He Sews It

08/21/2021

Second apron for a happy repeat customer. With white thread on a black apron, I didn't like the jump stitches standing out the way they did on the first one. Quick file edit and a switch to microthread for the second off.

07/19/2021

A recent job for a customer. I love the look of a satin stitch. It's so elegantly understated.

07/19/2021

The “day” job’s company name changed, right after I launched an “old shirt replacement” campaign. Almost all of the shirts with the former company logo were getting worn, threadbare, and most with very air-conditioned (large holes in the…) armpits. These will be worn at home or become cleaning cloths. One old logo shirt stood out as presentable with very little wear and in good condition.

Creativity runs in many different directions around here, so the shirt was re-hooped, a slash embroidered through the old logo, and the new logo placed above the old, slashed, logo. Yes, just because something has been embroidered doesn’t mean we can’t add more to the party at a later date.

07/08/2021

A couple of months ago I was noticing most of the shirts I wear for my day job, many with the company logo embroidered, were getting worn, ratty, and in need of replacement. Procrastination paid off for me this time.

Less than a month ago the plant I work at changed hands and now has a new company name with a new company logo as well. It would have been exceptionally bad timing to have jumped on the shirt replacement project when I first thought about it…only to have no use for the shirts with the old logo a few weeks later.

With company names changed and still in need of freshly embroidered shirts for work, the gauntlet was thrown down. I had to be that person with the very first company logo on their shirt. Mission accomplished.

While the stitch file is less than 1700 stitches, I was reminded why I charge what I do for hand digitizing and file edits. This file leaves NO jump stitches when run.

While I was at it, I pulled a couple of old favorite files and ran them too. I think I’m wearing the negative space cat for tomorrow’s work at the factory.

12/30/2019

It's no secret that I'm a "machine person", and word gets around.

While out of town and 1000 miles away from home, I was asked "to have a look" at someone's home sewing machine that was acting up. No big deal, I have been known to crack open a machine for grins and giggles.

When digging in to a machine, my go-to start point is the bobbin case and lower deck...and then I work my way up from there. This picture of the dust werewolves (the werewolves ate most of the dust bunnies) is the reason why I start on the lower deck.

07/01/2019

Part 2 of the WWII sewing machine shake-down:

Just like all other machines, the new needle was installed with the flat side of the shank facing the back of the machine…the normal, “standard” way. Even if it’s a new needle of the correct type, it still has to be oriented correctly for that particular machine. Details, details. More on that slight triviality later. Everything is “normal”, but the oscillating hook/bobbin case wasn’t grabbing the upper deck thread from the needle. Harrumph.! I pulled out the White 710 (my other vertical “L” bobbin machine) to make comparisons. The WWII upper deck is different and sparse by comparison, but the threading looked “as it should be” by my best reconings. (It turned out I was almost right with the first threading) This is when I crash-course self-learned about oscillating bobbin cases and vintage machines. It would have been nice to be coached by someone who knew something about this old stuff, but I’m having to learn these things the, old-fashioned, self-taught, hard way…and enjoying every minute of it.

Remember that thing about the needle needing to be installed correctly? Sewing machine needles have a round shank with an orientating “flat side” for proper installation…this is THE standard for needles and goes without any question. Every machine I’ve ever encountered has the flat side of the needle facing away from the operator and towards the rear of the machine; this is the freakin’ machine standard, for goodness sake…go ahead and Google it. I dare you.!!! EVERY video I’ve watched specifies “flat to the back”…I was almost comforted to know I wasn’t alone in what I already know. Time to quit whining and move forward.

This machine is different and was built before the conventional “standards” were fully established. On this machine, the needle flat faces the flywheel; a 90-degree twist. Once this “minor” detail was taken care of, the upper deck threading suddenly made a lot more sense and we were sewing. Thread tensions were adjusted within a few passes.

