This attachment is intended for use on Singer Lock Stitch Family Sewing Machines. It produces neat and long-lasting buttonholes on a great variety of fabrics. They are produced in a fraction of the time required for hand work.
How to Insert a Template into Your Sewing Machine
To insert a template, turn the adjusting knob to its extreme forward position. This will release the cloth clamp. Then you can reach the retainer plate to pull it open. There you will find a space where the template will fit. It might be necessary to turn the knob gently in order to get the gears to mesh and the template to shift into the space. Snap the retainer plate back into position and you are ready to fasten the feed cover plate to your machine.
How to Fasten Feed Cover Plate to Your Machine
First, remove the presser foot and its screw from your sewing machine. Place the Feed Cover Plate in position so that the needle will pass exactly through the eye. Tighten the screw on the plate and you are ready to attach the buttonholer to your machine.
How to Fasten the Attachment to Your Machine
Guide the attachment into position from the rear of the sewing machine so that the forked arm straddles the needle and securely fasten it with the large screwdriver. Adjust your thread cutter to the left if necessary. Make sure your needle moves easily through both the attachment and the feed cover plate. If it does, you are ready to select your template and make your test sample.
How to Select the Proper Template for Your Buttonhole
Embossed on the back of each template is a measurement line that shows the sizes of the finished buttonholes. Once you have decided whether you want an eyelet buttonhole or a straight one, place your button over this measurement line and choose the one that fits best. Allow extra room if your button is thick or irregularly shaped.
How to Make Your Sample Buttonhole
It is important to prepare a test sample if you are not familiar with the attachment or making buttonholes on a vintage sewing machine. Place your fabric between the stripper foot and the feed cover plate. Adjust the lever found under the knob for the width of your stitches. Experiment with the settings from N (narrow) to W (wide) until you find your desired stitch width. Baste, pin or mark the distance in from the edge of your fabric where you want the end of the buttonhole to appear.
Align your mark inside the cloth clamp, with the needle poised at one end and the lines on the cloth clamp on the other. Carefully lower the needle into the fabric, bringing the bobbin thread up and positioning the needle so that it is ready to travel up one side of the buttonhole. Hold both bobbin and upper threads in one hand as the stitching progresses up towards the keyhole or end, and then switch hands as you make the turn and proceed down the other side.
Finishing and Embellishing Your Buttonholes
When you feel comfortable with your new attachment, you are ready to make your first “real” buttonhole. When you are finished, pull the upper thread down through to the back and tie it off with the bobbin thread. On high pile materials, luster finish or a fabric with a nap, place some cellophane over the fabric to prevent the teeth from snagging into the threads. Monogramming and embroidery can also be accomplished with Buttonhole Attachment No.160506, and you will find working with it to be delightful.
References:
- Instructions for Using Singer Buttonholer No. 160506, Singer Manufacturing Company, 1948 p.1-24.
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