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Vintage Machines!


**Notice** I love vintage machines, but am not an expert.  I can't help you with repair, parts or dating or giving you an estimate on the value of your machine.  I can not answer emails asking what your machine is worth or how old it is.  Please check the links at the bottom of the page for other sites that can help you.




What is this Quiltmaker to do when a lonely and unloved vintage machine is cast aside in favor of a modern computerized wonder-model?  I adopt them!  I love them, each and everyone!

It seems the more "modern" machines advance to become computer driven and pre-programmed, producing die-cut perfection in their abilities, the more I feel that real skill is taken from the Quiltmaker, and atrributed rather to the machine, instead of the person driving it!

The fancier the machines get, and the more expensive their add-ons and abilities, the more I want to run to my vintage friends, leaving the wonder-machines to those who want to live in the modern world.  I'm more of a piecer, than an embellisher, so all I really need is a super straight stitch, along with the occassional zig zag for when I actually NEED to sew on a button by machine, or perhaps join scraps of batting together to make a piece that is big enough for whatever quilt I am getting ready to quilt!

There is NOTHING like sewing on a vintage machine. Nothing in the world can connect you to Quiltmakers Past than feeling the hum of their machines beneath your fingertips as the fabric pieces feed through.

These are the machines in my household! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! Click on each thumbnail to see the full size pic.  Click the highlighted name to view any associated blog post to learn more about each machine and how they came to abide with me.

~Treadles & Hand Cranks~



Willie
Wilcox & Gibbs Treadle head.
Serial # A734336


Mavis Davis
Davis Treadle,circa 1880-1890
Serial # D806080
 
Tiffany
Singer 15-30 Treadle , 1913
Serial # G3366451
 
Cleo
1973 reproduction of 1923 Singer15

This was the 50 year anniversary of the orignal machine!
The machine head is beautiful but I'd love to replace the
cabinet with something more "vintage".
 
Pearlie
Seidel & Naumann Hand Crank,
Serial # 76108


 
Winston
Singer 15-98 Hand Crank, 1941
Serial # ED017851

Also Winston for Winston Churchill!
His decal pattern is called RAF, a WWII baby!
 

Serata hand crank, circa 1910
I found this one in Sweetwater, TN on my way to Alabama.
Cranking with Diane in TN!


Hannah!
1893 singer treadle, a gift from Terri!
Her decals are just gorgeous!

Gae
Before  After
1924 Singer 66 --motor removed to fit her into the
treadle table.  She is my fave machine to treadle!

Mildred!
1911 Singer 66 Red Eye. Serial #G1004929
I freed her of her motor and placed her in the treadle!

Badged EG Benford
Made by White.
1870-1880 hand crank.

Dinah!
Dinah was a Craigslist find. $75.00 and found
on my birthday! Happy 51 to me!
1925 Singer 127, Serial #AA786058

~Singer Featherweights~




Bertha (From Boise!)
Singer 221K Featherweight, 1945
Serial # AG545758

Bea
Singer 221K Featherweight, 1964
Serial # EV970152


Hot Rod Magenta 221K Featherweight
RIP, Magenta!
This machine demolished by baggage handlers on
a flight from San Francisco to Oregon.

Doris!
Singer 221K Featherweight, 1957
 
Missy Before & After!
Singer 221K Featherweight, 1948


Painted by Gerald!



~Electric Full Sized Vintage Machines~


Martha!
1950s Singer 301A and Card Table
Found in Pennsylvania
(shown here sewing in my hotel room!)

Dagny!
Before!  After!
1950s Atlas in Strawberry Milkshake Pink!
 
Verna Fern
Singer 15-91, 1942
Serial # AG370158
(Named after my GrandmotherThis was her machine :c)
   
Greta Garbo
Singer 99K, 1927
Serial # AB804064


 
Lela
Singer 24, 1946
Serial #AG740463
The Singer 24 is a chain stitch machine!
 
Big BlueWizard
Serial # 88291, Japan, 1950's?
(clone of singer 15-91)
I love this blue color, and the little bit of decal on the bed.
Who wouldn't want to sew on a blue machine named Wizard!?

