packyderms_wife
Neither here nor there.
It's March, can hardly believe we survived February! What all are you stitching and sewing for spring?
Don't know brands, but I'd be looking for a used industrial machine off e-bay. Might be easiest to pick one up in a large city with a garment district.I need a recommendation for a machine that will stitch heavy canvas. I am looking into sewing simple bags made of canvas with rope handles. I am used to just a regular Singer machine that I have had for years. If I do take on this project I want a reliable heavy duty machine for straight line sewing canvas material. TIA!!!!
Congratulations, grandma! They are so much fun!Since I just found out I am going to be a first time Grandma, I am knitting a baby car seat blanket.
I have an old Singer 915 that would handle it without blinking. If you don't need fancy, look for one of the old Singer straight stitch machines.I need a recommendation for a machine that will stitch heavy canvas. I am looking into sewing simple bags made of canvas with rope handles. I am used to just a regular Singer machine that I have had for years. If I do take on this project I want a reliable heavy duty machine for straight line sewing canvas material. TIA!!!!
Pebbles, you might look into drapery machines, they are somewhat more "muscular" than a domestic machine. Or a little more heavy duty, one of the older Singer 111W series upholstery machines, if they and repair parts are still around and you don't need anything fancy. I forget the brand name of the 111Ws after a Japanese company bought them from Singer, but they were still good and reliable. The Pfaffs and something called a Juki (?) were mostly pretty awful for reupholstery fabrics of all weights from designer cottons to real leather covers.
Love Juki machines - step-mom was really wanting one but is very happy with the Janome she ended up with. She has done an AMAZING amount of quilts on her pre-computer Bernina (still a Rolls Royce as far as I can say, love it) but she wanted something with a bigger throat for the ones she quilts herself. Juki is a nice machine for sure!I was looking at the Juki's earlier this evening. Thank you all for your recommendations, very helpful!!
Love Juki machines - step-mom was really wanting one but is very happy with the Janome she ended up with. She has done an AMAZING amount of quilts on her pre-computer Bernina (still a Rolls Royce as far as I can say, love it) but she wanted something with a bigger throat for the ones she quilts herself. Juki is a nice machine for sure!
I have a janome 6500 I adore it’s pushing 20 years of age. I’d love to have a juki in my line up!
I received my Janome 6600 as a gift from my sons; it's a love for sewing - I've even repaired and modified heavy duty carhart coats. Last year I got the Janome hand crank machine. A lot of people up here have treadle (I have one of those too) and/or hand cranks for their remote homes, cabins, boats, etc. My new one is a LOT of fun to use! But Juki may be in my future as well ~
I cut it to exact measurement because of past experiences. Because there is a very slight gather, I gently stretched as I sewed so that I didn't have to run a gathering stitch. (I am hand stitching.) Final measure had it being too small. But after past... I had him put them on. They hold up better than in the past but still fell off his butt.Do you stretch the elastic while you are sewing? I usually stretch it (the elastic should be at least a couple inches smaller than the fabric at the waist) and sometimes use a zigzag or other stretch stitches... but more often, I sew the wide elastic with 4 rows of stitching. And that *does* stretch the elastic some, so I cut the elastic an inch shorter than I would normally.
Funny... I've never tried this, but I wonder if a walking foot would make things better or worse? If you have one, it would be worth trying a small example as an experiment.
Summerthyme
Congrats! Became a grandma in December. Then found out other daughter is expecting too. So pretty soon I’ll be an old hand at this grandma business lol.Since I just found out I am going to be a first time Grandma, I am knitting a baby car seat blanket.
Look into a Davis NVF treadle. Seriously if it will fit under the needle it will sew it. its made a little different than most machines as it’s a built in walking foot. My daughter is going to use mine to sew new covers for their boat seats. We tried every machine I have and that’s the only one that will handle the fabric. You can also use it for regular sewing though.I need a recommendation for a machine that will stitch heavy canvas. I am looking into sewing simple bags made of canvas with rope handles. I am used to just a regular Singer machine that I have had for years. If I do take on this project I want a reliable heavy duty machine for straight line sewing canvas material. TIA!!!!
I have a fondness for making new things out of old things. Someone is supposed to be bringing 3 dresses. The current plans are to take them and make at least once comfortable almost full circle skirt. Maybe with a ruffled peasant blouse but definitely with either an added waist section or a "ruffle" bottom tier to make them the length that I prefer my skirts to be.Kyrsyan, I love hearing about it when someone makes something they need o ut of some ol' thing tht's been lying around just waiting to be needed! And so many times, what's been made is better than anything one could buy!