help. not a quilting question per se.
 

Ok. So I have been sewing away on my 15-91. I have made a baby quilt for my niece arriving in December. Now I would like to start on some of these upcycled leggings for her. But the instructions call for a zig zag stitch. What tricks can I use for the same effect with the straight stitch? I am sure skirts were made with this type of elastic back when. I've just never used elastic before..... thoughts?
http://www.makeit-loveit.com/2012/10...-leggings.html

Zig zag stitches for knit material, elastic etc. that will stretch when worn are necessary. Using a straight stitch will cause the seam line to break over time. A straight stitch doesn't have the give that a zig zag stitch has.

Right. I only have the one machine. Is this something I should hand stitch the elastic for?

I don't know if the zigzag attachment would work for stretch fabrics but I do know that it works for overcasting seams. Do you have the attachment and could experiment?

Nope..I tried to buy a zigzag attachments at our local sewing machine shop that deals with vintage machines and they told me there wasn't one for the 15-91. Maybe they were wrong? I thought I read on here that all I need is low shank attachments? If so, we're have you gotten yours?

The 15-91 is a low shank machine. Any zigzag adapter that fits a low shank would work.
Here's one on Ebay right now. No affiliation with seller, just one of the first ones I saw. Singer also made a version with removable cams for different stitches.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Sing...item3ceaf326a8

I've seen various reports of success and non-success using them. I have a Greist made one but haven't played with it much.
Rodney

if you use a zz attachments be sure to use the button hole plate - the zz thing has grips on it to pull your fabric through - learned that the hard way. I see no reason it wouldn't work.

My gran did all her sewing on an old Singer that didn't have zigzag....when she passed away my aunts gave me 30 of her homemade dresses to turn into quilts and I when I started taking them apart I was really surprised to see how she did zigzags.....she just zigged and zagged the fabric herself! It's too irregular to be done with a zigzag attachment, I think that she must have just sewed an angle, stopped and turned the fabric, and sewed the next, and so on. Nice sharp points so I'm pretty sure she stopped at each point; I'd think they'd be blunted if she hadn't stopped at each point.

Seems pretty labor-intensive but it worked! Some of those dresses were worn thin in spots but all her sewing held up marvelously.

What does the buttonhole plate do?

I don't think any of my zigzaggers work with the cover plate - they all rely on the feed dogs to move the fabric forward, they only do the side to side.

I've got at least 5 different zigzaggers that work with a 15-91 though all of them are at least 60 years old. I'm surprised there is not a "new" one out there to fit a low shank machine. Though I suppose if the seller looked up a List, the 15-91 is probably not on there.

Also, New is usually very expensive. I'm always shocked to see the "new" ruffler sell for $35 when you can pick up the almost exact thing (vintage) for under $10 on eBay, and it will come with several other attachments too. Shipping should not be more than $10 so you are saving quite a bit.

From what I can tell with rufflers, once they went to the five slot variation, they've stayed about the same since.

the zigzag can be very narrow to give it the stretch. Another way is to use a double needle. I use this whenever the hem comes down in a t-shirt. the topside will look like a double row of stitches and underneath will look like zigzag because of the one bobbin thread - but it stretches!

They were wrong. Any ZZ attachment will work except the one meant for high shank and slant shank machines.

How would you use a double needle on a 15? I'd have thought a double needle would suicide on the first attempt, as there's only space for one needle.

I was thinking the same thing - needles flying into someone's eye as it hits the hole...

Schmetz makes a twin needle that only has 1 shaft. It fits the same as a single needle. I know there are other brands that also make them. I have not tried one yet in any of my vintage Singers, but it works fine in my vintage Bernina, but then it is a zig zag machine. There are also different sizes.....meaning the space between the two needles. Biggest issue of course is the single hole in the straight stitch plate, lol!
i would suggest to the OP that she purchase a Singer 401 or 500, etc. oh darn! HATE it when I have to buy a new "vintage" machine!, lol. I have (4) 401's and (2) 500's. Love, love the 401's! Worth every penny I've spent.
Or....for you more mechanic minded....would it be possible to "bore" a slightly bigger hole in the stitch plate to accommodate a twin needle?

You can get those one shaft needles on the machine but last time I looked a straight stitch needle plate has room in there for only one needle to pass through.

Yep, that's exactly what I said in above post......;) So I wondered.....is it possible to slightly modify the stitch plate.....bore it out a tad? I am sure some on this list know the answer to that, lol. Or would it make more sense to just purchase a vintage zig zag? I know some don't care for the 401's, but I personally think they are the next best thing to store bread, lol!

I think it would be more trouble than it's worth. After you enlarge the hole you would still have to replace the bobbin case with a zigzag 15 class case. I also suspect there may be other issues like clearance on the feed dogs and maybe even timing issues. I certainly haven't seen every twin needle or zigzag capable machine out there but I think the ones I own are either drop in bobbin or the bobbin faces toward you as well.
By the time you modified a straight stitch machine to take dual needles you would have far more time and money in it than the $10 it takes to buy a zigzag machine at your local thrift store - at least that's where the prices start here.
Rodney

Wow I had no idea. That's how naïve I am about that kind of thing. Thanks for clarifying.

I think I'm most likely wrong about the part about which way the bobbin faces but still, these days it's far easier to find a twin needle/zigzag capable machine than it is to modify a straight stitch to accept a twin needle.
Rodney

That would be my suggestion - get a $25 older zigzag machine (from the 50-60's) and have that available as needed. Make sure to get a center homing machine (needle is in center of hole when straight stitching).

While I love the 15-91, it's not a suitable machine if you want to sew much with stretch fabric. It was a big deal at the time (50-70's) to get a machine that would sew the "new" stretch fabrics. Remember double knits and leisure suits?

Thank you for an interesting question.

First, I have seen some miraculous feats done on a straight stitch machine. Machine embroidery, for example, so impossible things are possible. Just more talent and patience than I have. But keep that miraculous feat idea in your head as you consider this project.

My thoughts center around, "cut to the chase and get it done." Here that would be (1) secure both sides of the spot you are going to cut the fabric (sweater) BEFORE you actually cut it, (2) make sure the cut edge(s) is/are stabilized because there is going to be friction on the seams and they will fray and pull out otherwise and (3) do the sewing by hand or borrow or buy a zigzag machine.

The leggings are adorable and very useful and timely. I, personally, would have even more gray hair after taking a crack at sewing them.

Let us know how it goes, please? Good luck and steady nerves.

Pat

You can't use a double needle on a straight stitch machine.

Make a casing then thread the elastic through the casing.

Thanks for all the ideas guys :)

Of course today my entire cord/ controller system decided it was done for (original to the machine).... I noticed it looked cracked and sure enough the wires were done for :(

Sooo..... now I need a little help finding that set up for cheap. I need the power cord, the controller foot. I found what I think I need on sew classic. Just need a little hand holding as the electric parts make me nervous to mistakenly get the wrong piece and end up making the whole thing go caput. :/