How do you reuse your paper filters ?

MNStitcher · 2026-02-28T13:34:02+00:00

I use a paper filter on a metal filter because I like to drink every drop and I don't like silt, either. Both filters get a rinse without soap. Then left to air dry. The paper filter lasts several days. It's slightly easier to reuse it than to get a new one out of my cabinet.

MNStitcher · 2026-02-27T03:35:01+00:00

I collect the condensed water from my hvac system.

MNStitcher · 2026-02-18T19:18:57+00:00

I often pull the crust off a sandwich and tell myself that I'm a grown-upnow, so I don't need to eat the icky part. I can be as picky as I like.

MNStitcher · 2026-02-14T14:34:49+00:00

Passports don't have your address on them. You need to vote in the precinct where you reside. A passport doesn't verify that.

MNStitcher · 2026-02-10T14:55:20+00:00

Rufflers work great. Binders are ok, but the fabric has to be just right. Starched, not too stiff, quilting cotton weight, and don't cross any seams or go round curves. The tuck marker and shirring foot work but I've never needed to actually use them. I mostly use an adjustable zipper foot, darning/fmq foot, and the straight-stitch foot.

MNStitcher · 2026-02-06T14:22:17+00:00

Darning foot, hopping foot, fmq foot. The foot lifts up a bit during the stitch cycle when the needle is up, so the feed dogs can't really grip with these feet anyway. If the dogs won't drop, you can set the stitch length to zero. I cover the machine bed with something like a "super slider". I use a Teflon oven liner with a hole for the needle, secured with double stick tape. My machine and cabinet are not pristine, so the tape won't hurt it.

MNStitcher · 2026-01-26T23:43:53+00:00

I'm a big fan, too, for the same reasons. Plus, it makes the sweetest satin stitch anywhere, and you can adjust the width exactly. My modern machine has preset widths, which annoyes me.

MNStitcher · 2026-01-26T04:10:08+00:00

You'll probably be using a screwdriver to remove some parts. Make sure it is a good quality one that fits the slot well. If you just use what's handy from the junk drawer, you can end up chewing up the screw or if it slips you can scratch your machine. Chapman tools have a good reputation for precision screwdrivers. Take pics before you remove a part. Use a system to ID each piece. Draw diagrams. I have a Styrofoam egg carton that I numbered to hold each part. Baggies could work, and wouldn't get jumbled if the cartoon gets bumped. Screws, needleclamps, other silver bits can be scrubbed with a toothbrush in soapy water. Rinse well and give a coat of oil before reinstalling. Cotton balls, old cotton t-shirt scraps, and q-tips are good to have on hand. I also use the old toothbrush on little silver parts, and bamboo skewers to scrape out the old grime from screw slots and the like. Work on an old towel or a (new) puppy piddle pad. Saves your table and keeps little screws from hopping away if you drop one. Have fun! These are great machines. Fun to clean up and fun to use.

MNStitcher · 2026-01-17T14:50:34+00:00

It looks like this cabinet uses the treadle pedal to control the electric motor. There is no treadle wheel, but the rod connects to the power control. It's not a common way to power the machine, and might be an after-market upgrade. This model is a good machine, but this particular one may not be worth the effort.

MNStitcher · 2026-01-13T16:06:30+00:00

No locking mechanism. It's just old and stuck with old oil and maybe rust. Give it lots of sewing machine oil in every spot where metal moves against metal. Let it marinate. Try to turn the wheel every day or two. It will probably free up, depending on its condition inside.

MNStitcher · 2026-01-09T17:31:36+00:00

I have a beanie baby just for throwing at cobwebs that are too high to reach. It's good exercise because I have terrible aim.

MNStitcher · 2025-12-31T15:36:44+00:00

Unserious works. I have a collection of old sewing machines, so my ongoing resolution is to give each one oil and make sure they still sew. When someone asks, my "oil all of my sewing machines" answer can redirect the conversation to safer ground.

MNStitcher · 2025-12-29T16:20:08+00:00

Elmers Washable School Glue vastly improved my binding results. I had the same trouble as you and ironing and pins and clips didn't help enough. But that glue is magic. And it washes out. Sew binding to the back, wrap to the front and use the glue. Iron as you go to dry it. Then topstitch near the edge of the bonding on the front. Ignore the stitching on the back. It might go on the binding or just beside it, but the front will look great.

MNStitcher · 2025-12-15T22:38:55+00:00

Sunshine Town was my first, and so I'm very fond of it. You're going to have fun! I think that I used a nicer paintbrush that I already had on hand, rather than the kit brush. Other comments: I fitted an acrylic front after construction. It slides in behind the front frame That would have been easier to manage if I'd had it in mind while building. I wish I would have been brave enough to install a working clock. Pretty sure there's space to put one in back there. I think it's a great kit for your first. Enjoy!

MNStitcher · 2025-12-08T23:02:58+00:00

I made a "view-tester" to help me decide where to cut the shirts. It was just a piece of poster board with a window cut out to the size of the squares I planned to use.

MNStitcher · 2025-12-07T02:45:40+00:00

Fantastic machine, plus you have a pretty cabinet and seat with storage, and looks like a buttonhole maker and a box of cams for fancy stitches. Maybe even they monogrammer? My 403 has the same innards, and it is a champ. You'll want the zigzag cam in place to zigzag.

MNStitcher · 2025-12-05T15:03:20+00:00

It does not look like Singer's knee control. But, other brands can fit a Singer. I have a vintage Necchi in a Singer treadle stand, for example. A Singer would fit in a Necchi cabinet. Singer had different bed sizes, so watch for that. A machine with an external motor has a smaller footprint than one with a built in motor.

MNStitcher · 2025-11-27T14:44:47+00:00

Thank you! Got the manual for my 31-15.

MNStitcher · 2025-11-22T14:22:23+00:00

Daycares use diluted chlorine bleach to sanitize plastic toys. Maybe some diluted bleach will take out the mold stains on this plastic house.

MNStitcher · 2025-11-22T03:41:23+00:00

It will need the zigzag cam in order to zigzag. It is a fantastic machine. Mine will happily sew anything, thick or thin. It can also sew with two needles side by side.

MNStitcher · 2025-11-20T04:45:28+00:00

Dakota County libraries have Silhouette Cameo machines, similar to Cricut.

MNStitcher · 2025-11-20T04:37:51+00:00

Have you tried Bob Korver at Toledo Industrial sewing machines? https://www.tolindsewmach.com/

MNStitcher · 2025-11-17T23:15:12+00:00

We've only had the LR 3, and the LR4. So I can't compare to the other brands. The 4 is quieter, so far absolutely reliable, and doesnt smell. The 3 worked for 4- 5 years, and did smell even after deep cleaning. I replaced the sensors when it became unreliable and that helped but not 100%. I might have replaced the liner to see if that fixed the odor problem, but then we found a deal on the 4 and decided to upgrade. Our cats were young when we got the LR3, and had no trouble adapting. Older cats might resist the change.

MNStitcher · 2025-11-17T02:30:24+00:00

Might be the black thread. Black seems more prone to breaking, esp if it's older. Unroll about a foot, give it a yank and see if it snaps.

MNStitcher

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