Grandmother23

I cleaned my Spartan this morning, not a "Billy" clean, but just an oil and goop one. This one must never have been cleaned of lint in the 51 years of its life. Threaded it, wound a bobbin, and sewed. I'm not real sure on the tension as I need more practice with this part. My problem comes in with the stitch regulator. I can turn the knob and move it up and down and then turn the knob to set the stitch length. When I sew the vibration makes the knob move up and the stitch length gets shorter and shorter. A couple of the braces it sits on is chipped so it does not sit square in the base but I think this has nothing to do with the stitch regulator and the vibration of the machine. I really like this little machine and it is another one I will definitely sew on. So any help is appreciated. Think I will now go pick Blackberries. :lol:

HanNatNana

Elsie that's great!! At the weekend I went to yet another Op Shop hoping to find some Singer Low Shank Feet for the Singer Capri and one of the volunteer ladies has offered her old machine...don't know the model or what comes with it, she appears to know little about sewing, but I will collect it in the next few weeks when I'm in that area again.

This Capri is the one I was going to convert to a felting machine, but my 9yo DGD has fallen in love with it and asked me to teach her to sew.....how can you refuse? She didn't ask for the machine but I could see she likes it, possibly because it's smaller than all my other machines, who knows? Anyway, it's a small price to pay to get her interested in sewing so that's why I'm now chasing additional feet for it....for a felting machine these were the last thing I needed!@! LOL

Have you been to Unley Second Hand? they have some great vintage machines on eBay.

Bronwyn ;-)

grannysewer

This Capri is the one I was going to convert to a felting machine, but my 9yo DGD has fallen in love with it and asked me to teach her to sew.....how can you refuse? She didn't ask for the machine but I could see she likes it, possibly because it's smaller than all my other machines, who knows? Anyway, it's a small price to pay to get her interested in sewing so that's why I'm now chasing additional feet for it....for a felting machine these were the last thing I needed!@! LOL

How do you go about converting a machine for felting? I have an extra one I could do that to. Thanks, Bobbie

luce321

Billy, you guys have gotten me so interested in antique sewing machines that I want to purchase a Singer treadle. I always sewed on my Mom's treadle until I got my own machine when I went to work.

I always go to garage sales on Saturday mornings. After never seeing a sewing machine at any garage sales, yesterday at the second sale was a Singer electric machine. The black paint on the machine was all chipped and the cabinet was a wreck. The finish was just about completely off of it and a leg was missing . It was $20.00. I didn't get it.

The next sale I found a Kenmore from the forties The machine it self was all black and in great condition and the cabinet was very nice too. I don't know if there were attachments with it. They were asking $50.00. Do you think that was a good price?

HanNatNana

G'day Bobbie

I'm far from expert in the felting world...in fact I've never done it previously and therefore didn't want to throw a whole lot of $$$'s to a dedicated felting machine (eg Janome 725) then I came across a lady in Oregon who sells a 'felting machine conversion kit' on eBay. I also bought 6 spare needles so as to combine postage and the package arrived with full instructions, well packaged and mailed quickly, so I can recommend her in that regard...but...I still need to find time for testing, not enough hours in the day. Might be a cold day job during winter.

If you go to ebay.com and type 'felting machine' into the search field you will see an adaptor listed, she has a whole lot of info in the listing re converting the machine.

Hope this helps? Sorry I'm getting posting errors and think it was the url causing the probs.

Bronwyn :lol:

luce321

BKinCO,

I hope this is not a stupid question but why is your machine referred to as a "redeye?" I am new at all this.

Kathie S.

Lucy the only stupid question is the one not asked. :-) A red eye has two red oval spots on the head. Kathie

Kathie S.

Luce the only stupid question is the one not asked. :-) A red eye has two red oval spots on the head. Kathie

Kathie S.

Luce the only stupid question is the one not asked. :-) A red eye has two red oval spots on the head. Kathie

chris_quilts

Sorry this is late but it was an estate auction. Apparently one or both of the couple collected sewing machines.
I came home with two machines. One was a 301 which runs so sweet, she sings. However, no attachments or manual. Her name is Rebecca (name of one of Betsy Ross' sisters which is what I named my FW.) The other machine was the green Bernina, model 117L, a zigzag model. S/He sews sweetly as well. This one came with a amnual (YEAH!!) plus a Bernina tin of attachments (feet) plus 15 bobbins. There is also a suspect bobbin cover and bobbin with the machine. I also probably have the tip to a Bernina oil can but not the can and a brush that originally came with the machine. In the attachments are a couple of unidentified feet plus a couple of other weird do-hickeys. One of the unidentified feet has two rollers on it, like rolling pin rollers, and have no clue as to their purpose. My sister guessed maybe for satin or velvet or another slippery fabric and I'm wondering if maybe I can use it like a walking foot. Don't believe the feed dogs drop b/c manual didn't say anything about that. Will post pics tomorrow of both machines plus pics of Betsy. Pic is posted here from auction preview.
On the Bernina, I was bidding against the antique guy and would have dropped out earlier but DH said to keep going so I did and wound up the machine. What is really strange is that it came in a crappy plastic case which seems out of character for its suspected age. I am wondering if this can be put into a cabinet. I'd be happier but don't know if it's possible.