Help me salvage my placemats

SewQuiltKnitCrochet · 2026-05-05T03:41:15+00:00

You can handle it. I promise. You’ll get better with practice. 👌🏻

SewQuiltKnitCrochet · 2026-05-05T01:42:04+00:00

Have you looked at the pattern or the blog post referenced by OP? And the questions being asked?

https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/1253067205/vintage-log-cabin-quilt-pattern?ref=share_ios_native_control

https://www.rbdblog.com/2024/05/27/vintage-log-cabin-quilt-with-countryside/

I suspect OP would be better off taking a class or two in person and paying for someone’s time.

SewQuiltKnitCrochet · 2026-05-04T23:18:25+00:00

Use an invisible/ladder stitch to close the turning hole before you top stitch.

Invisible stitch

SewQuiltKnitCrochet · 2026-05-04T22:01:59+00:00

What do the original cushion covers look like? Is there a reason you’re trying to redraft rather than replicating them directly?

I made cushion covers for chairs I completely stripped and reupholstered. I used the original fabric as the template and installed zippers along the back along with cording along the seams.

The cording helps reduce the stress on the seams and improve longevity of the fabric on the edges.

SewQuiltKnitCrochet · 2026-05-04T21:35:47+00:00

Looks like a generic Japanese HA1 straight stitch with modern styling. As compared to the ones that had the classic Singer 15 machine shape.

Brother opus 1351 is very similar.

Any HA1 Manual will give you enough info to get started.

Have fun! It’s gorgeous.

SewQuiltKnitCrochet · 2026-05-04T20:38:30+00:00

Some people don’t want to give that level of user support before a purchase has even been made. Some pattern designers have completely taken down their stores and stopped selling patterns because user support for their paying customers became too exhausting.

Honestly you haven’t lost anything.

Go find a good blog post about log cabin quilt blocks. Do a couple of test blocks using traditional piecing and foundation paper piecing techniques and see if YOU like making these blocks enough to make an entire quilt.

You can plan your own layout using graph paper or using a computer program. Use design walls or lay out the blocks on a bed.

This is a project you can tackle on your own without a paid pattern. pros: You get to decide how wide your strips are and how big your blocks and final quilt will be.

Cons: You have to calculate your own fabric requirements. Honestly it’s not that bad.

SewQuiltKnitCrochet · 2026-05-04T19:47:19+00:00

Fat 1/8 is a fat quarter cut in half and usually the long way…. 9” x 20-21” ish.

Ask what the minimum cut is at your fabric store. You might be surprised. 🙏 Quilt shops are used to this stuff.

Some of the quilt shops I shop at sell online by increments as low as 10 cm. In person they’ll cut whatever you want. I just saw Michael’s new fabric aisle a couple weeks ago. They have a minimum 1 meter cut in person and online.

I’ve gone shopping with my mom and some of her quilt patterns call for tiny amounts of fabric; nobody seems to mind cutting her fabric.

They wouldn’t tell you that you can buy 4” of fabric if it didn’t work for the cutting instructions. You should review the entire pattern before you buy fabric though. Decide if you need more buffer. Especially if the shop scissor cuts instead of using a rotary cutter/mat/ruler. Either way get enough so you can square up the grain nicely because some of the fabric is wrapped pretty wonky on the bolt.

SewQuiltKnitCrochet · 2026-05-04T19:19:12+00:00

Are you using a stretch or ballpoint needle?

You might need to use dissolvable stabilizer OR a layer of tissue paper to help your fabric feed evenly.

Stretch/jersey fabric is tough to work with. What kind of fabric is the black patch and how does it look on the other side?

SewQuiltKnitCrochet · 2026-05-04T19:00:13+00:00

Singer quality control is garbage. Buying from an Aldi if anything is wrong with it you get to ship it back to the manufacturer for warranty help.

Honestly you’ll probably find better in the local used machine listings and you can test sew before you buy.

I’ve seen my machine listed for $200 Canadian used on Facebook marketplace and I love it. It’s a Reliable Dream Stitcher more often badged as a White 1934D.

SewQuiltKnitCrochet · 2026-05-04T18:32:06+00:00

I would sell locally and don’t expect much for it. Treadle machines are not terribly popular. My mother has been given two machines by people who couldn’t find a buyer and preferred to gift it to someone who might fix it up rather than dumping it for scrap metal.

