SINGER 127 or 27 VIBRATING SHUTTLE TREADLE SEWING MACHINE 28/128
Many people automatically assume that treadle sewing machines, & particularly Vibrating Shuttle sewing machines, are old fashioned, obsolete, & of no use, in today's world. That could not be further from the truth!
These incredibly well designed, well made sewing machines are assmooth running, as the day they were sold, as long as you clean and oil them correctly! Once you have the opportunity to experience their smooth, quiet, running, and gorgeous stitches, you will wonder why this INCREDIBLE technology was ever abandoned!
VIDEO WINDING A BOBBIN SINGER 127 VS
Remember not to overfill long bobins, or they will not feed smoothly, a too full bobbin, puts extra tension on your shuttle thread.
Singer 127 VS (Vibrating Shuttle) Treadle sewing machine, my first VS, as I was cleaning & servicing it, to give to a friend, since my hubby suddenly brought home 3 more of these in much worse shape, which needed repairs & parts, so I needed more room in my house, & the friend specifically wanted a treadle, so we were thrilled to be able to gift this to her.
The main difference between Singer 127 and 27, is the 127 has a high bobbin winder, and shuttle ejector button, some have a motor boss (a threaded hole under the handwheel, to attach an electric motor), while most 27 models have a low bobbin winder, and no motor boss, or shuttle ejector. There are variations across the decades these models were sold, and "Frankensteined" (owner modified) versions, as well.
The paint finish was originally black with gold decals, with the Egyptian themed Sphinx most common, in USA, while other decals were more common in machines manufactured in the UK, or non USA manufactured machines, and some later models have Singer's "wrinkle" (crinkle, or Godzilla) finish, to today's collectors.
Singer DID refinish some machines refinishing, right after the war, before metals and materials for manufacturing was available again, but only for a short period of time. (Alex Askaroff shared photos of a Singer sewing machine, refinished, with the receipt from Singer, on his website.
Singer actually purposely destroyed trade ins, according to Singer Dealership owners, to prevent them going back on the market, as cheaper competition to Singer's new machine sales.
Singer 127 Egyptian Sphinx decals, shown with closed Singer Puzzlebox full of attachments.
While in developing countries, like Africa, the groups which offer help to individuals, through refurbishing non electric sewing machines & tools, & train their students in tailoring, as well as other job skills, & business models, the Vibrating Shuttle treadle & hand crank sewing machines are not accepted, because their shuttles & shuttle cases (long bobbins & bobbin cases) are not readily available in their countries, so they only allow the old cast iron models which take the class 66 & 15 bobbin type, which can be easily found in their own country.
The long bobbins are MUCH easier to find in America, & England, Australia, New Zealand, & other more developed countries, where millions of vintage sewing machines are sitting in sheds, closets & garages, basements & attics, collecting dust & rust, not because they are not good machines, but simply because we have been educated since birth, to prefer "new" things! Grandma, & even great great grandma's vintage treadle or handcrank sewing machines, are actually much BETTER sewing machines than many new models, they just sew straight stitches only, ... unless you happen to know that there are ZIG ZAG sewing machine attachments, which turn these into regular zigzag sewing machines!
Buy, or download, and print out a manual for your specific model, to have correct oiling, maintenance, adjustment, threading, instructions.
OILING SEWING MACHINES
Cleaning under the tension spring guide is essential for good tension, there may be 100 year old lint in it, and in the thread holes underneath it. A Qtip dipped in rubbing alcohol, then inserted in the shuttle, allows you to clean out interior lint and rust.
Singer Oak Puzzlebox with stitch samples in the binder attachment & one rolled hemmer attachment. Note fan shaped area holds large & small screwdrivers, stiletto, seam guide & thumbscrew, bias binder cutting guide for scissors.
TREADLE BELT MEASURING AND ATTACHING INSTRUCTIONS
To measure treadle belt, guide belt through all of the guides, and the treadle wheel, overlapping the ends, while holding the belt snug. Mark the belts where they overlap, and cut them. Use pliers to pinch staple locking belt into a complete circle. Test treadling. Over time, leather belts stretch, so shortening the belt, to tighten it, is a normal part of treadle maintenance.
My photos below, showing the zigzaggers & buttonholers, are shown on other low shank Singer straight stitch sewing machine, the very popular, highly collectible Singer Featherweight 221 & 222k, but the Singer 127 or 27(full size machine, & 128 28 VS (3/4 size) sewing machines are also low shank sewing machines, just like the Singer 15, 66, 99, 101, 201, 221, 222k, & other models of straight stitch only sewing machines, & the same feet & attachments which work on one of them, work on ALL of them, as long as they take the same type presser foot shank, so these photos of attachments below, though they are shown on the 221, do fit & work beautifully, doing the same work, on the Singer 127 & 128 Vibrating Shuttle Treadle & hand crank Singer sewing machines!
Singer Automatic Zigzagger & cams (at least 16 to 20 stitch cams are available for this version of Singer zigzagger, in red, white, blue, & yellow). Shown here with my Singer Featherweight 222k freearm sewing machine, before I had to sell it.
Singer Zigzagger with a detachable foot, which has a built in cording spring, as well as the super helpful edgestitcher foot design, for zigzagging 2 pieces of lace to each other, or piecing other Antique French Sewing techniques.
These zigzagger attachments work by moving the fabric back & forth, not the needle, so it takes a little practice to get good at it, but is very easy to adjust to, & does a fantastic job, as you can see from my very first stitch samples, & cording samples shown in these photos.
Shown here with my vintage Singer Featherweight 221, is the low shank Singer Adjustable Zig Zag Attachments, Singer had several versions, I do not have them all, but Griest also made some zigzaggers, as well. These fit the Singer 27 127 28 and 128 models, as well, since they are all low shank.
Singer zigzagger sewing a Pin Tuck, using the straight stitch machine, but the zigzagger does a great job, making perfect little zigzags, or bites, which can be made wider, or narrower, or longer, or shorter, by making adjustments on the zigzagger, or the sewing machine stitch length.
Singer Zig Zagger sews on gold cording, using a straight stitch only sewing machine, a great example of what all straight stitch sewing machines can do, with the right attachments!
Singer Zigzagger stitches, the cording shown from the bobbin side, neat zigzag stitches. The pintucks look like seams, from the back, & a zigzag stitch near the edge, showing the bobbin side.
Singer buttonholer also can be used to sew satin zigzag stitches, or longer zigzag stitches, & the zigzagger in front of it, can do that, also, when properly set. The purple fabric with buttonhole stitch samples, was sewn using the black low shank buttonholer in the green plastic case. The freestyle embroidery practice was sewn using the darning/embroidery presser foot.
Singer zigzagger has edgestitcher attachment which allows easy application of both lace, & ribbon, or elastic, as well as the cording, so altogether, the zig zag attachments are very versatile accessories!
All the attachments I show in the video for the Featherweight 221 and 222k freearm, ALSO fit all of the Singer low shank straight stitch sewing machines, even non Singer straight stitch clones!
"Machine Sewing Singer" copyright 1923 to 1930 is the resource these pages are from. They are not in order, sorry, my blog program does not always allow me to move or adjust photos where I want them, but these Singer instruction manuals were provided to Home Economics teachers, to help them teach students, and maintain Singer Sewing Machines. These manuals are relatively rare, so prices of originals are high, often over $100 depending on condition, and which year they are, because the models, and attachment instructions are not all in the same manuals, some Singer Fashion Aids are only in one year's manual, not others.
Threading instructions, bobbin winding, stitch formation, oiling instructions, treadle maintenance are all included.
