Sew, What's New?

I had the material for a couple of years and decided it was time to get stitching on a quilt I meant to make myself ages ago. Once I totaled all the different fabrics, I noted that I was a yard and a half (!) short on the base/white material. It is the prettiest white on white print, and for those of you that aren't sewers, fabric changes like the weather! To find additional of the same print two+ years later is a shot in the dark, but I did it! Ebay is my friend!! I paid $17 for 1-1/2 yards, similar to the original price. For those of you that aren't sewers, fabric is also expensive! I first checked Craigslist, and lo and behold, what popped up when I put in sewing fabric, but a bunch of 1960's sewing machines.

 I have more than one (blush) sewing machine. I have a little $100 plastic table top portable that I picked up at Walmart for emergency sewing jobs and keep this in the closet of our North Carolina home.  I made some drapes for the downstairs bathroom and quilted a few little projects on it.  

First and foremost, I have a tiny portable 1950 Singer Featherweight 221 and the original case. Momma bought it for $5 at our neighbor, Mrs. Scott's yard sale when I was a little girl.  It sews forward and backward.  I made my first quilts on this machine.  Here's one that looks just like mine:

I bought a Brother CS-80 at Costco for $199 with all the bells and whistles after I made a couple of quilts on the little Singer.  I was excited to have 85 stitch options, but in reality, I really use forward, backward and zigzag, plus it can sew buttons on and has a built in buttonhole maker.  The coolest thing?  It threads itself!  I bought a cabinet, but it is the type that you sit the sewing machine on the table top, not a flip down and hide it in the cabinet type.  I wish it were, as it tends to bounce a bit when it's running at full speed.  It's plastic and lightweight.  The bobbin re-winder broke after a year and after researching online, learned this is a major flaw in this machine.  Rather than spend $100 for repairs, I bought a $25 portable bobbin re-winder at JoAnn Fabrics, which works just fine.  I have made the bulk of my quilts on this machine.

Because I was a bit disappointed in the sewing machine cabinet, I kinda/sorta had my eye peeled for a cabinet that the machine is attached to and flip down when it's not used, flip up when you need it.  I spied one in the window of Goodwill, and went in for closer inspection.  $25 for a pretty ugly cabinet, but hey, I can refinish it!  On closer inspection, whoa...A sewing machine was inside!  A 1973 Singer Stylist model 734 looks alot like the one pictured below, but it doesn't have the drop down plate (model 744).  I had it cleaned and the man said to never ever ever get rid of this machine, as it is one of the best ones out there.  It is as heavy as a boulder, has eight utility stitches, a built in buttonholer and is one heck of a machine.  It hums like a sewing machine is supposed to and sews smooth and perfect.  Wow!

So I guess you can see that I have a little collection.  I don't want to get rid of the Brother...what if I ever need one of those fancy stitches?  And never the Singer 734!  And never ever the Featherweight!!  So what did I come across on Craigslist?  Another antique Singer sold at Habitat for Humanity for $30 including another beat up 1960's cabinet.  What is it with cabinets being so abused??  Here is is:

The design on it is called Tiffany or Gingerbread.  It is a 1910 Singer Model 15 (an early 15, according to an online site)  It looks exactly like the old treadle machine, but it has a little motor on the back and is run by a rubber belt. It appears that the silver light on the backside was an add on. It is clean inside and runs like a top, but the belt is old and needs to be replaced.  On closer examination, so do the electric cords.  Not a problem, I have a man that specializes in old Singers and he'll have it cleaned up and ready to roll in a jiffy.  I couldn't not buy it at $30 and may sell this one for a profit.  Isn't it pretty?