Chain Stitch and Basting Stitching Sewing machine variations
https://sew4home.com/tips-resources/sewing-tips-tricks/machine-basting-basics-why-and-how
Chainstitch video how stitches are formed
Chainstitching with Kenmore Maruzen jaguar adapter
There are a wide variety of basting stitches available, on many different brands and models of sewing machines, with varying lengths, & stitch types, the simplest basting stitch is literally the longest straight stitch your sewing machine is capable of sewing, which is typically 3 to 4mm long, but as people demanded newer, better sewing machines, engineers devised mechanical methods of extending the lengths of the stitches, as well as adapters for lock stitch machines, to allow them to sew a chain stitch. Some require special needleplates, others are programmed into a computerized machine, others require a special stitch cam, or a special bobbin adapter, & needleplate.
Chainstitching with Kenmore Maruzen jaguar adapter
There are a wide variety of basting stitches available, on many different brands and models of sewing machines, with varying lengths, & stitch types, the simplest basting stitch is literally the longest straight stitch your sewing machine is capable of sewing, which is typically 3 to 4mm long, but as people demanded newer, better sewing machines, engineers devised mechanical methods of extending the lengths of the stitches, as well as adapters for lock stitch machines, to allow them to sew a chain stitch. Some require special needleplates, others are programmed into a computerized machine, others require a special stitch cam, or a special bobbin adapter, & needleplate.
SINGER CHAINSTITCH on Touch & Sew models
Singer added the chainstitch feature to their Touch & Sew models of sewing machines
Bernina 930 has a specially built in extra long basting stitch mechanism, which can get frozen up, due to old oil, if it isn't used regularly. If it quits working, most people are best off taking their Bernina 930 to a certified Bernina technician to get it working again, but it has a couple of different stitch lengths available, which is wonderful, even extra long stitches, where it skips about 4 normal length basting stitches, before taking a lock stitch, I don't remember the exact length of the longest one, but I think it was about 1 1/4 inches long.
Chainstitch is also considered a basting stitch, because it is so easily removed, and many lockstitch home sewing machines have attachments & accessories, which allow the lockstitch machine to sew a chainstitch, but you must have the instructions for how to lock the last stitch, or you will undo your stitches, when you remove it from the machine! (Luxury Sears Kenmore, & Singer zigzag sewing machines.)
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| Singer 630 chainstitch adapter fittings |
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| Singer 630 underside of chainstitch fittings |
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| All of these photos of Singer instructions are copyrighted by Singer 1974 in Touch & Sew- II and Touch & Sew deluxe zig-zag sewing machines models 775 and 765 Singer |
Chainstitch is also considered a basting stitch, because it is so easily removed, and many lockstitch home sewing machines have attachments & accessories, which allow the lockstitch machine to sew a chainstitch, but you must have the instructions for how to lock the last stitch, or you will undo your stitches, when you remove it from the machine! (Luxury Sears Kenmore, & Singer zigzag sewing machines.)
SEARS KENMORE CHAINSTITCH SEWING MACHINES-
Only the luxury models included the chainstitch adapters, the parts are ALWAYS in a yellow plastic case, with a clear lid that says KENMORE. The propeller looking part inserts into the bobbin hook - you must remove the bobbin and bobbin case, no bobbin is used in the chainstitch.
It is essentially a mechanical method of CROCHET through a machine and fabric. The adapter piece in the bobbin hook, is literally acting like a crochet hook, with the needle introducing more thread, to create each stitch.
The chainstitch needleplate MUST have large enough openings for the needle to complete the stitch at the correct time, but the needle plate adapter is different, depending on which machine it is for. Not all Kenmore machines can use these chainstitch adapters.
The chainstitch needleplate MUST have large enough openings for the needle to complete the stitch at the correct time, but the needle plate adapter is different, depending on which machine it is for. Not all Kenmore machines can use these chainstitch adapters.
Kenmore chainstitch adapter sets are not completely interchangeable, between models, there seems to be a FLATBED version, with narrow plate insert, and narrower bobbin insert, than the FREEARM wider needleplate insert and wider propeller like bobbin insert.
Many people told me that no freearm Kenmores came chainstitch capable, but YES, there are at least 2 Kenmore freearm models which came chainstitch capable! Models 1913, and 1914 did, according to Sears parts website parts diagrams.
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| 19131 |
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| 19141 |
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| 19130 |
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| The dark golden yellow plastic box contains the chainstitch bobbin adapter, that looks like a boat propeller, and the flat needle plate insert for the chainstitch, for a specific Kenmore sewing machine model. (This is for my 1803) Not all Kenmore needle plate inserts look the same, some have 1 large opening, others have 2 parallel openings, but the bobbin insert is the same, with a small stud that locks into the tiny hole in the bobbin hook. |
Kenmore CHAINSTITCH HOOK ON RIGHT (the bobbin hook on the left does not have the hole next to the center pin, which is required, in order to lock the chainstitch adapter in place. Note the propeller like chainstitch adapter has a tiny pin sticking up on the end closest to the camera, it is on the left of the opening which slides onto the bobbin hook center post.)
