# Question for those who sew



## mombr4 (Apr 21, 2011)

I am slowly sorting all of my many boxes of the many crafts supplies from all of my crafting days. I also inherited many items from my aunt who did a lot of sewing and my uncle who was a tailor.

My question is does anyone know much about cams. I have tried doing some searching but without a lot of information it is like looking for a needle in a haystack.

some say 
Simanco GB followed by a 6 digit # and a number which I guess is the design number

others say 
Singer Gt. Brit followed by a 6 digit # and a number which I guess is the design number

others say 
Italy- followed by a 6 digit # and a number which I guess is the design number, and on the other side there is another number

If anyone knows anything about cams or a site that might help me find out more about these, any suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks


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## chickkie (Oct 26, 2011)

what do they look like?


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## disgo (Mar 2, 2013)

Machine make and model, please!

Otherwise search for Singer manuals since there are several online sources offered by bloggers (how I found the first zig zag model series 400 had a belt underneath that was discontinued with their 500 series)

I would suspect your relatives stayed with those cams that all fit one system. Some models had foot attachments that were like the original buttonhole attachments that used cams for different shapes and sized button holes.

Cams introduced many to hemming stitches that weren't available and included some decorative stitches which the manuals explain. The upper machine ones and some side mounted ones were in just a few models since the built ins were introduced with the Pfaffs and Berninas at the same time.

Do your web search on the Singers first since they are universally made no matter what country of origin of the machine or cam.


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## Linda6885 (Feb 13, 2011)

I would research the name of the machine, make and model, and or try to email them with your questions, or even for a manual for the machine.


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## chickkie (Oct 26, 2011)

It didn't sound like she had anything more than the cams, and needs some information about them.


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## bwtyer (Oct 31, 2012)

The Italian was probably for a Nechhi sewing machine.
The Simanco was a Simanco Singer, I think- but I am no expert. 
If you join the Yahoo VintageKenmore Group they have a file w/list of which cams fit different machines or at least they used to.


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## cainchar (Dec 14, 2012)

This is really just a guess based on past experiences. I'd say the cams are for button holes and decorative patterns/stitches. If you could post pictures of them (both top and bottom views,) we may have a bit more to go on. I remember the sewing machines we used in school had cam's. none of mine have ever had them (thank God!)


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## chickkie (Oct 26, 2011)

my Singer has cams


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## mombr4 (Apr 21, 2011)

chickkie said:


> It didn't sound like she had anything more than the cams, and needs some information about them.


I don't have anything more then the cams

I put each one as mentioned in my original post in a row separated


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## chickkie (Oct 26, 2011)

google for singer sewing machine cams and necchi sewing machine cams. Those are very old and there will be little or no call for them now as not many people use those old machines. They have all gone to newer models. I was lucky to be able to find the cams for my machine, but after all that looking haven't used them.


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## mombr4 (Apr 21, 2011)

chickkie said:


> google for singer sewing machine cams and necchi sewing machine cams. Those are very old and there will be little or no call for them now as not many people use those old machines. They have all gone to newer models. I was lucky to be able to find the cams for my machine, but after all that looking haven't used them.


bwtyer, thank you for your suggestions

and chickkie thank you. I will do a search using your suggestion. I know there are groups and people who look for the cams but without knowing what they are didn't know where to start.

There is also a box of all different feet for machines.

I thought all of this stuff was gone but keep finding more as I open boxes that haven't been opened in a long time.

There is just way to much that needs to find a new home, that I know I won't make use of.

Thanks again for the suggestions, will do some searching tomorrow.


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## chickkie (Oct 26, 2011)

if you find someone that is looking for the attachments and feet, let me know too as I have a couple of boxes of those old parts.


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## bwtyer (Oct 31, 2012)

I think even the ones marked Italy were for the Singer- I saw some for sale-they were in a Singer box but were all black and marked Italy like yours.

Singer sewing machines used SIMANCO GT Britian cams
Stamped SIMANCO GT BRIT.Simanco cams were used with the following machines Compatible with Singer machines 306, 319, 328, 338, 348, 358, 360, 368, 478. Cams included are:
276302 Zigzag 
276303 Blindstitch 
276305 Arrowhead Stitch 
276306 Domino stitch 
276309 Icicle stitch 
276310 Banner stitch 
276313 Diamond Stitch 
276331 Scallop
Hope some of the number match what you have- Someone somewhere has an older machine that uses these cams.


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## mombr4 (Apr 21, 2011)

bwtyer said:


> I think even the ones marked Italy were for the Singer- I saw some for sale-they were in a Singer box but were all black and marked Italy like yours.
> 
> Singer sewing machines used SIMANCO GT Britian cams
> Stamped SIMANCO GT BRIT.Simanco cams were used with the following machines Compatible with Singer machines 306, 319, 328, 338, 348, 358, 360, 368, 478. Cams included are:
> ...


