I (for now) live in a part of the state full of old farm houses. Many of them are abandoned. Today a friend of mine called e and told me that a friend of hers got one of this houses and wanted her to check out a sewing machine. She knows how crazy I am about them, and called me to go along. I am planning on a 20 minutes trip to check out an old Singer on a porch. I was not prepared to what came next.

On the porch there was a very old Sears Roebuck treadle machine, in bad shape, but that could be fixed with a lot of TLC. A little further, there is an electric machine on a cabinet, forgot the brand, but I had never heard of it. On the living room, a beautiful Riccar on a cabinet, this one in great shape. In the bedroom, another Riccar, exactly like the one in the livingroom, with no cabinet. The cabinet was rotten on the porch. In the foyer, another beauty, also treadle, super old, with a coffin cover case.

Moving on, there were barrels of fabric. I couldn't dig much into it, because most of it was Polyesther and was breaking in my hands as I touched it. I sneeze just thinking about it. In a bedroom closet I found several pieces of linen, some plain and some embroidered. There were table runners, table cloths, doilies, etc. You bet those came home with me. My friend went to the attic and found a Roy Rogers lunch box. A little rusted, but not too bad.

I also found a purse just like one my mother had when I was a kid. Kind of what January Jones wears in Mad Men. It is in my laundry room waiting to be cleaned. On our way out he takes us to the garage and there was a beautiful wooden ironing board that he was planning to burn. Is in my back porch right now. We went though dishes, clothes, dressers you name it.

A trip to see a sewing machine lasted two and a half hours. The light was not good but we took some pictures. I will post them as soon as I get them from my friend.

Sounds like a really really fun adventure!!!

Visions pop into my head of the life once lived in that farmhouse. Lots of sewing went on there for sure.

You were definitely at the right place and time!! Can you imagine what would have happened to the treasures you brought home, burn baby burn! I'm so glad you were able to save some history!

any chance of making one the machines yours?

Wow, what a wonderful day. Never mind all the things you brought home, but all the thoughts running through your head on what the woman did with all those machines and what she was planning on doing with all that fabric. I bet she was a wonderful lady.

What a great way for you to get away today. Looking forward to seeing the pictures. :D

sounds like the perfect trip to me!

I am not sure. He is interested on making some money out of everything in the house, since the house is not worth anything. I guess if I ask nicely. I already have an old Singer that my FIL found in Yonkers and fixed up for me. I also have my Featherweight. Would you be interested? I will post pics as soon as I have them. When I move I will have no room for another one.

I thought you were going to tell us you bought the farm! What a find. Not an experience we get everyday. It is sad that so many treasures go by the wayside because they have no one to love them.
You will remember my post on how to get the smell out of stored fabrics. http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-42530-1.htm
So far I have tested the activated carbon, borax and baking soda. The activated carbon and borax worked 100%. The baking soda worked but not as much as the activated carbon.
Wow! You got to touch those machines. Wow! Charlee and Billy are probably drooling as they read your post.

sounds like my kind of day