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Member since 7/14/06
Posts: 81
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Posted on: 9/19/10 9:47 AM ET
A friend asked me to look at a T&S 771 for her. I ordered a new set of feed dogs and the machine now sews very well. It has a Professional buttonholer attachment. It looks like it's never been used. It does make very nice buttonholes, but it is very difficult to get the fabric underneath it. If I raise the presser foot lever past its normal height I can just barely wiggle the fabric in place. I have the feed dog cover that came with it in place and I don't see any other way to install it.
Has anyone else noticed this?
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SandyinMO
  
Member since 5/27/04
Posts: 3769
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Posted on: 9/19/10 9:57 AM ET
In reply to SandyinMO
Is the buttonholer for a slanted shank or vertical shank?
I have one that I use with my Singer 500 and I had to find one specifically for a slant shank machine.
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"A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.”
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Stash Sewn in 2011 148.5 Yds
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Member since 8/24/02
Posts: 7941
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Posted on: 9/19/10 6:28 PM ET
In reply to SandyinMO
I had this same problem with my buttonholer, especially when I was working with fine fabrics.

A piece of plastic, like a template or a slip from a wallet, between the bottom of the buttonholer foot and the top of the feed dogs. Then feed your fabric between the plastic and the feed dogs. The plastic makes the fabric more slippery to move.
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Member since 7/14/06
Posts: 81
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Posted on: 9/19/10 7:25 PM ET
In reply to loti
It is a slant shank.
The plate that fits over the feed dogs really humps up and there just isn't much room between it and the attachment.

I gave the machine back to my friend today and don't have it to play with. I'm wondering about just setting the stitch length to zero so that the feed dogs don't move and using the regular throat plate. Would that work?
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SandyinMO
  
Member since 5/27/04
Posts: 3769
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Posted on: 9/19/10 8:07 PM ET
In reply to SandyinMO
There is a universal plate, and then there's this. The ones that don't stick up but that take the place of the machine's plates. I remember now, with the monogrammer I tried to use a universal plate because I didn't have the one below, and there was no clearance. I ended up getting the plate below with a buttonholer.

013


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"A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.”
Coco Chanel

Stash Sewn in 2011 148.5 Yds
Stash Sewn in 2012.... counting...

http://adonising.blogspot.com
  
Member since 12/25/09
Posts: 48
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Posted on: 9/20/10 0:10 AM ET
In reply to loti
Yep, having the plate that replaces the throat plate, as oppose to a universal plate that bolts over the regular plate, makes a major difference. The 700 Series T&S machines need plate # 383013. It is possible to convert most any of the plates to fit a particular model, but it requires some surgery. I converted a plate from a Professional Buttonhoer set for a T&S to work on my 500's. After some cutting/filing, etc., it works perfectly. You occasionally see these plates come up on eBay.
  
Member since 4/11/02
Posts: 1507
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Posted on: 9/20/10 0:57 AM ET
I don't sew with anything as modern as a T&S, but I always just use a piece of template plastic with a needle hole punched in it to cover my feed dogs for buttonholing on my Singer 27. I don't like the purpose-made cover plates - I find them too bulky. You do need to cover the feed dogs when using a buttonhole attachment unless your machine has feed dogs that can be lowered. Setting the stitch length to zero isn't good enough because the protruding doggies can still catch and inhibit the proper side-to-side movement of the work.

Jennifer in Calgary
  
Member since 7/14/06
Posts: 81
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Posted on: 9/20/10 8:17 AM ET
In reply to Jennifer Hill
Thanks - next time I get a chance to "visit" the machine I'll try to fashion some sort of plastic to cover the feed dogs. Since the feed dogs can't be lowered I was afraid that they would drag on the fabric.
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SandyinMO
  
Member since 2/17/07
Posts: 2506
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Posted on: 9/20/10 10:18 AM ET
It's usually an easy task to remove the feed dogs from the machine for a special task, if they don't have a lowering mechanism. Most of the time the dogs are just attached with a couple screws that you can get at with the plate removed. This could mess up some adjustments, so be careful if the screw hole is slotted and not a tight fit on the screw.
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A sewing machine is just a welder for textiles.
  
Member since 4/8/02
Posts: 3623
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Posted on: 9/20/10 2:46 PM ET
In reply to SandyinMO
I haven't done this yet, but you know the Coscto organic salads and spinach come in plastic containers. I was thinking the lid would make a nice template to cover the feed dogs.
Its thin and flat. You could cut it out with one of those hot knives or an exacto.
I think they would make stencil templates too. Or perhaps the insert in a handbag.


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