All posts by Tammi

Sewing Machines, VSM Repair

Excuse me, do you have the time?

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Today I’m going to talk about timing.

It’s that scary word that we all dread when we take our machines to the shop. Or the reason we take our machines to the shop.

It’s not: (fill in the blank)

Stitching, sounding right, picking up the bobbin thread, making me coffee, whatever.

Or It’s: (fill in the blank)

Skipping stitches, breaking thread, smashing needles, teasing the cat, what have you.

It must be the timing, right?

Not so. Only some of the above scenarios are always a timing problem.   Continue reading Excuse me, do you have the time? →

Life, Sewing Machines

Score at the Antique Mall

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We made a trip to Calgary this weekend to see my aunt.

While enroute, I received an email from her saying she was just stepping out to run a couple of errands. We found ourselves with an hour on our hands, and were passing the same Antique mall that I’d found a lovely 1912 model 28 with both hand crank and motor upgrade a few months ago when we came through last.

We stopped and I wandered for a bit, seeing only a Spartan that was somewhat interesting, and completely reasonably priced, but since I already have 2 99s, I was in the process of deciding not to packrat, when I tilted my head toward the ceiling. I spotted it, on top of a China cabinet that was easily 7 ft tall. A featherweight case.

The hinges looked weird though. Ryan and I were standing there discussing whether they’d been replaced or not. I noticed though that the rivets looked identical to the lock side, and something was nagging in the back of my mind about the hinges and the box itself. It looked like it was the “wrong” dimensions. Continue reading Score at the Antique Mall →

Sewing Machines

Project Rewind: back to the 60s – Reuse your wooden spools

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NOTE 2014-03-03:  This post left for posterity, but it’s superceded (functionality wise) by this post.

In the early 1970s, thread manufacturers stopped using the wooden spools for their thread.  This was strictly due to cost.  A wood spool cost them between 2.5 and 4.5 cents per, where as a plastic spool cost half that.

Financially, it made sense.  Unfortunately, the sewing experience doesn’t seem to be the same.  Plastic spools hop all over the place, they’re loud, and let’s face it, they’re ugly too.  I really think the older machines like the wood spools better too.  They’re heavier and harder to “spin around” and mess with the tension.

I have my grandma’s old sewing basket, it has a bunch of wood spools in it.  Some full, some empty, or close to it.  She used to keep them to wind the thread ends onto.

On the Quilting Board, we were discussing why you couldn’t rewind some of these old spools.  The easy answer is “there’s no product on the market that will do it”.

Today, I came across a photo of a Two Spools machine that was winding a wooden spool, and I decided it had to be possible for “the rest of us”, and if it was, I’d try to come up with a way to do it.

Note: This process will work better with a top mounted bobbin winder.  It may work with a side mounted winder, but it may limit the size of the spool you can use.  I can’t see a way it would work with a Self-winding bobbin.  It should work with a Side Winder too.  Also, for pretty obvious reasons, it won’t work with the long bobbins.  😉

Continue reading Project Rewind: back to the 60s – Reuse your wooden spools →

Sewing Machines

Reader Mail: October 30, 2012 edition

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Welcome to Reader Mail, the October 30th Edition.

 

I received an email from someone inquiring about a machine I had advertised on the local buy and sell.   She wrote:

I am an absolute beginner, what would you recommend for a first machine?

I don’t require any fancy stitches, but what about the 4 step buttonholers or a built-in button hole function?

Continue reading Reader Mail: October 30, 2012 edition →

Sewing Machines

Reader Mail: October 21, 2012 Edition

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So, I thought I’d start a feature here on AA where I answer questions submitted by you, the Readers.

I get some questions via email that you would normally never see, but the same questions seem to come up time and time again. In the hopes of addressing some of them in “public”, I present to you:

Reader Mail.

Matt wrote me about his model 127, with a replacement shuttle:

… the stitches don’t always stay tight and straight as I think it should. Maybe it’s the needle size and tension isn’t adjusted right?

How can I properly adjust the tension and what needle size does it need?

Continue reading Reader Mail: October 21, 2012 Edition →

Sewing Machines

Introductions to our sewing machine family, Part 3

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Wow,.. a third part?

A lot of things have changed since the last post.

In the beginning of August, the 290C was relocated to somewhere it will get used.

In October, the Kenmore found a home where it’s going to teach a little girl to sew.

The same weekend in October, Archie went to a nice lady who tends to throw herself into the things she tries out… sound familiar?  I know.  That’s why it seemed a good match.

And earlier this week, Midge went to a good home.  A quilting home.  She was by far the hardest to part with.  I don’t know what it is about a featherweight, but you seem to bond with them immediately and permanently.

Continue reading Introductions to our sewing machine family, Part 3 →

Gardening, Home, Life, Warnings

Chaney and Sons Contracting Warburg Alberta – Serving Edmonton and Area caused $4000 damage to our truck

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$4000 damage.  That’s what the estimate said.  Thanks to Chaney and sons, also doing business as Y4 Workin Ent Inc, and 1383726 AB Ltd, we have significant damage to our vehicle.

We decided that this year, we would stay close to home.  Business is a little slow, so money’s a little tight, so we’re trying to do a small reno to the backyard on the inexpensive.

I don’t want to say cheap, because1. It isn’t and 2. Cheap has a a bad reputation.

We’re reusing some things (rebuilt and expanded the deck.  Ahem,.. Patio.), and trying to save money by picking up our own dirt, when it’s offered on kijiji, etc.  Well, last week this backfired on me. Big time.

On July 31, 2012, I answered a kijiji ad for free top soil.

http://edmonton.kijiji.ca/c-resumes-construction-trades-Free-Top-Soil-W0QQAdIdZ389795890 Continue reading Chaney and Sons Contracting Warburg Alberta – Serving Edmonton and Area caused $4000 damage to our truck →