Comments on: Sunday Stash, no. 6

By: leannich

leannich — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 11:42:17 +0000

@Erin: Your machine sounds brilliant. Mine is very solid, but it doesn’t have a huge range. And actually, it has recurrent feed and tension problems that will eventually get it retired. But only when I can afford a srsly decent replacement.

By: Erin

Erin — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 12:41:31 +0000

I have a Singer from 1962. It’s an exact replica of my grandmother’s sewing machine, cabinet and all, can do over 100 stitches and maybe even wash the car and make dinner, and it is the best sewing machine that I have ever used. We also have one from the same era that only does straight stitches which my husband has adopted. I don’t think I’ll ever feel the need for a new machine as granma’s machine is what I learned on and the Cadilac machine of the 1960′s. And the manual is wonderful – a lovely woman in a pink dress domestically stitching away.

Love your new old machine.

By: leannich

leannich — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 20:18:39 +0000

The manuals are marvellous, aren’t they? The language is so lovely. It’s like being in the middle of Diary of a Provincial Lady, or similar.

I must look up the serial number. I’ve no idea how old my machine is, only that my great-aunts used it for some decades. I plan to buy a new one some day, because there are things I want to do that this one can’t. But I don’t think I’ll be getting rid of it.

By: Caro

Caro — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:46:01 +0000

They look in great condition. I also have a box of similar feet (foots? feet?) from old machines. Recently, when I realised I would have to drive hours to find someone to fix my sewing machines, I decided to fix them myself – which was immensely fantastic and easy with all the amazing instructions from the manuals. (as long as you can read the tiny print)
I also decided to go through the feet and work out how to use each one. That idea fell by the wayside after about four of them, but I still learned a lot!
If you look up the serial number on your machine and go to the Singer website, you can find out what year and month your machine was made in, and what factory – probably the same as all of mine – in Scotland. How fantastic is that! I could rant for a long time about how brilliant Singer machines are! They are meant to be looked after and maintained and fixed, and last forever. (A strange idea in our times now…)
My mother recently found one in a charity shop, which she thinks is the same model as her mother’s one, and bought it for me. It was made in 1909, and had seen neglect and rust and rot. It needed cleaning up and oiling, and the mahogany box it was in needed fixing, but apart from that, a new needle and its perfect. Even the instruction manual had been kept.
I’m totally ranting here…so I’ll force myself to stop now.
Just glad to have found someone else who thinks a box of machine feet is a fabulous thing!