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-   -   Well, now I understand the fuss about vintage machines! (https://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1/well-now-i-understand-fuss-about-vintage-machines-t144785.html)

Rainy Day 08-13-2011 03:15 AM

OK, I have a few machines. I have my Mums/Nanas old Elna. It is about 50 years old. It has been through a fire - it was under so much junk it didn't get burnt, but it smells like an overcooked engine. It hasn't been used since my house burnt down in 1984.

I also have an Elna SU, about 30 years old, which got repaired by an idiot in 2004 and has never worked well since.

I have a new Janome DC2010, which pieces like a dream. Light weight, great for classes, love it.

I was out shopping and spotted a featherweight, but didn't have the need for it, and I have 2 of them sitting in my garage needing repairs.
I spoke to the woman whose shop it was, and she gave me the card of the guy who rebuilds them.
I rang him, and he picked up my old Elna. I told him if she was no good, he was welcome to use her for spares - kind of like organ donation.
He rang me after a week, and told me she would be home tomoro :)

I have a quilting frame, and I have waited to have the time to set it up. I set it up last weekend, and loaded the Janome on to it.

Eyelashes everywhere. Mucked around with the tension, the cotton, the needles, the feet (tried the walking foot, the embroidery foot and the darning foot). Kept trying, kept getting more and more frustrated.

Honestly, I was about to throw it off the end of the pier!

I thought, maybe the old girl might go better.

And she did!

Now, I just have to unpick the crappy bits. Or cut the quilt shorter . . . . .

If they can invent so many machines to sew, WHY CAN'T THEY INVENT ONE TO UNSEW??????!

And thank you to all the fans of vintage machines - you are an inspiration.

sueisallaboutquilts 08-13-2011 03:59 AM

I am crazy over my vintage machines!!! And I agree that an "unsewing machine" would be a huge success hahaha
Why aren't you using your Featherweights??????????/
They are easy to fix yourself!!
Your post made me laugh- thanks!! :D

Lacelady 08-13-2011 04:01 AM


Originally Posted by Rainy Day
OK, I have a few machines. I have my Mums/Nanas old Elna. It is about 50 years old. It has been through a fire - it was under so much junk it didn't get burnt, but it smells like an overcooked engine. It hasn't been used since my house burnt down in 1984.

I also have an Elna SU, about 30 years old, which got repaired by an idiot in 2004 and has never worked well since.

I have a new Janome DC2010, which pieces like a dream. Light weight, great for classes, love it.

I was out shopping and spotted a featherweight, but didn't have the need for it, and I have 2 of them sitting in my garage needing repairs.
I spoke to the woman whose shop it was, and she gave me the card of the guy who rebuilds them.
I rang him, and he picked up my old Elna. I told him if she was no good, he was welcome to use her for spares - kind of like organ donation.
He rang me after a week, and told me she would be home tomoro :)

I have a quilting frame, and I have waited to have the time to set it up. I set it up last weekend, and loaded the Janome on to it.

Eyelashes everywhere. Mucked around with the tension, the cotton, the needles, the feet (tried the walking foot, the embroidery foot and the darning foot). Kept trying, kept getting more and more frustrated.

Honestly, I was about to throw it off the end of the pier!

I thought, maybe the old girl might go better.

And she did!

Now, I just have to unpick the crappy bits. Or cut the quilt shorter . . . . .

If they can invent so many machines to sew, WHY CAN'T THEY INVENT ONE TO UNSEW??????!

And thank you to all the fans of vintage machines - you are an inspiration.

Ah, you have seen the light. Sometimes all seeing, all dancing is just too complicated.

Rainy Day 08-13-2011 04:24 AM

The Janome is a simple machine, but it is a super fly weight, not a featherweight!
One of the other feather weights is a treadle, the other - it was my GGMs and it went thru the fire too. It is going to the sewing machine doctor when I have the $$$ and can get the 23 bikes out of the way.

emerald46 08-13-2011 05:04 AM

Congrats...hope she continues to improve! My "new" 1922 Red Eye arrived Thursday...so pretty even before cleanup. Read all of Billy's tutes but it is too dang hot to spend time outside doing all that right now. For now I will make her pretty and do the real work in the fall.


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