About
Forty years old, living in Melbourne, Australia. Mother of two daughters (aged six and a half years and two years), and wife of understanding and supportive husband! I work part-time, and enjoy sewing, craft, crochet, community, and reading. I’m completely addicted to reading craft blogs . . . (and to chocolate)
If you are looking for information on old Pinnock sewing machines, please read through the comments below – there are a number of people who have generously offered to help those looking for instructions. Their email addresses or web pages are usually included. If you do a google search for Pinnock sewing machine manuals you may be able to find some to buy online. My Pinnock is from around 1989 and I am usually not able to help you out, sorry!
Marcelle said
Hi,
I hope you don’t feel this is too forward – I recently bought a sewing machine – a Pinnock circa 1950s. It has a little plaque on it saying Trendsetter Standard. Anywho, this is my first machine and I thought I would be able to remember how to thread a sewing machine from the days when I used to sew with my gramma, but sadly – I don’t. After much fruitless googling I came upon a comment you had made on another blog saying that your old Pinnock was still going strong. I was wondering if you had any tips or suggestions for where I might get a manual or any help at all really. I don’t want to make lavish creations – I just want to run up a few curtains and take up some hems, an dmaybe make some basic bits for my wee ones (girl 3, boy 5).
Any help you can give this frazzled Brisvegas mum would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks and good thoughts,
Marcelle
Hazel Dunn said
Hi Marcelle
I wondered if you had received an answer about how to thread the Pinnock Trendsetter Standard? I also have one and can’t figure it out. I got it of my neighbour though, so when she returns from overseas I’ll ask her. In the mean time I wondered if you’d had any luck. Regards, Hazel
thornberry said
Hi Ladies,
Hazel, I’ve forwarded your email to Marcelle. I’m about to search out my manual, but my machine is from the late 80s, so possibly will not be useful to you. Let me know how you get on!
Lara
peter said
We inherited a Pinnock Trend Setter Sapphire sewing machine and you were kind enough to send a person a copy of your manual. I am the one who is computer literate – it’s my partner that is sewing literate
. We were wondering if you would be kind enough to send us a copy also. Please let us know of any costs that may be incurred in this process and we would be happy to refund any said costs.
Kind Regards, Peter
Tracy said
Hi all
I have a 1950’s/1960’s Pale Green Zig Zag Pinnock Sewing Machine…
I spent all afternoon today, trying to thread/get the old duck to actually stitch – Very frustrating..
Anyway, the reason I am adding to this discussion, is that my 88 year old dearest Grandmother is an EXPERT!! This is, after all her machine (I borrowed it!!) lol
In any case, I am visiting her tommorrow and whilst I am there will get her to fix up whatever it is that I have done backwards to mine/hers
In the process I will document and take photos of just how she does it!!
So if anyone still needs to know – please do not hesitate to ask – I should have the answer for you VERY soon!!! lol
Trace
Dee said
Hi there, I hope you don’t mind if i post here, I also have a pinnock, and am unsure how to thread it – this is the only place i have found that may have the solution! I would love to see the photos of how you thread it.
thanks
dee
dee said
hi came across this site while searching for a manual for a old Pinnock sewing machine what im about to buy on ebay. I have had no luck whatsoever, would anyone be so kind and email me ,where i could find one
Kind regards
Dee
soile said
I have an old Pinnock and a manual, will happily scan and send to anyone who needs anything from it
soileuk@googlemail.com
Soile
thornberry said
Thanks very much Soile!
Magik Quilter said
Hi. Discovered you today when I thought to extend my links to fabric…….duh……
I love your sewing room and have never heard of your Pinnock so I also learnt something new.
I am in the prime of life [52] ha ha and have been married for 24 years. We have a 23 year old son who is a talented writer/computer problemsolver. We live in Randwick in Sydney so you are the closet person I have blogged.
