Anybody Else Collect Sewing Machines?

[Yeps]

Are you looking for a mechanical (handcrank/treadle) or electrical (knee/foot-power) machine? Obviously, mechanical machines have the great benefit that they're easier to look after, and with handcranks, more portable.

I am looking more for an electric. I am sure that if the right mechanical machine came along, I would snap it up, but for practical use, I think an electric would suit me more. I am not objected to anything up until the 80s when they started making too many of the internal parts out of plastic. However, these old, pre-40s machines are just beautiful (even the plain, industrial ones), so just as a matter of aesthetics, that is what I have been looking for.

 

[LizzieMaine]

The good news is that millions of pre-1940 sewing machines were made -- they were as much a part of the typical household equipment as a stove since most women sewed their own clothes. And it's likely that millions of those machines still survive today, because they were so durable. They were passed down from generation to generation until they hit a generation that didn't know how to sew and didn't want to learn, so they were either shoved into the back of a closet or donated to Goodwill or the Salvation Army. Haunt those stores, and you'll eventually find one. And its unlikely you'll pay more than $20 for it.

 

[Yeps]

The good news is that millions of pre-1940 sewing machines were made -- they were as much a part of the typical household equipment as a stove since most women sewed their own clothes. And it's likely that millions of those machines still survive today, because they were so durable. They were passed down from generation to generation until they hit a generation that didn't know how to sew and didn't want to learn, so they were either shoved into the back of a closet or donated to Goodwill or the Salvation Army. Haunt those stores, and you'll eventually find one. And its unlikely you'll pay more than $20 for it.

That was the impression I had gotten, so it is good to have confirmation. I'll just have to keep trawling for one.

 

[2jakes]

The good news is that millions of pre-1940 sewing machines were made -- they were as much a part of the typical household equipment as a stove since most women sewed their own clothes. And it's likely that millions of those machines still survive today, because they were so durable. They were passed down from generation to generation until they hit a generation that didn't know how to sew and didn't want to learn, so they were either shoved into the back of a closet or donated to Goodwill or the Salvation Army. Haunt those stores, and you'll eventually find one. And its unlikely you'll pay more than $20 for it.

LizzieMaine..your words struck a memory jolt !
I remember my mom would use flour sacks to sew or make under-garments for
my little sisters . I would like to think that the material used for the sacks was not
so coarse. If my sisters knew I wrote this , they would kill me !

"By the 1940s , bag manufacturers cashed in on this habit by
producing bags in various designs , believing this would boost
sales as woman would opt for a brand with an attractive fabric.
By WWII there was a shortage of cotton fabric so recycling of
bags became a necessity & was encouraged by the government.
So much so that the habit of reusing these little bags of wonder
led to national sewing contests so women could show off their
skills & manufactures their designs."

​"Mummy, this flour sack is copying our style!"

 

[Mark G]

Thanks for the post, 2jakes. That was a great bit of info. Now we just buy throw away clothes made by children in third world countries.

 

[jerryleetypes]

Here are my machines... The oldest/rarest is the machine an the bottom left which is a Cornely K embroidery machine from the 1890's.

Here is a better image of the Cornely K:

 

[Mark G]

Finally got my vintage Necchi Supernova Ultra. Works great and is in beautiful shape.

 

[tonyb]

The good news is that millions of pre-1940 sewing machines were made -- they were as much a part of the typical household equipment as a stove since most women sewed their own clothes. And it's likely that millions of those machines still survive today, because they were so durable. They were passed down from generation to generation until they hit a generation that didn't know how to sew and didn't want to learn, so they were either shoved into the back of a closet or donated to Goodwill or the Salvation Army. Haunt those stores, and you'll eventually find one. And its unlikely you'll pay more than $20 for it.

Old sewing machines pop up quite frequently at the thrift shops out here (especially the smaller, off-the-beaten-path shops), and it used to be, until fairly recently, that such a machine could be yours for lunch money.

Alas, the once all-volunteer staffed thrift stores now have paid managers who apparently think that because some eBay seller thinks his old Singer is worth a couple of hundred bucks, then this donated one here must be worth at least half that.

I've seen the asking prices at the thrifts escalate dramatically of late. As one for whom thrift-shop haunting is almost a way of life, I find this downright distressing.

 

[DNO]

Old sewing machines pop up quite frequently at the thrift shops out here (especially the smaller, off-the-beaten-path shops), and it used to be, until fairly recently, that such a machine could be yours for lunch money.

