Resolved

As my space for sewing machines, their repair, equipment, and storage of all of this does not grow any larger, I keep resolving not to buy any more machines. Notice I say resolve and I have not been very good at keeping this firm determination. Although I continue to sell many sewing machines and do reject any number I see advertised and in shops, there are some that I have not been able to refuse. My last post, Blizzard!, reported about the Singer 31-15 industrial machine, table, and motor that I brought home. It took a whole week before I could figure out a way to get it out of my vehicle without hurting myself or calling in the muscle. With the head already out and in the house just the heavy clutch motor was holding it all down so I crawled into the back of the Jeep and started unscrewing. There were six screws and a belt holding it in place and then some electrical connections. With my husband's help we got the electrical wires disengaged but still usable. Now to order a new servo motor: there are so many kinds/brands/features that I'm overwhelmed but I'll figure this out, too. Ratings are all over the place but I have to consider who I would be selling this to. It's not for true industrial work but for the hobbyist who needs something with more piercing power and strength.

Back of industrial Singer 31-15 sewing machine table with motor and head removed

Now that we are assured winter is over and spring might actually have a chance, I can get back to having sewing machines and their tables in the garage. We actually got both industrial tables set up at the back of the garage along with a Wheeler and Wilson #9 treadle.

Singer 78 and 31-15 at the back of the garage

Then I have 2 compact cabinets along the side next to the wall of the house. Along with lawn mowers and the usual garage stuff, we still managed to get both cars in the garage! That is until we bought a snow blower: after winter is over and no more snow is predicted, we get our first snow blower. It came via friends who are moving to San Diego and clearly had no need of one so we agreed upon a fair price and picked it up last night. That sounded easy, didn't it? As it turns out, it was way too big and heavy at 250 pounds for my Jeep and my back so we recruited my son-in-law who has a pickup and muscles for the job. He brought a friend along and they made it look easy but I'm sure it was not. In return we filled up his tank and vacuumed out the cab, the least we could do for him.

Craftsman 28" snow thrower

The seller told us there was no electric starter on it and proceeded to show us how it worked without it; we were disappointed but it was not a deal breaker. The next day a neighbor came over and he and my husband worked on it and he said the electric start was right there on the side. Sure enough, it works like a charm. What a deal! Sometimes blessings come in ways we never expected.

We just found out we have a granddaughter who not only enjoyed her sewing lesson a few weeks ago, she really wants a sewing machine for her birthday. I suggested she get one at the beginning of the summer so she has all those hours to fill with learning how to use a sewing machine and to sew. We have agreed upon an Elna 1500 that should be a good place to start:

Elna 1500

That's how blessings work, isn't it, when someone can sell me a snow blower at a ridiculous price and I can give away a sewing machine to a younger learner. That always feels so good!