$30 for (what looks to be) a 201-2 and cabinet. I'm excited. Been wanting to see what all the hype was about with the Singer straight stitch machines. And it shares a class 66 bobbin with my Singer 500A, bonus!
(https://i.postimg.cc/6yPVmzGp/164939895-1415794712086770-649015424367218245-n.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/6yPVmzGp)
(https://i.postimg.cc/F1W0YGpV/165239064-1415792688753639-8392008820681226818-n.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/F1W0YGpV)
(https://i.postimg.cc/62kdjpP5/164684352-1415792652086976-7072678929899890770-n.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/62kdjpP5)
Trust me, it will not dissapoint you, especially at that pricepoint...
Fingers crossed. 8)
I loved my 219, which was given to me by a woman 33 years ago. Later, I realised she probably stole it.
Until I bought a727 Bernina for $30.00.
The metal gears of the singer make for a perfect stitch length and plenty of strength.
Quote from: Schneiderfrei on July 12, 2021, 10:30:49 AM
I loved my 219, which was given to me by a woman 33 years ago. Later, I realised she probably stole it.
Until I bought a727 Bernina for $30.00.
The metal gears of the singer make for a perfect stitch length and plenty of strength.
The 219 looks like it was stout little machine. Are those 3/4 machines?
Great buy on the Bernina, I didn't even think you could buy a foot for one of those for $30. I would kill for a 707, but those Bernina's are pricey! Perhaps another deal will fall into my lap... ;D
The Bernina was the time I actually shut my mouth.
It was advertised for $30.00 because the foot pedal was lacking.
About 1/2 an hour from where I worked. I figured I could get there and back in my lunch.
I got there and inspected it. Looked in the cover, and there was the foot pedal jammed in the wrong way. I was about to say, "Hey" when I just shut up, and asked if $30 was still ok? I didn't go for a reduction.
Its been great ever since. And, where I live the feet are $70.00 starting.
Im not aware of the status of the 219.
G :)
Quote from: Schneiderfrei on July 12, 2021, 04:11:27 PM
And, where I live the feet are $70.00 starting.
Yup... that sounds about like it. Bernina's accessories are forged by Hephaestus himself, and every piece quenched in pegasus blood... that don't come cheap.
I love that. ;D
Bernina, the Apple Computer of sewing machines...
Quote from: Hendrick on July 18, 2021, 08:23:23 AM
Bernina, the Apple Computer of sewing machines...
Yes indeed.
Well, the 201-2 fell through... I can't decide if the seller already sold it, or just keeps re-listing the item with no intention of selling to get more people to visit his site (as I pony'd up full asking). Either way, I got the money back and located another one. No accessories, and apparently "doesn't run". But everything but the boot for the forward gears was present on the machine, it turns smoothly, and will make a lock stitch turning it manually. Seemed clean inside of all the inspection plates.... so I picked it up for $40 with table.
Looking at the machine, it has some new LED in the light fixture (which was loose but not broken or stripped), and a new "electronic" pedal with it. I have a feeling that the issue lies somewhere between the LED and the new fangled electronic foot control (since the original knee bar pedal is still wired in with a brand new 3 prong power cord). Time will tell and I may get into the machine and find that they did some shade tree wiring under the hood to splice in these upgrades.
My only real hesitation on this machine was that it was a '53 model and I would have preferred the 30s/40s scroll work on the face and rear inspection plates... but I figured I could hunt down a set to dress it up some for what I paid and store these in my parts case. With any luck I'll have her cleaned up and laying down stitches in the next couple weeks.
