Buttonhole machine?

I'm just curious, which Bernina do you have that does not make good buttonholes? I'm wondering if maybe something is wrong with the buttonhole mechanism.

Phaedrine wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@news-50.dca.giganews.com:

It's the 1120. I have had it forever. It makes bartack buttonholes.

Not as forever as my 931. ;) It only makes bar-tack buttonholes too, but it makes them very well as long as I don't forget to thread the finger on the bobbin case.

Does the 1120 do an auto buttonhole with the 3A foot? Or is it the semi-automatic, 5-step operation as with the 930 series? Wasn't the

1120 (or was it the 1130?) the first Bernina to have coded feet?

Phaedrine wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@news-50.dca.giganews.com:

I have a foot that does them semi automatically. I do the first bar tack, when the right side is done, I push a button and the left side and second bar tack are done automatically. The remainder of the buttonholes, unless I reset something, are done the same size automatically.

It does good buttonholes for what it does, I'd just like to have the oval at my disposal.

I have a Brother PC6000 that makes about 8 different kinds of buttonholes.......it wasn't that expensive, and it is very versatile. Does a lot of different stitches, including a very nice straight stitch.

I understand now; I thought the buttonhole function was not working well at all. The new Berninas make quite an array of beautiful buttonholes. You can set the length in millimeters or stitches, or you can do one side and it will complete the rest automatically and remember it. You can also program the buttonholes in certain ways. I did nine buttonholes on a dress on my 200 the other day in less than 15 minutes. Any of the 9 mm Berninas would likely make great buttonholes. If you don't want to make an investment on a new one, I recommend a used 1630. The Auroras also make decent buttonholes but they are only 5.5 mm machines. My experience with Janomes is that they make nice buttonholes on medium to thin fabrics but not on heavier fabrics.

Phae

G'day Donna

Many years ago I had a Bernina and thought the buttonholes were Ok until I bought a Janome. With your Bernina have you passed the thread through the finger that come off the top of the bobbin case? That makes heaps of difference, I remember.

If you still want to buy another machine, I'd highly recommend a Janome...one of mine does 7 different buttonholes and the other does 11 different buttonholes and all are great on whatever weight of fabric you choose.

The most I've done on one garment was 36 down the back of an evening gown and they were all 'exactly' the same size. This was a feature of the gown so they had to look first class.....and I wasn't disappointed. I never hesitate at buttonholes because I know they will always be perfect.

Hope this helps? Bronwyn ;-)

D> I'm interested in purchasing a buttonhole machine. I don't need the

Good grief - here I was thinking my machine was sophisticated because it did button holes at all. I thought a button hole was a button hole, but obviously not if you can get 8 different types. How do they differ?

Lemee see...

standard bar-tack end: great for shirts wide hole bar-tack end: great for domed and covered buttons extra strong bar-tack end: great for denim and other strong applications cross-stitch bar-tack end: stretchy... Not sure I want the buttonholes to stretch! round both ends: good for delicate fabrics round one end, bar-tack the other: just a style option keyhole with bar-tack end: great for jackets and coats keyhole with round end: traditional for men's tailoring 'heirloom' mock hand stitched! yeah, wellll... Great for us lazy folk! ;) Actually, they look great done with embroidery floss. straight stitch for leather

Some of the later machines have 12 styles. They tend to be the higher end of the price bracket. The ones I use most are the standard square end, the tailoring keyhole, and the heirloom: it makes a great finish on fancy waistcoats. Embroidery threads are fantastic for buttonholes! I use it a lot for this: finer than most silk, and smoother, with a nice sheen. The buttons don't stick in the holes, either! :)

HC wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@dnews.tpgi.com.au:

I've read good things about the Janome 4000. I'm keeping my eye out for one of those as we speak.

The buttonholers attachments made for straight stitch machines make the most beautiful buttonholes I've ever seen. Buying an old machine and its attachment could be a cheap fix.

Miz Spike

Our you can use the attachment on your new machines. I use a 60 years old Singer buttonholer on my Pfaff 7570.....works a treat. Perfect buttonholes every time and with the cams I have 7 different kinds of buttonholes to choose from. Buttonholers sell for about $5.00 --- except that is on eBay where anything sewing machine related is a "featherweight" and over priced.

It depends on what your current machine is. I have a Greist buttonholer that will not work on my White. It won't even fit on my Viking. I don't know if it's a good idea to use one of those buttonholers on a electronic machine, either. I happened on an end-of-rummage-sale clearout and picked up an old Singer in a table for $40, and I used that for most buttonholes. And then my MIL gave me her 'old' Viking #1, and now I use that unless I'm doing buttonholes in something very light or very heavy.

And that depends, as well. If you know what you're looking for, you can find one for $10 including shipping. I got my mom one for Christmas last year. It was a Singer buttonholer from the 60s, and it came in a bright pink rocket shaped box.

jenn

-- Jenn Ridley : snipped-for-privacy@chartermi.net

...cut... The ones I use most are the standard square

I usually only use it as top thread, and use a light thread under it:

120's poly serger thread makes great bobbin thread for embroidery floss and general embroidery. You can also use lingerie thread. This is a tip I picked up from a machine embroiderer I met on a course once. The tip about using embroidery floss for buttonholes comes from Fine Machine Sewing by Carol Laflin Ahles, I think...

My Janome 6500 does a decent job with buttonholes on fine or medium weight fabrics but it cannot handle buttonholes on even a cotton twill without going short or long on the second bead. What do you suppose I might be doing wrong? Any ideas? I didn't really buy the machine for that purpose, but it would be nice to get that feature to work better when my Berninas are tied up with other things. I also don't like the way it sews into the righthand cord with corded buttonholes.

I'd also add that you don't get the kind of precision with most Janome feet that you do on a Bernina. They are too often wobbly and imprecise in my experience on the 6500. I have to do much more "finessing" on the Janome than on my Berninas. YMMV of course. I only have experience with this one Janome.

Phae

I have two of those, I prefer "soft rose colored.." ;-)

Beverly

I have I don't know how many - the rose colored "Jetson" boxes, the green Jetsons, then the nubbly rubber-like boxes in deep red and darker green, even a black box, and a red smooth vinyl box, then there are the newer fancier ones with something like 21 cams -- I am the Buttonhole Attachment Queen. I must do something about this......

I even have a "Famous" buttonhole attachment that takes no cams, but has adjustments to make for length and width.

Trying to corner the market, are you? ;-)

I have one of those also, I bought it for my DMIL. She didn't like it much, neither do I, the only time I use it is if I have a burtton which is *larger* than any of the cams for the Singer buttonhole attachment.

Beverly