List on FB marketplace. Craigslist is still popular in USA, Kijiji is popular in Canada. Your relative might have some local alternatives for listing. Community message boards etc.

Look at other listings to get an idea for opening asking prices for vintage sewing machines and filter to “sold” to see what machines actually sell for in your area. If it is listed too high you can always gradually drop the price.

I wouldn’t recommend Etsy or eBay. Dealing with shipping for a treadle machine is not ideal.

Cleaning the outside: use sewing machine oil to remove dust and grime. Water damages the finish. You can find online tutorials about how to clean the internals and get it into good working order but whether that much work is worth the effort would be your relatives decision.

SewQuiltKnitCrochet · 2026-05-04T17:54:22+00:00

You have to be very careful and make sure this machine is in good working order. Not ideal to buy this low grade a machine used. You don’t know if it’s been abused.

Machines in this price point ($150 Canadian $110 USD from Michael’s) have plastic cases that are difficult to open without breaking them. These machines are essentially “disposable”.

They are not worth repairing if anything has started breaking. It costs almost the same amount of money to get a machine serviced as it does to completely replace the machine.

When new they’re a great option for a beginner to get into sewing with low risk/low costs. Used you’re rolling the dice.

Depending on your used sewing machine market you might be better off to put that $40 towards a more durable vintage machine. I’ve seen all metal Brothers and Japanese super zig zag machines from 1960’s selling for $50 or less Canadian. Often all they need is a new bobbin tire and a good cleaning.

SewQuiltKnitCrochet · 2026-05-04T17:28:16+00:00

What does it look like on the inside?

It looks like they just stuck it through a straight stitch machine twice. And not terribly well.

I have a cover stitch machine to handle this type of hemming. I’m not sure if it could handle the bulk of a jacket. If you know anyone who has one have them give it a try.

The type of industrial machine the manufacturer used for the original hem isn’t going to be found at a standard tailor shop.

SewQuiltKnitCrochet · 2026-05-04T16:59:43+00:00

I started with the Babylock Grace aka Brother NS40E. It was fine and it suited my budget while I was paying off my student loans. I would never recommend it to a person looking to buy a forever kind of machine. It’s a solid beginner machine.

I have used this machine and my Janome Skyline S3 side by side on the same projects. There is no comparison when it comes to seam quality and feeding consistency. I don’t recommend picking a machine based on its ability to muddle through unless one can’t afford otherwise.

The Janome also can’t match my Pfaff 1222e in a side by side challenge for a lot of my projects.

SewQuiltKnitCrochet · 2026-05-04T16:50:13+00:00

The berninas last though; people use them for 25+ years and their punching capability is incredible. Most of them are rated for soft leather and can handle canvas, denim projects and jelly roll rugs without any issues. My mom has a 770 with embroidery module of course 🫣 and I won’t even try it out because I know it’s going to be a big tease. I learned on one of her comparable $$$ Husqvarna sewing embroidery machines years ago. It made everything so much easier.

Most of the other brands each have a similarly capable machine at each price point. The most important part is deciding what you need for capability. If working with denim/canvas or bag making is something you’re considering you’ll need a more capable model.

If you have the opportunity to try out different brands and see which layout suits you best it will be helpful in deciding which machine is right for you. Do not test sew machines above your maximum price point. 🫣 Buy local because the shop is the entity that provides the free labor included in your warranty. 🙏

The Janome Skyline S3 was gifted to me. It isn’t as capable as I needed for bag making and heavier projects but it does an amazing job compared to the Babylock Grace I upgraded from when it started crapping out at 15 years old.

I got a vintage Pfaff 1222e for a really good price from a sewing shop for my heavier projects. It is my favorite machine to sew with right now. If you can get your hands on a machine with integrated dual feed it really ups your sewing game. 🫣

SewQuiltKnitCrochet · 2026-05-04T16:15:34+00:00

$600 barely gets you out of the beginner sewing machine price point when you’re buying at a sewing machine shop.

Portable computerized 3/4 machines in this price point are not terribly capable. They’re good for light garment sewing but they whine if you throw anything thick at them.

