Vintage Machine # 3 - April 2018

I guess by the time I had 2 of them I was obsessed with Singer Featherweights because I read all I could find about them. I found that there was a card table made with a cutout specially for featherweights, with the added feature that you could also use it as a regular card table, or for serving food, drinks, etc.  But these cost as much or more than my machine!

I also found that they had made these cute cabinets for Featherweights, but not very many of them so they are even more expensive than the card tables!

And I also saw where some people took old sewing machine cabinets made for bigger machines and modified them for their Featherweights.  Or even just set their featherweight on top of one, like this:

Above pic from https://conniekresin.com/2015/06/cleaning-cleaning-and-cleaning.html .

So that was what I decided I wanted to do, look for an old cabinet to modify for my Featherweight. Because sometimes you can get old sewing machine cabinets pretty inexpensively.

I saved a search on Facebook Marketplace for “sewing” and found that here in El Paso, sewing cabinets and machines are not nearly as inexpensive as what I see people getting them for in other parts of the country. 

Until one day in April, I saw an ad on Facebook Marketplace for this, listed for $50:

I thought to myself, I do not need another sewing machine, but that cabinet and stool are really cool.  And probably worth the $50 just for them even without the machine!  So I messaged the lady (she was in Las Cruces) asking if it was still available. She asked if I was interested – so I told her “I am but I am trying to figure out how I’d explain it to my husband, LOL”.   I asked her if it worked and she said her mother had passed away in 1993 (25 years earlier) and she had not tried it since then. My husband, Lee was on a mountain bike ride, and when you are riding it is very annoying to get a phone call, so I didn’t want to bother him. I thought and thought about it and decided I wanted it, even if the machine didn’t work, because I could surely use the table. So I told her I was on my way to pick it up and I hopped in the car (no shower or makeup – yuck)

When I got up to Las Cruces she explained that her sister passed away a few weeks earlier and she had decided that it was time to finally let some things go, including this machine.  She already had her own Singer Touch And Sew and never used this one.  I took a picture of her (Jenny) but later lost it when I accidentally deleted all of the pictures on my phone. ☹

We had a heck of a time getting the machine and cabinet into my car.  (I later figured out that the legs were detachable, so that is how I got it out when I got home.

Here is “Naomi Louise”, named after Jenny’s mother, in her new spot in my sewing/craft room.

The machine, a Singer 401a, is considered by many to be one of the best machines Singer made, so I decided to keep it in the cabinet. I always had thought these brownish machines were very ugly, but once I cleaned it up, it is actually growing on me.

Vintage Machine # 2.

After researching these awesome little machines for awhile, I decided I wanted a black one because I think they are actually prettier than the white ones, because of the nice gold decal details.   So I posted this on Facebook :
"I have my cool white one but now I really want a black one!  If any of you ever see a black Singer Featherweight for sale, please let me know!"

Within an hour, my friend Sandi sent me this text message with some pictures.

"This belonged to my grandma, not sure if this is what you are looking for.

I can show it to you if you are interested!  I have not used it. My mom had it and she used it a lot.  She is cleaning things out and gave it to me.  I was going to put it on eBay but I couldn’t believe when I saw your post on FB.  I rarely get on anymore. " 

And sure enough, it was a featherweight!

So – meet Verna. Named after Sandi's grandmother.

I have used this beauty for piecing quilt tops and she sews beautifully!

How my vintage sewing machine obsession started:
Vintage Machine # 1

I was in a thrift store last November (2017) and saw this little beauty for sale for $89.  It had just been dropped off that morning.

 

I honestly thought it was a toy.  But I wanted it so that I could display it in my sewing room because it was so cute!  I called Lee and asked him if it was ok if I spent $89 on it and he said no problem.

Little did I know that because I am over 55, I would get a senior discount, bringing the price down to $71.20.

After I got it home and looked at the manual I started googling Singer Featherweights and found out I had really gotten a bargain!  The white ones are more desirable because there were fewer of them made than the black ones.  The white ones were made in the early 1960’s, but the black ones were made from 1933 until 1961!

I noticed that people name these machines, many times after their original owners.  Well, since mine came from a thrift store, I had no idea who the original owner was.  Time to start figuring a name for “her”.  The best thing (not very good) I could come up with was Elizabeth, my middle name. So I mentioned that to Lee, while also telling him that I had figured out she was made in Great Britain.  He then said I should name her “Adele”.  I was thinking inside my head – uh, what? And why?  And then he said because she is a singer from Great Britain!  So, this first machine is now named Adele Elizabeth.  And she sews beautifully!

February 6, 2017 - Metalwork

February 8, 2017 - Sunset

February 7, 2017 - El Paso Sunrise

February 5, 2017 - Who knows? The shadow knows.