I like making things: Here I go again!!!

Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Here I go again!!!

I have to admit to being a tad on the obsessive side and sometimes I can't let things go. The desire to get another old sewing machine wouldn't go away even after the last disaster. However I am also very frugal so cost is a big factor in any purchase I make.

So......when I saw this little beauty fall from $75 to $50 then to $25 my interest was very piqued!

This was the photo they put up:-

It is not a Singer, it is a 1953 Standard 1500 made in Japan. It is based off the Singer 15-91

I asked the seller if it worked, he assured me it did and he would let it go for $20 so I went to look at it on Sunday.

It is in excellent condition and yes, everything works on it. The cabinet needs repairing that's why it has a chunk of wood in the photo. But I am going to put it in my existing cabinet in my sewing room which doesn't have a machine in it. I have just used it for years to put a portable machine on. I really do not have room for another cabinet in my room.

The cabinet I am using is the one with the white machine on it.

I have to do some modifications to the cabinet to get it to fit and then I have to clean and oil the machine. it has a little dried oil on the workings but not much so I should be able to remove it easily and the paint and metal facings are in are really nice condition. The electrics have to be put in the cabinet too. I took them out of the one it came in. So still quite a bit of work to do.

It is a good sturdy machine and it has a knob you can turn to drop the feed dogs for quilting. Never done patterned quilting before but now I will be able to give it a try.

I am happy and I believe I will stop looking for another machine now.

Photos will follow when all the work is done and it is up and running......

6 comments:

SharonNovember 17, 2020 at 9:53 PM
Great deal for a lovely machine. I hope it all works well. I look forward to seeing some of the quilting!
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Bettina GrohNovember 17, 2020 at 9:58 PM
Bob... the engineer... really laughed when I read him the posting!! We've bought machines just to get a part. I bought one just because it was made near where I was born in Germany at about the same time!! When we're gone they are not going to believe how many sewing machines we have!!
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mamasmercantileNovember 18, 2020 at 8:53 AM
Wow, what a great find and great price. Impressive.
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As in the words of Thumper: If you can't say 'nuffin nice don't say 'nuffin at all.

Glad you stopped by

I started this blog in 2011: Ever since my Mum taught me to knit at the age of about six or seven I have made things. Back then it was doll clothes. I was also inspired by Mrs Levitt an elderly lady who had a sewing room in a conservatory type room on the back of her house. I would sit and watch her in awe as she sewed.

When I was a child living in England the school system was such that you started at 5 years, did two years in Infant School, then four years in Primary School then five to seven years in Secondary School, depending on whether you chose to stay on after fifth form to get qualifications to go to University. I can't remember much of the Infant school other than making the standard square doily thingy from fabric that had holes in it so you could embroider patterns into it. A bit like the modern day cross stitch fabric but with bigger holes and spaces to make it easy for small hands to use. I also remember with great joy getting a toy sewing machine one Christmas which sewed only chain stitch but I did make doll clothes on it and that was before I started Primary school. I do have very vivid recollections of Primary school and having sewing and knitting lessons. In Primary school I knitted gloves and made a dress from scratch hand sewing it all.

Secondary school continued on with sewing by which time I had progressed to using full sized sewing machines and was making more intricate skirts and dresses. My parents bought me a proper sewing machine when I was thirteen. I used that same machine right up until I emigrated to Canada at age forty six years.

I have always had a fascination for sewing machines and knitting machines. I bought my first knitting machine at around age twenty one from an ad in a newspaper for twelve pounds. I had absolutely no idea what one was just that I wanted one. I trundled on the bus to the address in the advert and handed over my twelve pounds having absolutely no idea what I had really bought. Fortunately it came with a manual. It was an aged Knitmaster, very basic and I loved it. I wore it out. Next was a Brother push button one which I didn't keep because it was at a time in my life when things were difficult. Later on in my life, around forty, when things were better I bought a brand new Brother punchard machine with a ribber attachment. I loved it and made many things. Life took a different turn, I moved countries twice and along the way, regrettably I sold it.

Now, through the universe's blessing I now have another machine. It is a vintage one because they stopped making them early 90's but works perfectly and I love it. So I decided to make this blog to document my knitting progress and include sewing projects.

In 2013: we embarked on a new hobby, leather-work. My husband got started with it and it drew me in. It is something we can do together. We have a workshop so have plenty of room to work. We added another workbench for me to work on in 2013. We already had one but we were tripping over each other both trying to work at it. We only make things we want to make. It is strictly a hobby. We made some things for our good neighbours who help us out a lot. I am also working on Christmas presents. So this blog now incorporates the leather-work. Knitting and sewing will always be my first love though.

Fast forward to 2023 and now age almost 75 years. I have seven sewing machines, four knitting machines, several ribber attachments and a garter carriage for one of the machines. I am blessed beyond words, but I know that I have more than enough machines to keep me going in my lifetime so I don’t think I will be adding to my collection any time soon……….unless a nice embroidery machine manifests itself very cheaply.

I am a Brit living in the USA, sometimes I spell like a Brit and sometimes like an American. Sometimes I use slang and even make grammatical errors. I blog for the pleasure of it and to record my endeavours in the event that my memory fades, as I am sure it will with more age. I will be able to look back and remind myself of the things I have made along the way. So please forgive my mistakes when reading about my life making things here in the hinterlands and I hope you get as much enjoyment from my blog as I do from reading the blogs I follow.

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Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Here I go again!!!

6 comments: