Readers, it is so very important to maintain our sewing tools if they are to perform for us at their best.
My Singer buttonholer dates from the late 1930's and I couldn't guarantee it has ever been oiled -- certainly not be me. After making dozens of buttonholes in the last few weeks, I decided it was time to give it a little TLC.
Fortunately, mine came with its original manual, which clearly illustrates all the (many) oil points.
I used Singer oil, which is very light. I turned the butterfly nut that moves the buttonholer through its full rotation to loosen things up and sewed a few practice buttonholes. It moves so much more smoothly; I wish I had done this when I first received it.
When I was done with that little chore, I started work on my mustard pants, which I'll be making from Kwik Sew 3504, a men's jeans pattern. I don't expect any surprises but you never know.
I tweak this pattern a little every time I use it. This time I wanted a slightly snugger fit in the center back so I took a little out of what will end up being the center back seam.
I bought matching mustard Gutermann thread, which is always nice to have.
Even though I purposely offset the seams, I still didn't manage to get the center point where the flat-felled seams overlap in back perfectly centered -- I overshot it (in precisely the opposite way I did the last time). Is there some trick to this I'm missing?
Alas, life goes on.
Readers, that's all for today. I expect to finish these pants this weekend.
I do hope your projects are going well. When's the last time you oiled your buttonholer (or your sewing machine), btw?
Have a great day, everybody!
Can anybody guess which 1939 film featured this song? (Hint: RKO) (If you're on a mobile device, click here.)
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