(I pulled the machine for transporting... had to buckle her in the front seat with me for safety ;))
(https://i.postimg.cc/gXcPwW8h/IMG-3887.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/gXcPwW8h)
(https://i.postimg.cc/gXMb8THT/IMG-3888.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/gXMb8THT)
(https://i.postimg.cc/hQfWr1CP/IMG-3889.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/hQfWr1CP)
(https://i.postimg.cc/0rQsP98R/IMG-3890.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/0rQsP98R)
(https://i.postimg.cc/z3c1f4BL/IMG-3891.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/z3c1f4BL)
Well, I was busy yesterday, so I decided to look at the 201 this morning while I was having my coffee.... Pleased to say that the wiring looked pretty decent at the terminals, and I made a quick fix. The person that rewired it, seemed to have wired the motor in on the wrong terminals. I opened the 3 prong on the back of the machine, and saw the motor power wire on terminal 1. I moved it to 3 on the power block and magically the sewing machine came to life. "VICTORY!!!"... Motor seemed like it might be a bit slow, but that could be due to the cheapie pedal they gave me. Supposedly, these machines will do 1100 SPM. It feels quite a bit slower than my 500A running wide open (~1000 SPM). I'll be digging a little deeper into it this week, but nice to know that continued efforts won't be in vain. But lets hear it for... AN EASY VICTORY!!! HUZZAH!
Moments of victory, Yeah!
Grandma had something like that. The pedal was bolted to the the bottom and a shaped piece of wood was bolted to that. It went down by the right knee. Push that with the knee to make it run. This is better than chasing the pedal around the floor with the foot.
My old singer had a knee speed control. Problem now is changing to a knee lift for the foot.
Very, very vexing.
G
There is a video of this one guy who make western shirts. For making cactuses and flowers, etc., the knee piece moves the needle lift and right. The more he pushes it the wider the
needle goes. He is very fast. He is probably retired now. Might have seen it on Threads website a couple of decades ago.
I had a difficult time getting used to a knee bar speed control. Both of the cabinets have them, but I just couldn't get comfortable in front of my work and still control the speed like I wanted. Foot controls just come a lot more naturally for me. Now a knee lift for the presser foot would be fabulous! I could definitely get the swing of that.
I got a chance to play with the 201 and I am loving it. That machine quite the engineering marvel. Like a cross between a cat and a steam train. She and I are going to be friends for a good long while.
Went through the mechanicals and got her purring like a kitten. Lots of old oil varnish in there... but she's cleaned and reassembled. Clocked her in at 1,116 spm. Not that speed is the standard, but I am using to it as a litmus test to see how freely the machine was spinning. When I got the motor running, it was stitching smoothly, but felt a bit slower than others had claimed. I was only getting around 650-700 spm wide open. I'm pretty pleased with the improvement. I'll have to pull her apart one more time when I decide to fix the cosmetics, but she's mechanically sound and ready to rock.
I use 201 and a 15k Singers. Both have knee control as well as foot control. I never use the knee control, it's too confusing, like changing cars from an automatic to a stick...
Quote from: Hendrick on July 28, 2021, 06:59:06 AM
I use 201 and a 15k Singers. Both have knee control as well as foot control. I never use the knee control, it's too confusing, like changing cars from an automatic to a stick...
All my cars are stick. My 72 El Camino had an automatic for about 6 months back in high school... told my dad I was going to throw it in reverse on the freeway if he didn't talk my mom into letting me switch to a 4 spd. Still have that 4 gear ticket getter. Never got another car or truck with an auto... Automatics are just boring. I have to keep myself actively engaged to stave off Highway Hypnosis. Same goes for long seams and edge finishing... "Highway Hypnosis".
I hear great things about the Singer 15 series, but is it that much different from the 201 that it would justify having another machine? It has sparked my curiosity. I read just about everything on google about the two machines while I was searching something that would edge stitch better than the 500A. The 500A likes to try and run off the end of the fabric when you get closer than 1/2". ::)
I'd love to hear your take on where the 15 and 201 really shine having both in your shop.
Hey...
The Singer 201 is a refined stitcher, although not fast. It forms a beautiful stitch with no tension problems on any weight of fabric. It is dead silent and very controllable as speed is concerned; well tuned it handles stitch by stitch sewing with ease even on coatweights. It is usually referred to as the "dressmakers'Singer" The transport is super smooth and will handle any weight. It is also very balanced and quiet; it has a rotary hook...
