mom-6

I have the book with all the instructions for the attachments but somehow I don't feel confident trying to follow them. Guess it comes from trying to learn how to tat from a book...not a pretty outcome (any of the times I've tried)! So anyway, are there classes anywhere that you can go to and learn from a real live person how to make these work?

It seems a shame to have them and not use them.

tenngal

If there are no classes, there shoud be! Now and then I find a box of attachments at flea markets and antique stores. I always buy them (about $10 per box). Now I need time to sort them out and see which of my 7 machines they go with.

J Miller

Well, I also have a print out of a book on how to use the attachments and accessories and many original and reprint owners manuals with instructions in them too. They don't make much sense to me either. Even those with clear pictures. I'm not sure why but they seem to be written for people who already know how to use them.

Kind of frustrating trying to figure out what the stupid instructions are trying to say. Some day I'll sit down with a machine and every instruction book I have and experiment till I figger it out.

~~ But not today.~~

:-> Joe

cabbagepatchkid

Are you talking about "The Sewing Machine Attachment Handbook" by Charlene Phillips? I have the book but haven't actually tried any of my attachments yet, either.

pinecone

I have my DMIL's machine book that she had in school. It is the old Singer green, generic as it talks about many types of machines. I had to used my rolled hem foot, good thing I had the book as it had been a while and I couldn't quite get the hang of the "roll". All is good now. The pictures were more detailed back then.

piney

jljack

I have the Sewing Machine Attachments book, and it's pretty easy to follow if you read and do it at the same time. It takes some trial and error to be sure, but it is not as hard as you think. You just have to try it and keep trying it until it works! :-)

Also, be sure the old attachments are clean, and some of them really need to be oiled, such as the rufflers, as they have moving parts that can get stiff with non-use and oxidation over time. Just oil lightly and move them back and forth until they move freely.

path49

Yeah, there is a bit of a learning curve...how to hold the fabric, etc. With a lttle practice you'll be amazed at how much better they work than the attachments that are being made now!

Just practice with scraps til you've mastered 'em...Mom-6, you can do it! Just get some scraps & play...

mom-6

The book I have is the original green book that came with my featherweight. It seems to be identical to the one that we had for my moms machine when I was growing up. Same attachments too.

And we only ever used the regular foot and the zipper foot and of course the buttonhole attachment (but it was purchased later after I started sewing). Didn't even use any of them in any of my HS or college home ec classes.

nanna-up-north

Aren't there some video tuts out there about using some of those interesting looking attachments? If not, there should be. I'm such a visual learner .... it's so much easier that way. Don't you have some videos like that, Muv?

lovelyl

The author of "The Sewing Machine Attachment Handbook" lives in my area. She spoke to our quilt guild a couple of months ago, but not about attachments. She is supposed to have a workshop soon on how to use vintage attachments and I can't wait for that. Her book is very good and I would recommend it.