Embroidery on old sewing machines

Before you start

Make sure your test fabric has been backed with interfacing. You will get a much better result from doing this and even the 1911 book recommends a backing fabric.

Using your automatic patterns

I had a look at doing this a while ago on my 320K2 and it seemed to do a really nice job. Things I learned about embroidering on 1950s machines are:
1. Zig-zag is useful when creating a really thick line.
2. So is built-in patterns and pattern cams.
3. So is your machine's ability to do a really short stitch.
4. If you don't have a machine with cams, you really only need zig-zag. You can move the lever as it sews to make just about any pattern.

I have to say that my Pfaffs have been extraordinarily good at all of this, particularly at achieving a very small and accurate stitch length. The idea with all of this is to use the machine to do most of the work. Break the picture you want to make into patterns covered by your machine's cams then just go for it.

The Necchi Supernova is really unbelievably good at patterns, since it will go backwards to achieve the pattern you want. First time I saw the Necchi do this my jaw dropped. It was like an electronic machine, except totally mechanical and 60 years old. What a machine! I just have to fix mine and I'll be happier to experiment some more (transformer blew up).

Using free motion on a straight stitching machine

This needs to be explained first. Free motion refers to placing the work in an embroidery hoop, Removing your machine's presser foot so there isn't one there at all, and sewing slowly while moving the hoop to make the pattern in one hand while using the other hand to press down the fabric right next to the needle.
This technique is described in the Singer embroidery book of 1911 (no longer in copyright so go for it) and it specifically mentions models 66, 15 and 27. It's pretty much accepted that machines with drop in bobbins (the 66) are less satisfactory doing this due to the 90 degree turn the bobbin thread needs to make, leading to loose threads. I haven't experienced this at all and don't have a spare 66 to test, just quoting what I've read on various forums.
I tried this on a 319K (not a straight stitcher and a vertical bobbin machine) and the results were 'mixed'. Stitching in the normal direction worked beautifully, but when I attempted to go any other direction, the thread wouldn't catch. Here is the best I could do with the 319K (the word 'Mike'):

I had to turn the work so it was always sewing in the same direction.
Another problem I had was forgetting to put the presser bar lever down before sewing. The lack of a foot makes it easy to overlook, and if you do the bottom threads will be extremely loopy (because there's no tension at all on the top). Also on the 319, the feed dog was dropped.
The word 'Audrey' was done on my 1891 VS2 ('vibrating' bullet shuttle) and with this machine the feed dog doesn't drop so it needs to be covered (the feed dog interferes with the fabric movement). Any vintage buttonholer will have an appropriate plate, so screw this in place before starting.
I was surprised that the 1891 machine performed so much better than the 1950s vertical bobbin, but it definitely did, so I'll leave the green machine for automatic patterns and the VS2 for free motion work. The VS2 had no trouble at all with anything I tried and didn't skip a single stitch in any direction. I tested both of these machines by sewing a circle and the VS2 did it beautifully.

There are a lot of good instructions in the book, so if you like an older machine, this is for you. I'll be playing a lot more with it in the near future.

Jeans from a modern pattern

This was scary. Not only had to cut the pattern out, but what are all those lines for?? In The Great British Sewing Bee some contestants freaked out when they were presented with an unprinted pattern. I laughed in a superior fashion of course, but life takes its revenge as usual and presented me with a modern one.

Burda 7050

It was for the daughter of course. She's a funny shape, being 11 and all, so I chose the U.S. size 8, but went up two sizes at the waist. Re-sizing the pattern was such a traumatic experience and I couldn't have done it without the in-house pattern maker. Next I made a "Toile" (pron. "twahl") out of spare fabric (I used off cuts I bought at an op shop) and fitted it for waist width and leg length (and width). Changed the pattern and cut out the denim. Here's the toile fitting:

She wanted the flared legs, unfortunately, so they stayed.
Apparently there's no way a modern domestic machine will sew denim the way my vintage machines did. They just powered through it until I got to the buttonholes.
I was chuffed that I had the 411g and the key hole buttonholer attachment until I attempted to do this. I broke three needles: Four layers of denim is too heavy for the attachment to drag around so I lifted the weight away. It still wouldn't move the fabric so I assisted and this bent the needle just enough to deflect it right onto the needle plate as it descended. Tried various ways of making it easier for the 411 then gave up on it. Took the coffin lid from the 1891 VS2 treadle and attached the 1950s buttonholer. A few minutes later I was looking at several perfect buttonholes! Yes, ol' faithful came through for me again.

The belt was also made. Pattern maker had a kit from the 1970s or '80s for a belt, so I made it out of leftover denim. It looked so good I didn't recognise it the next day, thinking she'd gotten a proper one from her mum's.

The back

and the front

They look amazingly good, and it wasn't because I'm in any way great at sewing: Burda really know what they're doing. Clever Germans. They incorporated couture techniques into the instructions so you can't fail.
The main technique (which I'd adopted anyway) is to hand baste before machine sewing. I read somewhere that you should pin, hand baste then sew (by machine) so that's what I've done for a while now, and I have to say it's a lot easier to get a good result. Slow and steady wins the race. No longer am I interested in short cuts to get a garment finished quickly: It always leads to something I'm not proud of, or having to re-do over and over so it was never going to be worth it.

Pyjamas for my daughter

These were from a Vogue pattern (EDIT: I lied! They were Simplicity. Number 5552 to be exact), which I just spent some time looking for (unsuccessfully). I'll edit it in when I find it.
(edited out the bit where I raved about vogue patterns - oy!). The garment was very pretty too. Here is the finished garment, modelled by my lovely child:

It was pretty easy to follow in general, and no doubt I'm becoming slowly better versed at interpreting these instructions, but the older the pattern, the more knowledge they assumed. Simply put, until about 50 years ago, most women bought patterns, fabric and notions then headed home to their sewing machine to put it all together. It wasn't a hobby, but a necessary part of life. For me it's a luxury, a hobby, but self sufficiency seems to be something I value more as I get older.

The pants were made on my VS2, the top on the 320k.
I'm now working on a pair (different design - mine are really a Vogue pattern).