Magical Singer Feet - not!

[dreamshark]

Since I have the day off, I decided I would try to figure out how to use the attachments that came with my new 1947 Singer. I'm having no luck at all. I started with the hemmer foot, which at least doesn't have any moving parts. All you have to do is feed the cloth into it. I cannot get it to work.

Is there anything more hateful than instruction books that say things like "hold it in a straight line and you will find it quite easy to make a perfect hem?" If I'm not finding it "quite easy" then I must be pretty stupid, huh?

Comments

More hateful?

[dsgood.livejournal.com]

Cookbooks which say "Cook until done."

Re: More hateful?

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

Actually, "cook until done," works fine for me.

"Cook until done, approximately xx minutes" is better, and "Cook until lightly browned on top, approximately xx minutes" is better yet. But if you have to decide between leaving something in the oven the exact amount of time it says in the recipe or taking it out when it is obviously cooked, you're better off to go with the latter.

[daedala.livejournal.com]

It depends on the hemmer foot... Is it a rolled hem foot (a funny little curlicue) or a blind hem foot (a vertical crosspiece). In the rolled hem foot, you sort of feed the fabric into the curlicue so that it rolls up and then gets stitched down. In the blindhem foot or edgestitching foot, the vertical bit is used to keep the fabric edge very close to the needle.

I found Ahles' Fine Machine Sewing (http://www.amazon.com/Fine-Machine-Sewing-Revised-Embellishing/dp/1561585866) very helpful for learning what to do with feet. I know the Half-Price books near me has the first edition for cheap.

Here are some charming old directions:
http://www.sewitgoes.net/smuse/attachments/foothem/nhhem.html
http://www.singer-featherweight.com/accesspages/acc_inst_foothemmer.html

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

"Is it a rolled hem foot (a funny little curlicue)" That one.

Actually, it's pretty clear what the cloth is supposed to do. I just couldn't get it to do it. After practicing a bit I finally managed to finish one seam without running off track, but it was only a 10-inch piece of cloth. I'm not sure it's worth the trouble.

[daedala.livejournal.com]

Hmm.

If the fabric is too light or heavy, that might cause a problem.

I've never actually used that foot, so I don't know much more. I can check my Ahles or Coffin later if you want. They do have some detailed instructions.