When you were young and impressionable, what type of machine ...
12-22-2012, 08:59 AM
#51
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Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 31
Thanks! My neighbour ladies are both quilters and the one to the south worked at the Singer store in Fairmont for years-she told me the trim and detail work was about as nice as anyone ever saw them these days. She gave me a pretty nice old zig-zagger for it too.
Chaz
Chaz
12-22-2012, 12:41 PM
#53
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Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Las Vegas
Posts: 79
My Mom never sewed at all. She hated it! She flunked Home EC because an apron project she was assigned was less than a success. It turned her off sewing forever. When I learned I used our next door neighbor's machine and it wasn't anything remarkable, a 60's Singer. One of my Grandmas had an old Singer treadle that I never saw her use and don't know where it went. My other Grandma did amazing handwork, I still have some of it, mostly crochet. She did bedspreads and curtains even after she went blind!
12-22-2012, 01:08 PM
#55
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 8,091
Originally Posted by Neighmond
That's the last vestige of the old blue and white case it used to be in-I didn't have the heart to chuck it!
Chaz
Chaz
Joe
12-22-2012, 03:00 PM
#56
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Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: South West Ontario
Posts: 2,235
I learned on my Mom's Featherweight portable. She hated to sew and was not the one who showed me. I learned at 4H classes in our county, starting when I was 12. I loved that little machine.
Afterwards, she upgraded to a 401J but kept the Featherweight.
I was supposed to inherit the Featherweight, but it was given away by my mother. I did get the 401 J. I also have a 401J that was my first machine (purchased used in 1974).
Now, I alos have a Featherweight and a treadle (can't remember the model) as well as both the 401's and a "garage sale special" that someone gave my daughter. She doesn't use it and left it here.
Add on my Janome 1600 and my Elna 740 and hubby is so understanding. . . . .
Afterwards, she upgraded to a 401J but kept the Featherweight.
I was supposed to inherit the Featherweight, but it was given away by my mother. I did get the 401 J. I also have a 401J that was my first machine (purchased used in 1974).
Now, I alos have a Featherweight and a treadle (can't remember the model) as well as both the 401's and a "garage sale special" that someone gave my daughter. She doesn't use it and left it here.
Add on my Janome 1600 and my Elna 740 and hubby is so understanding. . . . .
12-26-2012, 06:21 AM
#57
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Join Date: May 2011
Location: Frederick, OK
Posts: 2,031
My paternal Grandmother had a Singer Treadle that I suspect was a class 15, but I’ve never seen a photo of it. She lived with us for a while when I was 5 or 6, and I remember getting into trouble one time when I was playing near it and something happened. I don’t know what I did, but I remember that I was in big trouble. She took it to the Nursing Home with her when I was a preteen, used it to sew for the other residents, and I don’t know whatever happened to it.
My maternal Grandmother had a 1906 White VS Treadle that she received (used) as a wedding gift in 1928. She used that until she was able to buy a new Singer 404 with folding table in 1960. I’ve had the White since the 70s, and got the Singer and table in 2006. Stains on top of the folding table could be partly my fault. Grandma set us kids at it for every potluck dinner that she hosted, and I remember the table, but didn’t know it was a sewing machine table at the time.
My Mother inherited a Singer 66 Treadle when she married my Dad in the 40s. It sort of “came with the ranch”, and had been my paternal Grandmother’s machine. I’ve only seen one photo that shows one small corner of the cabinet. Mom used it until she traded it in on a new Singer 301A portable in 1958. She still has this one, and lives with us, although she doesn’t use it much nowadays. She’s told me that I can have it “when she’s done with it”.
I feel lucky to have 3 of the 5 sewing machines that were in the family for years. If anyone ever runs into a 1919 Singer 66 with the serial number G7380154 on it, I’d be interested in buying it. We have her paperwork to buy the 301A (on payments), and it listed the serial number of her trade-in. She was allowed $20 for it.
