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| Singer:185J (Sewing Machine) | | Viewed 375 time(s) | | Review rated Very Helpful by 4 people | | Reviewed by: | Donna H | 
 | About Donna H | | WA USA | | Member since: 9/29/05 | | Reviews written: 31 | | Favored by: 16 people | | sewing machines reviewed: 3 | | Bio: I first started sewing on my Mother's '54 Featherweight (which I now own). Have had a love for sewi...full profile |
| | Posted on: | 5/4/08 9:31 AM | | Approx price paid: | $40 | | Had this machine for: | 5 Months | | Recommended? | Yes | Features
- Drop-In bobbin
- Adjustable Presser Foot Pressure
| | What Donna H likes about this machine
Looking at the list of 12 check boxes of features for this machine, there are only TWO that qualify. That should not deter you from purchasing this little "green machine", if you can.
My machine was made in 1954. I bought it because my husband showed me an ad in a magazine for this model. I checked them out, discovered they were very cheap, and scooped this one up. Literally.
After giving it the "spa treatment" (to quote a friend), I put yellow thread in the bobbin and red thread in the needle and proceeded to sew. My oh my...a perfectly balanced stitch. I also could not believe how FAST this machine sews. It's like butter. Fast and smooth. I was lucky and not missing any parts to it. Especially, the light lens that fits over the light fixture. On many, it is missing. It looks like a Coke bottle bottom on the light fixture and really helps the light shine. No visibility problems. I did have to buy a light bulb for it ($1.95). Oh, I did have to buy a check spring for 85 cents, too. That meant the tension assembly had to be taken apart. No big deal. Lots of info out there on how to do this.
This is a straight-stitch-only machine (3/4 size) that replaced the Singer 99. Singer called this the "budget model" and thought they'd update the styling with this nice green. Unfortunately, the green plastic base and (ugly) yellow plastic lid were destroyed in shipping. But a friend here told me that the plastic is at the end of it's life span, so there you go! I joined the Vintage Singers Yahoo group and got in touch with a woman who sells wood bases for these machines. I got a nice (unfinished) oak base with a side compartment for bobbins or whatever. (cost: $40)
This machine takes (metal) class 66 bobbins, readily available and cheap. Standard needles, too. I don't use Singer needles. In fact, I've been using Organ brand in this machine with no problems.
At first, I used it to piece quilts. Then I discovered what a little workhorse it is and used it to stitch up an Amy Butler Betty Shopper bag, complete with home dec fabric, interfacing and (in some cases) a couple of layers of Timtex. This machine handled it with NO problems. Didn't hestitate at all. (100/16 needle)
Just grease the gears, oil and sew. A very simple machine to operate. The stitch length starts at 6 stitches per inch and goes up to 30. This machine has a reverse.
Attachments: This machine will take any low shank attachments. The general purpose foot looks like the one on my Singer Featherweight.
Manuals and threading diagrams are easily found on the internet. Mine did not come with a manual.
Winding a bobbin is a snap. Identical to winding a featherweight bobbin.
Graduated face plate in fractions of an inch. 1/8th inch marks. Uses a clam shell foot pedal. Green, of course! The pedal is hard wired into the machine. So, if I go anywhere, I wrap the foot pedal and stick it in that side compartment on the oak base.
When I bought this, the bobbin case had a finger broken off. But still it sewed perfectly. I bought a replacement ($10) and it still sews perfectly. If I resell this machine, I would not want to sell it with a broken part, even though it still works.
To me, this machine is pretty quiet. I just purchased a Singer 301a (yeah I know) and I've been told that THAT machine is really quiet. I may come back and update this review. But this little 185 just hums along. I love sewing on it. In fact, I choose this machine over my Bernina 150QE for piecing now.
In looking at the sewing machine reviews, I noticed there were NONE for this great little model, so here is mine. There are 2 for the 285's and they are crap machines, no offense. It's the engineering, and certainly NOT the user.
I would LOVE to put a picture of my machine in here, but I do not know how to do it. If someone would care to show me, I'll edit my review. This really is a beautiful green machine!
ETA: The "J" designation in the model number means this machine was manufactured in St John's, Newfoundland, Canada.
What Donna H does not like about this machine
It's heavy. And now without a case, it's not portable. But that being said, I did lug it down to my local quilt shop one Saturday to sew with a friend. No big deal, really.
It won't take to other generic feet. I bought a 1/4 inch piecing foot and after a bit, while chain piecing (quilters!), the needle thread would break. Then when I went to put the next piece to the needle, the needle thread would POP out and I would have to rethread the machine.
Through trial and error, I discovered that the feed dogs are narrow and these generic feet are wider than the feed dogs. So, it kept snapping the needle thread. So, I just went back to using the face plate for accuracy. No problems now.
I can't think of anything else I don't like about this machine.
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| Reader Comments | | Joey in Katy | 5/4/08 | Great Review! I did one of those 285 reviews -- and your call is on target (crap machines, poor engineering.) It seems like some reviews on PatternReview are falling through the cracks, because there used to be at least one other 185 review posted. I recently scored a 185 via ebay and am really pleased wih it. | | * * * | | wsu 1 fan | 5/4/08 | Excellent, detailed review on a vintage Singer Donna! I am so happy to hear how pleased you are with yours!!! How exciting to have just gotten a 301!! I have just added a 15-91 to my herd!!!! These vintage Singers are just awesome, and just so easy to sew with and to maintain yourself! | | * * * | | karen149 | 5/4/08 | I see these on my local craigslist quite often, I should grab one. Great review! | | * * * | | johnr55 | 5/5/08 | These old machines are amazing, and I enjoy seeing reviews of them instead of just more new machines. If people are still on this planet 100 years from now there will probably still be Singers stitching! | | * * * | | Jami1960 | 5/5/08 | Thanks for this review. I've been looking to purchase a 15-91 model but now I'm rethinking to this one. Thanks! | | * * * | | Warm Dove | 5/5/08 | Sounds like you have a powerful machine at a great price. | | * * * | | jzy_gail | 5/10/08 | I heart, heart, HEART my 1958 Singer 185K (England instead of Canada). Almost as much as I love my 1925 Singer 99 hand crank. :) They're GREAT little machines and just as cute as a button! I love sewing with them.
I highly recommend them, but I laugh when people ask if I bought mine as a travel machine. Uh, no, my much larger Kenmore 16231 is considerably *lighter* But I love the heavy, tiny beastie anyway. I tell folks it's heavy because it's good as gold :) | | * * * | | newsewman | 5/12/08 | I just picked up one of thease machines for 20$,i also agree that the 285 is crap even though i own one in mint condition.i can,t wait to use the 185 ! | | * * * |
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