# Playing with the Dial 'n Sew



## Katskitten

About four years ago my wife was delivering pizzas and passed a house where she'd seen a yard sale earlier in the day. She didn't have time to stop then and look, but as she passed the second time there was a sewing machine in a busted up case just sitting on the curb. Forlorn and lonesome, they'd just tossed it out. She snagged it and brought it home.

The only parts missing was the bobbin carrier and one of the two spool pins.
We had a spare bobbin carrier and it fit, and it was a no brainer to pick up a second screw in pin.
It took me about two days to glue the case back together.
Then we test ran it and once we were satisfied we put it on the shelf where it sat until just recently.
The Dial 'n Sew is a zig-zag with no built or external cams. Just the two control knobs, stitch length and width.
It uses high shank presser feet and when on straight stitch the needle is parked to the far left. There is no needle position control on the machine.

Now that I'm learning to sew I'm going from one machine to the next working with them to not only learn how to use them but just give them some exercise.
So tonight was the Dial 'n Sew's turn.
I got it set up, plugged it in and run a bunch of thread through it making stitches. 

My wife has a thing for decorative stitches and especially for machines with cams. Currently we have probably a half dozen machines that have either built in or external cams and over the years I've become somewhat impressed with the pretty stuff you can make with them.
So I asked her what can you do with a simple zig-zag machine? She said, I don't know. 

Well I decided to find out. Here is a test of what this machine can do. And I'm not even sure this is all of it.









Here is a pic of the front and the back just because.

















I have no idea who made or sold this machine. I'd like to find out because I'd like to get a manual for it. It's Japanese made, and sometime back someone tried to help me by recommending a site that was supposed to have imported this machine. The folks there worked on ID'ing it then suddenly just stopped communicating with me. I still do not know anything about this machines heritage.

What I do know is it sews beautifully. And for me it's very easy to control the speed. It will sew sloooooooooow if I want and zip right along too.

Joe


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## Texasdirtdigger

You guys have hit the "jackpot" on cool sewing machines lately!

BTW -still looking for the Kitty fabric


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## Tinker

Joe, this site may have some info---just put in your model #.

http://sew4less.com/QuickSearch.php


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## Garnet

Is there a way to lower the feed dog on your machine? If so, you can do freemotion embroidery and quilting. 

Here's an example.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIzbhVbgPkg&feature=related[/ame]

You can search freemotion quilting and find a lot of tutorials. If you try it, begin with something the size of a pot holder or candle mat.


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## bopeep

WOW ...that is a great looking machine....and those stitches are beautiful................and FREE to boot :banana::banana::banana:......
bopeep


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## Charleen

It's a shame what some people will throw out, but your wife was in the right place at the right time!


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## Katskitten

Tinker said:


> Joe, this site may have some info---just put in your model #.
> 
> http://sew4less.com/QuickSearch.php


sew4less shows four different Dial & Sew models. Yet my machine does not have Mdl # plate or decal anywhere and I have idea which model it is. 

I will email sew4less and see what they say.

Thanks for the link.

Joe


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## Katskitten

Garnet said:


> Is there a way to lower the feed dog on your machine? If so, you can do freemotion embroidery and quilting.
> 
> Here's an example.
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIzbhVbgPkg&feature=related
> 
> You can search freemotion quilting and find a lot of tutorials. If you try it, begin with something the size of a pot holder or candle mat.


Yes the feed dogs can be lowered. The two white buttons at the base oft he pillar are the feed dog controls.
We watched the video and were suitably curious. Mostly about the foot she had on her machine, but also about the whyfors of the gloves she was wearing.

Joe


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## Dandish

The foot she is using is a free motion quilting foot, the particular one is specific to Janome. However, there are generic feet that do essentially the same thing - called a "darning foot" or FMQing foot - http://www.generations-quilt-patterns.com/darning-foot.html - that will work on virtually any machine. 

The gloves are called "machingers" (brand name - others are available) and they have a rubbery coating on the fingertips so you have better friction against your quilt/fabric. When you free motion quilt YOU control the movement of the fabric, so slippage is bad. Garden gloves with the little rubber dots do the same thing, just are heavier. There are a lot of options for this little helper too.


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## Katskitten

Dandish,

Thanks for the answers. 

I need to get a couple of those quilting or darning foots. That looks like fun.

Joe


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## CarrieAnne

Great machine!


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## happyjunker

Hi there... New to posting here. This is so funny, but I made a post in the thread about sewing deer hide just a bit ago about a machine I bought from my sewing machine guy. It looks very similar to your machine except it is a salmon color. I re-canvased a pop up tent trailer with that machine years ago. Powerful machine. Great find! Can't beat the price!


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## Katskitten

Yep, the price was sure right.

Joe


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## shelly728

Hello all. I'm new to the group/forum. I inherited this exact same machine, and it didn't come with a manual. Would you know where to obtain a manual, or some pertinent info, or links that I'd be able to utilize to be able to thread, and/or operate my precious gem?


Thanks in advance....


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## Macybaby

Shelly, head over to Victorian Sweat Shop. 

http://www.victoriansweatshop.com/

Joe posts over there quite often, and there are a lot of other vintage machine lovers that may be able to help you if he can't.


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## copperhead46

That looks just like my old machine. I bought it from a door to door salesman, in 1975, used, I never knew the name or brand, nothing. I have sewed everything from silk to leather with it, three and four layers of denim. I ruined it this year when I put it in the basement and it corroded all the iner workings. That thing is metal, no plastic to it. I'd give anything to find another one, but never knew the name of it. I'm proud of your wife for finding that one.


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## Katskitten

Shelly, if you ever do read this, the patterns shown in the first picture are just variations in stitch width and length. This machine is just a simple ZZ, no patterns.
Threading is simple and straight forward, nothing odd about it.

I sold the machine a couple years ago, and never did find a manual for it.

Joe


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