CD in Oklahoma
My maternal Grandmother had a 1906 White VS Treadle that she received (used) as a wedding gift in 1928. She used that until she was able to buy a new Singer 404 with folding table in 1960. I’ve had the White since the 70s, and got the Singer and table in 2006. Stains on top of the folding table could be partly my fault. Grandma set us kids at it for every potluck dinner that she hosted, and I remember the table, but didn’t know it was a sewing machine table at the time.
My Mother inherited a Singer 66 Treadle when she married my Dad in the 40s. It sort of “came with the ranch”, and had been my paternal Grandmother’s machine. I’ve only seen one photo that shows one small corner of the cabinet. Mom used it until she traded it in on a new Singer 301A portable in 1958. She still has this one, and lives with us, although she doesn’t use it much nowadays. She’s told me that I can have it “when she’s done with it”.
I feel lucky to have 3 of the 5 sewing machines that were in the family for years. If anyone ever runs into a 1919 Singer 66 with the serial number G7380154 on it, I’d be interested in buying it. We have her paperwork to buy the 301A (on payments), and it listed the serial number of her trade-in. She was allowed $20 for it.
CD in Oklahoma
12-26-2012, 07:12 AM
#58
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Rescue, California
Posts: 4,585
How much fun to read all your first sewing machine stories!
I don't know what machine my Mom used when she was young - all I know is it was a treadle. After she and my Dad started having kids, she'd go to Gramma's house to use her treadle to make baby clothes for my brother and me. I have looked everywhere for a photo of that treadle, but there are none. My mom's neighbor bought a Pfaff 130 brand new and couldn't make the $17 a month payment. Dad let Mom take the machine and take over making the payments. Mom had that machine until she died and I have it now. She used it almost every day to make everything you could think of.
My first machine, bought as a wedding gift, was an old Brother. I had nothing but problems with the tension on that machine so we bought a Pfaff 1222e - and we had to make payments! I grew up using Moms' Pfaff 130 so I wanted a Pfaff, but we couldn't afford it! I still have and still use the 1222e all the time along with about 50 other sewing machines!
Nancy
I don't know what machine my Mom used when she was young - all I know is it was a treadle. After she and my Dad started having kids, she'd go to Gramma's house to use her treadle to make baby clothes for my brother and me. I have looked everywhere for a photo of that treadle, but there are none. My mom's neighbor bought a Pfaff 130 brand new and couldn't make the $17 a month payment. Dad let Mom take the machine and take over making the payments. Mom had that machine until she died and I have it now. She used it almost every day to make everything you could think of.
My first machine, bought as a wedding gift, was an old Brother. I had nothing but problems with the tension on that machine so we bought a Pfaff 1222e - and we had to make payments! I grew up using Moms' Pfaff 130 so I wanted a Pfaff, but we couldn't afford it! I still have and still use the 1222e all the time along with about 50 other sewing machines!
Nancy
12-26-2012, 07:14 AM
#59
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 8,091
CD,
I just checked the serial number of my #1 66 treadle. Real close to yours. In my moms life she had two, maybe three machines.
One a black Singer or clone when I was maybe 6 or so that she sewed her finger into her work. I had to help her get the needle loosened so she could get it out. That was kind of traumatic for me, after she got her finger bandaged she put in a new needle and kept on sewing.
The HOTHER I've mentioned many times that I have now. It might have been the one she sewed her finger with, I don't know.
And a cabinet machine she got after she quit using the HOTHER. That one is languishing in a shed in northern AZ. Oh how I want it. I think it's a Kenmore, but I'm not positive.
My grand mom may have had a machine, I don't know. I can't remember ever seeing her sew. And of my two remaining aunts the youngest, ( has moms machine) says she doesn't sew now. And the oldest has one of her aunts or grandmothers treadles.
I would love to get moms e-machine and at least look at my other aunts treadle. But ...... 1700 miles might as well be 17 million miles.
