PROCEEDINGS OP THE POLYTECHNIC ASSOCIATION. 53S 



Mr. Lansey. — It applies to both, but more especially to hand 

 sewing. 



The Chairman. — Is puckering as likely to be done in the lock 

 stitch as in the double thread chain stitch ? 



Mr. Lansey. — No, sir. 



The Chairman. — Is it true that the lock stitch will only use 2^ 

 yards of cotton thread in forming a yard of seam, while the 

 single thread chain stitch will take 4^ yards, and the double 

 thread chain stitch 6| yards ? 



Mr. Lansey.— -I don't know. I never measured. 



Mr. Woods. — In finishing a seam by any machine as much care 

 is required in one as in the other. The most important point in a 

 machine, after the feed and machinery is the tension. Five min- 

 utes a day would rewind all the cotton a housekeeper would use 

 during a day. In the Wheeler & Wilson machine the lower 

 thread is rewound on a metal spool of such size as to hold about 

 50 or 60 yards of No. 80 cotton, so that a spool of 200 yards 

 will fill the bobbin four times. The upper thread is fed from the 

 original spool, without any rewinding, to a small pulley, and the 

 application of a slight pressure to this by a thumb screw is all 

 that is requisite for a proper tension. 



In the double thread chain stitch machines, the two threads 

 are used from the original spools, and the difficulty of adjusting 

 the tension of the lower threads, is greatly increased from this 

 fact. The regulation of the tension properly on this machine is 

 therefore more difficult than on any other. In this machine the 

 great waste is on the lower side. Of the 46,243 machines required 

 to Mr. Howe as sold in 1859, nearly 40,000 make the lock stitch. 



Mr. Garvey. — If the thread was imbedded in the cloth there 

 would be greater tension. 



Chairman (to Mrs. Bush). — Have you used the three different 

 stitches ? 



Mrs. Bush, — Yes. 



Chairman. — How long have y6u used sewing machines ? 



Mrs. Bush. — Five years. 



Chairman. — Hoav long have you used the lock stitch ? 



Mrs. Bush, — About 2^ years. 



Chairman. — Do you say that on the lock stitch and on the double 

 thread chain stitch the work can be well done by any operator ? 



Mrs. Bush. — A girl with a lock stitch machine can do more 

 work than one usino; the double thread chain stitch machine. 



