Vintage machine that does a blanket stitch?
 

For some reason I find myself wanting a machine with a blanket stitch. Perhaps it's the applique I saw a little while ago that made me want to try it... I don't really know.

Does anyone have any suggestions? The newest machine that I have that does decorative stitches is the 411G but it doesn't have a blanket stitch.

I'm not a complete purist (as many of you know by the how old to be vintage thread. ;)), I'm also OK with a somewhat newer machine but am on a strict budget. There are 5 Smarter by Pfaff C1100 machines about 2 hours from me for $225cdn each that I'm tempted by but I think I'd be better off looking for something more trusted. Similar budget though - maybe a little higher.

My preferred brands are Pfaff and Janome for the newer machines and I don't seem to get along with Bernina at all for some reason.

Can you look for a good used Pfaff? You might get more stitches for your money. I love mine and both of them have the blanket stitch. Call the nearest dealer and ask if they have one available or if they know anyone who may be wanting to sell their machine.

It's snowing outside, my brain is in lock down ............... what does a blanket stitch look like?

Joe

I like Bernina, but I don't think any of the vintage machines has the blanket stitch; not until the 930 eighties model (I think it has it, but I can't confirm it atm). 1980s is sort of border line vintage, maybe if you are 16 years old it feel like that lol. I would expect any QE version to have this sitich, most current models in general?

The Elnagraph has a blanket stitch disk, I think it's No. 146 (I'm on the hunt for it). The Supermaitc is in my mind true vintage, and I suspect this is the only 1950s machine with back stitch patterns. I don't even know of a 1960s model who has it, though I suspect there are the odd exception, the Japanese jumped for the cam technology around that time. I have next to no knowledge of vitage Japanese brands unfortunately, though I have noticed a few nice machines and interesting features a few times.

If I rememeber correctly, you have some traumatic memories of a Supermatic giving you truble at some point. I can let you know, mine is working fairly well, maybe not fine tuned to your standards, but I managed to get the metal pulley with O-rings on!!! Still a bit on the noisy side, but compared to industrials it's really not (pedaling for some arguments in it's advatage). I'm keeping this machine for the time being, I think I might grow to like it. I just can't see me doing any free motion on it yet. If a later model happens to land on you, I think they were driven by two belts and no pulley.

If you are open to different techniques there is a blog devoted to vintage macines and very true to the techniques at the time. It's a bit cumbersom to maneuver to the correct pages, but the result is quite nice. It feels a bit advanced too me, I have read it several times but I don't quite get it. It looks like it's all done by hand, but from what I read she only talks about free motion and how to get the blanket stitch done on machine? She often uses a treadle model 15 and a 66 if I remember correctly.

I have been. ;) Pfaff machines seem to keep their value here,which puts the models I'd be looking at in the $500+ range. I love my 6122 - completely mechanical and all utility and stretch stitches. This is the only stitch I wish it had.

I made a big mistake the day I sold my Kenmore 150. It had a blanket stitch but I had so many machines, it was a plastic fantastic, I'd just gotten my embroidery machine and was feeling broke....

No sympathy for you on the snow thing! We get it worse and longer, I'll bet. ;)
http://www.singerco.com/sewing-resou...tch-detail/217

If I recall, most of the QE models have many different blanket stitches. Had a 2027 in here this morning... it would be fine and less than a QE. A less scrupulous tech would have told her it was un-fixable, since I know that she wants an excuse to get a new machine with a bigger throat... ;)

I've had a lot of dealings with those pulleys and the one I removed to make a video on replacing them caused bloodshed and a re-shoot. And then that pulley ate itself within a day of use. We're not currently friends, no. ;) Yes, the later models did go to belts. They saw the flaw in the design finally. How do you like the metal pulley versus the old rubber one? Where did you source it?

All of the pages I saw on Muv's site were for hand stitched blanket stitches. I think she's great and way more co-ordinated than I am - FMQ on a treadle would result in many grievous injuries to me.

I found myself in the same boat. My wife wanted a machine that would do the blanket stitch. With all of the vintage machines that I had stashed around, not one of them (that was serviceable) would make a blanket stitch. And I couldn’t find anything much in my online search either. It would have to be a newer machine that reversed the feed (or stopped the feed, if you will), and the good old metal machines didn’t have that function. I was searching for about 3 years.....

Then, in a stroke of good luck, she entered a drawing for a sewing machine at a Quilt Show, and won. It’s a Singer 5400 Sew Mate, and it has a blanket stitch on it (60 built-in stitches). Thanks for miracles, because she has now done several projects with it (just the blanket stitch) and is tickled with it. I don’t think that she’s ever used any other stitch on that machine, including the straight stitch. She folds her Singer 301A down in its cabinet, and puts the new 5400 up on it to do her blanket stitches. It’s been going strong for several projects...

CD in Oklahoma

So then in your opinion, it might just be worth driving a couple hours to go look at these? http://www.kijiji.ca/v-hobbies-craft...ationFlag=true

If you’re talking to me.....I wouldn’t recommend ANY used sewing machine of the newer type. You’re a tech. You know how people (techs and users both) jack around with machines.

And I don’t know anything about Pfaffs or other brands, just the Singer 5400. I would buy a brand new Singer 5400, if I were you. Disclaimer: We’ve only had our Singer 5400 since May of 2014, so I have no long-term information on its longevity.

CD in Oklahoma

The ONLY reason I'm interested in the one I posted is that there are 5 of them and it looks like 4 of them haven't been out of their boxes. No jacking around. ;) Pfaff, Janome and Brother are the main machines that I service. I've never had one of those "Smarter by Pfaff" machines on my bench though. The reviews are mixed. Most issues seem minor and that they get fixed other than the one that said it was "un-fixable". I'm wondering if it's the same as the Bernette machines...

I did struggle a bit with the pulley, even the clip on the hand wheel was a bit stubborn. I ended up cracking its' bakelite inners and it came of in pieces. The metal pulley was a bit tight, I hammered it on. It works very well, and I don't regret it at all. When the old pulley came off I could not see much of a dent in it, at least not compared to the tutorial pictures on the web, still in runs noticeably better with the new pulley. The noise is another thing though, it's not quieted down to 201 levels. The Elnagraph her self is a noisy thing, and have used lots of the best teflon enriched oil on it. The motor runs with out much noise, so it's not the cause of it.

As you mention the pulley thing not a perfect solution mechanically; it can slip a bit, especially when the first few stitches when the machine has newly been taken out to sew. If I run it full speed a bit it's like it warms up for the run. The motor might need tending to, it runs fine but it probably could benefit from cleaning and new grease after 57 years. I'm not sure how much care a motor needs. I'm keeping it, I think I will both use it and like it. I am on the hunt for more cams :- )

Regarding new pulleys wearing of the rubber: I just read on the Yahoo group it could be caused by an Elnagraph with too much play on some parts, it puts an over load on the rubber and tearing it off.

It was through the Yahogroup I sourced the pulley. I had been cleaning oiling and being very interested in my new machine. I posted a lot of qestions on how to sort it out. After a bit of back and forth it looked like the only good source of worth while pulleys come from (Ray) White Sewing Center, and he doesn't ship outside US. A guy on the Yahoo group took mercy on me and offered to drill out an aluminum pulley. Of course I jumped at chance and I think it's the ideal solution, one I recommend if the opportunity is there. I have been sewing on mine and I can't really complain on anything, it's a fast machine. It still needs some fine tuning, it's not easy for an amateur to sort it all out in one go ;)