Thanks you so much. I will compare those I have to those you mentioned. I know the ones that have numbers like you listed I think I have all of those and a few not listed
Where did you find this list, so I can look for the others.

I know there are people that look for them along with the feet for the machines.

I really appreciate you taking the time to give me all of this great information


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## Peggy Beryl (Jun 4, 2012)

As a trial run, take a couple of the cams where you have a machine name and enter the machine name, plus all information given on the cam into the search box on eBay and just see if you get any results.

When I was looking for a part for my sewing machine of 1960's vintage, I was surprised at the number of parts offered for sale on eBay. I could have bought my entire machine, part by part.


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## Tallie9 (Jul 24, 2012)

The following is a quilting forum.....but the link is a section that is for antique sewing machine enthusiasts....These people will definitely know what these cams/parts go to...You have to join....but you can post the pictures..
http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage-antique-machine-enthusiasts-f22/vintage-sewing-machine-shop-come-sit-spell-t43881-3435.html


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## bwtyer (Oct 31, 2012)

And here is someone who sells them- they can also probably help you.
http://www.tandtrepair.com/Singer_Pattern_Cams.html


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## kaixixang (Jul 16, 2012)

Look up the numbers on the Brother Sewing machine website!

I expanded the photo presented to someone sitting behind me who does work with ALL models of sewing machines. They are most decidedly Brother brand "cams".


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## disgo (Mar 2, 2013)

kaixixang said:


> Look up the numbers on the Brother Sewing machine website!
> 
> I expanded the photo presented to someone sitting behind me who does work with ALL models of sewing machines. They are most decidedly Brother brand "cams".


Brother machines used Singer cams as they did a lot of copying like the Chinese today.

As I mentioned before the 300 series would have had a foot attachment similar to my Singer button hole attachment--came in an olive green plastic with matching olive green box (mine is still in the box with the myriad of button hole cams in metal). You would have a feed dog metal cover attachment with a screw that people think is an oil hole directly to the right of the needle in the machine plate that would cover the feed dogs and since the cam attachment like the button hole attachment did al the back and forth movement the needle has stationary (no needle position switches yet). My sisters '70s Nicchi has the drop in cams like the attachment ones while the 400 series Singers went to the built in cams with this being their first zig zag model.

I still have and just recently purchased another 201 Singer (the black ones many used in home ec.) and some treadle platform electric controlled tailoring 201s that are my all time standbys since they had the industrial knee operated pressure foot controller.


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## Olga-Marie (Apr 23, 2013)

Cam is usually a round thingy - with a hole in the center -


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## Olga-Marie (Apr 23, 2013)

Cam is usually a round thingy - with a hole in the center -


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## Olga-Marie (Apr 23, 2013)

Sorry my message went before I finished it. So, CAM is a round part, with a hole in the middle, a drawing on the top showing the type of stitch. There is a special place on the top of the sewing machine where you have to slide this CAM on a metallic rod and with the appropiate settings, the sewing machine does the stitch shown (clear enough ? - difficult to translate this kind of information...)


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## mombr4 (Apr 21, 2011)

Wow you guys are the best, thank you so much for all of your help. Now I can find exactly what I have in this box, and hopefully get something for it and find it all a new home

Tallie9, thank you I will check out the link to the forum you mentioned

bwtyer, thanks those at the link you gave me are those I have along with others, thank you so much that site will be very helpful.

kaixixang and disgo, thank you for the information. I didn't know that brother machines used singer cams, and all of your information is very helpful.

Thanks you so much for all of your responses, all information is very helpful. Can probably find a lot of the feet and other attachments at these links also.


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## crazy-dutch-lady (May 26, 2012)

Take them to a place that repairs and sells sewing machines,,,,they may have seen them. Definitely for different type stitches,,,I have a Sears machine from the 60"s and that has beige colored cams for buttonhole,hemstitch etc.


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## God's Girl (Jan 29, 2013)

Usually a "cam" is a design element. It is a disc that is placed in the machine and will create a decorative stitch. I don't know that they make any like that these days as most of those type of stitches are built into the machines now. Old singers used to use this type of decorative stitchery. Hope that helps. If you have the machine look for the book that goes with it and it should give directions on how to use them. Hope that helps.


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## joypar (Oct 29, 2013)

I have an older Elna machine that uses Cams for decorative stitches. They look like the ones pictured on the bottom.


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## chickkie (Oct 26, 2011)

each machine has it's own cams - I know the Brother ones don't fit my Singer


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## kathome (Dec 2, 2011)

The cams look like Singer cams. These were very common on machines in the 1960's and very early 1970's. They dropped onto a shaft at the top of the machine and an "arm" followed along the odd wonky diameter to then move the needle to create decorative stitches. 

