Stitchnripper

Gosh Miriam that does sound like fun. We're in Baton Rouge...

plume

It does! It should be sponsored by Singer...

miriam

In all honesty no it should be sponsored by Tri-flow oil and some of the places that sell parts... but I doubt if they have any more money than we do...

Sheluma

Yes! We should show tri-flow how many times their product is mentioned on this site. Plume, I went to Italy a long time ago (1979) but didn't go to the south. Just Rome and Florence. I wanted to see the south but I thought I didn't have enough time because I wanted to go to Greece and the islands. I had a eurail pass, carried my stuff in a back pack and stayed at youth hostels. I lived on cheese and bread and fruit. Didn't eat in any restaurants. I knew no Italian, but had just spent a semester in France, so I spoke some French, and it turned out most Italians spoke French! I practiced my French more in Italy and Switzerland than in France (where I hung out with my American friends). If I were to go now I would go nuts buying vintage linen sheets and of course at least one 411 or 431 sewing machine. And I would want to eat in restaurants. sigh. If I could travel now like I did then, maybe I could afford it.

Sheluma

I was just looking at a 1911 book called Singer Instructions for Art Embroidery, scanned by the LIbrary of Congress (http://archive.org/details/singerinstructio00sing). It has some beautiful color plates. It says "Place a small iron washer or a spool weight on the spool to retard the movement of the upper thread. A spool weight (No. 9537) can be obtained at any Singer shop." I wonder if that advice still applies.

ArchaicArcane

You wouldn't have to disassemble, just loosen that screw, push the whole assembly, then tighten, but I agree, "don't fix it if it ain't broke"

What a generous offer. I may just have to do that. It wouldn't be soon anyway, we won't go too far while our geriatric animals are still here, but after that, we're empty nesters

I bet I could make it a long way just going in an organizing people's stashes and tweaking machines. Gives new meaning to a mobile sewing machine repair business.

-Some- of the parts places make money hand over fist. You know mark up is up to 500%? Depends on the part, some are 50%, but still. I learned that from the Singer store when they were closing and wanted me to buy it. If you owned your building and your stock.... That said, it's a side line / hobby for a lot of the others, like me, and I sure couldn't sponsor something like that.

ETA: that and I've never charged that sort of markup. I like to sleep at night.

I don't think the spool pin weight is still available (not in my spreadsheet anyway) but the weight is still valid advice. I was told by a OSMG to put a finger on top of the spool when winding the bobbin for a better, tighter, more consistent wind.

plume

Rome & Florence: great choices! Puglia is very similar to Greece, so all in all, you did well going to Rome & Florence. Yes, they still do speak more French than English (at least down here)! Vintage linen sheets: It's not the 1st time someone mentions then to me, because I live here, but honestly, I have never seen them. Not that I'm looking, but still... Markets are now filled w/ the same exact stuff than the rest of Europe. I'm not sure where I'd have to look. It's a little sad. There are MANY vintage Singers though
Lastly, about restaurants: super cheap & good here!!!!

plume

Still going perfectly, didn't touch anything anymore

Oooooh, I understand about the animals...

ArchaicArcane

That's great to hear!! Sounds like you managed to fix it right after all!

J Miller

At 8M for the .pdf download, my dial up would never do it. Could someone here burn this to a CD and mail it to me?
I'd gladly reimburse you for the CD and postage.

Joe