Hello
Last winter I rode out for a local business woman, it was great riding such super horses and get paid for it. Didn't have time this October to do it which was a shame but I got a call from her last week. She runs a horse rug repair and cleaning service, would it be possible for me to go up and repair rugs using a Seiko industrial sewing machine? Her machinist was on holiday and they had a back log of repairs to do.
I once worked for an interior designer making very posh curtains for a while and used industrial machines but it was years ago.
So got on my push bike and went up to the farm. Ann the owner, had tried using the machine set on its slowest setting and it had scared the daylights out of her. Gosh they don't half shift, I had forgotten how fast they go. Its a wonderful machine, complete with walking foot, it goes through many layers of very tough fabric and wadding.
There is more to repairing rugs than I thought but I got the hang of it. The down side of using this machine is that my beloved Singer 201 seems extremely slow and very wimpy now! On Ebay a lot of domestic machines described as "industrial" or "semi industrial" they are not, no where near.
One of the last rug repair I did was sewing thick nylon webbing straps on to hold D rings. The first one was on layers of (from the bottom of the rug) nylon lining, wadding, thick tough waterproof outer layer, 2 layers of strapping, the machine sailed through it. Then it came to the second D ring strap, sewn directly on top of the first webbing so it was 4 layers of webbing on the rug. I didn't believe it could go through that without snapping the needle so started on the top with the needle in the down position, it sewed straight away without a hitch so went off the webbing. Then did the another row of stitching starting on the rug up and over the 4 layers of webbing and off the other side.
Unbelievable. Sorry forgot to take my camera with me, if I get the call again, will take a photo.
Sharon x
Fascinating post! I found it very interesting to read the details of what you did, and of the machine. I've never used an industrial - maybe one day I could add that string to my bow somehow. It's amazing how many people in the countryside need sewers (ooh that doesn't sound nice does it...seamstresses sounds better). I get lots of different sorts of sewing jobs where I live and hand out my fliers whenever I get the chance. Have just been given job of sewing on hundreds of badges onto army shirts - did some by hand but shall use the 201 on the rest. Oh yes and do take your camera next time (and I bet there WILL be a next time now she knows what you can do!)
ReplyDeleteHi Lizzie, it was fun to do something different, the rugs were awkward to shift around but luckily the gardening keeps me fairly strong for my size. If you ever get the chance to use an industrial machine, keep your fingers away from the needle and if you get a thread jam take your foot off the control completely. It would be very easy to sew through a finger. X
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