ThayerRags

Actually, I understand that there are two National (American) Sewing Machine Days. June 13th is the other one. How nice to have two days to celebrate our Vintage Sewing Machines, huh?

What sewing machine activity will you do today to celebrate? I’m going to make a small vinyl bag for a friend that asked for a specific size and shape for an application that he has. I’m leaning toward using my Singer 111G156 walking foot machine set up as a hand crank machine (Spinner Knob) to sew the bag.

CD in Oklahoma

Rodney

Looks like I missed it by a day. I just picked up a National sewing machine yesterday.
It's a shopgoodwill get, a dirty National rotary with no case or controller, a taped up drive wheel, and a bad power cord. It did come with an extra bobbin and a ruffler attached though. The hinges are still attached and are bent. It looks like someone literally pried them out of the cabinet.
I was the only bidder and got the machine for $1.99 before their handling fee. I picked it up in Tacoma yesterday. Normally that facility starts the bidding at $19.99. This one must have been around a while with no takers for it to be so low.
Rodney

Sewnoma

Hey cool, didn't know that. I think I'll pull out Verne (my 319W) and sew something with him. He's only been tested and played with, not really put to work so far. (And not sure why it's a "he", it just is!)

ThayerRags

Nice angle...(you getting a National Machine).

I wonder what day that Singer Sewing Machine Day is?

CD in Oklahoma

Rodney

I do too but I figured one bad play on words was enough for me.
Rodney

Mitch's Gram

I don't know that I'll actually sew anything when I get home from work today, but I could maybe see if I can get the two ends of the belt connected on that 1897 Singer I bought this summer. It was a birthday present I kinda bought, but hubby did give me the money for it if I wanted it. $50 at a yard sale. Hubby's best friend called me and asked me if I wanted it, told me to come on over and check it out. His FIL was selling it for a friend. The top of the cabinet needs work, but the machine looks pretty good. I've been cleaning it and sprucing it up when I have time, a little here and there. We found a belt off another machine that was completely trashed....really horrible condition and I need to see if I can get the ends connected. Good project for tonight. Would love to see if I could get it to make a few stitches as well. No better time than tonight.

Cari-in-Oly

I get it! Some of my machines have names. They just seem to come to me, kinda like naming a pet. Most are female, but my Pacesetters' name is Richard.
No sewing for me today, or any day until I finish up clearing out this house. I'm trying to get rid of all distractions so I have no more excuses. I might even have to get rid of my laptop temporarily so I'll stay off of it.

Cari

miriam

Ok I attempted to save the faces of old machines today .......... I made a post on it:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...p-t269834.html
I'm sure this isn't for everybody but with a couple hundred laying around I needed some way to keep track.

Other than that I have a Singer 201 beater to give a work out on some upholstery fabric.

ThayerRags

Well, sewing the vinyl bag on the Singer 111G156 was a bust. I’ve got something out of whack in the feeding system. Just a little out of whack, to where I hadn’t even noticed it until I tried sewing this thin vinyl with cotton backing. The stuff is “squirmy” to begin with, and that’s why I decided to use the walking foot machine.

I’m kind of glad that this problem has come to my attention though. I haven’t used the machine a whole lot, but it has been sewing alright on thicker/heavier materials. This thin buttery stuff showed the problem that I hadn’t noticed before. I fiddled with the machine for a while, but didn’t get it to feed any better. I think it may just be worn enough to cause the problem, and may take a major rebuild to solve it. I doubt that I will do that. I’ll just use the machine for the stiffer stuff.

I got the bag sewed and ready to go on the Consew 225 down at the shop. It didn’t have any problem with it at all. Next time that I get something “thin and squirmy”, I’ll probably sew it on my Singer 31-15 treadle that has the rolling foot on it. It handles thin vinyl pretty good.

CD in Oklahoma

Sewnoma

Most of my machines have names - the ones that don't are the ones that don't work yet. In a few cases, I've been able to find out the original owner's name and name the machine after them - that's my favorite way to name a machine and so far all have been female names. Otherwise, it's just whatever seems to fit. "Verne" just came out of thin air; probably influenced partially by the green paint (verde...) and likely also some Jules Verne in there for the steampunky "typewriter keys" it has.

I ended up celebrating sewing machine day by drooling over several cool (but out of my budget) machines on eBay. Is it just me or are FW's getting a lot cheaper, and 201's & 301's getting a lot more expensive?