Thursday, October 16, 2014

Look what I have!

This is my mother's Singer sewing machine, vintage 1951.(Well actually this is the bentwood box it came in, but keep reading.)
I learned to sew on this machine, and thanks to my niece, as of Monday, it now belongs to me! A perfect Thanksgiving present.

I made jumpers, skirts, dresses, and even my high school graduation dress. I remember as if it were yesterday laying out patterns on my family's dining room table. I can still see the material of my first jumper.

Sewing was something my mother and I shared. She taught me to put in an invisible zipper, how to turn a cuff and a collar, how to line a dress.

She sewed everything on this machine. Curtains, drapes, suits, dresses, t-shirts. Everything. I think she even sewed a bathing suit once.

This machine only sews in one direction.
There is no back-stitch, no zig-zag feature, no multiple threads.

It goes forward.

That's it.

It is called a portable machine, but it weighs a ton! (ok, really 31.5 pounds, but still!)

It is beautiful.

And now it is mine.


This means I now own three sewing machines.

The one my mom gave me when I graduated from high-school - Baycrest circa 1973
















My aunt's that I inherited: White circa 1948















And now this one.




She doesn't quite run right. I think the belt needs replacing, and she needs a good cleaning and oiling.

She is a keeper, all the same.

It was love at first sight.




NB: I discovered moments ago that I have the box with all the bobbins and the zipper foot that goes with this machine. It had been in my possession all these years. Now I have the machine to go with it.

Perfect.

4 comments:

  1. How completely lovely! I had an old one...not a portable one though...but it ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time and someone sold it. I still grieve for that...

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    Replies
    1. sorry for that. Maybe another will find its way to you someday soon.

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  2. Your collection is drool worthy. You are very lucky to have a great and personal collection like this. I love old sewing machines, some day I hope to have one or two of my own, although sadly they won't be from my family.

    She Knits in Pearls

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yes, each one has its own personality, that is for sure!

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I look forward to reading the comments. It makes me feel like I am not just posting into the void.