teacherbailey

It was a very tiny lightweight sewing machine that the demonstrator said only took one thread and she sewed by hand-spinning a tiny wheel around and around, making a chain stitch. It was beautiful; had a curved look to the body of the machine and she said it was from the 1870's. Of course, she told me the name of it but all I remember was that it was two names. Williams-something? Wilson-something? Help me out, please! Thanks, all!!!!!

jlhmnj

Willcox & Gibbs?

Charlee

I bet it's either the Wilcox & Gibbs that Jon suggested, or possibly an early Wheeler & Wilson....

Muv

Did it look anything like the machine I have just acquired? Look at the Vintage Sewing Machine thread, post number 34006 (yesterday)

kydeb

I have a friend that has (I think) a Willcox & Gibbs that was her great grandmother's. It's a chain stitch machine and is in absolutely fantastic condition. She mentioned that she may be interested in selling it - $150 is what she is thinking. It's more than I want to pay for a machine and I'm not really sure that I want a chain stitch machine......

Charlee

The only chain stitch machine I have is a toy Singer 20....but they are kind of cool...if you stitch from the backside, then the top looks embroidered! $150 is steep tho...in my opinion.

Mom3

When people think of a chain stitch machine it is almost always compared to the stitching line that is on bags of dog food where you open one stitch and then just pull and the whole stitched line comes out. That is what it is - but - think of this: Clothes were sewn with a chainstitch sewing machines for years before other stitching methods were introduced.

I've got a Willcox & Gibbs. I'm planning on using the backside of the stitch as a 'fancy stitch' on the top of some of my quilts.

Shari