Originally Posted by MrsBoats

Hey, all-thought I'd drop by for a cup and a chat, if you don't mind. It's nice to have found someone that isn't me or my osmg that's got a kink for old machines. :-)

I have a White (Betty the Backup) that I bought new in 2003 or so, but the older she gets, the finickier she is about bobbins.

So I started looking around for a replacement, and ran into Noriko at the local Salvation Army. Noriko is a Riccar, built in Japan in the mid-60's.

Also from the SA (that place is a goldmine for old sewing machines, definitely!) is a nice little Singer Spartan I found. According to Singer, Fenella was made in 1949. She was frozen when I got her, but a healthy slopping of oil and some patience has got her working again. Unfortunately, I don't have any pics of her yet.

My most recent acquisition is a New Willard treadle in a pretty little parlor cabinet from the mid-20's or so. Mrs Willard came from an antique shop, and was still threaded and sewing. The story I got is that she'd been in regular use by the daughter of her original owner until just recently. She's actually the one I have the most trouble with; she sews beautifully, but I forget to keep my feet going, and can't treadle with both feet anyway. That and stopping without letting the treadle rock. I'm working on it. :)

Anyway, thanks for letting me natter. I'm slowly reading my way through the read, but I keep getting hung up on admiring everybody else's pretty machines!