Searching for a sweing tool

That looks exactly like the the vintage "Kenmore Flower Stitch Foot
for zig-zag Machines" that came with one of my Kennies. I have tried
it and it is fun to use. I often see them for sale on eBay.

-Irene


On Mon, 7 Jul 2008 10:44:08 +1200, "nzlstar*"
wrote:

http://www.workshopontheweb.com/july2001/val.htm
yet another article about the machine attachment.
says there it works on different machines, worth a read to
check which ones.
j.

"Woolstitcher" wrote...
Yesterday I got a quick glimpse of the Fons & Porter show.
I wasn't able to watch much, as we were getting ready to
go out for the day. But, in the limited time I was able
to see the show I saw them use some sort of tool that
attached to a sewing machine that allowed a person to sew
perfect circles. I could see that you cut out a circle,
adjusted the tool, placed the circle on another pc. of
fabric and placed it all on the center of the circle on a
pin. I'm not sure if there was a special food needed as
well.
I could really use this tool, does anyone know what it is
called or better yet, a place that I can order it? I have
googled, since I have no idea what the tool is called I'm
having trouble finding it.
Thank you very much.

Nah, I've been using mostly old straight-stitch machines lately, and one
vintage zig-zag Elna, and haven't felt the need to sew circles of cloth to
anything! But I think I tried it once about 10 years ago on my Bernina, and
it worked just fine. Back then, I didn't need to sew circles of cloth to
anything, either!

But I suppose with a long straight stitch it could be used to sew lots of
gathering stitches to make yo-yos. Then just cut them out a little beyond
the stitching, and gather it up! I hadn't thought of that application of it.
(Although one of the quilting or sewing mags had an article recently on an
"easy" way to make yo-yos using an embroidery machine that was a lot harder
and more time-consuming than the old-fashioned way, and similar to but
harder than this possible application of the thumbtack method. I just shook
my head at that article....!)

Dragonfly (Pam)

"nzlstar*" wrote in message
...
this seemed the diy way to me as well, Pam.
have you tried it? got pix of the results?
think'n of the time spent doing all those yoyo's by hand, argh,
j.

"Dragonfly" wrote...
You can make your own version of this, quite easily and inexpensively.

Tools needed:
1 thumbtack
1 small piece of tape.

Measure your circle from the edge to the center (easiest to do if you
fold the circle in half twice, to mark the center). Place the thumbtack,
point up, on your sewing machine bed so the point is that distance way
from the left swing of the needle. Poke a small hole in the center of the
tape (using the thumbtack works!) and tape the thumbtack in place. Put
the center of your circle on the thumbtack, set your machine to a
satin-stitch zigzag, and sew.

Easy-peasy, and cheap! If you like the technique, you can buy an
attachment if you want, but you don't need an attachment to do it.
Dragonfly (Pam)

"Woolstitcher" wrote in message
...
Yesterday I got a quick glimpse of the Fons & Porter show. I wasn't
able to watch much, as we were getting ready to go out for the day.
But, in the limited time I was able to see the show I saw them use some
sort of tool that attached to a sewing machine that allowed a person to
sew perfect circles. I could see that you cut out a circle, adjusted
the tool, placed the circle on another pc. of fabric and placed it all
on the center of the circle on a pin. I'm not sure if there was a
special food needed as well.
I could really use this tool, does anyone know what it is called or
better yet, a place that I can order it? I have googled, since I have
no idea what the tool is called I'm having trouble finding it.
Thank you very much.

I don't know the name either, but I saw someone do circles by poking a flat
head thumbtack up through masking tape(poke from the sticky side to the dry
side.) Then tape the thumbtack as far to the left of the sewing machine
needle as the radius of the circle you want to sew. Mark on your fabric
where you want the center of the circle to be, reinforce the center spot
with a little stabilizer, and place the fabric so the point of the thumbtack
pokes up through the center of the circle. As you sew the fabric pivots on
the thumbtack and your stitching line makes a perfect circle. You can sew
with any stitch but the decorative ones might not match up where they join.

Hope this helps
Jane in NE Ohio

"Woolstitcher" wrote in message
...
Yesterday I got a quick glimpse of the Fons & Porter show. I wasn't able
to watch much, as we were getting ready to go out for the day. But, in
the limited time I was able to see the show I saw them use some sort of
tool that attached to a sewing machine that allowed a person to sew
perfect circles. I could see that you cut out a circle, adjusted the
tool, placed the circle on another pc. of fabric and placed it all on the
center of the circle on a pin. I'm not sure if there was a special food
needed as well.
I could really use this tool, does anyone know what it is called or better
yet, a place that I can order it? I have googled, since I have no idea
what the tool is called I'm having trouble finding it.
Thank you very much.

"Jane Kay" wrote in message
...
I don't know the name either, but I saw someone do circles by poking a flat
head thumbtack up through masking tape(poke from the sticky side to the dry
side.) Then tape the thumbtack as far to the left of the sewing machine
needle as the radius of the circle you want to sew. Mark on your fabric
where you want the center of the circle to be, reinforce the center spot
with a little stabilizer, and place the fabric so the point of the
thumbtack pokes up through the center of the circle. As you sew the fabric
pivots on the thumbtack and your stitching line makes a perfect circle. You
can sew with any stitch but the decorative ones might not match up where
they join.

Hope this helps
Jane in NE Ohio


I just wanted to thank everyone for their ideas on this. I bought tacks
yesterday (all I had were push pins) and I'll be giving this a try this
weekend.
I can't wait
(btw, Jane, I'm also on NE Ohio, looks like we are going to have lovely
weather today.)

Using thumbtacks and tape is certainly a cheaper way to see if you would
like this technique or not! :-)

Dragonfly

"Woolstitcher" wrote in message
...

"Jane Kay" wrote in message
...
I don't know the name either, but I saw someone do circles by poking a
flat head thumbtack up through masking tape(poke from the sticky side to
the dry side.) Then tape the thumbtack as far to the left of the sewing
machine needle as the radius of the circle you want to sew. Mark on your
fabric where you want the center of the circle to be, reinforce the center
spot with a little stabilizer, and place the fabric so the point of the
thumbtack pokes up through the center of the circle. As you sew the fabric
pivots on the thumbtack and your stitching line makes a perfect circle.
You can sew with any stitch but the decorative ones might not match up
where they join.

Hope this helps
Jane in NE Ohio


I just wanted to thank everyone for their ideas on this. I bought tacks
yesterday (all I had were push pins) and I'll be giving this a try this
weekend.
I can't wait
(btw, Jane, I'm also on NE Ohio, looks like we are going to have lovely
weather today.)