So I got a new Bernina 430 on Sunday, and now today the neighbor guy brought me over another sewing machine! It's even older than my Brother! It's a Singer, and I think it might be one of those featherweights that everyone loves so much.

It is in kinda rough shape- needs a new cord or at least for this cord to be put back where it goes, and it REALLY needs a good cleaning, but the previous owner said it worked when she put it in her basement. It was her husband's grandmother's machine, I believe. I am so excited! And she GAVE it to me because she wanted it to go to a good home. The neighbor guy, who is retired and helps this elderly woman out a lot, thought of me!

Lisa,
There is a singer site on line that you put in the serial number and it tells you the day your machine was made and where. I think it is just singer.com.
Edited to say here is the link to the site ....
http://www.singerco.com/support/serial_numbers.html

Awwww how sweet that they thought of you!!!! A real treasure :D :D :D

Beautiful vintage Singer machine BUT...I am wondering how much you are enjoying your new Bernina?! :)

Never mind...apparently I didn't read down the list far enough! :oops:

AE- 663491 673490 99 10000 September 1 1937

Cool! This is my machine's birthday! And it was made in Elizabeth New Jersey.

Thank you so much RG!!

And I still love the Bernina best... I guess I'm a modern gal at heart! LOL! I am just flying over here I am so excited. What a great week!

According to the Singer site, your serial number matches a model 99, built in 1936. Model 221 is the featherweight. So yours is not one of the featherweights. Sorry about that. But for $15, you can purchase a copy of the owner manual on the site.

My2Pals- SWEET! Can you link me to the page where it says what model this is? I didn't see that page. I would love to get the manual. I intend to fix this and use it! And I totally don't care how valuable it is as far as a Model 99 vs. Featherweight. Featherweights were the only ones I was familiar with. Actually, if it was valuable, I would feel bad taking it for free so if it's less valuable then I will be relieved.

Maybe someday my niece will want to sew on it. (She is 6 now, but is already a quilter in her soul- when watching the fireworks this 4th of July she sighed, "I wish I could make those on a quilt." Made her auntie so proud!)

Awesome! You should have it serviced and have them replace the electrical wiring. It's a common thing with that machine. My service guy loves working on these! Check online for a manual (Google). I found one for free. If it's the same model, I can email you a copy. I'll have to check my pc at home for the file.

Mine is from 1939 I think. Very similar. I spent about $100 for tune-up and new wiring. It runs beautifully! The only reason I don't use it all the time is I don't have anywhere to keep it set up all the time and it's too heavy for me to move around much (my dining rm is my sewing room). Someday I hope to have a permanent home for it!

Singer 99s are not worth that much, because of how many were made. They are however wonderful machines, and the table its in, is worth more then the machine, the tables are fairly uncommon. I have a 99 in a case, and I love it! Yours has the filigree decals, where mine is a wrinkle finish.

Here's the link: http://www.singerco.com/pdf/SINGER_AE_nos.pdf

You need to scan down the page to where your serial number group is located.

M2P- thank you!

I am having a great time finding out the story behind my machine. I am going to write the lady who gave it to me a little thank-you note and see if I can get the name of the original owner and I will write up a little story to stay with the machine.

katie- I pm'd you.

qb12- My case is not in the best shape. The veneer on the top needs to be replaced. It is nice and sturdy, though, and has pretty curved legs, so eventually I will repair it. I am like you and will be happy to have it just to sew with. When my "honeymoon period" ends with my new Bernina. Heehee!

I don't know which machine to play with today. I run upstairs and sew some blocks, out to the garage to look at the Singer, then here to see if I have any new info. LOL! I am like a chicken with my head cut off!

