I heart repaints!
 

for those of ya'll who don't understand the fascination with painted machines, I am going to try to post pix of my two featherweights. Both were in boat anchor condition- the pink is a 221, and the purple is a 222. The pink has a pretty pearl/candy finish, the purple is regular paint. I enjoy using them, as do my daughters. I bought the 222 like this.
I have been practicing flames on a kitchenaid mixer- so my next wild one will have flames.

They are so pretty!

Wow! they are nice!

I love the purple one!!

Wow! Both of these are great! Thanks for sharing pics! Looking forward to seeing that mixer!!!

These are the exact same colors I want to make mine so I can give each granddaughter a FW in their favorite color. Want to trade and you can try refurbing two new ones?

On a serious note . . . you painted these yourself?

In general, I dislike machines that are painted different colors than what they were originally. I kind of like the original colors and unless the machine is really really bad, I leave them as they are and use them.

Really really bad like this poor New Home:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...s/topfront.jpg
If I could find decals for it I'd strip it and paint it. I'd paint it .... black.

Joe

I don't really like the fancy repaints. To me it's like painting good wood furniture, and like the classic sleek black and white FWs.

I have 3 Fw that had been painted and I really like them too......I think your's are beautiful! I am glad you are enjoying them......

Beautiful colors! Being a Baltimore Ravens fan, I would love a purple one!!

I love them! Did you use automotive paint and a sealer?

Not quite my pink - I'd go for something more pastel - but that's just me. In a way I prefer these to repaints that try to make the machine look like it was when new - that seems, in a way that I can't quite explain, dishonest; almost like trying to pretend that all of those intervening years didn't happen. With the new color repaints there's an acknowledgment of those years without saying that all of that wear is worth preserving just because it is.

Now that would be a Happy Sewing center with those colors! I'm not a collector of the old machines but seeing them
painted peaks my interest! Thanks for sharing

I think if I had the urge to paint one, I'd hunt up a 66-16 that was a dog externally but sound mechanically for the job.
I'd strip it down to the bare metal, then paint it OD green. I'd have the plated parts stripped and I'd paint them flat black. Then I'd use the black SINGER MANUFACTURING CO and SINGER decals on the arm, leaving the rest of it without decals. I'd then clear coat it with mat clear coat.

Then I'd get a dog of a case, repair that and cover it in camo pattern cloth. I'd also have the metal parts stripped and they'd be painted flat black as well.

THAT would be a cool machine .... In My Not So Humble Opinion.

Joe

Joe - what's OD green?

Your repainted FW's are beautiful! I'm in the process of repainting a few that were in really bad cosmetic condition.

Those look great! If you find a machine that needs refinishing, and it's not a rare model, why not give it a fun color!?

they're fun and adorable!

I love your machines, and I agree they are fun machines if they are original or even when they are painted. And sewing should be about fun.

OD green is Olive Drab, aka army green. I laughed when I saw the camo plans, Joe. And then I took a deep breath- because my sewing room smells JUST LIKE a tent, as I bought some new army surplus waterproof OD canvas to make my spouse a tote. I won't cut up any of his old flight suits or fatigues.

Cute FWs! Love seeing them in different colors.

Ahh. I've never heard it referred to as olive drab green, just olive drab.

Pretty. If I were repainting I'd probably go for an emerald green or a cherry apple red. But my FW was in pretty good condition so it's still black.

I love the different colors. My husband wanted me to let him paint my FW but I didn't want it painted. I wanted my 301 painted. He thought it was in too good shape to paint. So....I bought another 301 and he plans to paint it candy apple red for me. My 301s are his favorite machines.

Joe, I understand your sentiments about restoration as opposed to refurbishing. But, like one of the other posters said, if it isn't rare why not have what you want. I want a red sewing machine! I do love my FW with all her scratches. Emma is a 1936 machine and I just imagine the stories she could tell.

I think they both are beautiful! I really enjoy color in my life. One day I might paint my featherweight a bright yellow.

I love them! They look like such happy little machines now! Good job!

I love those colors....the exact same colors I was planning to paint FWs for my g/kids too!!! Lots of people on the board don't seem to like repainting FWs but I think they are so cute, they should be painted colors that match their sweet little personalities. Thanks for sharing!!!!

You did a beautiful job painting your FW's! It makes me want to look for one that needs painting - maybe a soft pink! I guess I will add that to my wish list!

Maybe we should start a new thread about the stories our machines could tell. Imagine the history that could be written, the love that's been shared, the hardships, the joys. . .why, it could be a huge book! Especially with the pictures that we've seen on this board!

Wow! I really love the purple one!

I would love a deep red FW but all of mine are in too good of a shape to paint them. I do have a couple of 66's and also a 301 that are in terrible shape (cosmetically) that I'm considering having painted. I also like those paints that look different depending on how the light is falling on them.

I think your FW's are so cute. I was just wondering how does one go about painting a machine. Are you able to paint them at home , or are they painted like you would paint a car? Like in a Car Body shop. I would love to have a red FW. When Joe was talking about the color he would like, I thought I would also like one the colors of our Saskatchewan Rough Rider football team. Bright green & white.LOL.

My second FW is a purple one (it's my avatar). I was a purist and only liked them in the original color, so I bought a black one. Then last spring I saw an ad on craigslist for this purple one and it was a VERY good price. I have to admit I love it. It just makes me smile. And if it makes anyone feel better, judging by the condition of the case it was probably pretty rough condition before the repaint. But I love it! it's so pretty!

You can paint them at home and Dave McCallum has directions on how to do it in his book, "The Featherweight 221 and I". It doesn't seem too hard but I would only do it to a real "dog" of a FW. I have heard of people who have them done in a body shop. They just wait until a car is getting painted the color they want and have the painter paint their machine at the same time.

Skyangel: I love the purple one in your avatar. Do you have a close-up picture of it?

I'm repainting a 301 in a berry pink. I have it to the point where the decals were just applied. In a day or two I will continue with more clear coat...it will be finished soon. I'm also working on 5 featherweights, 1 purple, 1 bright red, 1 a metallic blue, 2 a metallic darker red. These machines were all in really bad shape, cosmetically, but now they're looking great.

Oh you and my hubby would love each other. My partner and I were at the automotive paint store today picking some colors to use on our next machines and they have a whole camo color line. I am seriously considering doing my industrial singer in much the way you described wanting a 66. We're making custom cases for the machines we sell. a 66 or a 99 in a traditional case that has been customized needs its own coordinating case :)

I already have the OD green light for you when you have the urge. Remember the White No.8 I posted last week that had the widget light? The color is almost the same as my Father's OD green raincoat.

What kind of paint are you using? I have a 66 that I want to paint and am trying to figure out how to best do it!