“Modern” machines run the fabric and thread from front to back. With no surprises, co-operative, single-direction product flow makes the nicest stitches with the least effort. It took a little bit of time for me to wrap my head around the implications of this 90-degree needle “twist” thing. So the fabric feeds front to back and the thread feeds left to right…sort of dragging the fabric sideways across the needle. Twin needles are suddenly out of the question for many reasons and I’m starting to understand why many of the current standards have been adopted. Time to get to brass tacks.

Setting-up with contrasting threads is both a blessing and a curse. Contrasting threads will give you an accurate visual (hi)story of how your machine works, but will also highlight and magnify ANY flaw, imperfection, or tension adjustment error…especially on a decorative stitch. The machine’s stitch length selector dial shows the numbers: 6, 8, 12, and 25; which some how works out to 16, 18, 20, and 40 stitches per inch respectively. The feed dog reverse button works perfectly with consistently equal stitch length running the fabric in both directions. The stitches are locked, consistent, and nice, but don’t follow the straightest line. The shorter the stitch, the more I notice the stitch flipping and flopping over “the line” that would be perfectly straight…probably due to the fabric and thread feeding at 90 degrees to each other, and I’m probably nit picking as well. Likewise, the zig-zag stitch is slightly inconsistent and tries to pull the fabric in from the sides towards the center.

The most impressive thing of all, (so far) is this machine’s ability to run an EXCEPTIONALLY short stitch (the closest I could count was 62 stitches/inch) in a single line without the bottom deck becoming a bird’s nest from “hovering”…and, I’ve never had to deal with any type of bird’s nest or de-tangling…so far. The Zig-Zag stitch selector uses an interesting button/lever-operated “drop it anywhere and I’ll stay” clutch with no detents…sort of the same way the presser foot tension adjustment works.

I still have much to learn about this little gem, but my current impression is that I own the remains of a severely under-utilized sewing workhorse that probably will not see any true production in my shop with it’s current set-up. I haven’t given up hope on this little beauty. I’ve made some notes and have a few ideas, so we’ll see what happens from here.

06/28/2019

...or I will cut you, but not with the fabric scissors.

:)

06/16/2019

With the recent home team, ice hockey, Stanley Cup win, I'm getting a sudden in-surge of inquiries: "can you do (something St. Louis Blues) on a...?"

These are the moments I hate the very most. When I have to smile, hand them a business card, and say: "Yes, whatever it is, I can do it, but, no. I won't".

Sports franchises are generally the third most vicious in perusing copyright infringements. I don't want any part of that. I make zero apologies.

06/13/2019

I am He Sews It. This is my home business…and then I work at the factory doing something else with other machines as my “day” job. There are “people” people. I happen to be more of a “machine” person. This doesn’t mean I don’t like most people, it just means I really enjoy interacting with different machines, their “personalities”, and the various mechanisms…especially something very well made and/or a clever mechanical answer to a tricky problem…before electronics arrived on the scene. Obviously, I get more than my fair share of machine (sewing and otherwise) questions in a “normal” day. Being a hard, factual, Missourian, my first thought is usually “I would like to see what you are trying to explain”, or Show-Me.!!!

With all that being said, some sewing machines have had a “guest” B&B overnight stay for a quick glance. Most go back home the next day when I leave for the factory…all have been zero-charge, so far, mainly because I enjoyed the machine so much and didn’t have to replace any parts…other than the, no-brainer, new needle. In other words, the stay was “on the house”. I’m happy to cough up a new needle in exchange for the learning experience…and remove all doubt while adjusting things back to normalish.

Moving forward to last month, my sweetie’s colleague loaded her grandmother’s 41-pound, post WWII-era, Japanese manufacture, sewing machine in to the car. “It isn’t working” and was now the newest monkey in my circus. Like it or not, for better or for worse. After hoisting this boat anchor out of the vehicle, I HAD to take a look at what landed in my lap. I couldn’t even wait to get this beast inside my home before having a look. I started out only knowing the “grandmother” and “sewing machine” part. Wow!

