The Two Steves

I have a cute little aqua Sewmor for sale right now that has gotten some nice attention but, so far, no sale. I get these texts and emails "Is it still available?" and, of course, it is, because I'm usually deleting an ad as the buyer is backing down the driveway. Then I get an email from Steve who, surprise-surprise, wants to use it for heavy vinyl. I write back suggesting he bring what he intends to sew with him to try it out and he agrees it's a good idea. We go back and forth for ten messages trying to get a visit set up...and he drops out of the conversation. Poor little Sewmor is still waiting to find its forever home:

Sewmor

 At the same time I get a series of questions from a different Steve about a Singer 201. Now, I like an informed buyer because they know what to look for and what they want. Besides, I'm not trying to pull a fast one by trying to dump a poor machine off on anyone. Alright, there are a few sewing machines that I'm glad to see walk out the door but I have warned many buyers that what they are purchasing is not a great machine but it can do the job and a great machine is going to cost about four times as much. You get what you pay for!

Steve's conversation goes like this:
I’ll take it. Has the grease been changed and new brushes installed in the motor? 
Are the wicks new or original 50 years old in the machine?

What type of motor is on the machine?

And drive mechanism?

I answer each question truthfully but start to think this guy knows as much as I do and his questions are pretty specific. Not bad questions but if you need to know all of this about a 60 year old machine, you probably have another agenda in mind. Then I get this response:

 

Good Answer…. Now wires to field coil tend to get brittle, crack and need replacement have you done so?

And now I get a little steamed up, thinking he is questioning my ability to restore a sewing machine but go to bed and try to figure out how to answer this one. The next morning I write back that since he knows quite a bit about motors maybe he should buy the Singer 15-91 that's being offered in the area for only $30 and he could take it apart and get it all cleaned up with the satisfaction in having done the job himself. 

His final reply: 

OK I will no offense your machine is at a good price most listed on Craigslist need work you are the exception.

Nice to converse with someone that actually knows there stuff.

And with that goodbye I can see that he has wasted my time with many questions and no intent to buy this Singer 201:

Singer 201

She is also waiting for her forever home. But that's okay because a great sewing machine like this one will find a home and it's worth waiting for.

I'm really into my big clean-up, trying to sell down my sewing machines so I can actually work in my sewing room. One machine at a time, they are leaving the house and I'm trying very, very hard not to buy any more but this is quite difficult to do. Discipline. Patience (with myself when I backslide). Vision: I have a vision of a cleaner room and that drives me much of the time. Cleaner room equals new carpet! I have a vision alright!

Next up will be a conversation about a Pfaff that finally came home ... but that's another post. Stay tuned!
 

 

Playing Catch-Up

It has been a wild winter that didn't seem to exist for me because all of a sudden we are into spring. This should be much cause for rejoicing but I find myself lethargic and in the need of motivation. This blog is a source of motivation: what will I write about next? Nothing to write about? Make something happen! But I have just come home from another week away, this time at a conference for my real job, and coupled with my extended stay in Florida to care for my mom, there has been precious little time for my sewing machine adventures. Besides, my biggest fan, my mom, is no longer here to cheer me on and I realize that has taken a bit of the shine from my writing endeavors. But you are my fans and I thank you for all your kind words and encouragement to keep going, even when it feels like some of the light has gone out.

Even while I'm gone, sewing machines are being sold: Loretta came last night to get the second Elna 1010 for a sewing class that is offered for a special education class she works with. There are two sewing machines and one is used just to learn to stitch straight on paper. Their second sewing machine was used to actually make a bag but it was unreliable so she came for the Elna 1010, a great sewing machine for this purpose.

Elna 1010

There are a couple appointments over the weekend to take a look at the beginner sewing machines (yes, you have to come to my house to actually try them out, not just exchange machine and money in a parking lot) and a Singer 201-2 that has already been paid for but needs to be picked up. Checking my Craigslist ads I see I only have two active ads so I better get going and list some more before spring is really upon us and no one wants to stay indoors and sew. I can't blame them.

Next up will be Joyce's sewing machine, a nice Kenmore 158-12121. It's a very basic but sturdy sewing machine but does tend to look pretty plain:

Kenmore 158-1212

and then there's sewing machines from long ago that have been overlooked, such as an Elna Super:

Elna SU (she's super)

and a Damascus Electric that has a very prolonged set of repairs (over two years?):

Damascus Electric

and Elgin Rotary in a table:

Elgin Rotary

a blue Sewmor that is way heavier than she should be (but what a gal!):

Sewmor

and that weird Western Electric that I don't like personally:

Western Electric

and one I really like, a Brother 4001 that can be used without a knee or foot control:

Brother 4001

And, finally, a classic Singer 15-91 in an excellent table:

Singer 15-91

I have photos for most of them, just need to spend the time writing up all of the particulars. Just going over my database and looking for sewing machines to post has been motivating for me. So I thank you, my readers, for getting me out of my doldrums and back on the saddle again, so-to-speak. Time's a wasting!

