What would you consider to be
 

What would you consider to be the best "inexpensive" antique singer "bible" for someone new to the idea of collecting the older singer machines? I would like to educate myself before I spend money on something that I should have avoided buying in the first place. I need to learn the different appearances to look for and what model each is as well as the things to watch for as I shop. I learned to sew 65 years ago on a long bobbin singer treadle (don't know what model) and would love to have one or maybe one slightly newer that has the reverse lever like the "modern" ones (again, I don't know the model) we had at school. I love reading all of your comments on the old goodies. Help me with a good book title and maybe a suggestion on where to buy it. Amazon??? Thanks Donna

Donna,

I don't know about any one "bible" for antique machines, however I found several versions of Singer's "How to ID your Singer machine" over on Relics:
http://pages.sewing-machine-manuals....1436928/1.html
I think the Singer books are on page two.

Joe

What a great question, blueheavenfla.... and wonderful site, Joe.... thanks. Now if someone can tell me how to bookmark this thread so I can find it again, that would we wonderful. I haven't figured out how to do it since QB changed their format.

Well, I'm using Firefox and at the very top of the page there is a little line of tools in a bar. One of them says "Bookmarks". Click on that, a drop down box appears and one of the choices is "Bookmark this page". Click on that and another box will appear with browsing controls so you can put it where you want it. Click on the location you want then click "Done" and it's bookmarked.

That's with Firefox. I 'think' IE is similar. I have no idea about Macs or any other systems.

Joe

Thanks, Joe. I don't see a tools or bookmarks but I'll keep trying to figure this out. If not, I'll just put the site in my book of places to visit again.

I figured it out..... Yeah!! went to thread tools and clicked subscribe to this thread .... then I went to subscriptions and moved it to bookmarks.

It's not a book, but a group. Register at Yahoo and join one of the many vintage machine groups there. There are thousands of threads on machines (which are good or not) and you can do searches on specific machines. I'm a member of the vintage pfaff, elna, singer and Viking groups and although they're very strict with rules they are a treasure trove of information. It's where I've learned the most about vintage machines and repair.


AND it's free. More information than any books would have!

Another group to watch and learn from is www.treadleon.com they have a lot of very interesting and informative members there who deal with people powered machines.

Thank you so much, Joe, for pointing me in the right direction. I also found another interesting page at http://www.sandman-collectibles.com/...r-machines.htm I am having fun learning but there are too few hours each day to devote to this. I sure wish I had developed this interest earlier in my life. Thanks again,
Donna

I don't know about any one "bible" for antique machines, however I found several versions of Singer's "How to ID your Singer machine" over on Relics:
http://pages.sewing-machine-manuals....1436928/1.html
I think the Singer books are on page two.

Joe[/QUOTE]

Thanks Candace. I haven't had time to check into the yahoo group for Singers and I don't know why I didn't think of it as I participate in the Pfaff yahoo group for my Pfaff machine.
Donna