Upon opening the carrying case, the view changed from brown and white to glorious Technicolor and I was certain I could hear the chatter of the Munchkins as I viewed The Emerald City. Then again, Jose’ was influencing my perspective at the time. From the locomotive-styled front cover to the bobbin winder and more, this machine is chromed-out, totally pimped, and is the epitome of all that is Art-Deco…Point, Blank, and Period!!! That’s all I have to say about that. I grabbed the dead flywheel and moved everything through a few times. All clear! This look-see wasn’t going to be a casual “blow and go”. Homey usually plays “Catch and Release” with nice, older machines. Not this time, kiddies.!!!

With lots of different things already in my court, I didn’t really have the time to dig in to this machine, but it is SO nice I knew I couldn’t keep my hands out. I (for)gave myself a time limit to dig in now, and button things up for later work. I made a good start with my allotted time, found many interesting and previously unknown features, and got the grunt work out of the way for an easy return.

First step was to detach the heavy plastic case/base from the machine and do a good scrub. Mission accomplished. Both upper and lower sides of the carrying case cleaned up very nicely with no fuss. Now on to the machine…..

This machine has an oscillating vertical bobbin case using an “L” type bobbin. I usually see the wrong type bobbin crammed in the holder, but this was not the case. Correct bobbin, scramble-wound, and incorrectly loaded/threaded in to the bobbin holder. OK, probable cause of malfunction noted. Time for a shake down.

Hmmm, bobbin winder assembly is loose and wiggling. That would explain the scramble-wound bobbin. 14 screws, 2 covers, a clutch, a flywheel, a drive belt, and a main drive later, I had access to the 2 screws that hold the bobbin winder to the machine. Deja vous to the motorcycle shop days. M’kay 2 screws tightened down, now on to the rest of the machine…I see oil and grease points that, while still looking good and not “muddy”, should be serviced now-ishly.

The entire mechanism felt smooth when I initially hand-cranked everything through that first time, but I was amazed at how things started moving so much easier as I lubricated the different points throughout the machine. I used less than 10 drops of oil and threw away more of the 3 grams of food-grade grease I pulled for use, than what I actually used. Sometimes less is more. I know I’m done with the grease, but as I dig deeper, it wouldn’t surprise me to find more oil points later.

I did everything I wanted to do while the machine was out of the hard case, and it was time to re-unite the machine to the carry case/working base. Chick-chack. Bada-bing-bada-done. Time to apply power. The illumination is anemic, but functioning as designed…those were the days. Bobbin winding time. I noticed the winding pivot was slammed to the right. A quick adjustment and I was winding the bobbin. The thread laid down, quick, smooth, and exceptionally even. The same way it came off the spool…layer by layer with no high spots.!!! I’ve Never seen a bobbin winder on a machine do that before, not with THAT type of precision. I’m impressed.! The winder tire is a tad glazed and may need replacement later.

I was smart enough to remove and tape over the original needle to avert anyone from trying to grow a brain too soon…especially myself. The needle looked in good shape, the correct size, installed correctly, but it hit the trash-can anyway. My rules, too bad. I need to learn how and why an oscillating vertical bobbin works, check out the awesome-looking presser foot section, figure out the workings and whys of this “interesting” dog height selector, understand how the, non-detented, zig-zag width selector holds firm, and eventually install that new needle…perhaps sometime before I start threading the upper deck. Who knows, I may even try pulling a few stitches, but I’m not sure my heart can take it…

I have no idea when Part 2 will happen or get posted, but I’ll be sure to take plenty of pictures. More later.

05/13/2019

This is the reason why we first do a test stitchout on cheap fabric, directly hooped, with no stabilizers, when running a new file with an unfamiliar font.

There would have been no recovery on a live stitch as the test got real close to pulling the fabric out of the hoop.

Proper stabilizer choices make the difference.