J Miller

Button hollers seem to get a bad rap here. A number of members have commented to others they should just throw them away or leave them where they found them. Hmmmm, wonder why? The old button hollers that you attach to your machine are a rather nice little tool to make a variety of button holes.
Yes, modern machines have built in button holers but all they make is one style. Be that as it may I got a laugh today cos I now have a chrome Greist button holler on it's way to my collection.

That one will make number 17 I think.

Here's most of our collection of button hole making attachments:


I have machines for most of them too.

Now I'm not soliciting you understand, but if anyone here has one of these they'd like to get rid of, I'll pay the postage to add it to my collection. No need to toss it in the dumpster.

.... 'er Joe

vintagemotif

I'm keeping mine since it makes beautiful buttonholes!

mom-6

I got spoiled to the buttonholes from the 'old' attachments and have never been as satisfied with the built-in ones.

kitsykeel

About a month ago I found a Greist in the bag of goodies that came attached to my old blue Universal. Have been using it ever since and really like it. Have had much better luck with it than with other attachments or built ins.

irishrose

I have a MW from the 70s, but it may be missing a part. It wouldn't be worth the postage so I think it's going in the dumpster.

J Miller

Before you trash it, how about sending me a pic or two. I've got three Kenmore button hollers and one needs a new part or two. Bits and pieces to fix existing parts are harder to come by than the whole thing sometimes.

Joe

Candace

Joe, like I've said before, there are MANY pages on ebay for them. For dirt cheap. If you want them, you can get them for close to the price of shipping.

J Miller

Candace,

As I've said before, I don't do eBay. I see one that interests me at a price I'm willing to pay on GW or at a store and I go for it.
My comments here was not a solicitation, just a tongue in cheek comment to let forum members know I'm interested if they have any they want to get rid of.

Joe

Shelbie

I absolutely love my vintage Singer buttonholer which is older than I am. I use it all the time on my Janome 6500 because the built in buttonholer on this machine will not handle large or thicker buttons. My buttonholer allows me to make key-hole, rounded or squared off end buttonholes and I can adjust the width. The buttonholes are always uniform and perfect every time. The original buttonholer came with five standard cams and the extra sizes and shapes could be bought in sets of four. One set also included the eyelet size. I'm definitely not throwing mine out and Joe can't have it either!

MrsBoats

I have, hmm, four, I think, and my favorite is the one on the top left of your picture-the one with the adjustable thumb screws but no cams. They all make great button holes, but that one is infinitely adjustable for size, once you get used to the adjustments. If I want a different shape (which is rare), the Singer cams fit my Greist buttonholer that came with the Pfaff, and I have a full set of those, I think.

No, I missed one-I've got five. Which still isn't as many as Joe!