Got to get off now to read your back entries.
jo mc c said
I have a pinnock sewing machine and i need instructions on how to thread the sewing machine and any other basic instructions on how this machine works thankyou
thornberry said
Hi Jo,
I’ll email you some information. My machine is from the late 80s – I hope that the instructions will be relevant! If your machine is older than that, drop an email to Soile (her address is in an earlier comment) who has kindly offered to scan her manual for anyone who needs it!
Lara
martin said
yep i am a male, and i do the sowing, my wife cannot, i have a pinnock trendsetter sapphire and use it with no troubles and i figured out how to thread it, if any one requires pics or help, i am happy to help
Barbara H. Melbourne. said
WOW….I also have a Pinnock Sewmatic machine prolly late 50,s and also need an instruction manual..I am having problems getting the lower tension correct. I would appreciate any help ..Thanks…
Linda, Melbourne said
Hi, I have scanned a page out of my Pinnock Sewmatic instruction book which shows you how to thread it. Hopefully this will cover a few models. If anyone needs a specific page let me know. Regards Linda.
Linda, Melbourne said
cant seem to get the url to show. type the following to your address bar http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y157/bondtype/pinnock.jpg
Justine Langford said
Hi! I’m currently in possession of a Pinnock Trendsetter Standard.. but would like to sell it! I’d like it to go to a good home but have no idea about it’s worth/value etc. From browsing on the internet, they seem to be collectables. Can anyone help? Many thanks, Justine
Niki said
I was trying to find the pattern for the cute crocheted top you made from sew mad’s pattern. went to her site, but she doesn’t post it either. can u let me know
thanks!
Tania said
HI Lara
Email me through my blog to send your postal details – so I can send you the Oriental Bloom Handbag Pattern that you have won – gee you are quick off the mark – I have been looking at your site and you are one busy woman!! –
I would appreciate it if you could add me to your blog list – as I am trying to make a big effort with my blogging – new year resolution thingy! – Well now that I am doing my own patterns I thought I should step it up a gear .
Anyway Congratulation on winning a pattern and I hope you have fun with it
Cheers Tania
Bethany said
I am so, so hopeful you can help me with this…I’m trying to make the fat bottom bag from Happy Hooker and it’s driving me nuts trying to reconcile rows 2&3…I’d say I’m ‘advanced beginner’ at this point, and I’d really like to make this bag. Row 2 is ok, I end up w/ 21 stitches as it says I should…then in row 3, I end up with an extra stitch from row 2 unstitched-in (or something to that effect;-) It says to hhdc in last 7 stitches but there’s 8 left, no many how many times I undo it and try again, I’ve drawn it out too and it just doesn’t work…can you tell me how to fix this? I’ve looked all over on line and you seem to have posted on this bag most recently; I also looked on Debbie Stoller’s website but the corrections on it are what actually appears in my book (I have the newest addition). Thanks so much if you’re able to help me –P.S. I’ve been looking for good crafting blogs and I’m adding yours to my bookmarks -it’s great!
Shannon said
I wanted to write and let you know how very much I enjoy your blog! It is such a bright spot in my day. I have been so inspired by your crochet and sewing projects! I am going to attempt to make the Seashells and Posies Dress you made. It will be for my daughter, Hailey, 11 months. Yours turned out beautiful! I’m also going to attempt the Boteh scarf after seeing how wonderful yours have turned out. I love the Interweave Crochet magazines, but seeing a “real” person make the projects inspires me much more than the magazine. Keep up the great work! – A fan from the USA
Nixie said
Hi everyone,
I am looking for some help with my Grannies Pinnock Sew Princess?! It is my late Australian Grandmothers machine and I think it must be about 40 years old? Maybe older. It is solid green metal and comes in a little wooden base with a carry case. There are no instructions at all and I am really hoping I can start sewing with it. Can anyone help? I am based in Scotland and there does not seem to be any Pinnock’s over here.. any help much appreciated!!
