Singer Model 127
 

I just got my mother's 1918 Singer treadle sewing machine Model 127 back from the shop, and we are thrilled - she's sewing again! But I have a question that I'm hoping some of you would be able to answer.

Is it possible to drop the feed dogs on this age of sewing machine?

OK, two questions - any idea where it is possible to purchase additional bobbins? I think it originally had two (thinking back 50 years), but I only have one now.

Thanks for any information - :)

I don't think you can drop the feed dogs on that machine. I really doubt it considering it's a shuttle machine.

You can get bobbins for it at Sew-Classics:
http://www.shop.sew-classic.com/Shut...k-SCBN8228.htm

Joe

Thanks, Joe, for that link! Lots of good stuff there!
Looking around on that site, I realized I haven't asked anyone about needles for that machine. The needle that's in there is the same one that's been in there for at least the last 50 years! Will modern-day needles fit this machine?

I believe any 15x1 needle will fit it.

Singer calls theirs 2020s and 2045s.

Organ lables theirs as HAx1s

There's a ton of different labels for them but if you go to JoAnn's they have Schmetz and Singer on the shelf and they'll be marked. That's pretty much all they carry in the normal needle section.

Joe

Here's some more data:
ISMACS says it uses 15x1 here:
http://www.ismacs.net/singer_sewing_...s-100-199.html

And on my needle packages you'll find this info:

Singer: 2020 (15x1), 2045 Ball Points
Schmetz: 130/705H 15x1H
Organ: HAx1 130/705H 15x1

Also a lot of folks will say to avoid Singer needles, or only buy Schmetz, or what ever their preference is.
>Schmetz is German and of excellent quality.
>Organ is Japanese and also of excellent quality, but some of their needles are made in China and other places. Doesn't seem to affect their quality.
>Singer needles are made in China, Germany and other places. I have personally had a few that weren't the best made. Overall I'd call them adequate.

Hope this helps and I'm not being to much of a smarty pants.

Joe

Hello HG - No you can't drop the dogs. Why do you want to?

Because a large percentage of quilters like to drop the feed dogs on their machines to FMQ.

Yes, people drop the dogs for FMQ, but don't even bother trying FMQ on a long bobbin machine, you'll bust the needle. Guaranteed.

The only reason I would want to bypass the feed dogs on a long bobbin machine would be to use a buttonholer. Because they don't drop you can get the screw driver out and remove them completely.

Yikes!! Glad I asked & took advantage of all of your wisdom & knowledge, because otherwise I sure would've tried FMQ on it! Thanks, guys!!

I have found quite a few videos online, mostly on YouTube, that show how to thread the machine, how to test & adjust the tension if needed, and even one on some of the attachments. Mine has quite a few of the attachments, but not all I saw online. Wish it had the attachment to keep the seams even - have to go back & look to make sure it wasn't there.

Also need to practice treadling - probably been 50 years since I tried that, LOL! :D

HG - You'll find all you need on my vids - click the link below!

Good to know. I've never tried it with a long bobbin machine and can't say I've been tempted to with so many other options. So, I will not try it at all!

As far as using a button holler attachment, they have or should have a plate with them to cover the feed dogs.
Simple and no need to take any thing apart.

I didn't know about FMQ'ing with a long bobbin machine either. Now I won't be tempted.

Joe - On a long bobbin machine you do have to take it apart.

The plate to cover the feed dogs screws down into the bed of the machine, and they are designed for round bobbin machines. The screw goes down under the bed right into the path of the arm of the shuttle carriage on a vibrating shuttle, so you can't turn the machine.

So you are left with two options, either set the stitch length to zero, leaving the teeth static but still there to rub on the underside of the material, or remove the dogs altogether. I prefer to get them out of the way completely.

Whether you can use the feed dog cover with a transverse shuttle, I don't know, I haven't tried yet.

Hello, I have a Singer 127 that was my great-grandmother's. I bought a 1/4" foot which fits on my Kenmore, but it touches the needle plate on my Singer and is unusable. Can anyone recommend a 1/4" foot for a Singer 127?

Singer 127 treadle question: bobbin thread catching
 

So if I read don't do something, I'm inclined to try it and see what happens. Kind of like the little tykes who must reach for the hot burner. This 127 treadle is right in the way according to my Better Half, but I've been trying to explain how it's good therapy just to practice sewing a straight line with it, it calms me...
Also thought I'd press to see how close it could get to Free-ish Motion Quilting, in spite of caution advised by more knowledgeable folk.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]449079[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]449080[/ATTACH]
Backing out pressure on foot, and stitch length adjuster, resulting in the above...not so bad, IMHO.
Course who knows what would happen with a quilting project!!!
My question is, I occasionally break the bobbin thread towards the upper end of the bobbin case, as you would hold it, when loading. It also pulls through the bobbin case, in a rather "notchy" manner. I should try another bobbin, which means winding one. The bobbin thread is cotton covered poly, and who knows how old, but it I wound the bobbin recently, although it has already a tiny tendancy to curling like like pig tails when unwound from the bobbin, but not too bad.
Suggesions? the bobbin winds pretty even on this machine, but it does seem to break at the very "top" end, where it seems to be a little under the layer of thread. I tried to add a bit of tension, and wound very slowly.

An old thread resurrected ... :) .

When using the feed dog cover plate for the button holler attachments I have seen many lengths of the screw threads. If you pic one that will not protrude through the bed of the machine there is no interference with the shuttle swing arm.

I found this out by trying to use one of the more modern fabric guides with the long screws. The short screws worked great.

Joe

I've used a buttonholer on my VS2 and it was sufficient to use the feed dog cover that came with the (1940s) buttonholer. It worked very well, creating a perfect button hole. Removing the feed dogs was unnecessary. Can't recall which screw I used to anchor the cover plate.

LOL, I didn't think I was losing my mind OR my memory quite yet! Had to go by Hancock's last night for thread, so I thought I'd pick up some needles while I was there. When I said 15x1's, the girl looked at me like I was from outer space, and kinda said, " . . . . . huh??" :D:D:D