I've seen the asking prices at the thrifts escalate dramatically of late. As one for whom thrift-shop haunting is almost a way of life, I find this downright distressing.

Since retiring almost 3 years ago I've been going through 2 or 3 thrift stores pretty well every day. Like Tonyb, it's almost a way of life. Tonyb is right. Prices in the last year have been escalating. Sewing machines were really quite common in thrift stores and were usually priced in the $20 range. For some reason, although they are still ubiquitous, they now seem to be priced in the $60 range. This price escalation seems to be hitting all the stores, although I must say that the Sally Ann folk seem to be holding the line.

 

[JazzyDame]

Although I don't collect sewing machines, I have a gem that was passed along to me from my great-grandmother. She was quite an accomplished seamstress (her father was a tailor), and she kept her family well-attired for years using this very machine. It is a White (Family Rotary treadle model, 1905) and folds into an oak wooden cabinet with a cast iron base…a real beauty!

 

[tonyb]

Although I don't collect sewing machines, I have a gem that was passed along to me from my great-grandmother. She was quite an accomplished seamstress (her father was a tailor), and she kept her family well-attired for years using this very machine. It is a White (Family Rotary treadle model, 1905) and folds into an oak wooden cabinet with a cast iron base…a real beauty! ...

That's great. Just wonderful, really, that that machine, having been in the family all those years, and having helped clothe all those ancestors, has found its way to you, and is still going strong.

 

[JazzyDame]

^^Thank you tonyb. I was named after my great-grandmother, and to have her sewing machine and imagine her stitching late into the evenings to provide clothing for her husband and children--truly a labor of love--makes the possession of this lovely heirloom all the more precious. Though it isn't currently in use, it's still fully functional!

 

[tk1971]

Just found this thread. Didn't realize so many others shared the same interests.

Here is a list of my machines: Singer 185k, Singer 201, Singer 66, and a Singer 29-4

Based on the writing on the manual, the Singer 201 presumably belonged to a Japanese American in 1941 (during the internment years):

On another note, my acquisition of my 29-4 is definitely one of the most interesting experiences in my life. I wrote it down, because it's too strange not to share. I've posted this up on other forums, but it's a pretty interesting story that I'd like to share:

A Polish guy, his grandmother, Nazis, and a dildo factory: How I got my latest Sewing Machine.

Background:
My late father was a tailor. He had made custom suits for many-a-gentleman coming into his little shop, once upon a time in Hong Kong. I’ve grown up around industrial sewing machines and have seen my dad do incredible things such as letting out small suits to fit bigger waistlines, and making custom seat/appliance covers all over the house. After his passing, I felt cheated that I never had the interest to learn from him. I’ve been collecting antique Singer sewing machines and trying to restore them for personal use ever since.

The Singer model # 29-4, the Cobbler’s “Patching” machine:
From the factory manual: “Machine No. 29-4 is intended for use in manufacturing and repairing shoes, and is also useful for stitching other articles made of leather or cloth.”

After spending some time on leatherworkers.net and discovering the virtues of the 29-4, I had only started looking to own one for about 2 weeks. I rationalized that this would be the perfect machine for me. Equipped with a cylinder arm and a swiveling 360º head, I can use this to repair the occasional loose stitch on my motorcycle leathers (jackets, pants, suit, boots), sew patches on these items and possibly allow me to become spiritually closer to my late father.

Then it happened, I found a local listing on eBay and a description indicating that it was passed down from his grandmother from Poland. A family owned unit that hasn’t exchanged hands would hopefully indicate a unit that was not used for production (no heavy use) and would likely have all the required parts intact. After some quick negotiation (using the best offer option), I set out to go pick up the Cobbler’s “Patching” machine.

The Machine Shop:
So, I went to the gentleman’s place of business to pick up the Singer. It’s an old machine shop with a guard dog, a couple racing cars sitting outside and a Harley parked inside (my kind of place). I went through the machine shop, noticed machines molding what appear to be colorful plastic pieces, and met the proprietor. He was super friendly. I looked behind him in his office and noticed some random boxes of the finished product his company makes (adult stimulation devices, but still couldn’t figure out where some of those colorful plastic pieces go). We went outside to check out the Singer and he briefly gave me the history of his grandma’s sewing machine. Apparently, his grandparents were quite political back in the day. They had even “partied with Hitler”. But he fondly remembers his grandma sewing with the Singer, operating the treadle by foot.