Back view of the same 2 Kenmore bobbin hook inserts, the left is NOT chainstitch capable, the hook on the right, with the hole in it, is chainstitch capable.
Vintage Elna sewing machines, including the Supermatic & Star sewing machines, required a special needle plate, & stitch cam 14, 150, or similar stitch cams, so that the machine would skip several stitches, and the only stitch that would lock, would be when the needle zagged, every 3 or 4 stitches, making stitches from 4mm to 1 1/2 inches, depending on which machine you have, & which cams you use. Cams 14, & 150 are 2 of the vintage Elna blind hem type of cams, which allow your Elna to skip stitches, until you want it to lock the stitch, from 4mm to 36mm long!
KENMORE CHAINSTITCH (Model 1755 here, but most cam taking vintage Kenmore sewing machines came with chainstitch accessories). Orange thread is chainstitch, it sews a beautiful chain on the bottom, a straight stitch on the top.
Orange thread is chainstitch, it is a straight stitch on top, chain stitch on bottom, almost like braiding. The rest is twin needle stitches on Kenmore 1755 (most Zigzag Kenmores do twin needle sewing)
ELNA Tailor Tack and BASTING STITCH PLATE ADAPTER (does not do chainstitch, but does much longer straight stitches for basting, or topstitching, depending on your settings used with the basting needleplate)
White apparently also offered the chainstitch adapters for some vintage sewing machine models, but I haven't had them, to test, or photograph, but the quiltingboard.com site shows a member's photos of their White rotary chainstitch adapter.
https://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage-antique-machine-enthusiasts-f22/white-rotary-chain-stitch-t207439.html?fbclid=IwAR2veQqKAzv4FmvqBgEbhxfwqxCMUrKEqqJwK_8HjiNNAspGgvm9a-XER4s
NEEDLEBAR.org has information on a Wheeler & Wilson chainstitch adapter here-
http://needlebar.org/nbwiki/index.php?title=File%3AWwchainstitcher.jpg&fbclid=IwAR3946i3NYryNAYlT5Im0FL-njtmv2x47u0ptHx1QdhHaxB-NQaw3dO8rA4
New Domestic Vibrating Shuttle chainstitch adapter by Suz Revell on Facebook is shown here-
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2299941273600888&set=p.2299941273600888&type=3&theater
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| If your Kenmore doesn't have the bobbin hook with the tiny hole in it, as shown in my photos below, it won't hold the insert properly, and you won't be able to successfully sew your chainstitch, but if you get a bobbin hook with the hold in it, you can adapt your Kenmore to accept the chainstitch insert. |
Kenmore models 1753 & 1755 instructions and chainstitch adapter set
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| Kenmore 1803 bobbin hook rear view has chainstitch adapter hole |
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| Kenmore 1803 bobbin hook with hole for chainstitch adapter (propeller like hook) |
Vintage Elna sewing machines, including the Supermatic & Star sewing machines, required a special needle plate, & stitch cam 14, 150, or similar stitch cams, so that the machine would skip several stitches, and the only stitch that would lock, would be when the needle zagged, every 3 or 4 stitches, making stitches from 4mm to 1 1/2 inches, depending on which machine you have, & which cams you use. Cams 14, & 150 are 2 of the vintage Elna blind hem type of cams, which allow your Elna to skip stitches, until you want it to lock the stitch, from 4mm to 36mm long!
KENMORE CHAINSTITCH (Model 1755 here, but most cam taking vintage Kenmore sewing machines came with chainstitch accessories). Orange thread is chainstitch, it sews a beautiful chain on the bottom, a straight stitch on the top.
ELNA Tailor Tack and BASTING STITCH PLATE ADAPTER (does not do chainstitch, but does much longer straight stitches for basting, or topstitching, depending on your settings used with the basting needleplate)
White apparently also offered the chainstitch adapters for some vintage sewing machine models, but I haven't had them, to test, or photograph, but the quiltingboard.com site shows a member's photos of their White rotary chainstitch adapter.
https://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage-antique-machine-enthusiasts-f22/white-rotary-chain-stitch-t207439.html?fbclid=IwAR2veQqKAzv4FmvqBgEbhxfwqxCMUrKEqqJwK_8HjiNNAspGgvm9a-XER4s
NEEDLEBAR.org has information on a Wheeler & Wilson chainstitch adapter here-
http://needlebar.org/nbwiki/index.php?title=File%3AWwchainstitcher.jpg&fbclid=IwAR3946i3NYryNAYlT5Im0FL-njtmv2x47u0ptHx1QdhHaxB-NQaw3dO8rA4
New Domestic Vibrating Shuttle chainstitch adapter by Suz Revell on Facebook is shown here-
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2299941273600888&set=p.2299941273600888&type=3&theater
