What are your machines' names and why?
 

My new 1947 FW is named Fiona. She just looks like a Fiona. My new 1953 Bond is named James, for obvious reasons. My new Spartan was going to be Helen, but she's just not looking like a Helen. Still thinking on that one. I also have Elizabeth (27 treadle), Beverly (66 treadle), Emma (15-91), Chevrolet, the Morse. That's enough for now. Will finish the rest later!

My first FW is Trouble because I had so much trouble getting from the Ebay seller once I won the bid.

And my little 99 handcrank is Flip because I caught the mail lady flipping her head over heels trying to get her to the fence when she delivered.

My 201 is Tucson. Yep, got her in Tucson from a lady who's grandfather owned her.

Suzy, Sally and Sis are my 3 featherweights. (Suzy is all black, Sally has chrome flywheel and Sis is white). Cyrano is my model 15 because the tension gage sticking out in the front looks like a big nose. The black 301 is Brenda Lou, the tan one has kind of a reddish tinge so she is Ginger. The ones with decals go by the name of the decals. The rest have yet to be named.

I'm sure that Herself will have to correct me and add ones that I've missed but here's what I can remember off the top of my head:
Maggie - mid-50's 99, seemed like a pleasant workmanlike name
Colette - pretty 66 Red Eye, the name conjures a gorgeous redhead in my mind's eye
Maddie - Maggie's older sister (late 40's 99)
Josephine - 115 with Tiffany decals, gorgeous and for some reason Napoleon's wife came to mind
Audrey - New Home New National, petite and dark brought to mind Audrey Hepburn
Björn - Husqvarna/Viking 33-10, a seriously husky Husky (the name means bear)
Sven - Husqvarna/Viking 21, a much svelter husky
Victoria - 28 with Victorian decals
Claudette - Colette's older sister (earlier Red Eye 66)

I cannot say her name in mixed company!

I have too many to remember names for them all....but I've never been one to give names to my cars and such either lol

I was just informed that the 28 is *not* Victoria, it's Regina. I also remembered that one very pretty 201 is named Grace as she looks so graceful.

LOL, let me try to remember.

Franklin 1911 by Sears = Mrs. Franklin. She's a treadle machine in a parlor cabinet. I started to name her Madame Franklin, but she just doesn't look like a Madame.

Singer 66-4 = Mr. Lucky. I was looking for parts for Mr. Crinkle at the LSMG and he brought out this 66. He had already pulled some parts off of it, and true to myself I would not part it out. So I rescued him, bought a few of the missing parts and put Mr. Lucky back in business. I haven't used him yet as he doesn't have a case or cabinet. But I will.

Singer 66-18 #1 = Mr. Crinkle. He came to me with a busted up motor and thread take up lever. Looked like a brute that had taken a beating. So I named him Mr. Crinkle.
Singer 66-18 #2 = Mrs. Crinkle. Mr. Crinkle needed a wife and this one kind of had a female attitude.
Singer 66-18 #3 = Gertrude. My wife named this one before we even picked her up.

Singer 99K #1 = Lady Godiva She was named that cos she came to me naked. I had to dress her. I even did a thread on her:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...r-t183512.html
Singer 99K #2 = Rusty Rusty was a pitiful little derelict all rusted up and miserable. It took me three months and several parts to get him back in action. So, the name Rusty kinda stuck.

Kenmore 120-491 = Betty. Ah, this poor miserable thing came to me all seized up and filled with lint and fuzz. I got her all cleaned up, freed up, and working. Sort of. The design is ugly so I named her Ugly Betty. My wife changed it to just Betty.
She's still being uncooperative, so I just might put the Ugly back.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...e-t189987.html

White Dressmaster = Louise. Carved in her case in script is the name J. Louise Stanley. Her original owner thought enough to name her so why should I change it?

Minnesota Mdl B = Minerva. I don't know why but as I was cleaning this machine up the name Minerva just popped into my mind. So, Minerva it was and is.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...n-t191805.html

New Home AB = Minni. This machine was rescued from a storage locker and had been the home to a bunch of mice. What a mess. They chewed the cords, the box, peed all over it causing a lot of rust and just messed it up big time. But in spite of all that the machine still sews very nice. So I named her Minni.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...l-t187261.html

I "think" these are all the ones we've named. If I remember any more I'll list 'em.

Joe

My FW is Emma after my great-grandmother.
My 301 is Ida after my husband's great aunt. She was not a fancy woman but she was a worker.
My treadle (Singer 9W7) is Agnes after the lady she came from (DIL's grandmother)
I have a 301 that my husband is going to paint red and she will be Barbara after my beloved and slightly wild aunt.
My Babylock Ellegante is Irene after my grandmother. She always was a little fancy but was a worker.
My Janome MC6600 is Lu after my maternal grandmother. She was never fancy but reliable and worked like horse.
I can't get a name to stick to my HQ16.

Isn't it funny how some of them are just really hard to name?

