jljack

Not long ago the question of when the first FW 221s came out was asked. I was just looking at the serial number records, and it looks like the first run started Oct 1933. For 2 years before that, at least, there are no 221s listed.

miriam

SINGER 401

Kas

I don't know! I could ask my mother. When I was too small to remember but not too young to talk, my grandmother was renting out her house that was up the street from us. There were people in and out of the house at all hours and they grew such lovely plants. Well, after they took the engine apart on the livingroom carpet, my mom decided to find out just what they were growing. She took me with her when she went to the police station to look at their books describing and showing good girls what bad things look like. She got to the page with that naughty weed and I piped up (in the middle of the police station!) "Look, Mama! It's just like what Mema has growing in her yard!" My mom said she slammed the book, grabbed me by the hand, and made a bee-line out of there! She told the "nice boys" to destroy all the plants and vacate the premises or she was calling the cops. They left in the middle of the night. It was always already "packaged" when I saw it in person, later! LOL

Kas

Nope. Not that kind of weed. Bad weed has hairy, brownish flowers from what I have seen on the net. Watched some flower on Youtube. If it smells pretty, leave it. You are safe from the law!

Glenn

ruffler. I have one for my back clamp 66
Glenn

miriam

I kind of thought they were safe. You'd think if they weren't somebody would have harvested them a long time ago... Not all hairy at all. Thanks. Some of them spike up to 7 ft tall.

hootnannie

I'm always looking at CL and wish I could afford this beauty. I've not seen a cabinet like this before... gorgeous!!
http://newyork.craigslist.org/lgi/atq/2472363807.html

ube quilting

Hello everyone. I'm new to this thread. I am astounded by all the vintage and love on this thread and know I will find help here. I received my grandmothers Kenmore and she need lots of cleaning and some basic parts. There is lots of dry, gunky oil on most of her parts. What is the best method of removing this so she will shine again?

She still moves but feels a bit arthritic, not frozen up but I think some proper oiling will help cure her of that.

It is model# 117 959 and serial# 189363. Can anyone tell me anything about her and if parts are available. She needs a bobbin case. What kind of needle will she use? Can the electric cord be replaced? I want to use her and maybe Nana will here her sing again!

Is there a manual available also. I have to learn how to thread her and use her.

Any help and info would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

miriam

Welcome happy to have you along.
CAUTION/WARNING: this place is addictive. If you get any of that kerosene under your skin you will be wanting to collect and clean up every old sewing machine you can find. Then you will only want to use vintage machines. AND you will spend all your time ogling what everybody else finds...
Seriously, Billy has made up a tutorial so you can clean her up. http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-45983-1.htm
I don't really know what model you have. I tried to search it by the model number. I come up with a brown Kenmore.
Can you post a picture so we can all ogle and admire and maybe identify. Try reading as many of the posts on here as you can and you will learn a ton. I do know the lady at sewclassic has parts, bobbin cases and cords with plugs and what not. She also has good info too. I have found that the machine I'm working on usually gets worse before it gets better but it is so worth it. The old machines are machined & all metal rather than stamped and plastic when they were manufactured. Once you get them going there is no going back! SO please give more info!

lee231

Ube

Being a Kenmore, you should be able to go to a Sears service and parts place, if there's one near you. Just take your model and serial numbers with you, they may be able to still get the parts.