The Singer 15, in contrast, is a workhorse. It is extremely powerfull and the "penetration power" is phenomenal for a domestic machine. If you like to sew heavier weights, such as denim, canvas or upholstery stuff, this machine will never let you down. It is usually referred to as "farmerswifes' Singer". Meaning it is good for sewing any kind of material. Mind you, I wouldn't recommend it for silk crepe de chine, because the transport is a bit more "humpy" than a 201.
As far as the "dwelling" problem goes with topstitching etc., many older straight stitchers have that problem. The feed dogs are narrower than on modern machines and industrials. On top of that I (personally!) find that the foot pressure is too modest on these machines. First thing I did on my 201s (I own two) is changing the pressure bar spring to that of a Singer 20U... On another note the "dwelling" is one point where a Pfaff beats most Singers; their feed dogs and feet are wider and simply have more grip, whereas the Singers have more "manouvrability".
Another tip; for really beautiful topstitching get yourself a few standard sewing feet and find an instrument maker who can file off 1mm height of the left "toe" at the exact distance to where you want your edge. Feet are cheap so you can have different widths made...
Cheers!
Good tip on the presser foot. I think I have an old one laying around. I'll have to give it a shot.
The narrower feed dogs were a big selling point for me. I've struggled with ZZ machines and their wide footprint to get anything to feed straight once you get close to the edge of your fabric. I haven't done too much with the 201, but from the passes I've done, I'm impressed with how well it stitches at a 1/4 and 1/8". Much better than either of my ZZ machines.
I don't do much denim or canvas, but it does come up from time to time. I did a denim backed lap blanket for a friend of mine last week so she doesn't freeze on her porch come fall. And I'll pick up the odd project with canvas tenting, or riding leathers. It's definitely not the norm, but I'm absolutely not going to risk my 201 on that stuff. My poor Universal usually picks up the questionable projects. It's my little Tasmanian Devil... very unruly and will eat anything. I got the 201 exclusively for finer fabrics and edge stitching. Two things my Singer 500 hates to do. I will have to keep an eye out for a 15 if they're that good. Especially since I always have some personal project for a car, bike, or camp gear; I'm sure I can justify it to myself. Do you have a preference on 15s? I hear the 15-91 getting a lot of praise.
Veronica, I have both a 15-91 and a 201 and can agree with everything Hendrick says. I learned to sew on my mother's 15-91 and it was a tank. She upholstered two couches on that thing and we made a horse blanket. It's not really built for that, but will do it in a pinch if you are careful and take your time. My sister has my mother's machine now. I found mine in a thrift shop. The 201 came to me from a lady going into assisted living. I use her for topstitching. Check out Craig's List, estate sales and local thrift stores or better yet, befriend an old time sewing machine mechanic. That is how I acquired my Bernina 830. My mechanic knew I was wanting a back up for my 930 in the event the motherboard blew a second time.
Hi Victoria Quinn, what is your 'poor' Universal?
Quote from: Schneiderfrei on July 30, 2021, 12:05:57 AM
Hi Victoria Quinn, what is your 'poor' Universal?
Its one of those late 50s Japanese machines. Universal MZB. She's a steel beast.
the cool fins make it go 20 mph faster. Oscillating Class 15, 1.5A belted motor, High shank, left homing needle... And has a buttonhole dial. ;)
(https://i.postimg.cc/K1TwZwJL/IMG-2148.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/K1TwZwJL)
She was the first machine that I rebuilt, and how I learned how to sew. I did everything on it before I picked up my Singer 500. It was going from unbridled horsepower to a more "finessed" stitch machine.
I say "poor" Universal, because she's bore the brunt of my learning curve.
Like, "you probably need a different machine for that kind of material"... or "I'm shaking this table to pieces because your needle is far too old"... and the "Oh crap, there's a pin still in my fabric. (twang!)" I tend to handle my equipment with a gentle hand now, so I don't subject any other machine to that abuse.