Joe
I just checked the serial number of my #1 66 treadle. Real close to yours. In my moms life she had two, maybe three machines.
One a black Singer or clone when I was maybe 6 or so that she sewed her finger into her work. I had to help her get the needle loosened so she could get it out. That was kind of traumatic for me, after she got her finger bandaged she put in a new needle and kept on sewing.
The HOTHER I've mentioned many times that I have now. It might have been the one she sewed her finger with, I don't know.
And a cabinet machine she got after she quit using the HOTHER. That one is languishing in a shed in northern AZ. Oh how I want it. I think it's a Kenmore, but I'm not positive.
My grand mom may have had a machine, I don't know. I can't remember ever seeing her sew. And of my two remaining aunts the youngest, ( has moms machine) says she doesn't sew now. And the oldest has one of her aunts or grandmothers treadles.
I would love to get moms e-machine and at least look at my other aunts treadle. But ...... 1700 miles might as well be 17 million miles.
Joe
12-26-2012, 09:36 AM
#60
Super Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Frederick, OK
Posts: 2,031
I enjoy reading about the history of everyone’s sewing machines and family histories. As I said, I am lucky to have some of my family machines, but I can identify with those who have had some get away or have less than happy sewing memories.
My Mom sewed through her finger with the White VS Treadle when she was a girl, and her Father forbid her from ever using it again. That sounds harsh, but then, she was the oldest of his three children, so I kind of think he may have been trying to keep an outside ranch helper at the time. He had three girls.
My wife bought her first sewing machine out of the Wards catalog in 1975. The 3/4-sized basic zigzag for $44. She used most of our wedding gift money to buy it. Trouble is, Wards sent two of them, one by freight, and one by mail. When she returned one of them, Wards gave her all of her money back. It took her a very long time to convince them that the money was theirs, that she still had one of their machines, and to quit sending the money back.
I cut a hole in an old desk that we bought at a yardsale to mount that machine in. We sold the set in our yardsale in the early 90s when she got a new freearm machine out of the Penney catalog. We still have the Penney, but her first machine got away from us. Of course, that was back long before we knew that I’d be collecting sewing machines. A lady down the block that had two girls bought it, but they don’t live there anymore.
Speaking of outside ranch helpers and family history, Fred Harman worked for my paternal Grandparents as a ranch hand. Fred went on to Red Ryder cartoon fame, but my Dad once told me that Grandpa wanted to fire him because all he wanted to do was sit around and draw pictures. Grandma wouldn’t let him because she liked his drawings.
CD in Oklahoma
My Mom sewed through her finger with the White VS Treadle when she was a girl, and her Father forbid her from ever using it again. That sounds harsh, but then, she was the oldest of his three children, so I kind of think he may have been trying to keep an outside ranch helper at the time. He had three girls.
My wife bought her first sewing machine out of the Wards catalog in 1975. The 3/4-sized basic zigzag for $44. She used most of our wedding gift money to buy it. Trouble is, Wards sent two of them, one by freight, and one by mail. When she returned one of them, Wards gave her all of her money back. It took her a very long time to convince them that the money was theirs, that she still had one of their machines, and to quit sending the money back.
I cut a hole in an old desk that we bought at a yardsale to mount that machine in. We sold the set in our yardsale in the early 90s when she got a new freearm machine out of the Penney catalog. We still have the Penney, but her first machine got away from us. Of course, that was back long before we knew that I’d be collecting sewing machines. A lady down the block that had two girls bought it, but they don’t live there anymore.
Speaking of outside ranch helpers and family history, Fred Harman worked for my paternal Grandparents as a ranch hand. Fred went on to Red Ryder cartoon fame, but my Dad once told me that Grandpa wanted to fire him because all he wanted to do was sit around and draw pictures. Grandma wouldn’t let him because she liked his drawings.
CD in Oklahoma
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