Originally Posted by BoJangles
Originally Posted by IT_Nana
I inherited my grandmother's sewing machine many years ago. I never knew her as she passed away at the age of 52 long before I was born.
Anyway, this sewing machine is a Free brand and still worked the last time I tried it. Just yesterday I re-arranged my sewing room/guest room and set it up rather than having it folded up with the machine inside. Do you have any idea how old this is?
I'd appreciate any info you can provide.
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I forgot to mention that Mom told me that my grandmother could look at a picture of a dress and cut a pattern to fit her daughters....very talented and creative. I wish I could have known her.
Hello Nana! Congratulations on your beautiful Free! Look at page 627 here. I have a Free just like yours, but your cabinet is gorgeous and different from mine. This is the treadle I am using for all my quilt piecing now. I love my machine! Banjo sits in my sewing room (my Free is a boy named after my daughter's pony - Banjo walked, trotted, and loped/cantered slow -- that is what my Free does, he just trucks along at his own speed no matter how fast I treadle!).
The Free Sewing Machine Company operated from 1910 to 1958. I have a friend who also owns a Free and she has it's original receipt. I don't remember what her serial number is, but the serial number on my Free is C83642, which we figured made my machine around 1913. What is the serial number of your machine?
Yes, I understand the work and talent of those women. My own Mother could design dresses from just her own ideas. She always motified her store bought clothes to make them nicer.
Nancy
Hi Nancy,
I'm amazed that the cabinets are so different but the machines look so similar, except yours is much shinier and your decals are pristine! What did you use to clean yours? Mine is dingy from years of being shut up in the cabinet, but I don't want to use something that would damage what remains of the decals.
Also, where is your serial number? My Mom was born in 1918, and she was the first baby not born in a sod house, so possibly Grandma got the machine when they moved into the new house. It's all very interesting, isn't it!