Buttonholer Attachment, Singer (Vintage Original)

Singer Buttonhole Attachment comes complete with 9 cams (1 in the mechanism), feed-dog cover plate, thumb screw, original case and instruction manual. Cams are the following original sizes: 5/16" straight, 3/8” straight, 1/2” straight, 5/8" straight, 5/8” keyhole, 13/16" straight, 15/16” straight, 1 1/16" straight and 1 1/16" keyhole.

Attachment is cleaned, oiled and sampled just for you - all ready for your next sewing project. 

Choose from Low or Slant in the dropdown menu. 

Old Singer Trivia - Did you know that in 1938 the original Singer Buttonholer was the most expensive Attachment Fashion Aid? Yes, it was! I'm sure you can imagine the delight amongst seamstresses to have the mechanics of making a buttonhole with their sewing machine versus the painstaking challenge of sewing one secure enough by hand. Priced at $8.70 in 1938 with the next most expensive Fashion Aid being the Singer Electric Scissors at $5.75 followed by the Hand Crank Pinker at $5.00 and the Pinking Attachment and Hemstitcher Picot Edger at $4.75 each. That just goes to show how advanced the Buttonholer Attachment was to Singer ingenuity. 

Prices changed considerably by 1954 when the old style Buttonholer fell to $4.75, but the 'new' style (the kind shown here with the cams) was priced at $9.75 - second to the Automatic ZigZagger, which had just been invented, priced at $14.95. Fascinating, isn't it!? 

$9.75 in 1954 is like an equivalency of $75.00 today!

BUTTONHOLES

Beautiful, perfect and easy!  So easy in fact, it's practically hands-free!  This buttonholer is still preferred by long-time sewists, even over the fancy-schmancy, expensive machines with built-in buttonhole features. It still amazes me how the technology of yesterday still holds true 60+ years later.

Watch our video for how to use
the Singer Buttonhole Sewing Machine Attachment

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Not all Singer Buttonholer manuals are the same.  Did you know that you can also monogram or make an embroidered edge?  There is a difference between Buttonholer manuals because some show the embroidery instructions and some do not.  If you would like to know how to do embroidery - you can download the manual here.

MONOGRAMMING and EMBROIDERY

Keep the buttonholer cloth clamp working on the right (always) - this can be a bit tricky to remember when you are so used to making buttonholes that work on the right then loop around and go down the left. When the cloth clamp has reached the second line closest to you, stop (making sure the needle is down in the cloth).  Now lift the presser bar while holding your work in place, and turn the adjusting knob so that it starts back at the beginning of the right side again.  Continue and repeat as necessary. 

You will also need to lift the presser bar (with the needle down, of course) every few stitches around a curve. I know, it sounds like a lot to learn: the curves, the right side of the cloth clamp, the needle down, your work in place... it's like patting your head and rubbing your tummy at the same time. But, do not worry, it is worth the fun challenge! There certainly is a sense of satisfaction when making something the old-fashioned way. 

If you use heavier cording it will add dimension to your monogramming.  You could make a monogrammed handkerchief or even monogram a quilt block.  Be sure to add stabilizer to the back, if you do.