Nicola
sue reeves said
….I have a Pinnock procision built treadmaster machine and also need an instruction manual..I am having what needles to use and do the needle eyes are facing you or to the side plus what needles to use
problems with tention plus i dont know what all switches are for. I would appreciate any help .. anyone have a manual or could helllpppppThanks
Katrina said
Hi,
I was inspired by your version of New Look 6705 and went out and bought it myself! I’m having a little trouble figuring out which size to make. It looks like a loose-fitting design but it wouldn’t suit me if it were too billowy. If you don’t mind me asking (and I hope this isn’t too forward!) what is your bust measurement, and which size did you make? I’m trying to figure out how roomy it is. (Is that what is meant by ‘ease’?) If you don’t want to broadcast that on the web, you can email me instead.
Thanks!
Katrina
Warwick Nichols said
G’day from the land down under. Here are the threading instructions.1 Place spool of thread on spool pin.
2. Pass thread through thread guide (at rear of pressure regulator, shiny cylinder on top lh of machine). 3. Draw thread around and in between tension discs (at rear of tension adjuster knob, lh of machine). 4. Sticking out of the machine lh, immediately above the tension regulating knob is a retaing bar. Pass the thread over that and under the wire take-up spring immediately in front of the aforementioned knob. 5 Now pass the thtread from rear to fron through the eye in the take-up lever ( the thing that oscillates up and down on the lh of the machine while you are sewing) 6. Pass the thread through the two guides just above the needle. 7 Thread the needle from left to right. If the site supervisor can tell me how, I can supply a picture for all to see, I know that desciption may seem complicated. For interest a beaut lady in Britain scanned and sent me a copy of her manual and for several monhs now (computer crash etc) I have been tidying it up. When done, I would be pleased to post it on a site like this one. Incidentally, I’m an electrical engineer (bloke) and I bought my Pinnock at the tip with a broken foot control housing. Tha’s fixed and I love the machine, just lie most people on this site. Bye Warwick
Warwick Nichols said
Sorry about some typos in my last post! Better stick to engineering! Warwick
Warwick Nichols said
Hello again, the threading instructions are for the Trendsetter model. There are many others it turns out, so perhaps the instructions for my machine would be better for some.
Warwick Nichols said
Threading instructions for a machine with the tension adjusting knob facing you while seated.
1. Turn the balance wheel towards you so that the take-up lever (the bit that goes up and down while you’re sewing) is at its highest position.
2. Place a spool of thread on the spool pin on top of the machine.
3. Draw the thread off the spool and through either one or two (depending on machine) guides on top of the machine.
4. Pull the thread down the front of the machine and pass it beneath the thread tensioner assembly (the bit with the knob facing you) from right to left, passing it between the tension discs there.
5. At the left side of the tensioner assembly there’s a tension spring in the shape of a loop. Pull the thread under the loop and continue to pull it gently upwards, while restraining the spool also gently. This will cause the thread to slip into a crotch at the rear upper parts of the tensioner assembly.
6. Now pass the thread from right to left through the eye of the take-up lever.
7. Nearly finished! Draw the thread vertically downwards and through a guide on the face of the machine just above the needle and then through a wire lop immediately above the needle.
8. Now thread the needle from left to right.
Warwick
thornberry said
Thanks so much for all your help Warwick! I’m sure that it will assist many people.
Lara said
I just saw your Boteh scarf on Katittudes and it is beautiful! Also you are one of the few people I am aware of who has the same name as I do!
Suejat said
We have just acquired a Pinnock sewing machine. Complete with original instruction book!! The book says it is a Zig-Zag, but apart from that there is no model identification that we can find. It has been sitting in a garage for sevral years, and the motor doesn’t want to work, but apart from that, the machine itself seems to do all it is supposed to. If anyone has any information, we would love to find out as much as possible about it. ( I am the sewer, but my husband collects sewing machines!) If any one needs any information from the book, I will gladly email them.