Hi, again
For a class 15 Singer; get the latest built you can find. This is the most produced sewing machine ever, starting sometime around 1910 or so untill the late 50s. And that is without the (really not bad) japanese clones, some of which were produced by Brother... So the later the built, the better the features (very early 15s have no backward stitch or visible stitch length controls!) The 15s I use have "rucksack"motors. the "potted motor" versions are harder to find in Europe but plenty available in the US. Mind you, refurbishing a potted motor requires patience and time but your machine will run like a dream...
I'll definitely keep an eye out for a 15-91. It may take a few years, with prices in the US having turned into small fortunes for the black singers.
That's because folks like us are extolling their virtues.
theresa in tucson, ain't that the truth.
Vistoria Quinn, I have never seen that model in Australia, and I like the styling - very 50's. Maybe they had that model on the early space flights?? :D
But I do love working on these old machines. In more recent years I over stretched and bought a few industrials, each time telling myself that I would sell one to pay for the new. But I have'nt. I spent 6 months restoring a 1985 Juki twin needle, needle feed, back in 2018. That was fun, kind of. Those things have about 10,000 parts, and I had it down to the deepest part of the Hi-rose. It works though. That's what digital cameras were made for.
I was curious about that "poor Universal"too. Nice machine, kinda reminds you of your moms' Datsun Bluebird doen't she? Or maybe those BMW Isetta's I remember seeing as child? ... Schneiderfrei, after that pressure bar spring or maybe cleaning a tensioner my toolbox goes on lock, so respect.
Hendrick,
They are formidable at first sight. But, needs must.
For instance, setting up timing is a very simple matter, and there are many youtube examples, yet here in Australia the bill is typically $100.00.
G
I've replaced the broken nylon gear and re-timed my mother's Riccor 2600 Super Stretch a few times since high school. That was the only time I was ever allowed to touch it... She was very particular about who she trusted with it. I got the job after she had a couple bad experiences with some of the shops in her area, and I was easier to smack if something went wrong. lol Once I set the timing on it, I just took a couple photos, documented the gap, and put it in the case for reference. The first time it took me about 2 hours to figure it out, and the second time I did it (15 years later) took about 5 minutes. With the proper reference, timing is a simple task.
Yeah, just like fitting and drafting.
Quote from: Schneiderfrei on July 31, 2021, 10:43:59 PM
Yeah, just like fitting and drafting.
I can see the science in drafting... Fitting seems more like a cross between an artful eye and a magic touch.
Ok Hendrick, and Theresa.... No more name dropping on these machines. I couldn't get the 15-91 endorsements out of my head. I am weak, and curiosity got the better of me. Found a 15-91 that had been up for sale for a while in a Bentwood case and talked them into $75. I pick it up on Friday. I have a seam on my riding jacket that needs a little attention, and I have a winter coat that's been in the queue. If it blows my mind, I'll make it my new "Oh crap" machine for those mission impossible moments. Otherwise, I can re-list it after swapping out the case and pedal for the ones I got with the 201. I'm not much for that cabinet or aftermarket pedal that came with it. Figured for the price, my costs were pretty much covered with the current price of a "Singer" pedal and portable case. ;)
Victoria, if your 15-91 is in the original bentwood case be careful when picking it up. My mechanic cautioned me on mine as the wood is old and can be brittle.
You can make a nylon strap set to wrap around the case with a handle so you are actually lifting the machine with the nylon handle instead of the bentwood handle.
You will love both machines for their different qualities, trust me, you'll want to keep both of them. Funny you mention the handles Theresa. In both my bentwood cases there are "aftermarket" steel bars (that run nearly the full width of the case) holding the handle nuts. I guess there were more "handle incidents" than this particular dealer liked...
Hendrick, when my mechanic cautioned me about the handles he had in his shop a bentwood case where the handle had pulled through so the problem is very real.
After time the thin wood just isn't strong enough to cope with the weight of the machine. To call those old Singers "portable" was a stretch.
It looks to be an original bentwood case, I'm unaware of any reproductions. I like the idea of the nylon harness. However, I may want to come up with some nice brown leather belting for a harness, perhaps some brass buckles to keep with the 20's design of the case.
