Question for those who use older machines w/o a reverse or tacker

**J Miller** · 03-25-2012, 01:58 PM

I love to use my treadles and older machines ... but, I hate the fact that most of them do not have reverse or a thread tacking feature.

I've tried several ways to tack my threads so they don't come undone, but none are really easy to use.

How do you tack your stitches on machines w/o reverse and stitch tackers?

Joe

**Charlee** · 03-25-2012, 02:02 PM

I think I told you before that I start with a TINY stitch and lengthen it as I sew....but I know of some that stop, turn the fabric, stitch, stop, turn, and proceed with their seam...

**miriam** · 03-25-2012, 02:03 PM

my grandma used to turn the material around and sew back, turn and sew back
you can just hold the fabric so it doesn't advance and run it with small stitches close to the end
or leave a long tail and tie a knot - we know that won't happen
I used to make tents on an old machine - the old tent makers would lift the material back into the machine and sew some more - pain in the butt if you are sewing on tent ties.

How do you change the stitch length on those old machines?

**Charlee** · 03-25-2012, 02:04 PM

They differ Miriam...but a lot of them have a little knob that you turn...

**miriam** · 03-25-2012, 02:05 PM

SO. That is what the little knob does. AH HA! I betcha I didn't clean that.........

**J Miller** · 03-25-2012, 02:14 PM

Charlee,
I do remember that. I'd just forgotten who told it to me.

I've tried:
Stitching forward a bit, then lifting the needle and presser foot, moving the material back a bit, lowering the foot and stitching over the beginning again.

Stitching forward then lifting the foot and turning the material around and stitching back to the beginning then turning it around again.

Starting in from the beginning, then turning the material and stitching to the beginning then turning it again and retracing my stitches.

The problem is these methods work for smaller things, but are a royal pain in the xxx for larger things.

And my Singer treadles use the old round nob stitch length adjuster and that is a pain to crank it three or four turns to start then back three or four to sew.

I'm looking for an easier quicker way I guess.

Joe

**valleyquiltermo** · 03-25-2012, 02:19 PM

Good luck Joe these are the only 2 ways my Granny did it.

**Candace** · 03-25-2012, 02:23 PM

I don't use treadles but all my other vintage machines have reverse I think. I don't ever use it though since I mainly do piecing and or quilting on them. But, pushing up the lever to reverse isn't hard to do.

You should check out the White 77 Rotary. It has the ability to customize the stitch length of forward and reverse separately. Pretty cool.

**J Miller** · 03-25-2012, 02:25 PM

My mom used the HOTHER and it's got the round disk with the slot in it and a lever. I used to watch her tack her threads by flipping the lever up then back down so fast you'd almost miss it if you weren't watching.

My wife used her 538 which has a push button reverse/tacker again so fast you'd miss it if you weren't watching.

So neither or my mentors have any advise to share.

I think Charlee probably has the easiest idea. I'll just have to play with my stitch control nob till I get if figured out.

Joe

**Charlee** · 03-25-2012, 02:29 PM

Joe, my daddy used to say that if you want to know the easiest way to do something to tell a lazy person to do it and then stand back and watch.

I'm lazy.

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