SIMANCO is Singer. It stands for Singer Manufacturing Co. 

I worked for Singer for years in the 70's.


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## mombr4 (Apr 21, 2011)

kathome said:


> The cams look like Singer cams. These were very common on machines in the 1960's and very early 1970's. They dropped onto a shaft at the top of the machine and an "arm" followed along the odd wonky diameter to then move the needle to create decorative stitches.
> 
> SIMANCO is Singer. It stands for Singer Manufacturing Co.
> 
> I worked for Singer for years in the 70's.


Thanks for the additional information, I appreciate it.


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## vjh1530 (Oct 8, 2011)

Back in the '70s I had a White sewing machine that used came for different decorative stitches. I loved it. If you look for a vintage sewing machine group, they can probably help you with both the cams and the feet. They would probably also be able to point you to a place where you could sell or donate the items.


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## jdsanford5 (Jul 5, 2012)

I remember my mom's Singer having cams - which you inserted into the machine so you could do some fancy stitches - this was before machines had all of the fancy stitching options built in ;-)


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## missedstich (Sep 27, 2012)

Those cams look distinctively like a set I had for a New Home sewing machine in the mid 1970's. I believe it was New Home is now Janome. They were inserted into the top of the machine to create a variety of embroidery patterns. Hope this helps.


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## marolsh (Oct 11, 2013)

The bottom grouping are what Singer called "Fashion Discs" and were used with the models 328K, 306W, 319W and 320, as well as many others.


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## mombr4 (Apr 21, 2011)

marolsh said:


> The bottom grouping are what Singer called "Fashion Discs" and were used with the models 328K, 306W, 319W and 320, as well as many others.


Thanks very much for the information.


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## DickWorrall (May 9, 2011)

Your post got me to looking for pictures of sewing machine cams.
I found a lot of them. Different ones for different models of Singer Sewing machines.
At first, I thought of my mother's attachment for making button holes on her old Singer. 
It used cams and replaced the pressure foot.
Then, I found all sorts of machines that used the cams and the cams had numbers and pictures on them of the decorative stitches.
Got me to thinking and remembering the days when the sewing machines came with cams.
Thanks for the memories. Getting the old gray cells working.

I just put "pictures of sewing machine cams" in my Yahoo search and came up with lots of pictures.
Dick


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## krankymax (Mar 5, 2012)

They look like something similar to what I had with an old Singer sewing machine. They have different stitches on them and you install them for decorative stitches.


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## Byrdgal (Jun 27, 2011)

chickkie said:


> my Singer has cams


My mother-in-law also had a Singer machine with lots of cams---for different patterns, etc.


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## kathryn64 (Mar 11, 2011)

There is a board similar to this called the Quilting Paradise or the Quilting Board. Just Google it. You must be a member to reply, but it is free and easy to use. They have a section on antique and vintage sewing machines. I bet someone on it can help you and maybe interested in doing a swap or buy the cams.


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## mombr4 (Apr 21, 2011)

kathryn64 said:


> There is a board similar to this called the Quilting Paradise or the Quilting Board. Just Google it. You must be a member to reply, but it is free and easy to use. They have a section on antique and vintage sewing machines. I bet someone on it can help you and maybe interested in doing a swap or buy the cams.


Thank you I will look into it.


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## Stitchwizz (May 30, 2011)

mombr4 said:


> I don't have anything more then the cams
> 
> I put each one as mentioned in my original post in a row separated


Cams were used before we got electronic machines with built in designs. You will need to know what machine each set goes with.

My Singer from 1960 had cams with a picture of the stitch on the back of each one.

Bev


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## debby93286 (Apr 4, 2011)

if i remember: my first new sewing machine (high school graduation) was a Sears Kenmore (wanted a Singer) this was when Singer first came out with stitches on the machine(build in),my Kenmore had a box of about 15 cams in it..it was okay.i used the stretch stitch a lot,polyester,and when i had a little girl i used every stitch cam i had,oh, sewing Good Times.....later


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## sockyarn (Jan 26, 2011)

The only cams I know about are for sears kenmore sewing machines. I had one that used them to make designs.


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## chickkie (Oct 26, 2011)

sockyarn said:


> The only cams I know about are for sears kenmore sewing machines. I had one that used them to make designs.


There are cams for many of the older makes of machines. They are not interchangeable. I was just at the thrift store and saw Kenmore cams, and Singer cams.


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## Sewbizgirl (May 11, 2011)

SIMANCO stands for SInger MAchiNe COmpany. Simanco=Singer.


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## mamarose22 (Mar 1, 2013)

I have an old Singer model #348 and I have this series of cams. I rarely used them years ago, but really have no need to use them now.


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## AryaG94 (Nov 5, 2019)

[No message]


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