More Than One

As we continue to stay at home in Minnesota and I've sold out most of my basic sewing machines, I've been able to move things around in my sewing area. How nice to have most of the machines out of the family room and into the sewing room! In the process, I found some Singer 503's, 403's, and even a surprise 401. I had been ignoring the Singer 503 because I was sure it had problems but now I take a look:

Singer 503 with former repair note?

Nothing wrong and it even comes with a full set of accessories. This model doesn't have a built in zigzag stitch so you need cam 0, that's zero, to have a basic zigzag. My model had this cam and was ready to sell but then I found another 503 but no zero cam. The Singer 403 is similar, in that it also needs a cam for zigzag so I pull it off the back shelf to find it also has the cam and a full set of accessories. Checking all of my cams and then checking machines it appears I'm short one zero cam. In need of  the popup spool pins for the 503, I place an order but not for the cam because I'm not giving up yet.

Singer 503 top open: new spool pins!

A few more days go by and I take another look at the 403 and 503 but what do I find? The Singer 403 is a 401. What? They are very different machines and I know the difference: the 401 has a camstack so there's a whole host of built in stitches plus cams. The 403 has no built in stitches, just straight, so you need cams for any decorative work or even a blind hem. But there is sits, a 401 and looking into the top door I find the beloved zero cam that it does not need since it has built-in zigzag stitches. Now my 503 is ready for a new home and I have a 401 ready, too.

April is a big birthday month around here with four grandchildren having birthdays (10, 8, 5, and 1) as well as my husband. This has posed challenges but for the youngest she got a couple summer outfits made by her grandma:

Summer top with leggings, size 1

Playset with shorts or crop pants, size 1/2

They were so much fun and took me back to when I made something similar for her mom. Which sewing machine did I use? My Viking Designer 1 performed just fine but I'm becoming a bit disillusioned by it from time to time. I made up some new placemats for the small table we use for most summer meals out on the porch. Using only two pieces of fabric with a heavy interfacing, the top stitching looks really poor. Looking around the room and trying to decide which machine I should try next, there sat the Singer 31-15, an industrial model I have sitting in the table with a servo motor for the Bernina 318. I thread it up with some form of heavier top stitching thread and it comes out just fine.

Placmats with pocket for flatware

Placemats with heavy interfacing

This is another reason why you need more than one sewing machine! Next up: quilting more UFO's and free motion success!