HI! I just joined today. Allow me to introduce myself!
I'm Jordan. I have been obsessed with antique and old sewing machines since I was 10-12 ish. I'll turn 31 on July 30th so I've been at it a while. Took a break during college but I came right back. I've been teaching myself to sew all over again. I had no idea how to properly use a machine...let alone an antique sewing machine.
I have a treadle SINGER 66 that I found at an auction when I was about 15 or 16 and I was able to nab it a decent price, can't remember for the life of me now. I started to use it before I even understood what it could do. Becoming disheartened I pretty much gave up and used it as an aquarium stand. I KNOW I KNOW PLEASE FORGIVE ME! What usually happens when you neglect a wooden surface and place a wet thing above it...correct. Water damage.
Damaged and relegated to the garage my poor 66 sat for nearly a decade. This past fall my mother and I dragged her out and brought her back to life. I began to sew nearly daily as an attempt to atone for my past misdeeds. Eventually we took her apart and cleaned up her cabinet; sanding and staining and filling in holes with wood pulp, etc.
I have posted an album showing one update to the machine. I found a SINGER 27 vibrating shuttle in pretty okay condition, but I was after the REVCO attachment I had never seen before. After some careful tinkering and removal of both the side clamp presser bar and the REVERSE/FORWARD function I really set my 66 to good use! I use it all the time!
I am working on two quilts at the machines at the moment and I am repairing a third antique family quilt by hand.
My machines include a SINGER 66 on treadle base. A SINGER 201-2 in a cabinet (found the machine for $20 in desperate need of care and a cabinet for $15 for a Touch n Sew that I sold. I just wanted the cabinet. I think I made a mistake letting go of the TnS, but cest la vie). I also found a UNIVERSAL from the early 60's, still cast iron and from Japan. It appears to have a nearly identical 201K (I think, the belt driven motor, also the thread tensioner is on the front plate).
SO, anyway. HELLO!