(https://i.postimg.cc/jnRqbVqT/s-l1600.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/jnRqbVqT)
(https://i.postimg.cc/xc031g6T/s-l1601.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/xc031g6T)
I have never trusted any sewing machine case to carry a machine; except maybe the featherweight - it's a pretty stout little case for that machine. Sewing machine cases are more like expensive dust covers than transport devices... They're just too bulky to actually walk with and not smack yourself in the back of the knee.
I was actually very surprised with how small and light the 201 really was. I was expecting it to be much much heavier, and "bigger". Walked past these black singers for decades and they always seemed bigger, until I actually went to purchase one. It might just be how slender the 201 is, that gives me that impression. It's fairly easy to hold onto and its weight is pretty evenly distributed, so that may be why I don't notice it's heft as much. Or I could just be losing my mind... ;) I swear the newer machines seem like they're way bigger and far more cumbersome.
The 15-91 showed up today. Much, much heavier than the 201. It's gotta be double the 201. The 201 is arguably portable, the 15-91 is very much a cabinet machine... preferably one with a crank to lift it up to the deck. ???
I am going to have to rip into this one tonight. It was sold with the caveat that they had "no idea if it worked" but that machine has been oiled like it was going out of style, and it smells like a solvent tank. If it was in storage, they did a great job at ensuring it wasn't going to rust. ;)
** The wiring seemed decent enough, I decided to test it. The bobbin tension was way out of whack, and the upper tensioner was put together wrong. There is so much oil in (and on) that machine that you can't even hear the bobbin oscillating. Took about 30 minutes, but I got an 80% solution on the stitch balance, and nothing smoked. Guess it's time I get her cleaned up and dried out some... I mean literally "dripping oil", like someone hit it with a whole can of Kroil or bicycle chain oil (paint and all). Seriously want to let the guy know that "a drop will do ya'." ???
Congatulations on your new aquisition! Give it a good cleaning and rub off all the excess oil (I like to do that with kitchen tissue but I guess that is not very "circular"). I also don't care much for the "steam engine odour" (as a kid, the smell of diesel oil and the like gave me nausea). Next time you take the tensioner apart, remember to put in a new check spring, it can make a big difference and costs next to nothing. Also note that this is probably the easiest machine to arrange the timing of; it has a fixed hook so all you do is lower or lift the needle bar according to the marked points and your good to go. I actually never paid attention to the difference in weight between them but both are hefty beasts for their size for sure!
15-91 data sheets. Gonna have to look at my machine now. ::)
https://archive.org/details/singer-15-91-adjusters-manual-en
https://archive.org/details/manualsbase-id-577791
May be duplicate elsewhere on forum.
Brilliant technical data. You should have no trouble.
G
Three pages about machines. Isn't your thimble good enough?
Smashed my thimble finger. Might need to buy a larger thimble. Not sure they are large enough. Might have to make my own. Way cheaper than a sewing machine. 😁
Personally, greger, I am good with a needle and thimble, but lack machine skills, which ranckles!
Draw on paper lines and angled lines and curves from broad to sharp. Needle with no thread and sew those lines with the machine. As you get better be faster. When you mentally have control of your hands and fingers (so you let go if you have to) pedal to the medal sewing. At first it can be kinda wild. As time goes your sewing becomes very good at those high speeds. Sew often enough you will keep those skills. One person said that the definition of keep is use.
Guard those fingers. Maybe after a hundred pages you have will be fine. At least a lot better. Finger guards help in front of the needle. Not sure they are fool proof.
From my dad, when I first started machine sewing; fold your thumbs under your hands and always feed fabric with your middle finger first never with your index finger. When you start by using two fingers per hand, you will onl gradually start to use the others...
That is good advice greger, and Hendrick.
Hi Victoria, you have done well to get this machine, a now departed friend of mine started her business years ago with one of these (maybe a bit earlier) and she always got very good quality work out of it. As long as it all works correctly, they usually do very accurate face stitching and will probably outlast you.
Now depending on your sense of humour, one of your great grand kids (if you are into those things) will look at this in some distant future time and wonder, "what did the old girl do with this thing ?". ;)
Quote from: Greger on August 08, 2021, 06:37:19 PM
Three pages about machines. Isn't your thimble good enough?
