Do your other hobbies "color" your views on sewing machines
 

Just curious what some of you do outside of sewing....I am involved in way to many other things, one of which is black smithing. I am in Alaska, and it does NOT have a strong pre civil war heritage and that results in there being basicly NO anvils available. To that end I was enviously commenting on a friend's newly acquired antique Peter Wright anvil.... And it struck me as to how few people would ever utter the phrase "that's a real beauty" about an anvil. It got me to thinking maybe I appreciate machines in a differing light than most .... Anyway.....I guess I am more of a form follows function kinda guy. Does anyone else find that they appreciate certain aspects of the old machines for reasons relating to other hobbies or interests. I sort of get the feeling that many of us are in this group discussing these old machines for reasons other than them being the "best" quilt maker available.

Flip that around rather, and say that my views on sewing machines color my other hobbies. Because when I first saw the gaming miniature called the 'large arachnid' (it's built out of metal), my thought was "that will look fantastic when it's painted up with the colors and decals of the Singer 101--shame nobody will get it". ;)

And you know, I don't have the will to collect the dashboard machines although I love the look, there are other mechanical spider minis in the same line except smaller. Maybe they'll look good in dashboard machine colors.

And I have got to try out crackle medium (a hobby paint additive that makes the surface crack and craze) as a substitute for godzilla finish on the very smallest spider mini of all.

Of course they do. My two main things are woodworking and old woodworking tools and machines. My interest in and respect for the older woodworking machinery is the same as what I feel for old sewing machines. There are a lot of parallels in the quality and workmanship of the older ones and in the decline of those features in all but the top end on the newer ones. My woodworking carries over in the repair of the cabinets and cases on the machines along with making new cases for them.
It's all one big happy jumble for me.
Rodney

:o I totally googled that and can see it. The Malifaux, right?

My horseshoer would have known and appreciated your beautiful anvil.

I started collecting sewing machine because I sewed.

I've sewn, done various crafts and needlework since I was a child and always liked to fix things, including working on my own cars. I started collecting sewing machines kinda by accident after I gave my mothers machine to my daughter. I really missed it and a few weeks later when I found one just like it at a thrift store I was so happy. Then I found another old one, then my first Singer, and so it goes. Now that I just physically cannot work on cars any more sewing machines fill my need to tinker, and using them after I've fixed them or cleaned them up makes my creative side happy.

Cari

I love black smithing, too. When my son was under driving age he made me drive to about a million blacksmith meetings. We are fortunate to have lots of them in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. I believe there are people that collect blacksmiths get tools and equipment just like we do sewing machines. At the time we were going crazy, I had some serious physical issues so I was unable to pound much metal. It is very intriguing to watch an old master blacksmith working the metal but my favorite is watching forge welding. I have seen blacksmith art most people are never privileged to see. It is amazing to see the colors of the metal when it gets hot. My family history is full of blacksmiths. My dad was the first to not be a blacksmith. I guess it affects how I view and appreciate the craftsmanship that went into those old sewing machines.

I don't do blacksmithing, but, we just moved from a Southern state that had a lot of fairs and festivals and we did watch the blacksmiths at every one we went to. It is fascinating to both me and Mr. Stitchnripper. We also watched the fellows (and there were never women) make the tools by chipping rocks. I don't know what that's called, but there is so much precision involved, just to chip away the right amount in the right place. And sometimes at those fairs and festivals there would be a lady using a chain stitch hand crank. Or a big frame with a quilt in and everyone could take a turn quilting, which I always enjoyed.

I don't know why I started collecting machines, but I am most fascinated with the black singers. I have a few. Or maybe several. Now we are in another Southern state in a house with a basement with a work bench already here, and I have a new territory to scope out. I have been on hiatus for several months with the selling the other house, move, and trying to get organized here. I will also have my own sewing room in one of the bedrooms. I am already old and so I waited a very long time to get this, and hope I have enough good years to enjoy it all.

My quest for machines is starting after the New Year. I collect them because they have a story, which I'll never know, but, if they could talk, I'll bet it would be very interesting. And because mostly it is within my abilities to make one run again especially with all the help I've gotten here. I don't know if I will ever take on the task of restoring a finish, but, who knows.

My late DH loved to work on rusty metal things and also had all the blacksmith tools and knew how to use them. We worked on a complete rust bucket Singer together, sitting side by side at the welding table working on different parts. I cleaned and repainted the head while he cleaned the irons and we did the cabinet together. It sits proudly in my living room and although I gave his forge and blower to a good friend of his that is using it today, the big anvil is still where he sat it many years ago. I frequently use it for various projects. I loved sewing machines first and grew to appreciate blacksmithing and old tools, he loved blacksmithing and grew to like my machines and respect the knowledge I had of them. I think it just goes together naturally.

My other main hobby is showing cars. I show both vintage and modern cars and this has given me an appreciation for the simplicity of the vintage machines. The color sense I've developed thru sewing and quilting has also helped me when customizing cars. So I'd say that one hobby does affect the other.