Buttonholer

[tmakos]

Hello!

Does anyone happen to know this sewing machine? I'm considering buying it for making shirts, as I'm not achieving good results with my household sewing machine, and neither by hand.

According to the description, the model number is: Dürkopp 555-1-W

[Greger]

Buttonholes take practice, which is time. Some apprentices spend well over a 25-50 hours before they are allowed to put any in a customer's coat. That is something like 100 buttonholes. Some master tailors count the stitches both sides to make for sure equal stitches. And so many around the key hole. And the proper bar stitches. The stitches are pulled tight enough to latch,and no tighter. Some pull straight up, some to the side, some diagonal, or any combination. The four cord or gimp or a couple of threads like buttonhole twist, or sewing thread, depending on what kind of buttonholes you are making. Poulen likes to fasten one end securely and work the buttonhole around it keeping it slightly taut. Many others don't care. I would start with wider stitches and over time make them narrower. A tight woven cloth like pocketing as an inner layer will help if you are sewing flimsy cloth. Some tailors spread the stitches quite far apart, which I think looks lousy. My stitches are not quite side by side because of the knot (pearl) width. It's like playing an instrument. A lot of time practicing. Sounds cruddy at first. But later....worth listening to. Perseverance.

[Schneiderfrei]

It looks a beautiful machine! Even just for the pleasure of owning it I would buy it at the right price. How much?

Do remember,the machine will take consederable practice just to be able to do it well. 

[stoo23]

That's one damn Serious looking machine !!!

  

[TTailor]

It looks very nice, I haven't used a shirt buttonholed for many years although we used to have one at work.
The one we had made great buttonholes.
It would be great to ask for a video of it in action if you are planning to buy it without trying it.
Usually the knives can be removed or taken out of the process if you prefer to cut open the holes by hand after stitching.

[Hendrick]

Fabulous machine, do you have industrial grade concrete floors to bolt it down on? If not, get a little Brother or similar Juki hobby machine that does single-step automatic buttonholes, it saves you tons of time and the buttonholes are beautiful, especially on lightweight fabrics. Their biggest advantage is that you can use all types of special needles in them... I use a Brother only for butonholes and they match industrial grade buttonholes.

Cheers, Hendrick