Loving and Being In Love

Facebook friends post interesting sites others might be interested in and one that really caught my eye was The Difference Between Loving Someone and Being in Love. A summary of the article is recognizing that there are many things we love and can appreciate, want to have, spend time with and doing things together, but to be in love is when you want to give back to that relationship, seeking ways to please. Ahhhh. That's it, isn't it? So naturally, I started to think about my sewing machines and tried to decide if I love them or am I in love with them?

This sounds a bit silly, but anytime something takes up as much of my time as sewing and sewing machines, you need to give it some thinking time to decide if this really is a hobby, business, obsession, or a love/hate relationship. It's all of the above! What started as a hobby that gave me a creative outlet, became a way to save money on clothing along the way. From time to time my services were paid for as I replaced zippers, hemmed dresses for women without sewing machines, and once even made four bridesmaid dresses in floral taffeta. And decades later I "upgraded" my Kenmore with a Viking and this whole adventure began. I'm not sure I would have continued without my husbands encouragement and support (even though he sometimes complains about "too many I can't even walk through here") as he listens and drives me to far off places in search of an unusual sewing machine. Make no mistake: it is key that you know you are going in the right direction or you can find yourself in financial peril or emotionally spent. I know I could have done this when I was single but I'm having so much more fun sharing it with someone who appreciates what I do.

From time to time I prove that my skills are useful as I alter wedding dresses, make pirate costumes, repair hunting garments, and make mother-in-law's happy with a new outfit for a wedding. This is my way to give back and make my husband happy that he has a wife that is more than a little bit obsessed with sewing and sewing machines.

What are we doing on Valentine's Day? I have two visitors who want to talk about sewing machines, he has a speech to practice for a class so is getting together with a classmate to rehearse.  I'm planning a meal with the venison from the 2014 hunt and we might watch an episode of "Call the Midwife." Nope, not too romantic by the world's eyes but through my eyes, I see the man I not only love, but am in love with. I hope you have known this kind of love, too.

Brother Select-o-Matic

Happy Valentine's Day!

Singer 401A

Elgin Rotary

Kenmore 16

Kenmore 1030, 1050, 1060

I'll leave you with a few photos of some of my most beautiful sewing machines (that were easy to love)

Sewmor 606

Pfaff 1222

Singer 99 handcrank conversion

Whirlwind

Wow, what a weekend and it's not over yet! My last post about the value of vintage sewing machines was a bit snarky but I was feeling the sting of rejection when someone took a fair amount of my time and then decided to buy a plastic sewing machine from one of the big box stores. My heart was sore. But this is real life and we have to move on and just like real life there is always an interesting twist to make me stop and wonder. Just when I was ready to throw in the towel (okay, maybe not yet), I get a text from a very nice dad who wanted to buy each of his daughters, ages 9 and 17, their own beginners sewing machine. The whole family came over Friday night and played around on 3-4 sewing machines, deciding on the best and the worst ones:

Pfaff Hobby 301

Baby Lock Quilt & Craft

The Pfaff was a very basic sewing machine but had a great feel and we found out a very nice stitch. The Baby Lock, not so much, but it was so cute and portable it seemed to win their hearts. Since they were all the same price, only $40 each, I didn't care which ones they chose so I pointed out the strengths and weaknesses of all. I like the final comment: mom and dad are buying and owning them and they will let both girls sew on either one. I think they knew their daughters well.

Saturday was full of sewing projects and sewing machines with a pick up of a Singer 99 in one of the tan box-type of carriers. It included a buttonholer and bobbins but the bottom of the case was missing its wood! Still a very nice purchase that I can easily convert to a handcrank or not.

Next up was the delivery of the green Sewmor that included a set of accessories that I wrote about in a previous post along with a Singer buttonholer. It's always fun to meet someone you have held many online conversations with and I usually don't deliver so I don't get invited into their home. I loved the music that was playing from the '60's and it sure seemed to fit the Sewmor:

Sewmor 606 in her happy new home

From there I met another woman at my daughter's home where she delivered a Pfaff 262 that had been in her garage for many years and was missing the foot control:

Pfaff 262 right out of my car

When I took a good look at it, after our long conversation about where the foot control might plug in, I found the plug only had one cord going in (to go to the outlet in the wall) and there was an empty hole where the foot control would be wired in. Easy peasy! Just find a foot control and wire it in.

Note plug on back with opening for another wire

My daughter and I spend our time at SR Harris in their new location south of the Twin Cities and found fabric and lace insets for me to make aprons (a future blog post?). I took full advantage of her expertise in designers and what's popular in her age bracket!

Next up, I went further north and picked up a real curiosity, a Singer 75-1 that is supposed to be an overedger. I think I will have to discover what that might be. Here she is, a bit neglected but moving:

Singer 75-1 front

Singer 75-1 back

Yes, that's a whole lot of rust on the bed but I have hope for a full recovery. I think it's only missing the front plate on the left side and it's possible that it was treadled but I have many hours to spend with her before I unlock those secrets.

After that stop I had to go back to a fabric store to find a very specific print of Oreo cookies for a special order but after an hour and a half I had to admit defeat and go home. Wow, that was some day. But now I get to explore each one of those sewing machines, cut out all those wonderful aprons, and sew to my hearts delight. All is right with the world, even if people continue to buy plastic sewing machines. I know the joy, and now so do three other women, of sewing with a vintage sewing machine. Bliss.

