Going International

Although I write about vintage sewing machines and all kinds of sewing topics in this blog, I have a business of buying, refurbishing, and selling these sewing machines, too. The average sales are about one per week over the course of the year, possibly on the uptick this year, but it's all done locally. Until now.

In a prior post about a cool cabinet I refinished the top on and supplied it with a different sewing machine, I showed the original sewing machine, a Domestic 725:

Domestic 725

It's rather cool looking, a bit like art deco, no?

1939 home called Monte Vista in San Antonio

Imagine my surprise when I got an email from John who also admired this sewing machine and said he more than admired it, he wanted to buy it. I have yet to ship any sewing machine although I've received a few in shipments so I know how it's done. Here's the kicker: John lives in Scotland. I not only get to ship my first sewing machine out but it's international to boot!

Many emails go back and forth while try to figure out how to do this as painlessly as possible. Fortunately, USPS has you do all of it online, only having to get the correct weight from the post office which I can easily do from the post office at work. John will pay, I will ship, all will be happy but not yet. Here's how the packing up goes:

• Wrap accessories up in bubble wrap, tape package together (was in two parts).
• Wrap knee controller and power cord in bubble wrap, tape package together.
• Wrap entire upper arm and bed of the machine in bubble wrap, nesting accessory packages on the bed and filling in space with bubble wrap. 
• Pack bubble wrap into base, continuing to wrap and tape.
• Wrap sharp corners with firm Styrofoam packing material and overwrap and tape.
• Wrap more bubble wrap around entire head, taping firmly.

Sewing machine head wrapped with controller in front

• Place in box and fit more bubble wrap into sides and bottom. Add wrapped controller/cord and paper manual. Include address of sender and destination on piece of paper.
• Tape box shut and firmly tape.

Box 1

• Place box inside of a larger box.
•  Place firm foam rubber around sides, filling in any space with firm fiberfill.

Box 1 with foam padding inside Box 2

• Tape box securely.

Now it's finally ready to get weighed but it is still under 30 pounds on our home scale. Whew! It's ready to set sail going to a country I've never been to. Sail away, Domestic 725: John awaits your arrival!

Compact Style

I like efficiency. One tool that can do many jobs, well organized closets, a place for everything and everything in its place kind of thinking. That's part of why I love the compact sewing machine cabinets where you can have a dedicated space for sewing, along with your tools, and it doesn't take up too much space, as you have read in my post about the Phoenix and its cool cabinet. I was surprised when another cabinet with a built in chair came up on Goodwill Online. Because it was a cabinet model it was pick up only so there were only three of us bidding and I won! Here's the cabinet when it's all closed up:

What secrets are hiding within?

The top was pretty well worn but if it would be as easy as the Phoenix to strip, stain, and seal, I'm in! So let's take a look at what this cabinet has to offer:

Two nice drawers for storage

Front pulls out: it's a chair!

All ready to sew.

Don't you agree that is not only efficient but cute? Overall condition is good but I still plan on refinishing the cabinet so it's the best it can be. Those knobs are solid brass, too, and cleaned right up. All of that on the positive side of the scale, now let's look at the sewing machine, a Domestic 725:

Domestic 725

What a cool art deco look with a textured finish so there are no decals to wear down and with a few chrome accents she is complete. The cords and wiring look good with only one spot that I put electrical tape on. Everything moved so I went in to clean and oil. The two ends came off but not the top yet I could reach almost everything, flipping it over the tend to it's underside. It had been used but not too much and certainly not mistreated. There is a built in knee control, something that makes more sense with it's compact size: where would you put a foot control so it could be used at the correct distance? I test drive the Domestic to find...it feels like a tank. I can get her up to speed but even at full throttle and going very fast she just sounds...inelegant? After the initial disappointment wears off I thread it up and test with fabric to find it stitches just fine, no real adjustments are necessary so why am I disappointed? It just is a run-of-the-mill straight stitcher with a deep growl.

Maybe another sewing machine would fit into this rectangular opening. I test out a Kenmore and it fits fine but then I notice the knee control and the whole wiring harness that would need to be switched out. Somehow that just seems like way more work than is necessary. The cool cabinet has a not-as-cool sewing machine in it, everything works fine, I didn't overpay for it so JUST GET OVER IT! I tell myself. I think this is going to be a project I need to finish up very soon or it's going to languish. Sigh.

I'm sorry I've been a bit lax with posting recently but my computer has a virus and after hours and hours of antivirus medication it is still sick. Then I got sick (could I have caught something online, too?) and still have a stiff neck, the result of falling into a dead sleep in a recliner. This too shall pass but thanks for continuing to check in with Sewing Machine Mavin and reading about my adventures in buying, refurbishing, and selling sewing machine (and the things I make with them, too.)

