Buttonholer
 

Doing research for my wife. Back in the late 80s I got her a Bernina 1000 Special.
The one thing she doesn't like about it (& other modern machines) is the buttonhole function.
Why have to grab a lever for reverse? Or, why have to pay for an expensive machine with a computer-controlled buttonholer?
Can one modify a common Singer-class buttonholer for Bernina use? Is there another way around this?

Bernina's tend to be very finicky and designed to be used with their own feet and such. I think for that era of machine, the lever is a pretty reasonable way of doing things...

For a modern machine, the stuff they can do these days is amazing! Maybe a medium-end (so over $100, under 2k) Brother might give you some options?

Something like this Eversewn is pretty awesome for garment construction in addition to quilting needs,
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Eversewn-...hine/873427600

Thanks for the thought. She does prefer the non-plasticky machines. I think I'm better off looking for a good older machine from an estate sale instead.

Yes indeed! I'm a big fan of estate sales and such, but since I gave up garment construction I don't do buttonholes any more so I love the Japanese vintage machines that go up to zigzag and can sew anything. If you have an active Craig's List or Next Door you can often find some great deals.

I'm thinking of it as a specialty piece of equipment, just bring out the button-holer! I like having a back-up/travel machine anyway, early during Covid both my trusty old vintage and fancy modern Bernina went down and I was sewing on a bottom of the line Brother, but it made masks just fine.

Again with the Sparrows, many people are finding this to be a great machine to take to classes and such. Yes, plastic case but mechanical machine at a good price.
https://www.eversewn.com/sparrow-15

Yes, a 15 (or a 15clone), 66 or 99 even a 221 Singer machine will work well with the vintage Singer buttonholer like this one - https://www.quiltingboard.com/attach...er_part_id.png

Another machine would be a 301 but would need a slant shank buttonholer as pictured in the thread https://www.quiltingboard.com/vintag...a-t246259.html

I haven't used a slant shank buttonholer, but have used the green box one. When I was making buttonholes, I found that I would practice on a piece with all the layers that was in the item I was making. I found that I liked the looks of it better when I did it upside down.

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.

I have a brother prw 5500 that makes a nice buttonhole.

I have a Bernina circa mid 90's. It makes the most beautiful buttonholes ever. I just love them. I'm not so sure about the newest ones. They're so expensive and seem to be really picky. Too many sensors to go bad and apparently you can't override them so I'm looking now for another Artista in case mine goes bad on me.

If your wife's Bernina isn't making a great buttonhole, it may just need a service. Maybe the feed dogs need to come up? Is she putting the thread through the finger on the bobbin case? That's important for making buttonholes that look great on a Bernina.

The lowest end new Bernina that you can get right now is model 335. It runs for about $980 and has a super easy, fabulous buttonhole system.

I don't know how particular you wife is for buttonholes, but my Ultra Stitch 8 by Kenmore did a great job with buttonholes. The box says it has a built in buttonholer, but it you have to select three stitches. First stitch is a tight zigzag right side, bar tack, zigzag left side, then bar tack. I used it for a quite a while and it worked good for me.

I can never get the attachment buttonholer to work. I think there is just too much going on and it always goes awry.

Good luck!

I don't believe you could adapt a singer buttonholer to the Bernina. And finding a machine at estate sales or garage sales is a good choice. I have found several vintage machines that sew perfectly at garage sales and for little $$! I am always looking for vintage machines when I am out and about garage sailing.