The Singer 29-4:
The unit had been stored both inside and outside. There was little to no play in all the moving parts (showing little wear), especially the needle bar. The decals were mostly still there, but the details are gone. It had minimum rust. All the parts appear to be there, and the machine cycled through with some effort (at least not frozen). In the drawer, I found needles, bobbins, and a business card for a sewing supply place in Los Angeles, that had a telephone number in the old plug-board exchange format. Later on, when looking up the serial number, I discovered that this 29-4 was made in the year 1900, making it over 110 years old.

The transaction:
I paid the gentleman what I owed him. His son came to help me load the Singer into my Ford. We talked a little and I found out the Harley belonged to him. We talked “shop” for a little bit and I did a little moaning about how hard it was to rebuild the 4-carbed setup on my 1978 Goldwing. I drove off a little poorer, but with a certain sense of satisfaction that I can’t describe.

Getting it running:
Having been an avid shooter for many years, I’m quite familiar with Ed’s Red bore cleaner, which is basically equal parts of ATF, Kerosene, Mineral Spirits and Acetone. Reducing or even eliminating the use of Acetone will result in a plastic/paint friendly formula that can be used to scrub away rust and “unstuck” anything from motorcycle parts to Mosin Nagant rifles. I liberally applied it on the Singer and within a half hour, the Singer cycled through as easily as butter gliding on a hot skillet. I put more Ed’s Red on the moving parts and waited a day before spraying it down with compressed air, followed by a proper treatment with sewing machine oil.

I fitted up the Singer with 69 bonded thread and a size 18 round point needle that came with it, tuned the thread tensions, and got it running great. So far, I’ve fixed a pair of Timberland sandals and added a piece of Velcro onto my belt-mounted cell phone pouch. All this and I don’t even have a treadle belt yet (on order and coming soon).

Here is a picture of MY Singer 29-4 in its new home:

 

[Tomasso]

AllSaints Spitalfields Lincoln Road, Miami Beach

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuREWbil7yw[/video]

 

[Shangas]

I was at All Saints in London. It's just off the Portobello Road. Wow. Sewing-machine Heaven!

I believe there's another AS shop in London, near the Camden Lock Markets.

 

[Shangas]

Hey folks, perhaps someone here can advise me on something...

I'm packing up my grandmother's Singer after my latest sewing project, but I noticed that the cloth-covered electrical cord is starting to fray quite significantly. There's no exposed wires or anything - the electrical cable itself is not damaged or in any way defective. But the cloth housing is literally starting to unravel on me.

Can anyone suggest how I might rectify this? How can I resheath the cable? What should I do? The machine itself is in perfect working order. But the cloth sheath on the cable is falling apart!

 

[2jakes]

Hey folks, perhaps someone here can advise me on something...

I'm packing up my grandmother's Singer after my latest sewing project, but I noticed that the cloth-covered electrical cord is starting to fray quite significantly. There's no exposed wires or anything - the electrical cable itself is not damaged or in any way defective. But the cloth housing is literally starting to unravel on me.

Can anyone suggest how I might rectify this? How can I resheath the cable? What should I do? The machine itself is in perfect working order. But the cloth sheath on the cable is falling apart!

It may be difficult to locate the exact pattern to resheath the old cable. There are many new cloth covered
electrical cords if you want to maintain the vintage look & be safe as well.

 

[Shangas]

There is no pattern. It's simple black...cotton, I think it is...braiding over the plastic cables. The connection-points and the cables themselves are fine. It's the fabric sheath that's the issue...I've even considered pulling it off, or covering it with some other sort of fabric and sewing or gluing it on.

 

[2jakes]

There is no pattern. It's simple black...cotton, I think it is...braiding over the plastic cables. The connection-points and the cables themselves are fine. It's the fabric sheath that's the issue...I've even considered pulling it off, or covering it with some other sort of fabric and sewing or gluing it on.

Sorry but without pictures it is difficult to understand. I thought you wanted to maintain the look of a pattern of the
cloth. But if it's just black cotton, wouldn't it be simpler to just replace the cord ? Sewing or gluing is more trouble
& cost more in the end. The only reason I would do what you're trying to accomplish is because I would want to
maintain a certain look . But if it's just black cotton, just replace . Easier & less costly. Just my 2¢. Others may have
a better answer for you. Good Luck.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Allsaints Store, Portobello Road, Westbourne Grove, London