While it has certainly been a lot of work (the central portion is all hand-quilted), it's the most satisfying project I've ever worked on. The thread color isn't consistent, the applique is crooked, and I have a lot to learn about mitered corners, but I'm ready to start another, this time for my own baby. Hopefully it will be done by the time he goes to college.



Here's a closer look at the stitching on the back side.



And here it is in all its glory.



If you want to make your own (and I highly recommend it--quilting is very meditative and also a great way to pass the time when you're on the phone or chatting it up with someone), check out our Hawaiian Quilt Project from the pages of CRAFT, Volume 02.

Instructables user MargueritaM gives some excellent tips about learning to machine sew using an old machine. She points out some basics that make it easy to get up and running.

If you have a question for Ask CRAFT, shoot me an email at becky@craftzine.com, or drop us a note on Twitter! We'd love to answer your crafty questions on any topic: technique, projects, crafty culture, or anything else! Each week the answers are here; include your name, where you're from, and your website or blog if you have one!

Holly Winter from Kennesaw, GA writes in:

I was wondering when, how and what kind of oil I should use when oiling my sewing machine?

The short answer is to read the manual that came with your machine. It should recommend a brand of oil, show you which parts to oil, and how often. Many of us don't have our original manuals, however, and some manuals may not contain that advice. You can usually download a PDF of your machine's manual from the manufacturer's website (or email in to request one), which could help.

As for oil, look for something that is clearly labeled "sewing machine oil." It's a clear oil in a bottle with a long narrow nozzle. Some brands that make it: Singer, Dritz, Zoom Spout, and others. When you open up your machine, look for marked spots to oil, since some machines will have markings. Others won't, so you'll have to look up your model online to see if the manufacturer published the diagram, or perhaps another crafter has been kind enough to blog about his/her sewing machine oiling process. A few drops will do in each place.

Oiling your machine lubricates the moving parts so they run more smoothly, and it also prevents rust. After oiling, sew for a bit on some scrap fabric in case any oil wants to come out, after which you can resume sewing as normal. I've heard you should oil your machine after every 20 hours of operation, but how can you tell when that's been? I'd say that oiling your machine once every few months should be sufficient unless you're sewing all day every day. If you have more advice for Holly, post it in the comments!

Let me start this review by saying that most sewing machines typically drive me to the brink of insanity, where I end up preferring to do my sewing by hand than to wrangle with an uncooperative machine. My pile of mends and hems was reaching skyscraper status, so I went into the MAKE and CRAFT Lab here at headquarters and asked our interns if they could recommend one of the machines for me to borrow. They sent me home with the Singer Curvy.

I set up my workspace, and settled in with my pile. From winding the bobbin to threading the machine to sewing with various stitches and on various fabrics, the Curvy was my BFF. It was the most user-friendly machine I've ever tried. I worked through my pile of mends and hems with ease. I used regular thread as well as invisible thread, and I worked on fabrics including denim, velour, cotton, and corduroy (did I mention how high my pile was?) without a hitch.

It's not like I expect my sewing machine to do backflips and make me coffee; I just really need it to be easy to use and not problematic. No tangles, no hassles is what I got with the Curvy. I know how to use a sewing machine but I'm no expert, and the Curvy was very intuitive. I liked the work space that it offered (great lighting too) and the smooth feed and presser foot. It also has cool little helpful touches like beeping when your needle is no longer threaded. My pile of mending is complete, I feel like I have a new wardrobe, and I spent no time being frustrated. Awesome.

Why is it that sewing machine tension can be such a bear to deal with? Here are some symptoms of tension problems:

• thread breakage
• skipped stitches
• knotting or jamming
• top/bottom thread visible on the other side of the seam

Many of these problems can be alleviated by giving your machine a thorough cleaning and making sure it's threaded properly, but in some cases there's a bigger problem. Before taking it to the shop, you can change out a few parts to help troubleshoot and isolate the problem.

Plastic bobbins

If you have been using plastic bobbins, they can wear out. If your needle catches the bobbin it can nick it, causing the thread to catch. Swap out your plastic bobbin for a metal one to see if it fixes the problem. Plastic bobbins can be gently sanded with a nail file to get out nicks. Over time the plastic can wear down as well from all the friction of the bobbin casing and thread, putting the bobbin out of commission.