I'm kind of hit or miss when it comes to naming things. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. Up until recently I only had 1 sewing machine and a serger. It's getting confusing now that I have 2 sewing machines. I read a post recently that gave some inspiration, I'm debating on naming the 15-91 Billie Holliday.

Here goes:-

Bernina 550qe - "Beryl" - she's named after my ex mother-in-law who was the first quilter I met

Singer Featherweight 1952 - "Florrie" - she's named after my son's favourite soft toy

Singer 201 adapted electric 1940 - "Elizabeth" or "Betsy" for short. Her manual had the owners name in it but the first letter was just the initial E, so I thought Elizabeth would be a good bet.

Singer 99 hand crank 1960 - Kipper - she's my son's machine and he named her

Singer 15 treadle - "Hope" - her original 1947 receipt is made out to a Miss Hopewell.

Singer 15 hand crank - late 20th Century made in Taiwan - "Lucy" she's currently residing with my Mother who loves her and is named after the lady who gave her to me.

Singer 66 treadle 1924 - She hasn't got a name at the moment, I haven't started cleaning her up so we haven't got to know each other yet.

Bernina 707 Minimatic - my parents collected her from a charity shop yesterday so I haven't met her yet, I'll wait until I meet her before I give her a name.

The first two machines I have owned for a while but the other six only arrived since the end of October, just over two weeks' ago! For those of you who say how addictive sewing machine collecting is I have to say you are so right! They just keep on popping up and I can't say no!

My 66 treadle is a red eye, so her name is Lucy (both redheads)
My 201 hankcrank is Maggie, my grandmother's name. She let me "help" her cut out quilt pieces when I was small.
My 15-91 is Kitty Kate, after the dear friend that gave her to me.
My 1948 FW is Baby just because she is such a cute little thing.
My 1936 FW is Daddy's Girl because my DH found her in an antique store and insisted I buy her.
My 328 is named Frank (short for Frankenstein) because he looks so out of place among my other black beauties!
My 101 is not named yet - I was just beginning to bond with her when her motor started sewing slower and slower until she stopped completely. (Maybe she's mad because she has no name)
My modern Brother is named "my cheapie Brother" (no reflection on my real life brother)
My modern Viking is named "the expensive one"
My serger is not named - don't know why, just call her the serger.

I have Mabel, Rosie, Lizzie{my favorite, a 1915, 127 Sphinx}, Esther, Scarlett, Sweet Baby Jane and Pandora. I have a system that I use for all my vintage machines. I use the little magnet strips , put each machines' name on paper, glue to the magnet strip and put on the front of machine. Then take another strip, put all info about machine{last time it was serviced or oiled, date of purchase, needle size and date installed, etc.} on piece of paper, then stick it on the back of machine. I also list machines' personality and YES they DO have personalities!

My Singer 99 is named "Grace".

That is a great idea Mawluv. I am going to use it.

To tell the truth, I used to name all of my sewing machines. Now I have too many (gasp!) to name. But I do keep an Excel spreadsheet to log my sewing machines. The spreadsheet contains the same information as your magnetic strips. I think I will use both methods. Where does one purchase the magnetic strips?

mawluv,

Love the idea of the magnetic strips. But what do you do with aluminum machines? I have several very vintage non iron machines.

Joe

And the ones DH forgot:

Adeline - our first Frister & Rossman, a German name for a German-made machine
Leon - the Singer 13, the machine has lion-like quality to it
Penelope - the Singer 48, the name seems to go with the frillly decals
Genevieve - one of the New Homes, very pretty name for a machine with very pretty decals

We have more to name, which will happen as they get cleaned up and put on display and or used. I like the idea of displaying the name on the machine. With so many and with the sieve of a brain that I seem to have, it would be a good thing to do!

Joe, I just use tape for the names. Then I used clear vinyl, selvaged from a package that a set of sheets came in, to sew little pockets about the size of a credit card. Put info on a piece of paper and insert into the pocket and tape to the back of machine. Caroline S, you can find the magnet strips at Walmart, craft store, and it can be cut with scissors. I also use magnets to leave notes for my grandchildren, who sew on these machines. The notes are written as though the machine is talking to them! I have a 10 year old grandaughter that loves it. She will come in and say," Did Sweet Baby Jane {her favorite} leave me a letter?" We're making some great memories together!!!

What a precious idea! I love it!!!

my featherweight is named Jenica my daughter named her. she calls everything from her stuffed pony to the neighbors cat Jenica and even whannted to name her baby sister that as well. the other machines dont realy have names gess i better get to that some time.

The first FW is named Betsy. 2nd one unnamed for right now
Black 301 is Rebeckah and her tan sister needs more work before I can play with her and name her.
The Two Spools is Josephine - after my grandmother.
Green Bernina 117 K or L is Fritz
The Occupied Japan machine is Tokaru (I believe) for firelfly in Japanese. Might rename her - haven't decided yet.
Lots of others are unnamed but not unloved.