Smashed my thimble finger. Might need to buy a larger thimble. Not sure they are large enough. Might have to make my own. Way cheaper than a sewing machine. 😁
My hand stitching is slow but steady. I do have a nice thimble, and fits very well. I just enjoy a quality machine stitch for when my patience wanes. Every now and again, it's just nice to floor it and zip through an 8' seam/hem.
Quote from: Greger on August 09, 2021, 05:40:06 AM
Guard those fingers. Maybe after a hundred pages you have will be fine. At least a lot better. Finger guards help in front of the needle. Not sure they are fool proof.
Safety guards are for the timid... I don't even have seatbelts in my car. Living on the edge! 8) :P
Quote from: hutch-- on August 22, 2021, 02:40:24 AM
Hi Victoria, you have done well to get this machine, a now departed friend of mine started her business years ago with one of these (maybe a bit earlier) and she always got very good quality work out of it. As long as it all works correctly, they usually do very accurate face stitching and will probably outlast you.
Now depending on your sense of humour, one of your great grand kids (if you are into those things) will look at this in some distant future time and wonder, "what did the old girl do with this thing ?". ;)
I got the Singer 15-91 Centennial rebuilt and tuned up. Sewed like a champ! I decided to gift it to a friend that no longer had a sewing machine. She was over the moon when I presented her the rewired 15-91 in the bentwood case for her birthday. It wasn't the industrial she let go of a few years back, but it was "right sized" for packing around with her while she's still in the Army and hopping around between duty stations. She really really liked it. I am going to keep my eyes out for another one, now that I've experienced it first hand. More than likely I'm going to have to wait until I make my trek back home to the West Coast this spring. But until then, I do still have the 201 and the 500 to get by with. And the machine didn't go far... I am staying at her place and watching her kids until this COVID crap blows over. ;)
I can only imagine how mysterious the art of sewing will become in 40 years. But the way things are going with fabrics... thread will be obsolete; as you will just need to melt the two pieces of "plastic fabric" together to make a seam. :o
Fabric that "melts" or "fuses", or "welts" for that matter, is usually made of petrochemical based fibres, rich in carbon. I cannot help but wonder why so much of that stuff is coming our way; ia some country trying to get rid of it?
Polyester is cheap to produce. No farming/tending/harvesting required. Oil is already being pumped for fuel. Add to that making the polyester as poor quality as possible and immediately almost all clothing becomes disposable.
In recent years, those with any disposable income spent most of it on electronics and autos to determine status. How many more tricks does your phone need to do? Isn't one flat screen TV per room enough? If you buy the latest technology in a television, how many people actually use the new stuff? Are they starting to realize they don't use it?
Frankly, I don't see us moving into Star Trek suits anytime soon. People are beginning to become weary of technology and I hope this weariness results in a move towards better quality.
That said, I recently read on another forum where a member took an online fabric arts class. She was in the UK, the class was offered by a company in OZ, she paid in U.S. dollars and the instructor was just a few miles away from her in the UK!
These are indeed crazy times, but maybe we've hit a point where we become more involved with the direction technology takes. My Dad is 87. Over the weekend he announced as far as he was concerned technology has gone too far. No matter the reason, he felt the immorality of Iran's top nuclear scientist being assassinated in his auto by a rifle fired 1000 miles away with the aid of AI technology - without harming anyone else in the vehicle. Very scary.
Just like Covid - just because we can, doesn't mean we should.
Funny enough, polyester is a useful enough fabric depending on the type, I made both winter track pants out of recycled polyester that I bought fleece some years ago from HongThai fabrics in one of Sydney's western suburbs and its both confortable to wear and was really cheap.
By no means a tailoring choice, its really robust and is easy enough to work with. I also make a version of stubbies out of it so its a reasonable general purpose fleece and even I can't kill it (I am a real slob with clothing).
