home-made jeans

[TooAwesome]

will all unsanforized/unwashed denim get leg twist when theyre washed?

how do we sanforize/initial soak so they dont leg twist? will soaking before sewing prevent leg twist? or will you end up working with some weird twisted denim?

[TooAwesome]

What do you guys think about a singer 99k?

[jerrylee]

What do you guys think about a singer 99k?

It's a great older domestic machine. I prefer machines that have a front loading bobbin rather than machines like the 99k which have a drop in bobbin. Just a personal preference. If you get a machine with a spoked balance wheel you can attach a repro hand crank which is nice for sewing leather and heavier fabrics. Keep in mind that the machine will only straight stitch, however it would be a great machine to learn some basic techniques on. Be sure to have a technician tune it up since most older domestic machines need to be re-timed. You can find the instruction manual on the Singer website: http://www.singerco.com/uploads/download/1177_99k.pdf

Good luck!

-Jerry

[TooAwesome]

thanks for all the knowledgeable info jerry!

hey how do you tell if a machine is an industrial machine?

guy selling this says its a 306k and industrial but some research says that its hard to find needles for it

You MUST--repeat MUST--use a Singer 206X13 needle. If any other needle could be used in this machine, Singer would have figured out how to do it years ago. Some of these machines have been "retimed" to use other needles but that proves unsatisfactory when doing anything but straight stitch.

It will accommodate twin needle sewing using a 306x1 needle. Good luck in finding one.

how about this one?

Edited March 31, 2013 by TooAwesome

[Foxy2]

Hi guys. Good work everyone, this is one of my favorite threads! That is a good book Jerrylee, they actually issue that to students at fashion school, I lost mine though. Quite a few people ask me about sewing machines, if you are just starting out or want to do some repairs I can recommend a Bernina Minimatic, or I think they are also called Bernina 830's or 807 etc, they come in a red plasic carry case. They are quite expensive now when I see them on auction sites, but you can still pick them up for cheap. The are around 70's I think, steel body and made in Switzerland. When I first started sewing I destroyed a few plastic body machines, but these little Bernina's are awesome, I made whole pairs of jeans using one. Cool dudes, keep up the good work.

I agree with Ande, Bernina is probably the best all-around home sewing machine you can get to get going.

Get it second hand if possible.

[Foxy2]

...

I wouldn't recommend buying three industrial machines with no sewing experience under your belt. Aside from learning to sew there is learning to pattern and all of the other tasks related to constructing a garment. Buy a basic sewing machine, preferably something older as the economy Walmart machines are junk and will cost you endless frustration. Get yourself a copy of the Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing and basic shirt pattern. Start small... make a shirt, find out if you even enjoy sewing.

Without learning the basic sewing techniques it would be a waste of money to buy 3 industrial machines (even used ones).

You will get away with a single needle lock stitch machine in the beginning and maybe a cheap used home overlooking machine.

You can do all the overlooking on single layer - a home machine will work fine in the beginning.

Chain stitch machines are only necessary for stretch fabrics and, certainly, for authenticity's sake - wait for this investment until you are ready and can justify owning one.

Technically speaking you would need a buttonhole setting machine, a bar tacker and a rivet setting device (if you don't want to hammer them in) - but this is where things are getting professional...

Edited March 31, 2013 by Foxy2

[jerrylee]

thanks for all the knowledgeable info jerry!

hey how do you tell if a machine is an industrial machine?

guy selling this says its a 306k and industrial but some research says that its hard to find needles for it

The 306k is not an industrial machine. A lot of people will call older machines that have all metal construction "industrial strength". This is a misnomer. True industrial machines require a power stand (a table fitted with a motor or other drive source) and are designed to perform one specific function, i.e. straight stitch, chainstitch, bartack , etc. Industrial machines are often heavier and larger than their domestic counterparts. They are well built because they are meant to be used all day, every day for many years. Here is a great blog post about the difference between industrial and domestic: http://vssmb.blogspot.com/2012/04/difference-between-domestic-industrial.html

[raWorkshop]

how about this one?

This is industrial for sure, but there's no telling if it's a good machine for you without testing it out. It may take off like a rocket (which is easily the most frustrating thing about industrial machine and older/ill maintained clutch motors)and that can really frustrate a new sewer. As a rule, it's only industrial if the machine itself (the head) is separate from the motor (usually slung under the table). That machine also lacks reverse. Can you get by without reverse? Absolutely, but it makes things like repairs very time consuming.

Remember, industrial also means faster and more consistent, usually but not necessarily more powerful.

[TooAwesome]

sadly its already sold lol

thanks for the heads up on the head/motor separation rule. read that from the link jerrylee posted above too.

[nietenhosen]

received a pair of JerryLee's yesterday!

it is made from a 13oz cone denim, very well crafted.

fit is slim straight, pics will follow soon...

loving the rivets and donuts. printed cotton patch and hickory stripe interior for comfortable fit...good jeans!

Thank you Jerry.

[garden gnomes in space]

those look fantastic

[hollowsleather]

Very nice work.

I noticed the back yoke looks very small, what kind of effect does that have on the fit?

[nietenhosen]

overall back rise is really good, fits me comfy, will share a fit pic asap...