Needles

If your needle is bent, dull, or inserted improperly, this can also cause tension problems. A bent needle is more likely to nick your bobbins, so watch out! Make sure you're using the right kind of needle for your thread and fabric; the wrong one can skip stitches (like using a sharp instead of ball-point needle on knits) or break your thread (if, for instance, the eye is too small).

Thread

Use good-quality thread. I found a site that shows magnified images of many different brands, showing how tight, loose, or fray-prone different types are. A poor quality thread causes more friction on the plastic parts of your machine and can wear them out prematurely. Which brings us to the biggest and possibly most expensive problem...

Tension discs

Most modern machines are made with plastic tension discs. Metal parts are great for durability and industrial use, but they are meant to be used all the time or they gum up. Plastic parts means a lighter machine and fewer maintenance and lubrication concerns when it comes to less-than-everyday use. However, as mentioned, fuzzy thread tends to wear down plastic parts over time (we're talking years, here). Plastic tension discs can become grooved, meaning you're out of luck when it comes to adjusting it, since they can't get a reliable grip on the thread. The tension discs are usually pretty far inside your machine, which makes it really hard to get in there and see if that's your problem.

NM State has a good guide for regular sewing machine maintenance to help you through the processes mentioned above. If you've tried everything short of taking the machine apart yourself, take it to a professional and explain all you've done. It's possible that your tension discs are fine and your timing is just off, which is relatively easy for a technician to adjust. Depending on the repair estimate, you might declare it time to upgrade to a new machine, vowing to only use high-quality thread (a small investment to protect your new machine). Your model might have easily-replaceable tension discs, but some manufacturers don't sell the replacement part. Thanks to Debbi Schlegel for her help on this topic. If you've got advice about tension problems, leave it in the comments below!

If you have a question for Ask CRAFT, shoot me an email at becky@craftzine.com, or drop us a note on Twitter! We'd love to answer your crafty questions on any topic: technique, projects, crafty culture, or anything else! Each week the answers are here; include your name, where you're from, and your website or blog if you have one!

Cathy writes:

i complimented heather on her choice of sewing machine and she proceeded to tell me the most fascinating story about them. she then went on to tell me all about her grandfather's time as a singer sewing machine rep. you know i'm a sucker for crafty history so i was totally blown away. i knew that we had just the right topic for her stop at my blog on her tour! what follows (in bold type) is what heather sent me - i just love it and am sure you will too.

Patching is a great way to extend the life of an item of clothing that had a run-in with a nail or is simply getting a little worn out. While a really great piece of fabric or store-bought patch can rescue something headed for the scrap pile, sometimes you want a little more subtlety. In this how-to, I'll show you how to repair two types of holes from the back: a tear and a worn-out hole. (Funnily enough, I noticed that all of my husband's pants in need of repair have tears, and all of mine are worn through. Read into that what you will about how we spend our leisure time!)

In this week's installment of Checkin' In, we touch base with talented designer and seamstress Christine Haynes to find out what creative projects she has in the works these days. First, let's take a look at what crafty goodness Christine has contributed to the pages of CRAFT magazine.

In CRAFT Volume 03, Christine wrote a great feature called "Anatomy of a Sewing Machine," where she breaks down all the parts and details what they do. Here is this handy article in our Digital Edition for your referencing pleasure.

Then, in CRAFT Volume 04, Christine showed us how to bring a vintage garment to life by smithing and forming copper into a custom floral button. Hot!

And finally, Christine taught us how to make two adorably stylish dresses. The first, in Volume 05, is a festive cocktail dress made from your very own personalized, reusable pattern:

The second, in Volume 08, is a customizable summer classic that you can make as a halter, with shoulder ties, with straps, strapless, with ruffles, or none! It's like learning to make a whole closet full fo skirts and dresses. And the circular ruffle tutorial is awesome. Who doesn't need more ruffles? Here's one variation:

And what has this fab seamstress up to these days? Here's what she said:

"My big news is that I have my book coming out on April 14, called Chic & Simple Sewing. It is available for presale at the moment at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and at my publisher's site, Random House."

