Sewing Machine Question

Hi Group - I'm going to post to RCQ and RCS also, but wanted to know if
anyone out there has seen or has a Viking Morse (?) 8700 sewing machine.
I'm going to get one Monday, and wanted to do a bit of research before I get
it. I've googled, ebayed, etc., (and googled on the newsgroups) without
anything coming up. I've also emailed the question to the Viking website.
It's about 20 years old, but hardly used and in good condition. I'm so
excited! My current Wards (bleh!) won't keep the tension to save anything.
It's only good for zigzagging around my cs pieces.

Just wanted to check ya'll out.

TIA,

Eva in Gloomy, Rainy, But Nice Temp Kent, WA, US

From: "Threaded"

..... Viking Morse (?) 8700 sewing machine. ....... It's about 20 years old,
but hardly used and in good condition. .......

I don't like Viking sewing machines (at least the newer models) for one
reason -- they won't accept generic presser feet! I am not sure about the
older models but it is something to be aware of.
My friend Valerie has a Viking that is about a year old and she wanted to
get a walking foot for it. Her's is a low shank machine so I took over my
generic, low shank walking foot for her to try out. Come to find out that you
can't get the foot onto the machine. We trucked down to Joann's (where her DH
bought the machine -- a Christmas gift in 2002) and asked about this. We were
told by the snotty, pretentious, know-it-all Viking sales lady that HER
machines don't accept those cheap, generic feet! Those type of feet are of
inferior quality and HER Viking machines deserve ONLY the very best! Then she
tried to sell Valerie the Viking walking foot -- for almost $90!!! My generic
walking foot cost me about $20.00 7 years ago from the Clotilde catalogue and
has worked just fine in all 3 of my other machines!
All of that being said, if the machine you are getting had metal innards,
KEEP IT!!! Those metal sewing machines are worth their weight in gold,
especially if you are a quilter! If you think you will ned specialty feet,
just be aware that they ***might*** have to be purchased directly from the
Viking dealership! CiaoMeow ^;;^
..


PAX, Tia Mary ^;;^ Queen of Kitties
Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about their
WHISKERS!!
Nothing is complete without a few cat hairs!

That's why I love my top of the line 1974 Viking. Wouldn't part with
it. Keeps on truckin' merrily along.

The newer ones are kinder to very sheer or slippery fabrics. But other
than that, absolutely, unequivacably, don't trade in your older, metal
innard machines. Especially the Vikings. Probably the same for Pfaff
and others of that rank during that period of time. At that time, the
Viking was guaranteed for commercial use. You don't find that anymore.

The scenario you paint (having to buy specific product) has been used on
other machines in the past. I hate when companies do this.
Dianne



Tia Mary-remove nekoluvr to reply wrote:
From: "Threaded"


..... Viking Morse (?) 8700 sewing machine. ....... It's about 20 years old,

but hardly used and in good condition. .......

I don't like Viking sewing machines (at least the newer models) for one
reason -- they won't accept generic presser feet! I am not sure about the
older models but it is something to be aware of.
My friend Valerie has a Viking that is about a year old and she wanted to
get a walking foot for it. Her's is a low shank machine so I took over my
generic, low shank walking foot for her to try out. Come to find out that you
can't get the foot onto the machine. We trucked down to Joann's (where her DH
bought the machine -- a Christmas gift in 2002) and asked about this. We were
told by the snotty, pretentious, know-it-all Viking sales lady that HER
machines don't accept those cheap, generic feet! Those type of feet are of
inferior quality and HER Viking machines deserve ONLY the very best! Then she
tried to sell Valerie the Viking walking foot -- for almost $90!!! My generic
walking foot cost me about $20.00 7 years ago from the Clotilde catalogue and
has worked just fine in all 3 of my other machines!
All of that being said, if the machine you are getting had metal innards,
KEEP IT!!! Those metal sewing machines are worth their weight in gold,
especially if you are a quilter! If you think you will ned specialty feet,
just be aware that they ***might*** have to be purchased directly from the
Viking dealership! CiaoMeow ^;;^
.


PAX, Tia Mary ^;;^ Queen of Kitties
Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about their
WHISKERS!!
Nothing is complete without a few cat hairs!

Threaded wrote:

My current Wards (bleh!) won't keep the tension to save anything.
It's only good for zigzagging around my cs pieces.


I'm afraid I can't help you with the Viking, but I feel
your pain about the yukky Wards machine. I've been fighting
with mine for over 30 years!

I have found that diddling with the screw on the bobbin case
helps with the tension problems somewhat. Just be careful;
a tiny turn goes a long way.

BTW Wards "Signature" machines were actually made by Brother.
So if you see a Brother machine advertised somewhere, run
the other way.

I keep fighting my old Wards machine because I can't justify
spending more for a new sewing machine than I would for a
new computer (or HF rig for you hams). I just don't do the
amount of sewing of curtains, clothes, and household items
I used to do to shell out that kind of big bucks.

Good luck with your new sewing machine!

Nyssa
At River's End
http://nyssa.cnc.net

Nyssa wrote:

I keep fighting my old Wards machine because I can't justify
spending more for a new sewing machine than I would for a
new computer

I had a Singer machine that was supposed to be a beginner's model. Hah!
I've done a LOT of sewing, and I couldn't get this thing to turn a
corner, or do a few back stitches at the end of the seam, without it
eating the fabric.

