And they may have been cheaper.Ī lot of those old machines are still around, hiding in attics or being traded as curiosities on local autcion websites. I think hand-crank machines were more popular than treadles here in the Netherlands because space was a concern in most households. Loads of people used to sew like that, including several in my own family. That said, it can't have been ridiculously hard to do. And the 'guiding the fabric with one hand' detail scares me a bit. But my sewing room is on another floor and too small to hold another machine, let alone two. They are more or less in working order (I'm just not trusting the wiring of the Singer.) and sometimes I think I should try to sew with them. My grandmothers gave them to me and I have been using them for decoration. A Pfaff and a Singer, although the latter was converted to electricity somewhere in the early '60. Would you ever buy a hand crank yourself, assuming you don't own one already? (Weren't they popular in the UK, actually?)ĭo you ever think about how you'd sew if there weren't any electricity? If Laura Ingalls could do it. Have any of you ever sewn with a hand crank machine? Were you able to control the fabric with just one hand, or did you have someone crank it for you while you fed the fabric under the presser foot - an obedient child or loyal spouse, perhaps?ĭo you think of hand cranks merely as decor (as I suspect Johanna does), akin to wagon wheel chandeliers, beer barrel foot rests, or the much maligned-for-good-reason sewing machine lamp - yesterday's invaluable tool/today's kitsch conversation piece? Singer hand crank, don't you think? If I can't sew, how can I blog?
Am I going to roll my treadle down to the barge, donkey cart, or mule train as I evacuate the big city? It would be much simpler to carry a portable 35 lb. You're probably asking yourself, "Doesn't Peter have a working treadle?" Well, yes, I have a working treadle, but suppose I have to change locations in a hurry. Another option would be to wait for one to show up at the flea market or to find one on eBay.īefore I even start thinking about buying another sewing machine, however, I want to run it past you, as I do all my big purchases. I know a lot of you won't be able to answer this question because you don't think anything about them you've never given hand crank sewing machines a moment's thought.īut the more I wonder what the future holds as far as oil and other energy supplies go - usually at 4 am in a cold sweat- the more those old hand crank Singers are starting to appeal to me, like the one in my friend Johanna's sewing machine museum that I may swipe this weekend while she's out running errands. What do you think of hand crank sewing machines and I'm not talking toys here.
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We add available sewing machine instruction manuals to our lists as they become available. Suggestions of topics you would like to see are welcome.įree threading information for common Kenmore and Husqvarna Viking sewing machines is available here. For example information about needles, timing and tensions. You can find valuable tips about sewing machines on our sewing tips page. The printed sewing machine instruction manuals are coil bound and printed in color when the file is available in color. We also offer a printing service for all available instruction manuals. Feel free to contact us if you do not find your manual listed on our site. Some of the sewing machine brands we have instruction manuals for include Kenmore, Singer, Brother, Husqvarna Viking, Janome New Home, Pfaff, Bernina and Riccar. You can find listed models below or try a search with your make and model in the red search box below.
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