Attachment

When it comes to straight stitch sewing machines, they only do one thing: make a straight stitch. Once you find one that makes the best straight stitch, feels good, sounds like music, you have found your dream machine. But it only does one stitch. Seventy years ago that probably was about all there was but sellers of sewing machines got clever and knew if they could show you anything extra it might make a sale. Enter attachments! These are little additions, usually to the presser foot area, to make sewing versatile or easier. Most of us in the vintage sewing world have come upon the Singer puzzle boxes that contain a huge set of attachments but then there are smaller sets that get passed along with sewing machines. Here's a Greist set that is pretty typical:

Greist attachment set with manual

I was selling a couple Sewmor sewing machines and had a set of Greist attachments with one of them but a young mother got in touch with me and wanted the other Sewmor:

Sewmor 606 in green

but like the attachment set. Would I swap attachments? Better yet, I found another set, as well as a buttonholer, so she would be all ready to sew. We were both excited about this prospect but then I got to thinking "Maybe they don't all work? What if she asks me questions?" I got out her set and sewing machine (to be picked up next weekend) and gave it a test run:

Cloth Guide

The original set had a manual but I sent her a pdf of the manual. Here are the attachments in the order they are explained in the handy guide. The cloth guide is to screw into the bed of the machine and adjusted to the width you need. This is especially nice when you seam is beyond the markings in the needle plate or if you have an unmarked plate.

Attachment foot

There are several parts that need to attached to another foot, hence the attachment foot. There is a bit of a spring loaded screw to place it under and then tighten. Pretty clever, I think.

Zipper foot

Cording foot

The adjustable zipper and cording foot is just one foot that can be moved left or right to get very close to the teeth of the zipper or cording to make piping. I almost always make sure I have a zipper foot with each sewing machine I sell because it's so essential but here it comes with the Greist set. They work wonderfully and I wouldn't be without one.

Gathering foot

This little wonder, the gathering foot, is only a simple foot with a small hole so how does it gather? Instructions are given for adjusting stitch length and tension and it works! This was so easy and effective I wondered how I could have missed something as simple as a gathering foot.

The Quilter

This handy arm, called the quilter, attaches under the screw with the gathering foot and can be adjusted for any width you like. I've used these with walking foot attachments and they are quite handy to keep your lines even and straight. Humm, I should use one more.

Narrow hemmer

I cannot say I had great success with the narrow hemmer foot. It was difficult to start and the end result wasn't great. It would take a lot of practice to do something that can be done better with a serger. Not a fan of the narrow hemmer.

1/4 inch hemmer

No, that's not the same photo, but the quarter inch hemmer worked much better. You still have to work to get it started but with just a little practice it does a good job. This set also had a 5/8 inch hemmer that was great, less fussing with a nice finished edge.

Edgestitcher

The edgestitcher, another attachment that I thought was a bit strange but it did stitch 2 items right up to the edge, as promised. It worked but I'm not sure about how I would use this one. Not too much fussing even though it looks kinda weird.

Multiple slotted binder

The multiple slotted binder is a nice way to make bias trim but there are limits to the width and why would you make bias tape and sew it to itself? Most of the time I'm applying it to another piece, not sewing it shut. Great tool but a bit limiting in my opinion.

The Ruffler

Saving the best for last, the ruffler was so much fun! There are a few settings and I didn't figure out how to make pleats with it, but the ruffler was quite a success. Easy, variable, used with a lightweight lining for added difficulty, but it gathered up the fabric to make wonderful ruffles.

Now you have seen the whole set of Greist attachments and how I used them with a straight stitch sewing machine, the Sewmor 606. As you have read, some I liked, some were difficult to use, but all had a purpose and could be useful to someone. I'm glad I took the time to use each one and I used this blog post as an excuse to get it done but it really was fun to see how a straight stitch sewing machine could apply that perfect stitch in a new-to-me way.

Will You Sew-More?

I was intrigued by the name on a couple of my sewing machines: Sewmor. Could that possibly be true? If you bought this sewing machine would you actually sew more with it? Would there be more hours in your day you could fill with sewing? Could it make meal preparation easier, clean-up quicker, so then you could sew more? Would these sewing machines make straighter seams or better buttonholes? This must have been the wish of women in the 50's as it is today because they did actually sell these sewing machines under that name. Not much history on them but it appears they were made in Japan post WWII.  Here are my two Sewmor's:

Sewmor 606

The colors are quite intense! Note where the spool of thread sits: a build-in niche, it's own little perch. But what if you had a larger spool of thread? Maybe thread only came in smaller spools back then?

You can't help but notice my two Sewmor's are in excellent vintage condition and you know what that means: they were not used very much. Yup, the lure of sewing more didn't happen with the former owners. That's right, the intention was there, the sewing machine was ready (and cute) but there were no more hours in the day, meals didn't get easier or quicker to prepare and clean-up, skills didn't happen just by ownership of a new sewing machine.

Some things never change but I'm hoping someone will see one of these and say "Maybe..."