Bring out the Big Guns

I’ve worked on industrial machines here and there over the years, and always put them in that mental category of ‘yeah that would be kind of cool if I one day got fired and started a fashion empire’

And then hey what do you know I buy my first ever industrial machine from yet ANOTHER Spiller!! It thus seemed apt that I name this fantastic addition to the studio after the people who’ve been such an awesome second family to me.

As an aside this beast traveled from Joburg to Pretoria with my uncle somehow squeezed in around her in the boot!

In other news, along with my apprenticeship at Thomas Thomson (who works only on industrial machines), this monster is my first real getting-to-grips with the next level of manufacture. And its an entirely different talk show from domestics!!

Not only are the machines hazardously fast, they also have little to no speed regulation. You’re either not moving or sewing at full steam; its a bit frightening at first.

The tension regulation also seems to follow a different logic from domestic machines, and the threading can get REALLY complicated. This is exacerbated by the need for threads to be correctly positioned at all times, so easily twisted loops are minimal; and hard to reach, slanted and minute threading holes are the norm.

But once you get the hang of these things working on domestic machines can feel like taking a nap 😉 Although the one major advantage of domestic machines is their ability to move gears for different stitches. Industrial machines can do one job, and that job only, really REALLY fast.

Thanks a mill for selling this beast to me Cleo, I’m having TOO much fun!!