Has the world changed so much in the last 30 years, or is it me?
 

I was hunting for some of my widgets that got knocked on the floor this morning and had to lay down on the floor and use a ruler to slide them out from under a shelf. No small feat for a fat man with a fuzzy cat walking all over him.
As I was on the floor I noticed an ID placard on the bottom of the sewing machine cabinet my wife has been using. It was a Sears-Roebuck and Co cabinet with the date code of March 2, 1983. It came from my cousin with the Bernina which was made in 86 I believe.

Anyway this cabinet has a platform with multiple holes in it to fasten down a variety of machines. And the platform drops vertically so you can have a level work place for your portable or raised surface for a free arm machine.

The last time we were in Sears, they had almost nothing as far as sewing. Only a few machines and those were plastic junque.
No furniture, no notions, no supplies, no ... nothing. It was sad really.

A number of the cabinets and machines we have are Sears products. Generally good quality and worth the effort to keep in good order. A far cry from the stuff I've seen at the LSMG shop, cheaply made plastic and particle board stuff at outrageous prices.

When I compared the table and machines from the 80s on back to what is out there now, I wished I was living in 1912 rather than 2012.

I guess I truly am an anachronism. Elaine said: "We".

Joe

Our Sears just closed. I can't imagine appliance shopping without them! My fridge, dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, and previous sewing machine all came from there.

Life has not been as easy ever since Sears discontinued their catalogs :(

It's funny what you can see when lying on the floor. I often find things that had been lost for a long time, especially in my sewing room.

Won't find me on the floor unless I fall! 3 knee replacements (twice on the right) last year and still having trouble. I agree- too much plastic and particle board in sewing machines and cabinets! I cringe when I think how much of the Earth's resources go toward making dollar store crap. Modern machines can do things like embroidery the older ones can't, but are so fragile and fussy. The older cabinets have lovely carvings and are made of wood and iron. They can last a very long time when not dumped into a wet barn or basement. Sleek plastic leaves me cold. Remember buying fabrics in Macy's, Montgomery Wards, and Sears? My local Sears did away with sewing machines years ago. I have friends who brag about their $4000 sewing machines, but I can think of far better ways to spend such a sum! Think of the old machines that could be acquired and restored for that amount.

If I layed on my sewing floor, they wouldn't be able to recognize me. LOL

I can't help smiling, 1983 as a year for well built anything! I can remember thinking that the 1983 stuff was junk. My mom had her first furniture when they retired and went "on the road". It was a beautiful maple sets - still in use at my cousins home. I have the desk and my sister has my father's chest of draws.

My daughter throws her furniture away every 2-3 years. That goes for her kitchen appliances as well. Forget the linens, curtains and such, that goes every year. I suppose everything is made for our disposable society. I'm waiting for her to decide I'm to dusty and throw me into the dumpster as well LOL - I don't feel like I'm made as well as the elder women of my family. It seemed to me they didn't take as much medicine and were much more strong and healthy.

So, I'm with you - nothing is made the way it once was. But I certainly don't want to go back to 1912 - no computer - no quilting board to read :)

Sears sold some very good machines under the Kenmore name, although they were always badged by the actual manufacturer. I heard that this has endedand there are no more "Kenmore" machines. My Daddy was a Sears mand and mo Mother got a Kenmore in the 70s when her Singer 401 wouldn't sew knits, then I got one for my HS graduation gift. It was my only machine for 25 years and it served me well (still does).

My main SM cabinet is a "Parsons" brand cabinet made in the 80's, that I found on craigslist. It is solid wood. It came with a spring-loaded lift to raise the machine vertically similar to your Kenmore cabinet, Joe. This cabinet was also made with an electric lift, which my friend has one with. My hubby traded out the spring-loaded lift for an air lift mechanism from Rockler, and I got an insert from Dream World to fit around my Bernina machine. In total I have about $225 in the whole thing. Much less than the $$$ they want for the newer particle board cabinets like Koala, Horn, ect. I hate the particle board junk!

Sear, Montgomery Ward, JC Penny's they had so much then but not now!!!!!!!

Koala , Horn, might as well be IKEA

there is a cabinet maker that has a display at "Road to California" each January- cannot find the brochure or his business csrd right now but when I go to "Road" this year I will be sure to get the internet info.