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Vintage Singer Buttonholes vintage buttonholes
leapyfrog   Beginner WA USA Member since 2/7/08 Posts: 15	Login to reply to this post 1 member likes this. Date: 7/13/10 12:22 PM Hi everyone, I am making my son some rocket jammies from a nice cotton, but the background is black, so I was having trouble marking the lines for the buttonholes. I usually use a ballpoint (gasp!) as the dressmaker markers I have found don’t make a mark, don’t work, whatever. Since my sewing is not that sophisticated (yet), this so far hasn’t hurt me, but as you can guess, my ballpoint didn’t work in this case. What to do. It dawned on me: I have always heard that vintage Singers make these FABULOUS buttonholes, with this old cam buttonhole attachment. Since I was told this repeatedly, I bought one off ebay years ago, but have never used it. Okay, time to get it out. As it uses cams, the length is predetermined; so it will solve my marking problem! I hauled out my 15-91 and set it up. I couldn’t believe it. Not only was it fun to watch (SO mechanical, so over-engineered, in the way things were in the early 20th century) but it made BREATHTAKING buttonholes. Bernina 830 buttonholes are perfectly nice and functional, but these are everything people have said they were – BEAUTIFUL. So there they are, on Clarkie’s pajamas. But they could just as well be on haute couture. I think I will always haul the 15-91 out of my closet for this on clothes that matter; a bit of a hassle, but the wow factor is impressive. Having too much fun sewing with old machines, Candace ------ Candace Bainbridge Island, WA
Karrol Advanced CA USA Member since 8/24/02 Posts: 74	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 7/22/10 5:31 PM LOL! Candice, I have two of those buttonholers. They do make the best buttonholes and are really easy to use. Have been using mine since childhood sewing with my grandmother! ------ Irvine, CA
jannw   Intermediate WA USA Member since 9/3/06 Posts: 7392	Login to reply to this post In reply to leapyfrog Like this post Date: 7/22/10 8:10 PM I've got a couple of the Singer and Greist buttonholers too. Will never go back to regular machine button holes. As for marking on dark fabrics, I use regular blackboard chalk. It brushes off and leaves no residue and never dries out or refuses to mark. I buy the chalk at the back to school sales and probably spend under a dollar a year..can't beat that! ------ 2009-113.25 yds 2010-115.5 2011-80.25+30+donated 2012 86.3 yds.. 2013 21.0 Everyone who sews seriously has a stockpile of fabrics, because it is natural to purchase more than can be sewn in any one season" Singer, Timesaving Sewing, 1987
neeleymartin Beginner MA Member since 7/9/10 Posts: 129	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 7/22/10 9:11 PM i just bought one of these buttonholers on ebay. i would love to see a pic of a finished buttonhole. people rave about these things. i plan to check youtube for footage. i would just use my own, but i am the ultimate beginner. perhaps i will whip it out tomorrow.
Karrol Advanced CA USA Member since 8/24/02 Posts: 74	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 7/23/10 5:13 PM Just get some scrap fabric and play with it! Follow the directions and don't be alarmed at the noise it makes. Try out a few of the cams and see what they do. Don't worry about being a beginner, we all were once! ------ Irvine, CA
lareine   Intermediate NEW ZEALAND Member since 11/10/06 Posts: 1033	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 7/23/10 5:41 PM Don't forget to cover the feed dogs with the little metal plate (or drop them, if your machine can) before using the buttonholer! I have used mine quite a few times now and absolutely love it, but last time I forgot to cover the feed dogs. It took me ages to figure out why my buttonholes were completely wonky. It was a real DUH moment when I realised :)
CM_Sews Intermediate CA USA Member since 9/18/04 Posts: 1475	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 7/23/10 6:32 PM Buttonholer videos, BrianSews! blog Fun to watch these attachments in action. CMC
Peter in NYC Intermediate USA Member since 6/9/09 Posts: 323	Login to reply to this post In reply to lareine Like this post Date: 7/23/10 9:31 PM OMG, the exact same thing happened to me yesterday. I was like, Why is the fabric getting bunched up when the stitch heads back up the front of the buttonhole? Then it dawned on me! ------ You'll be in stitches at malepatternboldness.com!
lareine   Intermediate NEW ZEALAND Member since 11/10/06 Posts: 1033	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 7/25/10 6:25 AM That's such a relief that I'm not the only person here who has such scatterbrained moments! At least my buttonholer wasn't broken like I first thought :)
Yarndiva   Advanced NV USA Member since 3/28/06 Posts: 359	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 7/25/10 11:58 AM If you enjoy the buttonholer (and I admit I do too) then you'll love a zig zagger. I got this simple little gadget a while back and only recently tried it out on my 15-91: Chadwicks Zigzagger. It's not a Singer model which is a bit more complicated but more like a ruffler. If you see one somewhere, get it. ------ http://silkmothsewing.blogspot.com/

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