My 12 year old niece is sewing on one just like that right now! It's a great machine for kids to sew. They can't mess it up, and it has the basic threading and bobbin winding that is so important to know. The cabinet has a knee control under the right side. The knee control is perfect for younger sewers that can't reach the floor. This machine is the one I use for paper piecing. You can set the stitch length to 30 threads per inch! I have no idea what that setting is used for. I bought mine in mint condition from a dept. store alteration dept for $150 14 years ago. I had the electrical cords replaced a few years ago as they was getting cracked. It still has the original light bulb! The old bulbs never burn out. A good cleaning and polishing and you have a wonderful vintage machine that will earn it's keep.

[IMG]http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z...g/S7300983.jpg[/IMG]

Thank you so much for the link, I now know that my grandmother's machine was made in 1927 in Scotland. The other one I own was make in 1929, don't know where.

Lisa, You got a beautiful machine there! How wonderful your neighbors are!
Congratulations! :D

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!

I think that's very similar to the machine I learned to sew on in the 60's.

SCORE.

Lisa--congrats on your 2 new sewing machines!!! I love my Bernina and I promise you are going to love yours for years to come!!

Your Singer is great too. I have an old Featherweight and when I bought it I took a class on how to clean and maintain my machine. We cleaned them with Murphy's Oil Soap and water and a soft cloth. Then we shined them with Meguire's car wax. (I know--sounds weird, but it works great) Also, the old machines have an oil drip pad in the bottom---if you change it out for a new one, you will go a long way towards improving the smell of your old machine.

It looks to me that you have a Singer 201, not the 99.

AE- 675491 685490 201 10000 September 22 1937

This site says that the 201k was "undoubtedly the pinnacle of Singer's quality machines." http://www.sewalot.com/singer%20thro...the%20ages.htm

Congratulations on getting that machine - and now be advised that you have just been bitten by the antique sewing machine bug. You will find yourself watching garage sales, searching craigslist, looking everywhere for another old machine that needs a good home. I know, because it's happening to me too.

What a nice find i sew on a singer 15-91 that is similar to that machine.

Lisa, I got your PM and sent you a copy of my manual via email. Mine is a 201, it looks just like yours. If you find out it's a 15-91, I think the link I sent with it has that manual too.

Dunster and katier- you guys are right! It does say that it is a 201. I looked up the wrong number before. Doh!

I will read that attachment tonight. Thank you so much! I want to learn what Marcia said she learned- how to clean and oil it, that kind of stuff.

I buy old singers every time I see them cheap. We bring them home and clean them up and most of the run like a dream. That one is not a featherweight but well worth what you paid. We are having a sale this weekend and I am actually going to try to sell some of mine. I think I have about 8 of them now. I will never get rid of my featherweight though. I love it.
Judy in Ohio

And BellaBoo- I love the picture! I like seeing young "sewists". I was one, too! My Gram started teaching me to sew when I was 4 or 5.

Congratulations!!! What a wonderful neighbor you have!!! Enjoy!!! :D :D

Isn't exploring new old machines fun? It is too easy sometimes to get too many and not have room for your actual sewing!
I am trying to move some machines around to make my sewing area more comfortable! I have a treadle that I am swapping spaces with my Janome/cabinet. Harder than I thought! :lol:

The old machines are so neat. I have 2 of the feather weights 221. One my husband rescued from the area garbage transfer station and came home sooooo excited as i had told him that quilters liked it for its even stitches. Then last year I inherited my MIL's. Enjoy both of the new additions to your family.

judy68- I didn't pay ANYTHING for it! LOL! So I hope it's worth that! I imagine I will end up with around a hundred into having it serviced, then whatever I put into refinishing the cabinet.

I really want to someday pass it on to my niece so I will keep it maintained well. Hopefully she will sew on it when she is a little older and can come to spend weekends with me, and then it will have meaning to her.

That looks EXACTLY like the one I have that was my grandmothers. Even the hinges on the cabinet look exactly the same.
I don't know how old the one I have is, never looked for an age on it, but I know it's probably 20s/30s.
I'll have to open her up and check her out. :)

That is a beauty. A diamond in the rough.

Wow -- how nice is that???? We want to see her again when you get her all spiffed up!!