School me on industrial thread for kilts

[ratspike]

That's great info Robert, thanks. I'd have thought T70 would be too heavy even for the canvas I use, though to be fair it's only 9oz. Just curious, what's the weight of the hemp you use? Does it behave and sew like canvas duck?

[Canuck]

That's great info Robert, thanks. I'd have thought T70 would be too heavy even for the canvas I use, though to be fair it's only 9oz. Just curious, what's the weight of the hemp you use? Does it behave and sew like canvas duck?

I guess you would have to experiment, but I found it worked well with "Carhart" fabric. You can get hemp woven like duck but I generally use twill and it's 10 -13 oz.

[Stoff]

If you are looking for a true workhorse of a sewing machine, find an old cast iron treadle machine. If it is in good repair it will be almost indestructible. I currently use a Model 12 Singer which is about 102 years young. It only does straight stitch. When I want to do button holes I pull out the handy button hole machine that came with it when it was given to me. I have several old electric machines that have been gathering dust since I got the treadle.

Once you have used a treadle sewing machine you willnot want to go back to electric.

Stoff

[ratspike]

Heh. I did end up getting an industrial machine since I originally posted this. After using it pretty hard for the last couple of weeks I can say I'd never want to go back to working with anything less. It's definitely reset my idea of how I define "workhorse", both for sewing as a hobby and doing it for a living. I haven't been able to get rid of my domestic machines fast enough.

[Stitchwiz]

If you live in an area where Mennonites live, check out the local sewing machine dealers. I saw a brand new machine with a flywheel which had a groove to run the belt on a treadle platform. It had hundreds of fancy stitches which were mechanical rather than electrical or computerized. Apparently these machines sell like hotcakes to the Mennonite ladies - my local repair man has a Mennonite cabinet maker making up new cabinets on old treadle platforms.

If anyone needs more particulars, I will check it out for you.

Happy stitching!

Stitchwiz

[Theyoungkiltman]

As far as the treadle goes it looks like I'll be in luck! Before moving to Ulster we are moving to north-west arkansas for a few months and the particular area we will be in has a large mennonite community.

[ratspike]

I can definitely see the appeal of a treadle machine to that particular group.

Me, I say you can take my industrial sewing machine when you can pry it from my cold, dead fingers. I wouldn't sew with anything else now.