then I check to make sure that the ruler is straight going from front to back. Once I am satisfied with the placement of the ruler, I peel the backing paper off a strip of moleskin and use the ruler edge as a guide for sticking the moleskin to the bed of the machine. Once the guide is in place, I sew three 2.5-inch strips of fabric together, press, and measure to make sure that the finished width is 6.5 inches. If I am off, I re-do the process.
My only question about your machine is whether 1/4" from the needle clears the feed dogs. If it falls on top of the feed dogs, then you need to modify my process so that you have a moleskin guide strip in front of the feed dogs and another behind the feed dogs.
To sew, all I do is butt my fabric edges against the moleskin. Having that physical guide for my fabric means I do not have to stare at the edge of the foot. I can sew very fast and still get accurate seams.
My only caveat for this approach is that if you have a vintage machine with the old black finish on it, then the adhesive on the moleskin may eventually dull the finish. This would not affect how the machine works, but would affect cosmetic appearance down the line. Most of my thrift shop machines are pretty beat up, so I wouldn't mind using moleskin on them. However, if you have a pristine black finish and want to keep it that way, adhesive is not the way to go. In that case you may want to look for a metal guide accessory; many of the vintage machines allowed a metal guide to be screwed into the base to act in much the same way that my moleskin does.
If you post the brand and model # of the vintage machine, there may be someone here who has a solution specific to that machine.
Moleskin is available in the foot section of any pharmacy (Target, Walmart, etc.). I use my rotary cutter to cut strips from it. To measure accurately from the needle, I place a trusted ruler under the presser foot and lower the needle until it touches a scant 1/4" on the ruler. I lower he presser foot to keep the ruler in position. Then I check to make sure that the ruler is straight going from front to back. Once I am satisfied with the placement of the ruler, I peel the backing paper off a strip of moleskin and use the ruler edge as a guide for sticking the moleskin to the bed of the machine. Once the guide is in place, I sew three 2.5-inch strips of fabric together, press, and measure to make sure that the finished width is 6.5 inches. If I am off, I re-do the process.
My only question about your machine is whether 1/4" from the needle clears the feed dogs. If it falls on top of the feed dogs, then you need to modify my process so that you have a moleskin guide strip in front of the feed dogs and another behind the feed dogs.
To sew, all I do is butt my fabric edges against the moleskin. Having that physical guide for my fabric means I do not have to stare at the edge of the foot. I can sew very fast and still get accurate seams.
My only caveat for this approach is that if you have a vintage machine with the old black finish on it, then the adhesive on the moleskin may eventually dull the finish. This would not affect how the machine works, but would affect cosmetic appearance down the line. Most of my thrift shop machines are pretty beat up, so I wouldn't mind using moleskin on them. However, if you have a pristine black finish and want to keep it that way, adhesive is not the way to go. In that case you may want to look for a metal guide accessory; many of the vintage machines allowed a metal guide to be screwed into the base to act in much the same way that my moleskin does.
If you post the brand and model # of the vintage machine, there may be someone here who has a solution specific to that machine.
06-19-2011, 05:04 PM
#3
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That's a very good alternative to finding a 1/4" foot for this machine. I've used painter's tape in the past, but the moleskin would be better. Yes, the 1/4" would be on the feed dogs since the needle is in the left position. Thanks for the suggestion, that may work. I don't plan on using this machine for piecing, but would like the option;> The finish on this machine isn't pristine, so no worries there...
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