"I also am teaching sewing classes at ReForm School's Home Ec Department. For March I have 2 sessions of Sewing 101 for adults, and one session of Sewing 101 for teens. I'm currently featured on the cover of CraftStylish with my restyle project. And as usual, I have my website [christinehaynes.com], full of dresses, skirts, tops, and home accessories."

"In the works are kits, a collection of patterns, a second book with Random House, and a new Spring/Summer 2009 collection."

Thanks, Christine! We'll look forward to checking out your new book. Coming from you, it's guaranteed to be beautiful.

Folks can pick up back issues of CRAFT Volumes 03, 04, 05, and 08 in the Maker Shed.

SINGER® Sewing Company and CRAFT Magazine invite all of the crafty stitchers out there to create a project inspired by nature. As we look forward to the spring, with the new growth and beauty that it brings, we ask you to create something that is sewn using a sewing machine and integrates organic elements for our Sewing with Nature Contest. For a four-week period, crafters can submit pictures online of their nature-inspired projects to the Flickr group called 'The Sewing with Nature Contest'. At the end of the four weeks, SINGER will pick one Grand Prize winner and three runners-up.

The Grand Prize winner's project will be featured in the SINGER® ad in the Spring issue of CRAFT Magazine. The Grand Prize winner will also receive one (1) SINGER® Confidence 7467™ sewing machine with a retail value of $350 and a set of SINGER sewing books courtesy of Creative Publishing ($60 value).

Three (3) runners-up will receive a SINGER® dress form ($129) and a subscription to CRAFT Magazine!

Head on over to the 'Sewing with Nature Contest' Flickr group. Full contest rules and information are here.

PT @ MAKE posted up this sweet sewing machine eye candy, the Brother Quattro 6000D HD.

Jonah @ MAKE writes:

The "Visible Sound" project attempts to create a physical version of the sound around it by sewing sound waves in realtime. Although this was just a concept, we like ways of making invisible objects like sound waves into tangible forms.

This concept model looks like a stereo faceplate on a modified sewing machine, but I can't imagine it would be too difficult to rig up some sound sensing equipment to adjust the width of the zigzag stitch on a sewing machine.

Heather points us to this fantastic sewing machine cover made from a dollar store apron, bringing the total cost for the project to a whopping ... well ... one dollar. And the bonus: there was enough material left over to make a tissue case cover!

While at Maker Faire in May, I got a chance to get a terrific demo from Vivian Lavinskas of Singer Sewing Company on their Singer Futura line of computerized embroidery machines. Having one myself and being a techie, I can vouch for how amazingly cool these machines are. They connect easily to a PC and allow you to embroider from pre-set designs or in the CE-250 and CE-350 models, you can also use your own images for embroidery!

As mentioned in the podcast, each month a new embroidery motif is available for free download from the projects section of the Singer web site. You can also check out the many great sewing and embroidery projects as well.

My first project with the Singer Futura CE-250 embroidery machine was to test out the CRAFT logo above. The software was really simple to use and imports lots of file formats, then coverts it over to embroidery stitches that the sewing machine reads. Then I used that design template to embroider the logo onto vintage tablecloths which were used at our booth at the recent ICE Atlanta craft fair.

Krista writes:

I want this site to become an easy research stop for anybody shopping for for old sewing machines on eBay or Craigslist, or at garage sales or thrift stores. If you want to review your old sewing machine, email me!

Many thanks to Julie Jackson for tipping us off to this great Betty Hutton performance from the 1947 musical The Perils of Pauline. Hutton plays an exhausted garment sweatshop worker, and this is her sarcastic ode to her sewing machine. Link.

If you are like me, you've probably been dreaming or drooling over a Bernina sewing machine for a while now. With Bernina at the Maker Faire in Austin, I wanted to find out more about these fantastic sewing machines and why they are considered to be the gold standard. I got a chance to get a little demo from a Bernina sewer, Erin Bosik, who shows us the ins-and-outs and key features of Berninas, perfect for sewers of any level!

Head on over to the Bernina web site to find out more about their sewing machines and find out which model is right for you. - Link.

