Beautiful_Sound

I'm Jordan. I have been obsessed with antique and old sewing machines since I was 10-12 ish. I'll turn 31 on July 30th so I've been at it a while. Took a break during college but I came right back. I've been teaching myself to sew all over again. I had no idea how to properly use a machine...let alone an antique sewing machine.

I have a treadle SINGER 66 that I found at an auction when I was about 15 or 16 and I was able to nab it a decent price, can't remember for the life of me now. I started to use it before I even understood what it could do. Becoming disheartened I pretty much gave up and used it as an aquarium stand. I KNOW I KNOW PLEASE FORGIVE ME! What usually happens when you neglect a wooden surface and place a wet thing above it...correct. Water damage.

Damaged and relegated to the garage my poor 66 sat for nearly a decade. This past fall my mother and I dragged her out and brought her back to life. I began to sew nearly daily as an attempt to atone for my past misdeeds. Eventually we took her apart and cleaned up her cabinet; sanding and staining and filling in holes with wood pulp, etc.

I have posted an album showing one update to the machine. I found a SINGER 27 vibrating shuttle in pretty okay condition, but I was after the REVCO attachment I had never seen before. After some careful tinkering and removal of both the side clamp presser bar and the REVERSE/FORWARD function I really set my 66 to good use! I use it all the time!

I am working on two quilts at the machines at the moment and I am repairing a third antique family quilt by hand.

My machines include a SINGER 66 on treadle base. A SINGER 201-2 in a cabinet (found the machine for $20 in desperate need of care and a cabinet for $15 for a Touch n Sew that I sold. I just wanted the cabinet. I think I made a mistake letting go of the TnS, but cest la vie). I also found a UNIVERSAL from the early 60's, still cast iron and from Japan. It appears to have a nearly identical 201K (I think, the belt driven motor, also the thread tensioner is on the front plate).

SO, anyway. HELLO!

SewExtremeSeams

hello... from one collector to another, tho a few years older... LOL

You are well on your way both in sewing and collecting vintage machines. You will love this board. Welcome!

Beautiful_Sound

Hi Linda! Thanks!

Jeanette Frantz

Beautiful-Sound, Welcome to the Quilting Board. I have been sewing for the majority of my life -- I'm 70 now, so I've been at it a while. However, I just got into the quilting part of it in the past few years. I did make one baby quilt about 13 years ago. My son was born in Longview, Texas, and we really loved living there. My husband attended LeTourneau University (it was LeTourneau College at that time -- in the mid 1960's). There are more folks who are experts and who are very helpful when it comes to quilting and these old vintage machines (which I love, but which I can't really afford to collect). Despite economics, I have seemed to acquire quite a few vintage machines. My son bought a white Featherweight at the local Goodwill Store for $50; he bought a Singer 403A at the same Goodwill Store for $41, which I think were fantastic buys. I have a 328K which my husband bought for me new the first Christmas we were married (1963), I inherited a National Two Spool treadle machine which at one time belonged to my husband's great-grandmother, I have two Singer Golden Touch 'N Sews which my son picked up for free (because something major was broken--don't recall what -- and he got them to learn how to work on sewing machines; I also have a Singer 1425, a Singer 201(1952) with potted motor, a Baby-Lock Serger, and two more which I haven't even seen yet --Singer 185, and Singer Athena 1200-I think. Okay, I've said enough about me. Please post photos of your machines and your quilts! If I can ever help you, I'll be glad to try, but I'm still a rank amateur! Again, welcome!

Jeanette

Macybaby

Welcome!

I'm not about to try to list all the machines I've bought LOL!! They are addicting!

My "first" was a 66 red eye in a beat up cabinet for $25 at auction. It sat as an end table (no aquarium though) for many years until I was considering finding a machine to sew rabbit hides on - and found many used these old machines, and I already had one! In the process of fixing it up - got looking and bought a really nice one, then a nicer cabinet, then I needed a 201, then found a different 66, and then . . .

But I was doing OK until I wandered away from Singers . . .

My husband also likes the machines, and does most of the repairs (just re-timed my long arm), and he likes the foreign machines. Between the two of us, we're somewhere around 120-130 mark.

crafty pat

Welcome from SC Texas. You have found a place where we love old and new machines and quilting and sewing. Happy you have joined us.

Rodney

Welcome aboard Jordan! I think you'll fit right in. It's gotten easier than ever to collect, restore and use old machines. The internet makes it so much easier than when you started collecting to find information, parts and (of course) machines.
The machine that got me hooked on vintage machines was a 66 too.
Take some time if you haven't already and read the stickies. There's a lot of really good information in them.
Rodney

Mariposa

Hello, and welcome from Washington!

KLO

Hello from NC! You are in such trouble now that you have joined the QB. The more you read about others' machines, the more you will want one also. It is so very addictive. You should go look at Macybaby's photos of her machine shed and also check out Rodney's newly set up room. Talk about eye candy for sewing machine enthusiasts!!! There are a lot of knowledgeable people here who can help you with almost anything dealing with older machines. Just ask. Good luck with your machines and your sewing.

aronel

Welcome from Iowa! There are a lot of wonderful people on here and will answer almost any question that you ask. If they don't know (which is rare), they will tell you how to find it. I also collect sewing machines, mostly Singer, but I do have a few non Singers. Welcome again, Lee.