Kippysan
Intermediate
CT
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Date: 1/13/12 10:30 PM I like vintage machines; I own two Singers from the late 1940's so I'm comfortable with older mechanical machines. Athough I'd like to purchase a treadle, I just don't have the room for one. So, my thought is maybe a hand crank machine would make me happy.
But I don't know when I would use one. I'd like to know what folks use them for. Piecing is all I can think of. What else is there? |
idahodogs
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ID USA
Member since 2008
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In reply to Kippysan
Date: 1/14/12 0:06 AM For sewing w/o electricity. We have off-grid only, so when the sun goes down, it's treadle time for me. In fact I am only able to check into PR when we are visiting someone on-grid (Thanks, Mom!) ------
- Labore est orare (work is prayer) - John Ruskin |
iSewQuiltArt
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AUSTRALIA
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Date: 1/14/12 4:01 AM If you have different feet you can use hand cranks or treadles for the same tasks you would use any other straight stitching machine for. Binding, flat felling, hemming, making clothes and quilts, bags, anything for the home you finish with ways other than overlock or zig zag, such as french hems, lapped seams, two lines of straight stitch and trimmed finish, honk kong finish etc...or stitch straight stitch and pink the edges with pinking shears or blade.'
I have a herd of state of the art Berninas and a couple of vintage machines. One is a Jones family CS handkcrank that was a gift from hubby, It came with a bunch of rusted hemmers but a perfect scant quarter inch foot fitted. That used to be how many machines came, the standard width. Its a beautiful machine from the 1930's that does a gorgeous stitch.
I love having it for sewing in thunderstorms when using electriccal items is not recommended for safety and potential damage reasons. Since moving to my new state, in one week we had four storms, in four days. If I really want to sew by machine its nice to have a hand crank.
I had a treadle but found the stitch quality on it wasn't near as nice as on my hand crank. Because of that I rehomed it before I moved.
If you get a treadle be sure to check the spring on the shuttle is not cracked or bent, and see if you can still get spare bobbins for the model you can get, better still if you can get spare shuttles as well. They can and do break with time or abuse.
I don't think I'd be without my handcrank, something about her aged beauty and nostalgia inducing vintage charm- and is a joy to sew with.
------
Will quilt for fabric!
Sewing up a storm in Canberra ACT
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Sew Ducky
Beginner
TN USA
Member since 2006
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Date: 1/14/12 4:35 AM Not all treadles have shuttles (mine takes a class 66 drop in), and Hancock's has them for replacements now. My stitching is as good as a FW on it. Some depends on the model and how much work is or needs to be done, like any other machine.
You can use a hand crank for anything else you can use a sewing machine for...just there is no need to have electricity. Because of the lack of speed, you can use them for items that require a lot of detail work, and Isew is right, there are a ton of attachments that can be used with them. ------
Elaina
SewDucky.com |
pknord
Intermediate
TX USA
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Date: 1/14/12 11:01 AM Hand crank machines are FABULOUS for excruciatingly correct paper foundation piecing. The accuracy you can achieve with that stitch-by-stitch control is amazing. The blocks for the quilt in my avatar were all paper-foundation-pieced using a Singer VS3 hand crank machine made in 1889. The quilt won an honorable mention at the International Quilt Festival in 2008. The blocks were joined and the quilt was quilted and bound with a piped corded binding with the Davis Vertical Feed treadle. The only hand stitching on the quilt is the blanket stitch around the butterfly Broderie Perse appliques.
If you go to my webshots page below, a pic of the quilt in Houston is on the fifth page of the quilts album.
-- Edited on 1/14/12 11:04 AM -- ------
Pat in Rockport, TX
"As ye sew, so shall ye rip."
http://community.webshots.com/user/pknord
http://www.quiltingthoughts.blogspot.com/ |
Yarndiva
 
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NV USA
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Date: 1/14/12 11:23 AM Have to chime in about the accuracy of a hand crank. You can use them very slowly and with tiny stitches if you need to. Because of this, I use mine for doll clothes and purses. You can take them outside to use which is sort of nice. I've taken it camping because I do not fish or hike. To be honest, the main reason I use them is because they are fun to use. ------
http://silkmothsewing.blogspot.com/ |
PattiAnnJ
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OH USA
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In reply to Kippysan
Date: 1/14/12 2:32 PM First thought - exercise.
If the power goes out often where you live, make sure to have an oil lamp or candles on hand. Or, plenty of wood for the fireplace and you can crank away by the light of the flames.
-- Edited on 1/14/12 2:34 PM -- |
Kippysan
Intermediate
CT
Member since 2011
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Date: 1/14/12 10:34 PM Thanks very much for all of your replies. I never thought about the loss of electricity scenario; that's important to think about. Its very helpful to learn that a hand crank machine can be used for just about anything.
Sorry if this is a dumb question -- can you sew in reverse? |
Jennifer Hill
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AB CANADA
Member since 2002
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In reply to Kippysan
Date: 1/15/12 1:05 AM Quote: Kippysan
Sorry if this is a dumb question -- can you sew in reverse?
Reverse stitching is a function of machine design, and independant of how any machine is powered. So, some hand machines have it and some don't. My earliest machine with reverse is an 1870s Wanzer F. But it was a model wayyyyy before its time. Reverse wasn't a common feature on home sewing machines until about the 1930s, and some fwd-only models were still in production in the 1950s.
Jennifer in Calgary |
lareine
Advanced Beginner
NEW ZEALAND
Member since 2006
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Date: 1/15/12 1:54 AM I love my hand-crank Singer for precision work on purses and handbags. It gives me the most beautiful straight stitch and the accuracy is second to none because of how slowly I'm going. Mine is from 1899 (if I remember correctly) and does forward only, no reverse, but that's not a huge issue. I just spin the fabric around a lot more than is usual 
Being able to sew without electricity or outside is a nice bonus but not one I have needed much. When I do need it I'll be grateful to have the hand crank. |
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