Unsecure chicken perches

[Shirl]

I made ny youngest a lovely summer dress and need to inish it by putting a buttonhole in (no button required). I bought the SMD (Frister & Rossman) 3018 from sewingmachinesdirect.co.uk but cannot work out the buttonhole. I've looked at it and the OH has to but neither of us can work out why it just does a straight line and not a rectangle. Any ideas to what I would be missing? Feel free to ask the obvious I won't be offended

[Christian]

You need to do two very small zig zag lines next to each other, straight down, with two tiny horizontal lines at the top and bottom. Then you use an 'un picker' to cut the fabric between the two lines.

[..lay a little egg for me]

On my machine, to do button holes, you have to sew the buttonhole in 4 steps. On my machine I dial step one to do the first wide bit of zigzag, dial 2 to do the length of the buttonhole, dial 3 to do the bottom wide bit and then 4 to go back up the other side of the length of the buttonhole (for this the machine sews backwards). So my machine does what Christian has said but I have to turn a dial to tell it which bit I am working on at the time.

 

No idea if this helps!

[Shirl]

Mine is one step so theoretically I put the foot on (with button in), then turn the dials to the right tension, stitch length and stitch . Then I pull the buttonhole lever down and should be able to just press the foot peddle. I don't know if it's me or the machine

[Snowy]

The 3018 does a one step buttonhole, so you need to change the foot to the special button hole foot, with your button in it (the machine can then tell what size buttonhole to make); set your dial to the buttonhole stitch; there is usually a little lever that you need to pull down and rest against the buttonhole foot; put it in position; foot on the pedal and keep it on until the machine stops sewing. Supremely easy (once you've done it the first time and worked it all out! )

 

Just reread your post - if you haven't used the buttonhole foot or put a button in it (any will do if you just need a hole) there will be nothing to tell the machine when to stop and change stitch and change direction.

[Shirl]

I have used the buttonhole foot, I broke the first one figuring it out but they gave me a replacement. I've got a button in. I'm beginning to think it must be the machine.

[Snowy]

How strange Is there a lever pulled down and resting against the buttonhole foot? Is it set to the buttonhole stitch? If yes to both of those, I would ring SMD. They have always been most helpful and patient with me when i've had problems with my machines

[Shirl]

The answer is definitely yes to both of those. I guess I'll have to call them. I do wonder if it's a problem with the machine because if I drop the feed dogs they don't go up again very easily. Thanks for your help