Sewing for - well, anyone: Goodbye, Touch-n-Sew!

For the first time, I'm getting rid of a sewing machine. Here's a quick review of my Singer Touch-N-Sew before it goes to its new home. (Stick around to the end for a sneak peek at what's next!)

[janetaylor]

I bought a used Singer Touch n Sew for $25. Used it for years and it quilted beautifully. Then, my sewing repairman told me the plastic gears were wore out. Finally, after holding onto it many years, my husband changed the gears. You can buy them now. It works again!

[georgemarler]

The slow speed setting is for thick or bulky material. Cuts the speed in half but doubles the torque. There is a hack to swap the motor into a 401, 403, 404 for those who are sewing leather.

[lindathompson]

Boy, I do love YouTube! What a treat it is to get to meet experienced sewists like yourself. It is so generous of you and others to share your knowledge and to allow us all to pick your brain. The things you teach are so well presented and practical, all I can say is “thanks”-from a little, old white haired lady who has been sewing for 60 years. Never too late to learn !

[GmaPat]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Golden Touch & Sew!!! I bought it in the early 70's new, and used it to sew my own clothes, 3-piece suites for my husband, wedding gowns, alterations for a local retail wedding apparel shop, friends' wedding gowns and prom dresses, made my children's clothes, and couture alterations for a local shop!! I still use it several times a week and runs like a CHAMP!! If it "dies" I'm not sure what I'll do!!! LOL. Was fun seeing your video!!

[hadleymarie]

I bought a touch and sew in a sewing table (with the chair) and all of the materials that came in it for $60. Came with a bunch of nice old scissors, a bag of zippers, a ton of binding, and a half box of bobbins for this machine. I took it in to a repairman in town bc it turned on but didn’t run and he said it was one of the best maintained machines he’d seen and he just gave her a tune up and he had the exact presser foot we needed

[malindawilczynski]

love the touch n sew, sorry had to keave behind when moved. had the 600e which was the all metal gear machine,

[cliftonmcnalley]

My Grandma gave me this machine for my highschool grad present in '76. She had purchased it new in '74. (This isn't my device - I'm a woman). The machine came with numerous disc's for decorative sewing, overcasting, and stretch stitches. Also did a buttonhole. It was the top of the line the year my Grandmother purchased it. Unfortunately, one of the plastic gears busted in 1990 and there was no source for getting a replacement - not even Ebay for used parts. It makes me sad that I didn't get to keep it as the gears are now available again.

Coincidently, one of my first projects on it after I graduated was recovering the front bucket seats of my car. They turned out great, but my car was in a "slightly"🤣🤣🤣 different class from was a 1971 Gremlin!

[Gingerwalker.]

Wow. While I am not an avid sewer. That bobbin winding is the easiest I have ever seen. Thank you for sharing.

[melisabosnia]

This was awesome vid. i just realized why thread is not going through bobbin. The plastic bobbin broke in half and I believe it's why it wont wind up properly. mine is singer auto reel lol

[GmaPat]

Oh, and my Golden Touch & Sew is the only sewing maching (I own 5) that will hem jeans!!

[mikethompson]

Good video. You were very objective instead of just beating up on the touch and sews. A couple corrections...the 758s were made in the early and mid 70s. They are much more than zigzag...they take many "fashion" discs giving many stitch options. They also chain stitch and do large and small monograms. Plus, gears and stuff are readily available. It's a very good machine despite what you may have heard.

[gessew]

Am so grateful to you. My local Adult Ed has had one of these for a couple of years and no one knew how to thread the bobbin. Who dreams these quirky engineering things up? Maybe only to have their own name on a patent? ClaketyClak. Personally, I've come to like the different sounds of all the machines I own. I can tell when each one needs a change of needle, or is struggling, or just needs some TLC. Like kittens and cats and other pets, I suppose.

[jenjen]

I have two different touch and sew that I inherited from various relatives. I love the drop in bobbin feature. I heard you say in the video that your new machines have all metal gears and was wondering which models you were talking about. The only machine I ever bought new was a piece of junk singer that never stayed in adjustment--from day one! I was told it was because of the crappy material the gears were made from. I currently work in a fabric store and everyone who has purchased a singer from the late '80's forward said they all have plastic gears and are boat anchors. I am hesitant to get a new machine unless I can get one with all metal gears and I have a bunch of slant needle attachments that I hope to use.

[jimksa]

Just bought one for ten bucks in a thrift store- she dropped it from 20 when it was having difficulty getting up to speed- I think its just dirty! I am going to use it to patch my sails for my freeby boat lol Am on a learnin curve being frugal 78 but carry a needle for splinters etc! , but while cleaning couldant find any plastic gears- all metal that I can see cheers :)

[davidvalenta]

I got a 626 as a gift from somebody moving and I did a project or two on that before the needle started hitting the bobbin case and not sewing. I'd already spent about $100 on getting it tuned up, and didn't have time to wait for that to happen again and so I saw another 626 with a table case for 85 bucks so I went and got that testing it briefly it seemed fine. Within very short order that one started to hit the bobbin case as well and not so. I dropped $300 getting them both fixed and after having sourced one set of metal gears to replace. The other machine didn't need the gear replacement. Now maybe four baby blankets in, while trying to sell the first six feet of thread into a comforter, the needles hitting the bobbin case and not sewing. I'm very frustrated and don't want to continue repairing machines and frankly it's too expensive to invest more into these. I don't know if it's just sewing ignorance but I don't have any money for lessons and repairs either. I still have a few projects that I really wanted to finish but it's very discouraging when I have to learn how to repair a machine after such little/ intermittent use.
Any suggestions?

[DanTheFordFixer]

You forgot the best feature of the touch and sew bobbins, they unscrew and are really easy to unload. I've been getting rid of my home based machines as well but plan on keeping the 626 touch and sew I have around. I like the slant needle and versatility of it. when I sew all my canvas motorcycle bags on my Kenmore 117 I keep the 626 set up to do all the buttonholes.

[melissal]

My mom still has hers. I hated that thing. It always jammed up and left grease and was hard to thread. She would act like I was stupid (mom is a bad teacher), then I took mandatory home ec and used a new machine and sewing wasn’t hard at all.

[nurses]

One can never have too many sewing machines OR too much fabric! I probably have 9 or 10 functioning machines. They all serve a purpose in my sewing world.

[rhondamercado]

I thought this machine had cam capability right underneath the thread spool if you lift that up, at least on mine, there is a cam inside

[Sherry]

This is a great machine for a beginner sewer. I still use mine.