Of course, if you wanted to sew a seam except for the last inch of
stitches at each end, it was fine. heavy sarcasm

I got me a secondhand Elna and she's smooth as butter. I traded in the
Singer, and they said, "We'll use it for parts." They were apparently
already acquainted with the worthless Singer model.

What I'd like to know - if I couldn't do corners in the thing, how was a
beginner supposed to? ... maybe they want to put themselves out of business?

Ruthie in Colorado
alowan atty earthlink dotty net

From: Ruthie

I had a Singer machine that was supposed to be a beginner's model. Hah!
I've done a LOT of sewing, and I couldn't get this thing to turn a
corner, or do a few back stitches at the end of the seam, without it
eating the fabric. .........

This can be a BIG problem, especially when piecing quilt blocks! With that
tiny little 1/4" seam allowance, the sewing machine -- even a good one -- wants
to "eat" the fabric. There is an easy fix for those of you who have a "hungry"
machine. When you start and stop a seam -- any seam of any width -- do it
with an little piece of scrap fabric about an inch long. Have the small piece
of fabric handy, put it under the presser foot and hand crank the wheel to put
the needle down into that scrap. Take a few beginning stitches -- no
backstitching -- then butt your good fabric right up next to the edge of the
scrap and sew right onto the good fabric. Now you can do your few back
stitches to lock the end of the stitching on the good fabric.
When you end a seam, take a few back stitches about 1/4" before the end of
your fabric. If you need the back stitches right smack dab on the very edge of
the fabric, butt a piece of scrap fabric up to the end of the good stuff but
make sure the scrap is several inches long and completely covers your sole
plate. When you get to the join of the two fabrics, stitch onto the scrap a
few stitches and then do your back stitching going back onto your good fabric.
Once finished, just cut the scrap off and you are ready for the next step.
*(#$*(#$ This is something that is sooooo easy to show and really a
P.I.T.A. to explain in writing -- LOLOL! CiaoMeow ^;;^
..
PAX, Tia Mary ^;;^ Queen of Kitties
Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about their
WHISKERS!!
Nothing is complete without a few cat hairs!

A new sewing machine will most likely last you many more years than a
computer - you can count on at least 10 years for sure. Most quilters I
know from the Internet have had their machine for longer than that.
the key to happiness with sewing machines is to test drive, test drive, test
drive.
take the materials, fabric and threads that you most often work with.
Yes, you may expand what you do down the road, and the dealer will most
likely have classes on your machine for what you do - but you are buying new
to try and fix the frustration with the machine and projects you have now.

Cheers, SpringPam
p.s. I am in the will and happily waiting for as long as necessary for my
mom's 1954 top of the line Singer sewing machine with all the cams for
decorative stitches and monograms.
That machine is still going strong.
I did recently nearly buy a new machine...Janome Quilter's Edition.
one of the big features that tempted me is that it does NOT eat the starting
fabric in quilt piecing - just takes right off and down the 1/4 inch seam
allowance.

I keep fighting my old Wards machine because I can't justify
spending more for a new sewing machine than I would for a
new computer

In article , "SprngPam"
writes:

p.s. I am in the will and happily waiting for as long as necessary for my
mom's 1954 top of the line Singer sewing machine with all the cams for
decorative stitches and monograms.
That machine is still going strong.

My mom has a Sears from the same era with all the same stuff. Gee, I wish I
liked sewing!


--
Finished 12/14/03 -- Mermaid (Dimensions)
WIP: Fireman's Prayer, Amid Amish Life, Angel of Autumn, Calif Sampler, Holiday
Snowglobe

Paralegal - Writer - Editor - Researcher
http://hometown.aol.com/kmc528/KMC.html

On 2/16/04 11:41 AM,"SprngPam" posted:

A new sewing machine will most likely last you many more years than a
computer - you can count on at least 10 years for sure. Most quilters I
know from the Internet have had their machine for longer than that.
the key to happiness with sewing machines is to test drive, test drive, test
drive.

Absolutely - it may be a little daunting, but most dealers want you to try
the machine. It's amazing how some of the newer machines feel - compared
especially with an older not so good one.


p.s. I am in the will and happily waiting for as long as necessary for my
mom's 1954 top of the line Singer sewing machine with all the cams for
decorative stitches and monograms.
That machine is still going strong.

We have DH's mom's (who I never knew) ~1940 top of the line Singer - with
all those little boxes of gadgets. She used it up into the 80's - I'm going
to get it cleaned up - if nothing else. But, I use my Bernina QE 150 - which
is a little over 2 years old, and fantastic.

I did recently nearly buy a new machine...Janome Quilter's Edition.

Congrats.

one of the big features that tempted me is that it does NOT eat the starting
fabric in quilt piecing - just takes right off and down the 1/4 inch seam
allowance.

It's a wonderful thing. But, I still occasionally use the leading piece. I
do a lot of chain piecing, and it's great for that. You essentially just
keep on feeding in similar pieces that are being pieced together - with
about 1/2" between each set. The machine just keeps on going, never have any
problem with stitching to the end. Of course, you can only use this method
when piecing those that get stitched end-to-end (not set-in, or stopping at
the 1/4"). This makes some piecing really speedy - just have 2 stacks by the
machine, and put them together, or put them together first, and then just
keep feeding them into the machine. Ends up looking like a long chain of
pieces - then you just snip between, and press - as you like.

Ellice