Manly Sewing Machines

Men have been buying my sewing machines. In fact, one was so popular I had 4 offers, all from men. What gives? Men have sewing repairs, too, and some have said they wanted to sew canvas, denim, and other heavy fabric, but it seems they are looking for a sewing machine that looks masculine or appeals to them.

Here are some that I've sold to men (apparently for themselves they have said):

This is Mr. Popular: looks like a great old car, huh?

Kenmore 1217 was one of the heaviest machines I've had.

Kenmore 1302, another heavyweight, was sold only 2 days ago.

Signature was sold to a man who brought his 10 year old son along. Bonding time?

Not all sewing machines are sold because they are heavyweights as some men have told me they were looking for a specific sewing machine. Take the man who was a nurse and was told by his sister that if he wanted a sewing machine he needed an Elna or a Bernina. I had a classic Elna SU on sale for quite a while so was surprised to get an urgent phone call asking if it was still available. You bet:

This Elna was in excellent condition, only one owner, came complete with full set of accessories and cams. It would rise up to use as a free-arm with the push of a button. Beautiful. His sister was right: buy the best.

During my sewing machine garage sale I had a gentleman drooling over a Domestic Gold, going out to his car to convince his wife he needed this sewing machine:

He loved the way it sounded (I did, too) and told me stories about his mother's Necchi. If it had only been a Necchi he would have bought it without his wife's consent. Alas, this one did sell 4 months later to a quilter as a portable with a cabinet to take up to the cabin. That's right, a portable and a table.

And finally I'm posting this Kenmore 158-122 for sale today. Wanna bet I sell it to a man?

The Herd

It seems I have fallen into a hole, just like Alice in Wonderland, and I'm wondering if I should seek a way out or just enjoy the stay. I have collected 4 treadle sewing machines and it looks like I will go get another later this week. Five treadles? Five cabinets? All but one are really hefty and take up quite a bit of room but, once again, hubby is more than tolerant as he encourages me and helps in sizing and installing the treadle belts.

It all started when I contacted a seller about a gold colored sewing machine. It was beautiful and sewed like a dream. Everyone loved it and I sold it in December-January as a portable plus a cabinet. A quilter wanted to take it back and forth from home to cabin in the off season but needed a cabinet for when they were going to stay up north. She got a good deal and a beautiful machine:

While I was asking about the gold machine the seller mentioned in a text that she also had a treadle. I said sure, a package deal, and I took them both home. A very nice Singer 66 Red Eye that only needed to have the belt shortened has graced the spot next to the front door, a bit crowded but still can fit. How much fun we had when three of the oldest grandchildren, aged 4-6, learned to sew simple bags either feeding the fabric while I treadled or doing the treadling while I watched the needle. Look, Grandma, I'm sewing!

Next a free treadle came my way with a Minnesota A sewing machine in a very ornate cabinet in excellent shape. How can you say no to free? Then I saw the head and it was in terrible cosmetic condition.

As a vibrating shuttle it worked great so I hated to delegate it to the junkyard but it was pretty pathetic. The search was on for another Minnesota A but, to be honest, they are all so old or maybe poorly painted or used, that almost all of the A's were in the same shape.

Of course, I found one! Not a Minnesota A but an S in a parlor cabinet. More research! It seems the Minnesota's, possibly they are Davis clones, have mounting holes/pins that are a different size from the Singers so only a Minnesota would fit in a Minnesota cabinet. Now I had 2 cabinets that I could only use very specific models. The A for traded for the S and one ornate cabinet has a beautiful S, all functioning and living across the room from the first treadle.

Parlor cabinet? The ugly old A went into it and it sits in the kitchen hallway waiting for a good condition A. In case you are wondering what a parlor cabinet looks like, it's all folded up in the picture on the left and open on the right with the treadle inside. My guess is this made a nice piece of furniture without seeing any of the mechanism. My cat, Meg, is wondering what's in there. No mice.

Found a good condition Minnesota A but refuse to pay over $100 so will have to be patient. While I'm being patient, another treadle falls into my lap from an estate sale, only $20 but a good head, a Singer 27 with Tiffany decals. Cabinet is pretty well trashed so think I'm going to do a bit of a switch around.

Just heard back from the person with the 5th treadle and she said her mother-in-law wanted it so it was off the market. I will have to keep waiting and searching for a new cabinet for the Singer 27. Love those Tiffany decals!