Need advice: What do you want to see in a vintage sewing machine?
 

Hi all, I need the community's advice. I've been slowly but surely repairing my too-big-for-me collection of vintage Singers, mostly 201-2s and 15-91s, with some 221s and 206s here and there. It will soon be time for me to start selling them off.

I clean the machines up inside and out, re-wire them as necessary, get the stitches balanced, properly set the bobbin winder, et cetera. But I figure I'd better make some videos showing the machines in action, so interested parties can see they're the real deal.

Whether you are an experienced sewist or a first-time vintage machine buyer, what would you want to see in a video of a machine you're considering? Are there specific operations you'd like to see the machine perform? I'm not sure what the most common tasks are among quilters and sewists.

Most eBay videos of vintage machines show them doing ridiculous things like sewing through leather belts. I consider that neither practical nor good for the machine. I'd like to show my machines doing some real-world, useful types of sewing, and could use your advice on what I should shoot. Any info greatly appreciated!

thanks for your time,

when i bought my vintage machine what i checked out first (sewing wise) was the nice even stitch- so perhaps using a dark thread so it really shows- on white fabric showing a nice even stitch- if there is a reverse feature- showing that work- bobbin winding process (very important)
quilters mainly use a straight stitch and want it to be even, straight- nice looking- no skips, wobbles, puckers.

Perhaps a video showing how the needles and bobbins thread and feed. I know a 201-2 threads differently than a 66, but it would be nice to see.

I agree with the contrasting thread too. That makes it show up.

And one last thing, keep the videos short under or around 3 minutes for those of us with dial up.

And now a question: What would a 206 run dollar wise? I've wanted one of those because I've read they were Singers first ZZ machine. Don't know if that's true or not, but they do look like the classic black cast iron Singer and they are a ZZ. If you don't want to post a dollar figure you can PM me.

Joe

I'd like to see a quick demo of how to care for them. How to clean, oil, etc., to keep them running smoothly. In other words, I'd like to know just how much time I'd have to devote to the upkeep, if I bought one.

If I'm looking at a "serviced" machine, I'm looking for straight stitches with no wobble, and I'm going to flip the fabric to check the backside to know that the tension is correct.
I want to hear the motor, but not much of it! :) I want to see the wiring, and I want to see the bobbin area to know that there aren't nicks and scrapes. I want to see the needle plate for the same reason.

Are you doing repairs on machines for customers? I have a Snger 99 that I don't use much, as I think it should be rewired. I live on LI.

show that there is no rust on the places where it could be.

Thank you all for the excellent suggestions! I hope they'll continue to come in.

Barri from Woodmere, I'd be happy to re-wire your 99 if you can drop it off with me in downtown Manhattan. Does $50 sound fair, including materials? Also, is the machine otherwise in good shape, i.e. rust-free?

I would never buy a vintage machine that says it is made industrial strenght and can sew through leather. If it had been used to sew through leather I will not buy it as I do not believe they were made for that. I would love to see piecing on a Feather Weight and singer 301 and maybe also on singer 15-91, 201 and also maybe quilting on those last two if they come with the right attachments. I think it would be nice to add some of the after market feet like for piecing so it is already to go for a quilter. I would look for good tension and different stitch lengthand I would like to hear the sound of the motor.

Hello Rain,

Too many old machines have something that is hard to shift, if not jammed, so it would be useful to show that the slide plates, stitch length levers etc. move as they should.

Put on a seam guide, cut two nice straight edged pieces of plain coloured cotton poplin or heavier, and do a quarter inch seam (like on my seam guide video). Many people do not realise how easy it is to do a quarter inch seam without using a special foot.

Finally, use different coloured threads of exactly the same weight above and below. Then iron it before you do a close-up of the finished stitch. People should just about be able to see the thread from the other side where it twists for the lock stitch, but at the same time they should be able tell that there are none of the dreaded loops which you get with bad tension. Do a close up of both sides so they know that the stitch is equally good top and bottom.

And do a really fast commentary please in your best Officer Dibble voice so I can really enjoy it.

Best of luck!