Trying to install a buttonhole attachment on a Singer 66-help!
 

I've had my Singer Red Eye 66 for a few years now, just learning how to sew really. It's a beauty, built on December 6, 1918. I'm still finding my way around it, and there's not a great deal of information out there on their practical use (it's a treadle of course).

I've been trying to install a Singer buttonhole attachment that claims it's compatible with the 66 models, but I'm having difficulty mounting the part that screws onto the presser bar. It looks like it's supposed to secure on the left side of the presser bar with a slotted screw it came with. The problem is, it appears my presser bar is in a different position, so that the flat side is facing the rear of the machine, along with the hole the screw goes into.

Am I just nuts, or totally missing something? How do I mount the attachment to the presser bar if the flat side and screw hole is facing the back?? I have a project I'm so close to finishing, the buttonholes are one of the last pieces of the puzzle. Any help would be hugely appreciated! (FYI, it's a straw tick mattress, and with snow fast approaching, time is of the essence!)

dhagest245,

Welcome to the QB forum.

Your button holler will not fit your Singer 66-1 machine. Your machine has what is called the "BACK CLAMP" feet, the button holler is designed for the later machines with the "SIDE CLAMP" or low shank set up.

I do not know if there ever was a back clamp button holler. Singer discontinued the back clamp design on the model 66s in the early 1920s. Many many Mdl 66s were converted to the side clamp / low shank presser bar so it can be done. As inexpensive as they are though, I'd just go get another 66 already with low shank feet.

Joe

The very early Singer 66s used a back clamp foot. It sounds like you have one of those. I'm hoping Macybaby will be along. She will most likely be able to tell you if buttonholers were ever made that will fit your machine.
Rodney

EDIT: Joe types faster than me. Also, I see this is your first post. Welcome!

Welcome to the board - so far I've not encountered a back clamp buttonholer. I'd love to see if there were any buttonholers made for a machine like a Wheeler Wilson. I have very early buttonhollers that are bed mount, side mount and round bar mount - none of which work with the back clamp. I do have early sewing books that describe a method to make a machine buttonhole, but it's more like FMQ around the opening.

One would think that Singer had something available for the 66-1 since it was made for about 15 years. It and the D9 (that I've read the 66 was modeled after ) are oddities for Singer in that they are not side clamp.

There is an early buttoholer - "Famous Button Hole Worker" and though they continued to be made into the 50's, the very early ones predate the Singer branded buttonholers (this excludes the Peerless that has "Singer" stamped on it.)

I've seen reference to different attachment types, but have not seen them all so maybe they had a type A or B that attached to the early machines. I've meant to watch and get one of each, but haven't paid much attention to buttonholers for a while.