Vintage Sewing Machines!
I didn’t know I did, but it has been proven that I do.
Ever since I was given Ilona and Maria, I’ve been bitten by the “VSM bug”. (It’s all my Mom’s fault!!!) I’ve been browsing “for sale” sites on line and learning as much as I can about various Vintage Sewing Machines. So far, my favourite is the Singer 500, the “Rocketeer”.
The Rocketeer is a slant shank, steel gear driven sewing machine made between 1960 and 1963. It has a horizontal rotary hook (drop in class 66 bobbin) and besides doing a lock stitch, reverse, and zigzag, it has 25 built in stitches, 5 Special Disks (top hat cams) included, plus 12 more that can be purchased separately.
Recently, I found a Rocketeer for sale on line, locally. I emailed the seller a few questions and he replied. I emailed him again that I could come look and buy his Rocketeer in two days. He never replied. I emailed him again the next day… it was like waiting for the birth of a baby! The seller finally replied that he had already sold it to someone else just that day. Humph!
So back I went to my on line search for My Rocketeer. Every day during lunch hour at work, I checked all the listings. One day, instead of a Rocketeer, I saw an ad from WIN (Women in Need Community Cooperative) for a Singer Featherweight 221! Now I do like the Featherweight but there is no way I am paying the usual price of $250 (Canadian) and up for one. From the ad and the many photos, I cold see that it was a beautiful VSM, in great condition, and also less than the usual price, much less.
Oh just do it! So I phoned WIN and said I would like to buy it. Sorry, they told me, FIVE people have phoned already about it today so it’s “first come, first served”. Eeek! That’s ok, I stayed calm, I would go to WIN after work.
A minute later I was running out the office door – I’ll be back – and down the sidewalks at a good gallop in my dressy shoes, stopping only at the red lights at the intersections. I got into the store and asked for My Featherweight and was told – Oh, it’s popular! A lady just phoned! (Ya that was me…) The Sales Associate offered to pull My Featherweight out and set it up for me to try, but once she opened the cute little case and I could see inside, I blurted out “I’ll take it!”
And so, out I walked with it… sort of hand in hand… lugging this 20 pound machine back to the office to sit proudly right beside me in its case – me with a silly grin on my face.
My Singer Featherweight model 221-1 is called “Winnie”. Winnie is a low shank sewing machine, with a serial number dating her as made February 29, 1952 in Clydebank, Scotland. She has a vertical rotary hook and a class 221/301 bobbin. She does a lock stitch and can reverse.
Needless to say, when I bought her home she ran just perfectly (my husband was even impressed) and she looked even more lovely. Who needs “AFTER” shots when you have such lovely “BEFORE” shots!
I don’t think this is the end yet. I’m going to continue browsing “for sale” sites – My Singer 500 “Rocketeer” is out there somewhere. Fate or Karma or Luck or Whatever will eventually lead me to her. In the meantime, it’s back to sewing and blogging and cleaning VSM’s and all the fun stuff.
Oh yes, and perhaps some more time on my treadmill so that I can out-run everyone else when those “deals you can’t refuse” pop up!
Have you ever had a ridiculously silly love/obsession with a sewing machine or a sewing machine tool – or is it just me?
Happy Sewing Everyone!
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