Federal Enlisted Sack Coat Construction

[GreencoatCross]

Re: Federal Enlisted Sack Coat Construction

Looks great! I gotta ask though....is that a Necchi sewing machine?

[jjszabo]

Re: Federal Enlisted Sack Coat Construction

Thanks for the complements Guys.

Brian, the sewing machine is a Model 15 Singer, circa 1935. I bought it off ebay for 55.00 dollars. I was looking for an old sewing machine and this is what I found. I had it cleaned and it works GREAT. It wont sew linnen thread very well. In fact, I gave up on trying to sew with linnen thread with the machine. When I sewn the jacket, I used logwood dyed linnen thread by hand and used white cotton thread through the machine as basting stitches.

The blue tape you see in the picture was used to mark my seam because the lower plate doesn't have any marking. When I need a permanent stitch, I have to turn the material around so I can get a reverse stitch. The maching does not do reverse stictching - straight stitches only. Good little machine though. I like it better than my wifes "modern" (circa 1989) Singer.

Thanks for asking,

Jeff Sabol

[OlszowyTM]

Re: Federal Enlisted Sack Coat Construction

Jeff - Others may pitch in here too, but as far as " reverse stitching" to finish a seam goes, that is a modern technique. A more correct period finish would be to leave the threads longer when you cut it off and pull them to the reverse side and knot it.

[jjszabo]

Re: Federal Enlisted Sack Coat Construction

Gotcha, Thanks Terri!!

Jeff Sabol

[Doughboy]

Re: Federal Enlisted Sack Coat Construction

Also,
I wouldn't worry about nice looking buttonholes on the SA blouse. Originals I have seen have worse buttonholes than yours show.
Christopher Wilson