Silly sewing machine question

[OceanMomma]

I've got an old 1920s hand sewing machine that got given to me years ago by my Mum. It's a singer. It's very cute & goes well, but I don't use it a whole heap as I can't sew that well.

As far as I can tell, it can only do straight stitch. Today I made some curtains & I am very proud of them. In the process of looking for some pins, I found a different type of foot in its box of tricks. It has a piece off to one side that has a measurement guage on it. It looks like you can set the guage to different heights. Any idea what it is for ?

[LauraC]

It might be a zip foot!

[OceanMomma]

yikes! i didn't know they even existed! i think i'll have to get a book from somewhere.

[LauraC]

I have 2 super sewing machines, with zip feet. I sew a lot, a lot, a lot - I have never used the zip feet!!!

[OceanMomma]

So how do you use a zip foot ? I was hoping it may be something to sort of automatically fold over the fabric to a given turn over.

Slightly :OT but I see you're from rural Scotland. Grandad came from Pennan. It's such a beautiful place. I could handle the cold, but the nuclear power stations put me off living there.

[emmaline]

Ocean Momma I own 2 aged Singers and one of them came with a whole box of obscure attachments, luckily the instructions were there too!

If there is a measurement guage it is not a zipper foot, these only have one slim foot so you can attach them to sew on either side of the zip "claws"

looking at my little aged book, it could be aan adjustable hemmer, which holds the turned over hem in place (adjusted to how deep the hem is) while you stitch- which is what you want!

wish I had a scanner to send you info!! but maybe yr local Singer dealer has such a manual?? where I have taken mine for servicing (once in a blue moon) they have people bringing treadle machines and I bet in NZ they would too

I love this technology! and wish mine were treadles too, but they need power unfortunately

[OceanMomma]

What I should probably do is experiment with it. I found some old calico so I'll give it a whirl once dd goes to sleep. Mine did originally have a booklet but it got lost somewhere in the mists of the pacific I think :(

[LauraC]

This site has old manuals for singer sewing machines to download free http://www.singermachines.co.uk/Parts_&_Ser/Inst%20book.htm

Regarding your :OT comment, may partner is an aussie he shudders whenever he sees a power station. Fortunately we dont have any power stations, just truly lovely countryside (bit wet this year though)

[OceanMomma]

Awesome ! Many thanx :love From that web site, it looks like my singer is a 15k. I'm downloading the manual right now.