It's Raining Men

The Weather Girls song about the availability of men always makes me laugh but it's true that I do sell a lot of sewing machines to men and this past weekend was proof. I had a nice call on Wednesday from Greg who wanted to take a look at my Singer 306W in the art deco desk and I couldn't have been happier. We were going to get it in from the garage anyway and this just hastened the day. Our neighbor Steve came over to help me and we got it all set up in the living room, right inside the door so it would be so easy to take out to his car.

Art Deco Cabinet with Singer 306W

Then an email from Ken came a few days later and we wanted to see the Dressmaker sewing machine in the refinished cabinet and I could hardly believe it. Two cabinets in one weekend? I started to count down how many cabinets we would have left in the house and I was so hopeful.

Sunday afternoon Greg came over and he sure did like the cabinet but wasn't so sure about the Singer 306W. His wife already has a Singer 401A and what he really wanted was the Dressmaker sitting right next to the Singer but it was promised to Ken.

Dressmaker

Singer 306W

 Once he explained what he was trying to do and the other sewing machines he owned, including his wife's and daughter's, all he really wanted was a good solid straight stitch and a zigzag for bar tacking. I started to bring machines up from the basement but finally had to give in and invite Greg down into the warehouse. At his quiet gasp I wasn't sure if it was admiration or horrified shock at how many sewing machines I really did have. We looked at about five or six, listening to each and then I spied the Necchi BU, a real nice sewing machine but in need of a cabinet... Greg loved it, had plans to maybe replace the motor and  rewire the set-up that was in the art deco cabinet, and couldn't wait to get it out the door. I think he was afraid I would change my mind but I was happy to match the right machine to the right person for the job they were trying to do.

Necchi BU

Ken came about an hour later after I managed to tidy up the showroom and basement. He watched me sew on the Dressmaker and tried it out for himself but wasn't totally sure this was the model he wanted. You guessed it, I took him into the basement where he also gasped quietly (Minnesotans are polite but not shock proof) and I showed him a Singer 15-91 and a 201. Both had wonderful potted motors, sewed great, had the piercing power he was looking for, but neither was exactly ready for sale. He asked the million dollar question "Which one would you buy?" but that's silly because I had already bought both of them. But for him I recommended the Singer 201. It really is an excellent sewing machine and he didn't care that the bed of the sewing machine was pretty well worn didn't have all of the decals anymore. It needed a new needle plate and slide so I wasn't ready to sell it just yet but Ken said he could wait. I quoted a fair price, considering condition and value, so we were both happy.

Singer 201

Did I clear my living room of those three cabinets? No, that was just a dream because I still have three having only made room for the art deco cabinet for the weekend. I could have sold the Dressmaker to Greg had I known Ken wasn't going to buy it but I would still have had the cabinet. Now I have a Singer 306 without a cabinet and the Dressmaker is still waiting to be sold along with the White 31 Embossed that is getting a new hand wheel. Then there is the Elgin that I so dearly love but need to sell. The next day what do I find at my local Good Will? That's right, another cabinet but this time it has an Elna Plana Supermatic. It just had to come home with me in it's blond wood cabinet that's in good shape.So I might sell almost as many sewing machines to men as to women and it might seem like it's raining men, but it's definitely raining cabinets.