Sale Down

Post Sewing Machine Garage Sale, I'm hoping you would like to hear how everything went: number of machines on display, number sold, all those fun stories people told while looking at these wonderful marvels of engineering. I have stories, I have pre and post photos, but the statistics are not impressive. But I'm jumping to the ending and that's not fair.

As you can imagine, it took a week of set-up with both cars out of the garage, finishing up the cabinets that were in line for a final coat of polyurethane, installing sewing machine heads in empty cabinets and arranging electrical supply to strategic areas. Basically, there were straight stitch models in tables/cabinets on the perimeter, zig zag models one row in on the left, two large tables in the center with portables that were more modern, a tall table in front with five sergers, and a treadle with a Singer 306 sitting right outside of the garage to attract attention.

So many sewing machines, so little time!

Rocketeer in front with table of portable behind

There were two Martha Washington tables that sat outside of the left and my husband has a card table with his vintage and hand made jewelry on the right under the roof overhang. There were 19 cabinets and about the same number of portables on display and plugged in (or an outlet nearby) but as it turned out people came and asked to see other models and I brought another 4-6 out and I sold three of them! One person made an appointment and came the day before the sale and bought a Singer 223 in a cabinet but I included that in my numbers, too. She moved from Ohio and wanted a basic machine for mending and "whatever" so she already knew how to sew but just was out of practice. I loved that she wanted one with a cabinet and that it was gone before the sale began so I had more space.

Sally was a great help on Saturday during the middle hours and asked about what kind of machine each person was looking for while I helped others. A dear woman spend an hour and a half (by her count, not mine) trying to decide and ended up buying two machines: instead of the Pfaff 130, for the same price she got a Singer 15-91 (in less than best cosmetic shape) and a Kenmore 158-18021 with the "tower of power" accessory set. She was very happy as Sally and I were also. There was disappointment, too, when someone said she would return with her husband to buy the Elgin Rotary in a cabinet only to never come back. Sigh. She has my business card...

Table of sergers with treadle in front

Aqua New Home is now in a mid-century modern cabinet

Sara, my Elk River friend, is still trying to figure out how she can get a free arm Kenmore into a cabinet with storage space so we have post-sale been trying to find one for her. A Kenmore free arm would be a really nice addition to her sewing machine collection!

At the end of the two day sale there were only five sold (cash in hand) but another one needed a tad more work so they are returning by appointment on Wednesday night. There was also an appointment request for the Singer 221, the Featherweight, but no confirming call. Another sigh. BUT! While I had everything all set up I could take photos and work to get them posted on Craigslist and that's my job this week. Craft fairs are beckoning me to get sewing so I'm ready and I still need to get the cabinets sold before the snow flies...so little time, so many machines, but I continue to have hope for those who are looking for winter projects. Quilting anyone?