On the other end, I tried to use some polyester drill and it was really horrible to wear, scratchy, itchy and absolutely no give in it. I am sure you could make handbag linings with it or perhaps parachutes but don't try and wear it.
Ripstop polyester is great stuff for backpacks and bicycle panniers! It all has a place. Marketing is the answer. Consumers need educated and persuaded to quality v. led like sheeple to cheap-n-nasty.
I was a huge fan of ripstop in the 80's, but it was nylon then. Made for a great everyday handbag.
And some cute buns on the guys! Remember parachute pants at the clubs? Never could imagine wearing them myself but I definitely admired the fad ;)
My BIL was wearing a pair of bright red parachute pants the night my sister met him. It's been a running joke in the family ever since - made funnier by the fact his a VP at a major industrial complex these days. But even then, it was parachute pants at night and wingtip shoes with white button down shirts only during the workday.
:)
I promise I will never make a bright red pair, mine are all black, very practical for a slob. ;D
LOL! Paper Painter's hats and Parachute pants... ha ha ha... Digital watches... Could be worse, could be the wear your pants around your knees fad. Nothing like watching people do a high speed waddle to chase down a bus while using both hands to hold up their pants. :D
What about Fleece Stubbies Hutch. ;)
Never saw the paper painters hats around here. Must not have made it to our neck of the woods, though we rarely missed a fad.
For a small city in TN, we were actually in front of a lot of trends. One of the most popular clubs in town, an old beautiful church - converted to a disco, (yeah everybody talked about the hoodoo that could create) had a disc jockey that called other DJs in Miami, New York, London to see what was happening and they'd send her records they were spinning regularly. A song came on once while I was dancing with a friend that had been in NYC the previous weekend. He couldn't believe he was hearing the music because he said every club he'd been to in NY had been spinning her stuff and she was going to be HUGE! A year later she was finally on the radio....Madonna.
I also forgot to mention, BIL looked damn fine in those red pants. These days they might make it over one thigh. :D
Graham,
I am wearing a pair. Just starting to warm up here, my bones stop aching at last.
Quote from: spookietoo on September 24, 2021, 05:01:08 PM
For a small city in TN, we were actually in front of a lot of trends.
Speaking of Tennessee, any recommendations on fabric stores here in Tennessee? There isn't anything out here in Clarksville. I'm getting quite annoyed trying to find a place to peruse the fineries.
I'm in Knoxville and we have nothing. Just Joanns - so nothing. There is Short Sheets in Crossville for home dec and they also have a smaller location in Farragut which is in West Knoxville. I occasionally find trouser fabrics, linens and silks that work for garments. The Crossville location is an old WPA schoolhouse out in the country, when he first opened he would have women in Memphis that rented a bus to bring them up. Also in West Knoxville/Farragut is Gina's Bernina. Mostly a quilting store now, she also stocks fabrics for childrens heirloom sewing, so many of those fabrics work nicely for shirts. Unless you're looking for home dec, nothing is worth a special trip, but if you're heading to the Smokies, all of them are very easy to access from I-40, definitely worth stopping in.
I thought Nashville still had two Indy shops. Have those closed or switched to quilting? Other than those, Fine Fabrics and Gail K's in Atlanta are all I know of. Banisch's in Cincinnati got out of the fabric business several years back and I think went to online tools and things only - though I haven't checked them in quite some time.
With all of the new interest in sewing, I think a garment fabric store here in Knoxville could be quite lucrative. Due to being located at the junction of I-40 and I-75, Westown Mall had the highest sales per square foot of any mall in the Southeastern U.S. for years during mall shopping days. We outsold all malls in both Atlanta and Miami. We have around 3 million people within a 90 minute drive time, plus millions of tourists due to the interstates.
I've written all of this just in case someone reading this is looking to invest. ;)
Beam me up, Scotty...
Sorry guys, a year and a half with only 2 people in their 80's incapable of intelligent conversation - I readily admit I'm losing it......
I visited this place in Holland last week, pretty impressive...
Beware they are wholesalers, so minimum is twelve or so metre per article, www.knipidee.nl
There is Textile Fabrics in Nashville.