Singer 15-31 Tutorial | Thread Machine, Wind Bobbin, Adjust Stitch Length & Tension, Lower Feed Dog

[@4486xxdawson]

Ok who is with me , we need an applaud botton as well as thumbs up 👏👏👏👏👏👏👍

[@sewwithmrsg]

Thank you, you are so nice ❤️

[@RachelTrent-j7t]

Incredible!!!! Thanks to you I can now use my great grandmothers! Seriously wonderful wonderful wonderful. Thank you!!!!!

[@sewwithmrsg]

Happy my video helped. I really hope more people will use these excellent machines. They’re very good machines and built to last. Enjoy sewing!

[@lizziel4876]

Oh and the bobbin winding is brilliant too!!

[@sewwithmrsg]

Haha thanks, Lizzie ☺️

[@meganmills6545]

I easily stayed to the end - it was really interesting the whole way and I had a little laugh when you wound the bobbin. I don't think I'd ever have thought of that! 🙂

[@sewwithmrsg]

Thank you Megan, I'm happy to hear it's interesting to watch hehe. And thank you for always watching my videos!

[@meganmills6545]

@@sewwithmrsg Thank you for making them! As soon as I see you've posted one I watch it and I'm always pleased I did. I watch a lot about servicing and repairing these old machines but I also like to sew on them and there is a lot that people like you with experience know that I just wouldn't find out about any other way.

[@sewwithmrsg]

❤️❤️❤️ I wish I have more subscribers like you. You inspire me to make more videos ☺️

[@engelbob8402]

Really good to see what those old machines can do. Thanks for showing us.

[@sewwithmrsg]

My pleasure ☺️

[@paulamendes5907]

Hello. It’s just so amazing to learn these very inventive yet simple solutions that you come up with to wind the bobbin, to zig zag, etc. I absolutely love it. So useful and gratifying. I have a singer 15-30 from 1922, and I was looking at how to lower the feed dogs but I’m afraid I might mess something. I wonder do you have this machine and do you know if it’s possible to lower the feed dogs and go back to normal sewing without messing it? I unscrewed one screw that I thought would do it, but it’s likely stuck with old oil so for now I left it with a little wd-40 before I’ll give it another try. But I would love to hear from you before attempting this again 😉 Thank you so much for taking the time to share “the power” to make things with these amazing old ladies 😀❤

[@sewwithmrsg]

Hi Paula, you're welcome, and thank you for your lovely comment! I don't have the 15-30 but maybe it is possible to remove the feed dogs? I ask this because with my singer 66 I am not able to remove the feed dogs. But if you can remove the feed dogs of your singer 15-30 you can screw it back when you want to resume regular sewing. I could remove the feed dogs from my singer 15-31 but it is easier to just lower it, as I showed in this video. Let me know if that works.

[@paulamendes5907]

@@sewwithmrsgHi! Thank you for your reply! I was also thinking of this resort to just remove the feed dogs when needed... ;) It's easy really and now I'll do it if zero-ing the stitch length won't feel good enough :D

[@sewwithmrsg]

@@paulamendes5907 please let me know if that works ☺️

[@lizziel4876]

I have just left a comment above - you might be interested to read the bit about the feed dogs. The screw on mine is exactly the same as on hers and in the same position. Like you I had to use WD40 to loosen the screw. I think my machine is a 15-30, though it's not as old as yours - mine is 1939.

[@lizziel4876]

You are a genius!! This is a fascinating video. I have now subscribed. I have used several old Singers, and am currently refurbishing my first 15 (I think it's a 15-30) which is what brought me to your channel, but I have never seen anyone backstitch on a machine without reverse like this. Can I suggest that you do a voiceover for this video, as it would clarify what you are doing? Are you just lifting the presser foot when you do the backstitch? I have watched closely and can't see it lift. Regarding the feed dogs, it was very helpful to see you adjust that screw (though again a voiceover would help) as I have been doing that in order to get the feed dogs in the right position. I haven't managed to yet as when I tighten the screw they go back to being too high again, and they hit the needle plate and lift it (it's not screwed down tightly yet). I am still trying to work out exactly what is happening when I do that. Are you starting the machine without turning the handwheel first? It looks as if you are. I have not done very much treadling but I thought you always had to do this. Did someone add the knee lift? I thought only a 201 came with a knee lift. I have googled it and can't find anything about a 15 having one.

[@sewwithmrsg]

Hi Lizzie, Thank you very much for the lovely comments and for watching and subscribing! I will try to do a voice over in my next videos. I am quite shy in person and quite uncomfortable talking in my videos but will do my best next time. In this video, if you turn subtitles on I have explained some of the things that I did. To backstitch, I lift the presser foot lifter slightly while I pull the fabric towards me with my left hand. I have several videos about this where you can probably see more clearly, using other Singer models. About the screw, I pushed it towards me and hold in that position while I tighten the screw. Take care not to push it towards the back while tightening it as it will bring the feed dogs up again. About the knee lift, this machine model was equipped with a knee lift. I have another antique machine that also has a knee lift, a Singer 31K15. It is an industrial type. I’ll make a video on that one next. Please let me know if I have successfully added the subtitles/ captions. Thanks again for your lovely comment ❤️ Oh about the treadling, yes I sometimes can treadle without turning the hand wheel. It needs practice and also depends on the position of the pedal after you stopped the machine, plus how you position your feet. Sometimes I start by pushing the pedal with right heel, and sometimes with the front of my left foot, left foot positioned higher on the pedal than my right foot. Sometimes both feet are in same position side by side on the pedal. When we use a treadle machine often, our feet, knees and legs will be quite strong. I use my treadle machine to actually exercise my legs ☺️.

[@lizziel4876]

@@sewwithmrsg thank you. I understand about being uncomfortable about talking in your videos. I didn't think to turn on the subtitles thing but have done that now and they are very helpful, so actaully you probably don't need to do a voiceover. I think you must be the most skillful treadler I have watched, and you have inspired me to want to get my 201 treadle out. I really need to get more practice on it. I shall be watching your other videos!

[@sewwithmrsg]

@@lizziel4876 hi Lizzie, thank you once again! I’m happy that the subtitles worked! I’ve only recently used it for the sake of my viewers whose language are not English, so they can read the subtitles in their own language. I’ve used Captions on my older videos.

[@jeremynv89523]

​@lizziel4876 I would like to second everything OP says about starting to treadle without using the hands. All I takes is practice. I almost never need to use my hands to start to treadle. In fact, I have a very short video of myself doing that in my library, if you ever want to see it.

[@lizziel4876]

@@jeremynv89523 thank you - I have not done much treadling lately but when I last did it I was beginning to get that you could start without using your hand. How do I get to see your video?

[@rjohn4560]

No voice over?

[@sewwithmrsg]

No, sorry. You can turn on subtitles, if you like ☺️