Tag Archives: Tools

3D Printing, DIY, Sewing Machines, Weaving

A DIY electric weaving bobbin winder – a tale in two acts – Act 1

4 Comments

I know a few people who read this blog are weavers or spinners who rewind their spinning bobbins before plying and feel like I do that electric weaving bobbin winders in Canada are a little pricey – so I did an experiment this summer. How much would it cost me if I built one?  At first, I opted for the single ended winder.  It looked simpler to build and I didn’t have pirns that needed the support on both ends. I’ll call this prototype #1.

The part that had me stumped for a while was the metal mandrel that the bobbins fit on. Continue reading A DIY electric weaving bobbin winder – a tale in two acts – Act 1 →

Sewing Machines, Site News

The shop is up and running!

1 Comment

As I mentioned in last week’s post, I’ve decided to finally set up the shop completely.  With the way we all do things changing from day to day, this seemed like the right time.

For years, I’ve mentioned in posts that I would put this or that into the shop when I had a chance.  Now that my IT work and sewing machine repairs have slowed to a halt due to the pandemic, it’s bubbled to the top of the list. Everything’s been photographed and a description added.  I’ve tried to be as descriptive as possible but do check attached photos as well.

This means : Continue reading The shop is up and running! →

Sewing Machines

Cuts like a knife – Scissor care from a sharpening professional

8 Comments

Some of you might have seen me post on Facebook about my outing on Monday. I finally took my favorite but very abused Gingher scissors in for repair and sharpening. I’m a little embarrassed to say that in the few years I’ve had them, they’ve had a very hard life.

They’ve been dropped on their points, bent and even done a little bungee jumping.

GingherG7z2

These were my first “good” scissors and none of the abuse was ever intended – it just happened. Somehow, I have a knack for storing scissors on the ground, usually from sewing table height. I don’t think I ever did that when all I had were my craptastic scissors. Figures, right? Of course, at least 2 times they hit the floor they landed points down. Continue reading Cuts like a knife – Scissor care from a sharpening professional →

Sewing Machines, VSM Repair

Out of the nest – Ditching the Thread nests part 2

9 Comments

In the last post, we talked about ways that thread nests can be solved from a user point of view.  Today, I’m getting into the slightly more technical ways that the nests happen and how to deal with them, or when to take it in for service.

Category 2: Possibly user fixable or take it in – Depending on skill and comfort level

Continue reading Out of the nest – Ditching the Thread nests part 2 →

Life, Sewing Machines, Site News

A Million Miles – traveling to speak and teach!

4 Comments

Note: Amended date!  I goofed ladies and gentlemen, April 16th is the date, not March!

Update: 2014-04-09 – It looks like the Evening class is tentatively full (may be able to open 1 more spot) and there is one left open for the morning class.  If you wanted to get in, now’s your chance!  We’ve been chatting about the possibility of me doing the class again in the future in William’s Lake, but there’s no firm timeline for it.

OK, so it’s not quite a million miles but I bet it feels like it by the time I get home.

I’m going to be teaching people just like you how to service and restore their vintage machines in BC next month! 🙂

Beauties like this:

IMG_1558

The Cariboo Piecemakers quilt guild has asked me to speak to the group about vintage sewing machines at their Tuesday meeting.   The following day I will be doing a marathon training session.

The class is in William’s Lake, B.C. Canada (approximately 3 hours out of Kamloops) the Wednesday before Easter (March  APRIL 16th) at the Pioneer Complex, and we have just added a second session and there’s currently a little room left.   The tentative times for the classes are 10am to 3pm with a break for lunch and 5pm to 9pm.  If you’re interested in attending, leave me a comment below or contact me here.

Here’s what I’m planning to cover: Continue reading A Million Miles – traveling to speak and teach! →

Life, Longarm Quilting, Quilting, Sewing Machines

Back in the Saddle – Take care of your back

1 Comment

Ergonomics Part 1: (This post ended up far longer than I’d intended (yeah, shocking, I know!), so I will split it into 2, and offer you part 2 tomorrow.)

Lately, I’ve noticed that I hunch a lot when I sew.  This is on the longarm or at the domestic machines.   The result of this is that I “hurt” and I can’t sew for long periods of time.  So I thought I’d talk today a little about ergonomics, both at the stand up and sit down types of machines and your cutting table. Continue reading Back in the Saddle – Take care of your back →

Quilting, Sewing Machines

Review – Quilter’s Rule Quick Quarter 2

Leave a comment

Back when I started up with SMS as a dealer, I had a pretty big “opening order” to make, so I went looking for a number of tools that could make my sewing and quilting life easier.

It can be really hard sometimes to tell the gimmicks from the gadgets and the gadgets from the really necessary tools.

One of the “frightening” concepts for a new quilter is “bias edges”.  I thought that any tool I could come up with to help me with that would be great.

I stumbled upon the Quilter’s Rule Quick Quarter 2.  Knowing that I would “eventually” be making something with half square or quarter square triangles, this seemed like just the thing. Continue reading Review – Quilter’s Rule Quick Quarter 2 →

Sewing Machines, Site News, VSM Repair

Greased Lightning – Singer motor lube in Canada

6 Comments

Update 06-30-2016:  The latest batch of Singer Lube I received from the supplier is no longer suitable for use in Singer motors.  As such, I’m recommending the use of Petroleum jelly.

People far smarter than me are recommending it and White Sewing machine motors of the same time period used it.

 

Over the last few months, I’ve been hearing that Singer Lube / Lubricant / Motor Lube (S2129)  is getting really hard to find, especially here in Canada. This has been my experience as a consumer as well.  Walmart used to carry it, but no longer.  I believe that it may have been at Fabricland at one point.  Also, no longer.  With the loss of the Singer store in Edmonton, there were no longer any options I was aware of in my area. Continue reading Greased Lightning – Singer motor lube in Canada →

Sewing Machines

Followup to the Universal adjustable sewing desk

3 Comments

I had a couple of questions asked in PMs the other day on the Quilting board about the Universal Desk I built a couple of weeks ago, and am posting them here with permission.

when you have your machine in it… does your machine ‘vibrate’ backwards? I see you have a gap at the back/right side of it and am wondering if you have something you insert in there or if you just leave that spot open. (to the right of your wheel)
Sewing Machines

You spin me round, right round….

5 Comments

I posted this little contraption on the Quilting Board last fall.   I find myself spinning the machines around several times during cleaning and tune up.  When I irritated the bulged disk in my back, I found I couldn’t lift a machine anymore.  It was obviously time to change the way I was doing things.

It sure makes hauling all of these machines around my workbench a little easier. You never really appreciate how much you move a machine around until your eyes water each time you do. I was SO not going to start fixing them on the floor. Continue reading You spin me round, right round…. →