Katie Harrison said
Hi! I love your tag blankie, I want to make one and was wondering if you have tried it with mikee fabric? I have a ton of it and want to try this blanket out with it, would it work well? Thanks!
Soile said
A new friend of mine have put all this work into making a pdf for the basic manual for the pinnock and I hope he gets out here soon to make sure everyone who needs any information will easily find that….he put a lot of work into it and it is absolutly brilliant…
Kerrie said
Hi,
Have just purchased an old Pinnock and desperately need a manual to get up and running. If there is anyway you can send me the manual that you talked about back in November last year, that would be sensational.
Excited to get sewing!
Kerrie
RachelMM said
Hi Lara:
Sorry to leave a comment, but I can’t find your email address. My name is Rachel and I have a blog/company called Mamma Made Designs. I really respect your work in the community and I was wondering if you would be interested in testing a sewing kit that I am releasing this coming Spring. You can check it out at this link and let me know if you are interested.
http://www.mammamadedesigns.com/StoreCatalog/tabid/53/CategoryID/78/List/0/Level/a/ProductID/198/Default.aspx
Thanks again and sorry about the comment.
Best-
Rachel
Yvonne said
I am looking to buy a foot pedal and electric plug for a Pinnock sewing machine Model 5300 CFM. I have the machine minus the pedal and electricity lead.
Gayle said
Hi everyone I have just been given my elder sisters old Pinnock machine (she passed away last year) but we haven’t been able to find the instruction manual. The machine was purchased in 1964 and is a Pinnock Trendsetter. Can anyone help as my younger sister has taken up sewing so the machine is going to her. Gayle
Ashley said
Hi I saw your black forest bag I’m interested in any tips you might have to help the bag keep its shape.
Jessica K. said
I hope you don’t mind or think I’m being too forward. I found your blog as I was searching for a tutorial on little girl twirly skirts. I found yours and your tutorial was so easy to read and i was so excited to make a skirt for my girls after reading it. You had mentioned that you didn’t have a .pdf for it so I copy and pasted everything into word and then figured I went through all that trouble so I could print it out for myself that I thought I might as well make it into a .pdf for you to pass out so others can print and use your wonderful tutorial! Let me know if you would like to see it. I love to do things like this and I know I am a geek for it.
Now off to go sew some skirts!
suki said
Hi, I came here via Sooz and really enjoying seeing your crochet and fabric projects. I particularly love seeing your crochet as that’s my current addiction.
In Sooz’s blog she posted pics of a crafting/wardrobe refashion event that she organized and I stopped dead when I saw a picture of someone (you) wearing a gorgeous green (crochet?) shrug. I wondered if you would mind telling me where you got the pattern? (I assume that you made it.)
Thanks for any help….and once again I really enjoy seeing your projects here!
suki
Ceara Doyle said
i would realy love some help with getting my mother in laws pinnock sewgem working again, we have no clue how to work it
ukskydiver said
I found this blog whilst trying to find info on an old Pinnock sewing machine that I have. The machine is my Mom’s but she doesn’t use it, so I’m planning to.
I already have a Pinnock manual (thanks Soile!) but it is for a different model to that which I have.
It’s a big heavy, metal Pinnock one from the 1960s and it’s about 40+ years old. I first thought that it was a British make, but it turns out it is probably Australian.
I have a load of photos (below) and would really appreciate it if someone could identify the model type and / or suggest where I might get a manual for it
Thanks in advance, Phil
http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt80/ukskydiver/Pinnock/front.jpg
http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt80/ukskydiver/Pinnock/bottom.jpg
http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt80/ukskydiver/Pinnock/back.jpg
http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt80/ukskydiver/Pinnock/serialnumber.jpg
http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt80/ukskydiver/Pinnock/motor.jpg
http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt80/ukskydiver/Pinnock/h-10.jpg
Tanya said
Hi, I’m looking for a manual for a Pinnock Standard Mark II. If any one can help I would love to hear from you. Thanks Tanya.