kiffie2413

Hi all,
Often I am wanting to have the option for portability when doing my straight stitch sewing, as in piecing my quilts. I would rather have one that is not electric.
I've been researching hand crank machines for some time, but I just don't know enough about them...
Can I get some feedback as to what you all think about them, what brand and model would be good to check out?

I have several vintage machines, including my great grandmother's Singer 66 treadle in its original cabinet. Ma did have an electric motor added to the machine as well.
But I'm thinking a machine that is not as heavy would be a better way to go.

Thanks in advance!
Kif

bignan 1935

I wanted a hand crank,nso I found one on ebay It is a singer 201 I have a singer 201 so I knew it was a good one I paid 500. for it It is very heavy. I I have a featherweight but when I sew I want all the stitches so for going to sew in I bought brother cs6000.very light weight does everything my brother8500 pacesetter does I know it won't last as long but it only cost 139. + shipping from amazon.

KalamaQuilts

I hear ya sister!

I have a Singer 127 hand crank, gorgeous machine, lovely to sit on the deck in the summer and use.
But my husband has taken up flyfishing and we go to such pretty places, so I thought 'Hey...take the hand crank!"
It works..but I have to take a table also, and it is Really heavy, and I don't like the bentwood case getting banged up

So I thought and thought...And I've bought a Singer Sewhandy 20 chainstitch machine. Quite light, about the size of a small loaf of bread, no bobbin to fool with, just stick a spool of thread on the spindle and off you go.

Singer made these for many years, and variously advertised them as toys, machines to take to college, portable machines for many uses. I'm thrilled to start using it

It makes a chain stitch, which looks like a crochet chain on the back side of the fabric. It can all pull out if the stitcher is careless, but as anyone who crochets knows it is easy to loop off a chain, the machine chain is no different.

Anyway it will make a nice change from english paper piecing,

Rodney

Congrats on finding your chain stitcher.
Rodney

sdhaevrsi

Kalama Quilts, congrats on your SewHandy! The chain stitching sounds interesting, and not needing a bobbin would be super! Any pictures of it? Do you worry about a broken stitch unraveling on your piecing?

P.S. I am still so happy with my 301, Kallie. :-D

francie yuhas

If you have a featherweight,hand crank additions can be added. They don't weigh much.

Blackberry

I have a Sew Handy 20 but it needs to be anchored down to something. Mine came with a mechanism for attaching to a table. Is that the way yours works.

KalamaQuilts

They came with C clamps, and some came with little suitcases that turned into table top tables.

What I'd really like is to have Rodney make me a base...but I'm still thinking on ideas for stability.
a tray with a heavy duty suction cup on the machine also comes to mind. I've collected images of a lot of ideas but can't share them here as they would be deleted as not mine.

I have my Sewhandy project lined out in my mind also. So if the work is successful I'll start a thread then.

kiffie2413

Thank you all for the input!

purplefiend

Yeah but you only get 1 stitch per revolution verses 3 stitches for a real hand crank.
Sharon