[Canada_Steve]

Nice stuff, Jerry! Thanks nietenhosen for posting the detailed pics. I love seeing quality work in this thread.

[Canada_Steve]

I decided to try building a "patch pocket" style of jeans after seeing an image of something Raleigh did. I wanted an anti-fit, so for simplicity I sized up and scewed the buttons over a bit to help cinch up the waist. They still need a good soak and proper hemming. I'm not sure how I feel about them or if I even captured the look of a real style... I'm not much of an expert. The lined coin pocket and front pockets were fun to create and gave me a whole new respect for tailors of old.

You can see hints of loom chatter here and there, which I love.

Edited April 3, 2013 by Canada_Steve

[nietenhosen]

those looking great C_S!

here are the missing pics of my Jerry's:

[jerrylee]

Canada Steve, Love the jeans! I recently bought the book Jeans Of The Old West and have been anxious to make a pair of jeans utilizing some of the details from the Victorian examples.

Jan, I'm glad the jeans fit well! I'm always nervous to see them on a person since each pair is essentially bespoke. I work in a theatre costume shop where we have the luxury of fitting a person two to three times before completing the garment but through the mail I have to rely on four or five key measurements and build a garment accordingly and usually without ever seeing a photo of the person.

[Canada_Steve]

I thought I recognized that Cone denim from the detailed pics, but now I'm sure it's from the same lot as a small roll I have. It crocks fairly quickly and produces wicked neon blue fades in sunlight. I'm wearing a pair made from it that have about three months on them. I'm dying to see what they look like after the first wash.

Edit: Self shot.

Edited April 5, 2013 by Canada_Steve

[TooAwesome]

hows this look guys?

[Canada_Steve]

Welp, it looks like an industrial sewing machine What model is it? Can it handle heavy fabric like denim? What's the clearance under the presser foot. Speed? Can it plug into a household wall outlet?

The paint on the bed looks decent, so I doubt it's been used to death. It has a sight glass, which means it has an oil bath and auto oiler. Providing the oil level has been maintained the moving parts should be in decent shape. However, if it leaks it will kill your carpet It has reverse.

[TooAwesome]

thanks for helping me with questions that ill ask the person selling

its a brother DB2-B755-3

are you asking me or telling me that it has reverse?

[jerrylee]

thanks for helping me with questions that ill ask the person selling

its a brother DB2-B755-3

are you asking me or telling me that it has reverse?

The black lever above the model number is the reverse. I've never used a Brother industrial but I understand they are relatively good machines. I'm guessing they have a low resale value considering that they are fairly inexpensive new. I would say $150 would be a fair price.

[TooAwesome]

theres also this one........but suuuuper far away from me

[jerrylee]

theres also this one........but suuuuper far away from me

That's a Singer 20u which does zig zag and straight stitch. I think the blue head 20u's were produced in the 60's. I've used those machines and they are great, definitely tough enough for denim. The 20u is regarded as one of the best Singer machines and there are plenty out there so parts are easy to find. I think Singer still makes this model.

[Canada_Steve]

I second those comments. I had a 20U and almost regret selling it, but I was getting short on space (I opted to keep my Pfaff 138). Feet and parts are super easy to find. I use a zigzag stitch to overlock my fly pieces and where the pocket bags meet the outseams. I hand fell the inseams, so I have no need for a serger. The zigzag can also be useful when using a buttonholer, as I find the ones that have to swing back and forth to compensate for a non-zig zagging machine are a little finicky.

[TooAwesome]

like this ?

[raWorkshop]

That Brother is worth around $300 IMO, less in a larger market. It's rated for medium materials. You can usually tell what a machine was designed to do by researching it's subclass. So all machines come in several different variations called subclasses. The DB2-B755 has -1, -3, and -5. 1 for light stuff, 3 for medium (that's this one you've posted) and -5 for heavy materials. For lockstitch machines the differences are typically the size and teeth on the feed dogs and the type of hook. You can usually Google the machine name and find a chart like this one to get the nitty gritty. - http://store.keysew.com/content/187022/CatagoryProductImages/BrotherProducts/DB2-B755-3/BrotherDB2-B755-3.jpg

Edit- That machine is functionally identical to a Juki 555, a good point of bargaining if you look up what they go for used on eBay.

Subclasses are also what make shopping for a used machine so painful. You can order a new one all set up exactly how you want it, used market is a total crap shoot. Best not to worry too much about this fussy stuff though - dive in, start sewing. No machine you can afford in the beginning will be the right machine, so just get started.

I've never used the straight stitch on that Singer. The zigzag will make buttonholes worlds easier for you.

Edited April 12, 2013 by raWorkshop

[TooAwesome]

its for sale for $100! thats why i was very excited about it. someone mightve been me to the punch though.

the singer one is for $50! even better but its a 2 hour drive away....

[Canada_Steve]

Drive the two hours and buy the Singer. They go for $500 in western Canada!

I'm on my phone and didn't watch the video, but I'm sure everybody does the same technique. Look at the picture of the fly area I posted above. The zigzag overlocks the raw edge of the front panel fly extension hidden by the button hole panel.

Edited April 13, 2013 by Canada_Steve

[jerrylee]

A 20u for $50?! Sounds like a steal!