It is summer again and I am sewing a lot of fine jersey. If you look through my blog, you'll notice that I am rather obsessed with flexible seams - seams that stretch with the jersey instead of ripping under strain. I found that different machines, different mechanism types have varied success at this task,… Continue reading Flexible stitch: stitch length and other adjustments
Category: Maintenance
Jones transverse shuttle machine
As I reported before, I got myself a Jones Family TS machine dating to 1883. Yes, I know I first said it was from 1882 based on the serial number 26569 according to sewingdownmemorylane.com. However, fiddlebase.com found a document allowing to date the machine based on the Jones logo engraved on the slide plate. According… Continue reading Jones transverse shuttle machine
Reviving a transverse shuttle machine
I recently got bitten by the transverse shuttle bug. 😲 So I had to clean and revive a few TS machines. They all wake up from their slumber, but you need to tickle the right spots. 😉 I am generally a lazy person. I don't like to clean things for the sake of them looking… Continue reading Reviving a transverse shuttle machine
The transverse shuttle bug
Never mind the coronavirus - this is much more serious! Being stuck in lockdown causes serious spending. The Cyclops How can anyone resist a cyclops? Impossible! This is a late 1880s Varley & Co. transverse shuttle machine known as "The Cyclops" - their trade mark. It is based on Singer 12 but has double-sided feed… Continue reading The transverse shuttle bug
Pfaff 230 not stitching patterns
Help! She's doing straight stitch and zig-zag like a good girl but is not doing any patterns! 😥 This is the Pfaff pattern disk showing you all the patterns that your Pfaff 230 Automatic can sew fully automatically. You pick a stitch of interest, set up the knobs as shown, set knob E to the… Continue reading Pfaff 230 not stitching patterns
Pfaff 230 Automatic
This is one of the great classics from 1955: Pfaff 230 Automatic, not to be confused with Pfaff 230 that didn't have any fancy stitches. This machine has signature Pfaff forward-facing vertical rotary hook with internal belt transmission. Zig-zag is done with a swing needle mechanism and all the fancy stuff is in the arm.… Continue reading Pfaff 230 Automatic
Vintage Sewing Machines 