Chris

My 1950 black FW is named "Bobbi". This is after the FW bobbin I found in my Mom's stuff and took for "bait". Two weeks later I found my her on craigslist, and the seller, who's name was "Bobbi", lived six blocks from my Mom.

My 1948 repainted Purple FW came with "Laverne". Not sure if she will stay that name but she does have lots of personality.

My 1928 66-6 is named "Gladys" after my grandmother, who was the original owner. My grandmother hated the name and went by her middle name Bernice (she had been teased as "Happy Bottom" as a child).

The 1976 Elna Lotus is "The Lotus".

Still thying to think of one for the 1886 Improved Family. Others I have not named ...

My 1897 Singer fiddle base is Ida, after my grandmother, who was born in 1888.
The 1913 Singer red eye is Leota, after my other grandmother, who was born that year.
Mom's 1957 Singer 201 is Dottie, my mother's nickname.
My Singer 99 Centennial is Miss Lily, after my granddaughter, who is also "small but mighty."
The Singer 301 is Marion, after my 88-year-old aunt, who still uses her 301 regularly.
I have a 1940s 15-91 in the basement that I have even cleaned up yet, so no name given.

My "modern" machines, a 1980 Kenmore and 2007 Brother, do not have names. I just feel drawn to name the vintage ones.

My first vintage was named Lucy because she looks like a Lucy to me.....(319w) my last I named Grace---a FW----cause she was lost and now found......in between, is Eric the Red, Pittiful Pearl, several named after their original owners, Bing Crosby, sweet Caroline (a 301)---OH, Madam Butterfly is a favorite----but some are still waithing for the right name.

All Singers...
My first Featherweight...and first vintage machine - 1956 Darling Lily (because she was so darling when I saw her).
2-tone 301a - Heddie (just liked the name)
1947 Featherweight - Millie (original owner's name was Mildred)
1953 15-91 Esther Irene (after my grandmother...because she looked stocky like grandma)
Black 301a - Virginia (Ginny) - because I bought her from a man who lived on Virginia Street.
Taupe 301a - Miz Juanita - after my lifetime friend, Juanita who gifted her to me.
Miss Nancy - 1910 Redeye treadle - after my friend Nancy who gifted her to me.
Gurtie - my 1971 HS graduation gift a Singer Stylist 457 - named after the HS mascots Gus & Gurtie.

I just purchased a 1951 FW about 3 months ago, and I named her Lady Millicent.... I am very happy i purchased her!!!!

Necci baby and Juki baby

My Featherweights are :1951 Annie(for anniversary model),1948 Maggie May (like the Rod Stewart song),1957 Patty for the woman I bought it from and 1961 tan is Freddie for the man I bought it from.
The treadles are :Singers: 1968 237 zig zig is Sofia(just like the name),1949 15-90K is Karie,1936 201K is Randy,1916 66-1 red eye is Ruth for my grandma,1955 Pfaff model 60 is Gertrud for my Auntie a lovely German girl.
Most often I name my machines for the person that I buy them from.
Sharon W.

Not all of my machines have names-some just seem like a name, and some don't. Of the ones that do, they are:

Noriko, a two-tone green Riccar 310, Maybell the FW, after her previous owner, and Ludwig P Nahmaschine, a Pfaff130. (My osmg named him, believe it or not. I was complaining that he seemed like a named machine, yet I couldn't come up with a girl's name that fit. He said, "Of course not-he's not a girl, and his name is Ludwig." It stuck.) Oh, and the treadles, Temperance, the 1920's red eye, and Mrs Willard, the New Willard.

My Singer Quantum XL3400 is Vesta, just because I like the name
My Bernina 1530 is Martha, named for friends deceased Mom who was the previous owner
My Singer 401A is Elsie, named for friends deceased Mom who was the previous owner
My Singer 301A is Helen, named after my sweet Nana
My Singer 15-91 is Ethel, named after my Mom's Mom who I never knew
I have a Singer Spartan and a Singer 99 but I can't remember their names
My Juki Serger MO644D is Bronwyn, because I like the name
I'm keeping a White Model 808 for DD. DD inherited it from her Dad's Mom and her name is North Carolina, just like previous owner.

Let me know when you see the theme. :P

First came Betty - the 1913 Model 27 treadle. She just seemed like a Betty.
Next, the 1950 FW, I figured she'd be Betty's friend, but sometimes rival for my attention, so her name is Veronica, Ronnie for short.
Midge was next, she's the 1950 FW that I recently sold.
Moose, the 1936 15-91, who will push through almost anything...
Archie was next, he was a thrift store find, the 1958(?) 403A. He was supposed to be my main machine. I ended up selling him when I got the 401A and the 503J. I figured there were too many of the one type, and I can't use them all, I don't actually sew all that much, in fact.
Alice was next. She's the 1889 VS2. Predecessor to the Model 27,... naturally, she should be Mrs Cooper, Betty's mom....
After that I fell off naming them for a bit, but the 1950 99K was named Jelly Bean.

The question I have is, can you reuse names? :o Archie and Midge are gone but not forgotten, but different machines have assumed their roles...