Machines and engines

I can't believe it took me this long to nominate: vintage Singer sewing machines. Wonderful things, properly built and will go on forever if you look after them. I inherited another one this weekend and spent a few happy hours on Sunday giving her an overhaul. She'd been in a shed for years but cleaned and correctly oiled up, she runs as sweet as you like now :-)

My everyday machine is a 1940 201K (best model they ever made), hand cranked, and I love it to bits. I would have 100 different ones if I had the space.

You're right moggy - what an oversight! My mum had a Jones sewing machine but I've always loved Singers. Saw some being used in Kenya at an enterprise project for disabled women. The 201k has lots of fans: 

https://sewalot.com/singer_201k_sewalot.htm

They do indeed. Proof that they didn't change much over the years - the 1951 version pictured in the article you posted is pretty much identical to my 1940 model! 

I have never been a huge fan of electric machines, as they tend to run away too fast for me. The hand crank (or a treadle) is much more controllable. If you look underneath one, it looks like a miniature Victorian beam engine!

My pictures won’t upload so here’s my post without the aquamarine coloured machine included,,,

This is my sewing machine ( if the picture uploads) it’s an alpha, not had it long, would have preferred a singer one to be honest, but it looks like it has never been used since 1940 when it was first made, has just about every attachment going, works lovely even in my hands, 

a fairly recent acquisition as I found it difficult finding specific clothes I liked that fitted my look. My intentions are to learn and make my own garments, 

I recently had the chance of an old singer complete with cupboard and fold out platform, it had every attachment and every receipt from new to when the motor was added. It still had the flat metal pedal that powered it inside, I had no where for it to go so passed on it, big regrets now,

As a young boy I would enjoy watching my mum and sister make many items, you name it they made it.

I was often used as the tailors dummy...and buttons,,,oh my hours soent sorting and playing with them, a massive box at my grans  house, 

i have started my own collection, and just about everything needed to start sewing my style.

The start of all this was when trying to find waist costs with lapels!

victorian style, there are none, modern versions but they just don’t sit right, so take a very cheap jacket, remove arms, cut just below the two main pockets, ok lots more than just that but there are very cheap jackets to be had.

Funnily enough I don't remember them from my childhood. My mum did plenty of sewing but she had a brand new fancy machine (I think also a Singer, but a modern one). I came to them because I've never got on with electric machines, so wanted a hand cranked one .... and the only way to get one was to buy a really old one! I was enthralled when I started playing about with it to see how it worked. It is incredibly quiet. Mine belonged to the auntie of the (none too young) chap selling it, who had passed away and he'd inherited it, because no-one else in his family wanted it and it reminded him of his auntie. He said she used it all of the time, but she had been gone some years so it had sat idle, and he thought it should have a new home. I think he was genuinely surprised that I was buying it to use, rather than as a curio or decorative item!

My mum used to have a big old tin full of buttons too, and I used to spend hours sitting on the floor, sorting them into little groups. I loved all of the different colours and textures - they are so tactile. 

Funnily enough I don't remember them from my childhood. My mum did plenty of sewing but she had a brand new fancy machine (I think also a Singer, but a modern one). I came to them because I've never got on with electric machines, so wanted a hand cranked one .... and the only way to get one was to buy a really old one! I was enthralled when I started playing about with it to see how it worked. It is incredibly quiet. Mine belonged to the auntie of the (none too young) chap selling it, who had passed away and he'd inherited it, because no-one else in his family wanted it and it reminded him of his auntie. He said she used it all of the time, but she had been gone some years so it had sat idle, and he thought it should have a new home. I think he was genuinely surprised that I was buying it to use, rather than as a curio or decorative item!

My mum used to have a big old tin full of buttons too, and I used to spend hours sitting on the floor, sorting them into little groups. I loved all of the different colours and textures - they are so tactile. 

My pictures won’t upload so here’s my post without the aquamarine coloured machine included,,,

This is my sewing machine ( if the picture uploads) it’s an alpha, not had it long, would have preferred a singer one to be honest, but it looks like it has never been used since 1940 when it was first made, has just about every attachment going, works lovely even in my hands, 

a fairly recent acquisition as I found it difficult finding specific clothes I liked that fitted my look. My intentions are to learn and make my own garments, 

I recently had the chance of an old singer complete with cupboard and fold out platform, it had every attachment and every receipt from new to when the motor was added. It still had the flat metal pedal that powered it inside, I had no where for it to go so passed on it, big regrets now,

As a young boy I would enjoy watching my mum and sister make many items, you name it they made it.

I was often used as the tailors dummy...and buttons,,,oh my hours soent sorting and playing with them, a massive box at my grans  house, 

i have started my own collection, and just about everything needed to start sewing my style.

The start of all this was when trying to find waist costs with lapels!

victorian style, there are none, modern versions but they just don’t sit right, so take a very cheap jacket, remove arms, cut just below the two main pockets, ok lots more than just that but there are very cheap jackets to be had.