New Toyota Sewing Machine
01-15-2014, 02:19 PM
#23
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Dallas area, Texas, USA
Posts: 3,042
Sewing Parts Online has a video about how to use a shirring foot, and the demo person, Sara, definitely pronounces it "shearing". As you say, they probably don't have any that shear sheep, but it might be a regional pronunciation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbyJxbv-D5I
You won't be needing it for quilting, but any question you might have about how to use different sewing attachments are probably answered by these videos.
There are a lot of excellent videos demonstrating both the basics and more advanced techniques, for example: https://www.youtube.com/user/lcvday
Toyota sewing machines have been made since 1946, according to their website, but it also says: "Now it's available in the United States," so I assume they were not available here until recently. Wikipedia has an informative article about the company, which started out making looms before making cars, and they still make looms, too!
You won't be needing it for quilting, but any question you might have about how to use different sewing attachments are probably answered by these videos.
There are a lot of excellent videos demonstrating both the basics and more advanced techniques, for example: https://www.youtube.com/user/lcvday
Toyota sewing machines have been made since 1946, according to their website, but it also says: "Now it's available in the United States," so I assume they were not available here until recently. Wikipedia has an informative article about the company, which started out making looms before making cars, and they still make looms, too!
01-15-2014, 03:46 PM
#25
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: N. Concord, Vermont USA
Posts: 12
Originally Posted by BellaBoo
That's nice of your DH to do the searching but it's odd to find a Toyota brand even popping up in a search for sewing machines. Did you test sew on it first before he bought it?
01-15-2014, 06:49 PM
#26
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: Rocky Mountains
Posts: 1,866
My concern with this machine for machine quilting is the size of the throat. If you plan on quilting your quilts on it, you don't have a lot of space to hold your quilt. For straight sewing, this might be a good machine. Let us know how you like it after you have used it for a while.
01-16-2014, 06:45 AM
#27
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 57
Oh, I've already started pestering the dealer with questions! 
We met this dealer (sewing machine/vacuum shop) in a nearby town when he got my Mom's 1918 Singer treadle machine working again. DH has been talking to him for months about what machines are made best, since (according to the dealer) so many are made with "plastic gears" anymore. I'm a little concerned about the size of the throat, but I'll see how it works. If it's just too small, then (darn!) I guess I'll have a find a longarm friend, hmm? 
We met this dealer (sewing machine/vacuum shop) in a nearby town when he got my Mom's 1918 Singer treadle machine working again. DH has been talking to him for months about what machines are made best, since (according to the dealer) so many are made with "plastic gears" anymore. I'm a little concerned about the size of the throat, but I'll see how it works. If it's just too small, then (darn!) I guess I'll have a find a longarm friend, hmm?
Originally Posted by Green Mtn Girl
Two things Hubby and I would never buy without trying out. A car and a sewing machine. I would get the seller to take it back or at the least make him get answers for you.
02-14-2014, 09:50 AM
#29
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 57
Many of you will remember this discussion from last month.
I work full-time, so I don't have much time to sew. I did manage to sew one small project that used only straight stitches. I noticed that the machine vibrated A LOT and was LOUD.
I finally got time to sit down with the machine last week to create a "sampler" of all the different stitches the machine would do.
Oh. my.
It would sew awhile and jam. I'd clear the jam, taking out the bobbin & casing, clear any threads, re-assemble and try again. It would sew awhile & jam. I thought the problem might be that I'd threaded it wrong, so I re-did that. I thought the problem might be the tension, so I messed with that. I thought the problem might be that I'd managed to bend the needle, so I changed that out. It sewed awhile and jammed. Sewed awhile and jammed.
Until I was SO frustrated I finally had to quit sewing (or trying to), turn it off and go watch TV.
I'm taking it back to the shop today, and the dealer will have to do some FAST TALKING to talk me out of trading it for a Janome - probably a Magnolia 7318 or a Sewist 500.
I wish I still had my old Kenmore.
But I already gave it to my DIL, so I know it has a good home.
I work full-time, so I don't have much time to sew. I did manage to sew one small project that used only straight stitches. I noticed that the machine vibrated A LOT and was LOUD.
I finally got time to sit down with the machine last week to create a "sampler" of all the different stitches the machine would do.
Oh. my.
It would sew awhile and jam. I'd clear the jam, taking out the bobbin & casing, clear any threads, re-assemble and try again. It would sew awhile & jam. I thought the problem might be that I'd threaded it wrong, so I re-did that. I thought the problem might be the tension, so I messed with that. I thought the problem might be that I'd managed to bend the needle, so I changed that out. It sewed awhile and jammed. Sewed awhile and jammed.
Until I was SO frustrated I finally had to quit sewing (or trying to), turn it off and go watch TV.
I'm taking it back to the shop today, and the dealer will have to do some FAST TALKING to talk me out of trading it for a Janome - probably a Magnolia 7318 or a Sewist 500.
I wish I still had my old Kenmore.
But I already gave it to my DIL, so I know it has a good home.
Originally Posted by His_Grace
As part of my plan to learn to quilt, I got a new Toyota (STF 39) sewing machine for Christmas! My dear hubby researched it for at least 6 months and talked to the guy at our local sewing/vacuum store for a long time to find one that they both felt was durable and would do what I wanted it to do, and he got it on sale!
BUT . . . there's always a "but" isn't there?
There's not one word in the owner's manual about quilting. Not. One. Yet there IS a quilting table extension (purchased separately), so I know it can quilt.
There are pictures on the box of all these special stitches, and only the barest possible directions (and I do use that term loosely) in the owner's manual of how to actually perform those stitches.
It didn't come with a quilting foot, and since it's not a major brand, I have no idea what kind to even LOOK for!
So I went to the website, www.sewtoyota.com, and have never been so underwhelmed. There's like NOTHING there! Pictures of their two sewing machines, but absolutely no helps whatsoever.
I really don't know where to start. This isn't my first sewing machine - I've got my Mother's 1967 Kenmore and 1918 Singer, and have used both of them alot - but I feel absolutely lost here.
Anyone else own a Toyota sewing machine? Any hints?
Nancy
BUT . . . there's always a "but" isn't there?
There's not one word in the owner's manual about quilting. Not. One. Yet there IS a quilting table extension (purchased separately), so I know it can quilt.
There are pictures on the box of all these special stitches, and only the barest possible directions (and I do use that term loosely) in the owner's manual of how to actually perform those stitches.
It didn't come with a quilting foot, and since it's not a major brand, I have no idea what kind to even LOOK for!
So I went to the website, www.sewtoyota.com, and have never been so underwhelmed. There's like NOTHING there! Pictures of their two sewing machines, but absolutely no helps whatsoever.
I really don't know where to start. This isn't my first sewing machine - I've got my Mother's 1967 Kenmore and 1918 Singer, and have used both of them alot - but I feel absolutely lost here.
Anyone else own a Toyota sewing machine? Any hints?
Nancy
02-14-2014, 02:10 PM
#30
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: New York
Posts: 1,571
Toyota made a lot of older machines, including some Kenmores. Jaguar also made some Kenmores. I'm sure like everything else the quality has gone down.
Maybe look for an older Kenmore with cams and attachments?
Maybe look for an older Kenmore with cams and attachments?
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