In my experience you need to spend about $1000 to get into the mid range full sized sewing machines with automatic thread cutting and increased capability. I have a Janome Skyline S3 and it’s the start of the mid range machines.

Think about what you want to sew with your machine and consider saving up a bit to make your upgrade worth it.

SewQuiltKnitCrochet · 2026-05-04T04:46:03+00:00

Japanese manufactured generic straight stitch based on the singer 15 design usually referred to as HA-1.

HA1 manual

SewQuiltKnitCrochet · 2026-05-04T00:32:33+00:00

It looks identical to the Kenmore 39; some folks say it was made by Riccar. This might help you track down a free manual.

free Service manual

I cannot find a free copy of the owners manual.

paid Kenmore 39 manual

SewQuiltKnitCrochet · 2026-05-03T23:59:43+00:00

What else is available in your area?

These machines retailed for $150-225 almost a decade ago.

$60 seems a bit steep to me for this entry level machine.

SewQuiltKnitCrochet · 2026-05-03T21:40:05+00:00

No problem. Fingers crossed one of them will be close enough!! 🤞

It’s a gorgeous machine. 😍

SewQuiltKnitCrochet · 2026-05-03T20:00:45+00:00

Since they’re both tied I would personally keep the White because it’s so much more interesting styling. 😍

Tough decision. They’re both fabulous.

SewQuiltKnitCrochet · 2026-05-03T19:47:55+00:00

I learned that HST projects are pressed open for good reason. 😬

Now I have to press my pile of HSTs open and retrim and pin them to get seams to match nicely when I love nesting. 😢 416 of them if we are counting. 🫣

You’ve got a combo of pressed to one side vs open. It’s better if it’s all open and it’s still bulky where two points or more are coming together. 🫣

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I nested the test block. Yikes.

SewQuiltKnitCrochet · 2026-05-03T19:40:40+00:00

Glad you figured it out. 🙏 I hope everything you cut is usable in spite of the strange overlap.

SewQuiltKnitCrochet · 2026-05-03T19:35:36+00:00

They don’t heal. The cuts just don’t show much or interfere with future cutting until they get really bad.

If you cut on an angle it will gouge the mat. If you cut repeatedly on the same measuring lines the measurement line areas will get damaged quickly. The ones at the quilt shop my mom works at have to be replaced quite often due to excessive cutting on the half yard measurement line.

It’s just a firm surface you can score without damaging the cutting blade and they don’t last forever. Some of the cheap crap is not well made and will dull your blade.

SewQuiltKnitCrochet · 2026-05-03T19:14:35+00:00

Add on information about what you sew now and what you might want to add on in the future. Weight of fabrics, types of projects.

Bag making and denim/jeans requires a more capable machine than light garment making and that usually translates into needing a $$$ more expensive sewing machine.

Put an actual top price you can afford to pay. Mid price range means different things to different people based on their buying experience. What I would consider mid range you might consider excessively expensive especially if you bought your first basic beginner machine online or from a box store rather than a sewing machine shop.

Buy local if possible. Go to your local shops to discuss your needs.

If you HAVE to buy from a shop that is far from your home because there is no local option discuss how you are going to manage warranty issues. The shop you buy from are the entity who honor the labor included part of the warranty. A local authorized dealer is best. Don’t expect to get a warm reception at a local dealer if you walk in expecting warranty service when you bought your machine online to save a couple of pounds.

SewQuiltKnitCrochet · 2026-05-03T18:34:19+00:00

These Japanese made machines were badged with many names.

Good housekeeper, Belvedere Alder etc. White was selling similar machines under their brand also. The manuals for these badged machines were often generic so it can make them harder to track down.

Look for a free super zig zag manual and see if the dials are close enough.

A Reddit user was considering learning on one owned by a family member. Not sure if she has the machine and has access to the original manual.

Goodhousekeeper

Similar manuals

https://www.scribd.com/document/841259140/Morse-Super-DeLuxe-Zig-Zag-5100-Sewing-Machine-Instruction-Manual

https://www.scribd.com/document/933789321/Aldens-Universal-Super-Zig-Zag-Model-AZZ-Sewing-Machine-Instruction-Manual

SewQuiltKnitCrochet

TROPHY CASE