Macybaby

These are "different" in how they attach to the machine. If you are every looking to buy a set like these - make sure the adapter is with it - they won't mount to any machine without that part.

These are two New Home sets - the adapter part is on the left.



The adapter mounted to a foot. The taller one mounts high on the bar, the rest I show slip on to the narrow milled end of the bar.



Here are two more New Home sets with different adapters.







These two sets have the same attachment method -the top is Household and the bottom White. I'm missing the adapter for the household - it has an offset needle.



The White has a centered needle, so the adapter won't work on the Household - though the feet are same.



These are the two boxes - note the similar banding detail.



And a Domestic set. I have several slightly different Domestic sets.

J Miller

Cathy,

I have some of those screw on feet in my unidentified box. I'll have them ready when you stop by. If you can't use any of them, maybe you could ID them for me.

Joe

Monroe

I'm always amazed at the knowledge you share. Thank You! Some day I'll start going through the many accessories I've accumulated. Never found a penguin though!

elnan

In the third photograph, outside the tins and lying on the right side, what are those plates? I have two similar pieces from a grab-bag at a thrift store. To me, they look like part of a hinge with sharp points. Most of the pieces in that bag were Greist, but these two plates have no markings.

Macybaby

Those two are the shirr plate and underbraider. To use, you remove the front slide on a long bobbin machine and put one in place. They are machine specific. I have lots of them made by Griest - they are part of the attachment set.

Here are a few just to give you an idea

This is a White long bobbin set


And a much newer White Rotary set.



And a National long bobbin set



And National Rotary set

HelenAnn

You are such a treasure! I have to go look at my attachments now.
Helen Ann

HelenAnn

You are such a treasure! I have to go look at my attachments now.
Helen Ann

Mrs. SewNSew

You wealth of information is amazing! I had no idea of all those attachment types. Thank you for sharing about them. Who knows..I might have one around here somewhere and have it pushed to the side no knowing what it is or what it goes to. At least I have learned better than to throw things out. They eventually find a mate around here.

Cogito

Cathy I am completely dismayed. I can't tell you how many sets I've seen over the years, including the couple of nonSinger sets I own and I don't remember ever seeing the adapters! Wouldn't I have been in for a nasty surprise if I had specifically bought a set to use and it did not have that adapter. Now....thanks to you I know better! Thank you, thank you.

Macybaby

Cogito - most of the "newer" Greist sets that are top clamp don't need a "special" adapter. By then, the machines came with it already mounted to the presser bar. These ones are sort of "in between" in age -

I don't know exact time frames here - it seems that pre 1900, US machines (other than Singer) mostly had feet that slipped on to the presser bar, and the hemmers and tuckers were bed mount. Then it came sets with an adapter that could be mounted to the presser bar, and the feet hooked into that - and usually the hemmer now mounted to the foot - and not the bed of the machine.

It wasn't long, and the top clamp seemed to become the method US (other than Singer) were using - and by this time the machines started coming with the adapter part of the machine, and even the standard foot was top clamp. Boye came out with a chart in the early 1900's that shows different top clamp types - as a way to help identify your machine so you would know what needle/shuttle it would take.

When US mfg shifted overseas, the top clamp appears to have become a thing of the past ( along with most of the companies that made them) and the Japanese made machines were standardized with Singer - except Kenmore - but then Sears still likes to be a bit "odd" so their stuff isn't quite like anyone else's.

The short of it - For US made machines (other than Singer) unless you have true antique machine, it's likely to already have the adapter and take top clamp attachments. Then your concern is they are machine specific - and if you have set that does not "fit" its for a different machine.

The ones that need adapters that came with the set are these odd ball sets - that are something other than top clamp feet. ALL of the second group of pictures are regular top clamp feet, just different machines or ages.