LumpenDoodle2

Just wanted to add my thanks. I've downloaded your chart, and it should make my life a little easier.

Very nice, and thanks for all the detail. By the way, I call that a fire starter thingy too.

I'm sorry 25b, could you resend that last PM. You seem to have put me on your 'not like' list before I could finish reading it, so, not quite sure what happened there.

Ooookaaay..............

I'm curious, why would you send an email to yourself. Anyhoo, keep looking, something will turn up, and the odd 'wanted' add might just encourage someone to sell you a machine at a decent price. I have a lovely sewing machine and cabinet I got dirt cheap because the deceased owner's sister was happy to see it going to a good home.

If it was me, this is what I would do (assuming it sewed well before you bought it). With the presser foot up, and the tension disks open, you should be able to pull the thread though the needle. The tension can be enough to cause deflection to the needle, but it should pull through. Try loosening off the tension disks slightly to combat the thread being too tight when tension is off. Reset bobbin tension so that it just holds its own weight (plenty youtube vids re bobbin tension, a sewing machine is a sewing machine so almost any vid will do). Basically take everything back to the beginning. Use some heavy material like canvas just to allow you to set up the tensions. Most of your adjustment should be for the top tension. If the machine sews the canvas well, then try some soft leather, if it sews that well, then use the leather you want to sew. This will allow you to get used to how changing the tension (and material) affects the stitch. If you start to then hit problems, then a small adjustment should be all you need. Try one small adjustment at a time, then reset everything if it doesn't work. This shouldn't take too long as you've already set it up sewing the canvas, and you know it sews. If that makes no difference then you can try a different size needle, or lubricate the thread, or check the spring. Before I changed springs etc, though, i'd get in touch with the seller, and get advice from them. Just to add, it's surprising how a change to how you thread the machine affects the tension. I had problems with 'nesting' on the back of my stitch, and couldn't work out why. Then I saw it, the thread had looped around the top post. The fix was that simple, once I saw it.

Thank for the pattern, I look forward to putting it together.

Just downloaded pattern to make for a friend. Many thanks.

Two golden rules in sewing when things go wrong. 1/ Rethread machine. 2/ Replace needle Then try the tension. Saves hours of frustration.

That is a lovely case, and I do like the quality of your work.

Hello glmr, an old Singer sewing machine is cheap, and will get you started for sewing thin/soft leather. Not a perfect solution, but I've been there, and neccessity is definately the mother of invention. It took me a year to find a Singer 29K patcher within my budget, and I still had to make a 270 mile round trip to collect it. My walking foot machine I finally found a couple of months ago. It's not as heavy duty as I would like, but it will do untill a better one turns up. As Uwe has said, keep checking your local papers, internet, etc, and consider putting out wanted adverts too. Something will turn up, and the money you save in shipping, you can buy a better machine. Working within a tight budget is never easy, but with patience you'll end up with the machine you really want.

Look forward to seeing the finished cover. The sun's shining here, we've taken a National Holiday...........

I am proud to say that very few orders leave my workshop without that extra special little something. Mainly my blood via a needle or awl. Every time.......

I made my first canvas and webbing pouches with an ordinary industrial flat bed Consew 210. I put a smaller pulley on it to reduce the speed to something manageable, and it did an acceptable job. Not as good as the walking foot machine I have now, but acceptable. Best way to learn is to come up with a design pattern, and sew it. Then sew that design again. It's the practice what does it every time. Then once you've done that, work out on paper what you want to make, check out the materials you need, and what people are using, and why. As to the time it takes to sew stuff once you've practised enough to feel comfortable with your sewing machine, it all depends on how well you make the item. Cheap and tacky can be knocked out quickly, but if you want to get a good name, you need to maintain a top quality, not be shy about asking people what they really want/need, and be prepared to change your design to suit them. Try out your design, and get a few friends to use it. The weak points will soon become apparent. All this while juggling the time it takes to build something, with the practical cost of producing an item. As has been said, there's more to it than just sewing the gear together. Just to add, not trying to put you off, just marking some little milestones you'll need to pass.

I'm probably wrong, but have you tried holding the thread ends at the start of the stitch just for the first stitch or two. If that doesn't help, could it be the wrong thread/needle size? Another thought is that the thread take up is allowing too much slack, but I would have expected that to cause missed stitches or thread break.

I sourced my lump of granite from a reclamation yard about 10 minutes from my house. £5 for a bit of finished granite that fits the corner of my desk perfectly.

Heating the creaser sort of presses the line permanantly into leather (think branding, but no way near so hot). I'm quite new to this myself, so best to take advice regarding how hot from a more experenced forum member, but a little practice on scrap leather soon works it out. As to what burner to use, I just use a twee little lamp I had bought for 50p at a car boot sale.

I've been making a batch of finds pouches for a Club, and every one so far has had a "doh!" moment. It's been a bit of a week.

Yes, I've searched for threads I know exist, but don't always come up in a search. But I do understand that running these forums and updating the system isn't the cheapest (or easiest) pastime to have. Anyway, I'm curious whether you could adapt one of these wheel 'feet' to be used on a bog standard industrial machine.

Hi, don't worry, it could be handy info for someone else. Welcome to the forum.

Would you dilute the resoline for spraying?

I've had 2 phones with small magnets sewn into the flaps of the cases, and had no problems.

I use those type (not Tandy) on the purses I make. They are very good, and my own purse (now used daily for over a year) is still has a solid 'locked' feel to it when closed. Just thought, when I say purse, I mean purse as in money purse, not a handbag.

Well ferreted out. Don't know where you found this info out, but if it wasn't through ISMACS, I know they would appreciate being told about the 45K31. Singer were always willing to build speciality machines for businesses, and if it was me, I'd haggle over the price a bit, then buy it. Nothing better than refurbishing and using a unique bit of Scottish history.

No artist, just a busy bunny who keeps forgetting she has a camera. :-)Never tried mimicking gold, as I've never had the time to play about with the medium, and I just have a bog standard A3 printer. The ink medium has advanced a lot even in the last year or two, so the potential for mimicking gold foil on leather via a printer is feasable. I do what I can to try out stuff, and if someone buys it. One up for me. :-()