Sewnoma

I agree!! (And just because you're not a quilter now doesn't mean you won't be if you hang around here long enough, LOL)

You can't create without destroying. Sewing machines can't be made without destroying ancient iron ore rocks and omelets can't be cooked without destroying eggs. I enjoy both sewing machines AND omelets so I will continue to support the destruction and "upcycling" of both iron ore and chicken eggs. (and dangit, now I'm hungry)

I'd much rather see the old machines and irons turned into gee-gaws and whatchamacallits than into slag. My FIRST preference is to see them restored, but barring that, might as well be creative rather than spiteful.

Rodney

Good steampunk is hard to find. I'm not offended by it when I see it because there is enough creativity and talent in the better examples for it to be considered art. There are too many people who use the tag just to sell something though. There were literally millions of old Singers made. Most of the domestic models are nowhere near rare. I do hate to see less common machines torn up-many of which are more valuable as sewing machines than they are as upcycled objects. If the person making the art would pay attention and stick to the common stuff I would be happier.

Actually, as offended as we get at the repurposing of old sewing machines, I think the collectors of old typewriters and mechanical watches both have it worse. I see a lot of typewriter keys in steampunk creations and jewelry and the same goes for watches. The tiny gears in watches are just too neat for people to not want to use them.

All man made objects go through these sorts of phases. They start off shiny and new. They get used and passed on one way or the other. Now they're just old and people don't put much if any value on them. This is when they start getting recycled, donated to charity or just plain thrown out. This is where the majority of sewing machines are. They have relatively little value to most people but styles have changed enough where they or at least their parts are novel. Since they're low priced and have neat shapes they get turned into other things. Much like using an old pot for a planter in the garden.
The ones that survive this stage may go on to become antiques where people will begin to value them for what they are again instead of what they can be.
We can actually help this process in some ways by educating people about sewing machines and how they relate to history and by teaching people to sew. Old sewing machines are not valued for their ability to sew and at least part of the reason is because only a small part of the population sews these days. Many younger people haven't even been exposed to sewing. It's not taught in schools anymore and most likely their parents don't sew either. Out of the small portion that does still sew, relatively few people sew on vintage machines. We all know how great old straight stitch machines are for quilting and most other sewing needs, we just have to convince other people how great they are too.
Rodney

soman2

Well done, Rodney!!!

Soman2

The other Rodney