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…

Uneven stitching on Singer 66K – mystery solved

Here is the problem: uneven tension on my 1906 Singer 66K. Why? It goes up and down every 30 stitches or so. Weird. Annoying. Bah! 😤 But never fear - the mystery is finally solved, see updated original post. 😃

The oldest one yet

This is the oldest machine in my collection - an 1885 Wertheim TS, serial number S6331276. It is a low arm model with a fiddle base. 🤩 This is after cleaning and varnishing, but before rust removal. I found it on eBay in a rather sorry state looking like this (seller's photo): A bit dusty,…

Singer 66K – another homecoming

I've already had one of these - a Singer 66K with Lotus decals (although I think they are thistles really). But I sold it in a misguided attempt to reduce the number of machines in my sewing corner. Have been missing it ever since, so had to get a replacement. 🙂 But I promise to…

Live long and prosper, Overlocker

"Always buy quality" is an excellent rule, if you have the money for it. But sometimes you just have to make do with what you can afford, and buy a cheap overlocker instead of a durable one. Dan just shared his experience with an inexpensive overlocker Brother 1034D which he bought second hand - in…

The Hengstenberg/Anker Wittler – a transverse vibrating shuttle

It happened again - I rescued another poor soul. Start here First impressions 189? The ships The head The feed The mechanism compared to Singer 12 The first transformation 2 February 2018 Despite the looks, it is a rather special old dear: a Hengstenberg/Anker transverse vibrating shuttle known as the Wittler mechanism (no, I've never…