miriam

UH around here they come in multiples...

ArchaicArcane

Too true! About 6 months ago I was lamenting the fact that I'd never had a 301 to play with, and that they were always too expensive. Then I serviced one for someone, then 3 fell into my lap. I still have 2 of them.

diajo

is this everything I need to chain stitch?
they belong to her



Isn't she lovely!!!


gotta run, work calls, thank you all for all your help

miriam

I gotta tell one on myself. I've been turning jeans into skirts lately. My machine (a Singer 403) lent out a cord and foot control a while back. So I put a new cord on it. Well, I was too busy/lazy/in-a-hurry to put the foot control in it's little pocket. So yesterday I was sitting there trying to sew and the darn thing wouldn't move. I checked to see that all was plugged in etc. Then I looked and the foot control was on the floor. I was trying to use the knee control. I have noticed that the machines where the foot control has been used as a knee control are a lot better shape than the ones that have been loose so I put it back in the little pocket.

mlmack

Each model of machine may be different, but I don't see anything there that looks like the chain stitch accessories I have for my Rocketeer.

diajo

humm ok... I thought the white thing was a bobbin cover

what do you use the chain stitch for? is it really useful?

ArchaicArcane

Congrats Diajo!!

There are usually three parts to the chainstitch "attachments"

On the "German" machines, what I've seen is

• a special bobbin case.In the case of the 411 /431 it's a 503602 and there's no bobbin inserted when chaining
• An additional thread guide, the german machines have them built on
• a chaining throat plate, it has a moving finger fastened to the bottom of it, and it's usually labelled AK3 to make sure you have your needle set to AK3 (straight stitch, needle centered)

I can't tell if one of the AK3 plates has a finger, but otherwise, you should likely have everything you need to chain, assuming someone didn't sub out the bobbincase for another one.

We talked about the chaining here:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...ml#post5615269
http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...ml#post6183638

The T&S machines do it a little differently:

• a plate that covers the empty bobbin case
• An additional thread guide, it lives in the accessory box until needed, or gets dropped and lost.
• a chaining throat plate, it has a moving finger fastened to the bottom of it, and it's usually labelled AK3 to make sure you have your needle set to AK3 (straight stitch, needle centered)

diajo

thanks but she isn't mine yet... I do want her though

thank you so much, I'll go and read up

ArchaicArcane

Hah!! I've done the opposite. Hunt around all over the floor with my foot then remember it's a knee lever machine. I've found the same with the knee lever pedals vs the foot pedal ones. I like the knee lever too because it gives choice.

I'm not sure what the white piece is. I'd need a better pic of it.
Lots of people use chainstitching for tailoring clothes. You can get the fit right then sew it permanently. I read somewhere that the civil war uniforms were chainstitched as their permanent stitch.

Another use I read about recently is to sew one half of a zipper to the leaders for a quilt frame, and chain stitch the other half to your quilt, then zip them together to quilt then pull the chainstitched zipper when you're done. I love it. I have 3 zippers on order.

I know there are tons of other uses too, I just haven't figured them out yet.
Hey Mark, which Rocketeer are you chaining with? My definition of Rocketeers must be too narrow. I thought they were only the 500 and 503 and I didn't think there were any that chained?

Sheluma

I see what looks like the chaining plate (longer needle hole and AK3), but it looks like it lies flat (ie no finger?). The white piece -- it is bobbin shaped and looks like it has a lever? Maybe it takes the place of the lever on the plate?