You can subscribe in iTunes and get this podcast downloaded automatically! - Subscribe Link

And here it is! After 3 years of deciding, I finally decided on which Bernina to get. I bought the Bernina Activa 230 Patchwork Edition. It's perfect for the kinds of projects I really want to do more of -- sewing clothes and lots of quilting. It does sew like butter which just makes you want to sew even more. I bought it at an authorized Bernina dealer in San Francisco. If you are nearby, you should definitely go there. California Sewing & Vacuum (5025 Geary St. 415-751-4880). Ask for Celie, she's got amazing sewing tips and you get a free one-on-one lesson on how to use your specific machine once you purchase it. Happy sewing!

The machine you recommended with out a review is a piece of crap. I've had 2 sewing students who owned them and a third person I met who had one and not one of them worked properly. If your looking to recommend a machine to a beginner sewer check out the Brother CS-6000, there are several different model # that are the same. It has speed control, comes with a DVD, and has lots of cool stitches. It's very easy to use and very light weight( 5lbs). I'm an expert sewer, but use one as my carry around machine I've put it through the trenches the past 1 1/2 years and it's held it's ground. When I first got it, I used it at least 30 hours a week for at least 4 months, that's a lot for a machine I paid $215 with tax for.

On Sunday when I had more time to walk around the expo hall, Ralph gave me a special demo showing me the latest that Singer is bringing us with embroidery and sewing machines. And lets just say I was more excited than when I was opening the actual boxes!

Singer Quantum Futura (CE-200)
Suggested Retail Price about $800

The Singer Quantum Futura is like an affordable first class plane ticket to heaven. I am pretty computer savvy so when Ralph showed me the process of the machine embroidering the image from the laptop, I believe I had my jaw open. He explained to me that this machine could be likened to a "sewing machine printer". Whatever design in most any kind of format that I wanted to create on the computer from illustration, design, to photos, could be embroidered by this sewing machine.

A special computer software program processes the image or illustration and creates thread layers (for photos, details are simplified). Once a color is all done, the machine will stop for the next color that's set to be embroidered. Pictured above, the Quantum Futura machine processes all the brown first, then starts in on embroidering the yellow to make up the final wheat stalks. Currently, these sewing machines connect only to PC laptops but for those of you tech savvy enough, you can see if the new Intel Macs running Windows will be sufficient enough.

But wait, if $800 is still a bit too steep for you, you can get the embroidery basics with the Singer Futura (CE-100)which retails for about $500 and still lets you connect a laptop to the machine!

Singer Quantum XL-6000
Suggested Retail about $3,000

The top of the line right now is the Singer Quantum XL-6000 which has more power with a color touch screen display, multiple thread spools, multiple languages, improved embroidery lettering, and a continuous hoop which allows for creating borders for garments and home decor projects. Pictured above is Ralph testing a "G" design for Giana's Italian "Gucci" hack explorations.

Here's a close up of the "G" embroidery and you can see the fine detail this machine can go to.

A sample from the Gucci hack showing a modfied Gucci print embroidered by the Quantum XL-6000.

Ok I'm sure by now after reading all this, you'll all be running out to get these machines. I'm happy that Singer is coming out with these great sewing and embroidery machines that can fit into any crafter's budget. Thanks Ralph for the great demos!

• See all the photos from Ralph Morehouse's Singer demos as well as some shots of the Hacking Couture workshop here - Link.


• Find out more about these and other Singer sewing and embroidery machines, including some video demos and more photos on the Singer web site here. - Link.

Wayne writes:

We just received this machine from my wife's client who is no longer able to care for herself. I have never heard of the morse sewing machine company before and was wondering if this machine has any value. We would never sell it but wondered if its worth insuring for the future. I plan to clean it up a bit and maybe find the case.

Any CRAFT readers care to help Wayne with his question? Please post it in the comments. Thanks!

]]> [<a href="http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2007/05/vintage_morse_margaret_sewing.html" />Read More</a>] [<a href="http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2007/05/vintage_morse_margaret_sewing.html#comments" />Comments</a>] http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2007/05/vintage_morse_margaret_sewing.html http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2007/05/vintage_morse_margaret_sewing.html Sewing Machines Wed, 02 May 2007 10:11:40 -0800