Norma Jean
Singer 404, 1958
 PDF Manual
 
Sandra Dee
Singer 401A, 1957


Sally
Singer 328K, 1953
(found her and her converted treadle cabinet
at the Salvation Army)

Mean Judy Green
Singer 185J, 1954



Sparty
Spartan 192k by Singer, 1958
Serial #33681
 
Lloyd Bell
Bell Micro: Real, not a toy! 1954
(posed in front of 185J Judy to show actual size!)
More Info

Ugly Betty
Singer 301A, short bed 1951
Serial # NA289792
Poor Ugly Betty was a gift from friend
who discovered her at a flea market after having
spent all winter outdoors under a tarp! She still runs!
   
Gracie
Singer 99, 1941
This one has the "godzilla" finish and was found in her decal
adorned cabinet at a second hand store in Kernersville, NC!
She came with bobbins, needles, thread, and the green
button holer attachment box. RUNS GREAT!
She is now living in my guestroom.

Edie
Singer 301A, long bed, 1951
Serial # NA156809
Edie is a tan long bed, found at the Quilter's Unlimited show in
Chantilly, VA where I was teaching June 2009. She just HAD
to come join  my menagerie!


Singer 128 Black-side, 1940s

Found in Pennsylvania

Marilyn
1950's Morse sewing machine, made by Toyota in Japan!
Marilyn is an early zig-zag -- revolutionary because she didn't
require the use of cams!  Love that paint color on her -- it's
original!

Barbie!
She's a pink 1950's Singer 15 clone,
also made in Japan! She sews like a dream!

This is the Grey Wizard!Also known as "Joe Cool".
He's also a 1950's Japanese import
Just like Barbie! Found at a yard sale for $30!

Sophia
Necchi Supernova Ultra, 1958
Serial Number # 35-0281438
Found in an antique mall in Virginia for a whopping $28.00!

Ken
1950s Kenmore, Made in Japan
Found in antique mall in Mooresville, NC!


Bobby
1950's Brother, made in Japan



Jane
Singer 500a, The Rocketeer! 1963
Serial Number # NO544107

Francesca
Pink Necchi Supernova Ultra Mark 2

Petula!
1967 Wizard Citation made by Brother in Japan
Salvation Army find -- $35.00


Best Built!
"Shimmy Jimmy"
1950's Japanese Import class 15
Birthday gift: $22.50!


Flora

1930's Eatonia, a badged "National"

Lady Eaton (of Canada's Eaton's department store chain)
was named Flora.


~Novelty and Toy Machines~

My friend Lucy started my toy collection! The first 3 shown were gifts from her, along with two mini quilts!
The third machine, a Regina, is shown with a mini quilt that I made myself.



Casige, 1940
Nick Name: Thelma



" Made in USSR"
No age idea on this one?
Nick Name: Louise
(Also known as Red Russian!)

Regina, 1940's
Nick Name: Regina
Shown here with her box
and the mini quilt I made.

Singer 40-D, 1950's
Serial #22855
Nick Name: Little Brownie
 
Little Singer Touch & Sew, 1970's
I always wanted one of these when I was little.
I didn't get one then,but I have one now!
Nick Name: Marsha Brady


Found in Virgina, unknown manufacturer
battery operated, says Japan on the bottom
Nick Name: Japan Blue

Little Gateway NP-1 (1940)
Found in Altoona, PA
Nick Name:  Rosie

Singer Sew Handy, 1950s
This little cutie was adopted at an antique mall
in Augusta, Georgia while shopping with my
friend Siobhan. The box is even in great shape!


I DO sew on my vintage machines,but this isn't the end of the list!

~Modern Computerized Machines~




Bernina 1080, 1994
Nick Name: Nina



Bernina 1008, Early 1990s
Mechanical, not computerized.


Bernina 145 Activa, 2001?


2009 Janome 6500p
I bought this because of the thread cutter! and I do love it for paper piecing.




APQS Millenium, 2008
Known as Fiona,
(Because she is BIG like Fiona from Shrek,

but still a Princess and SO COOL!)


~Great Links for Vintage Machine Collectors~
What do I want in a vintage machine?
Sewalot.com
Needlebar.org
ISMACS.net
Treadleon.net
Featherweight Fanatics
Antiques of a Mechanical Nature
Sewing Machines at Ruby Lane
Sewing Machine Collector
Sewing machine Parts.net
Dating charts for Singer Machines
ID Your Singer Model
Singer Decals
Bob Campbell's Guild to Toy Sewing Machines
Vintage Singer Sewing Machine Blog
Care and Maintenance of Treadle Base
Machine Conversion and Tubing Belt
Cleaning and Refurbishing of Singer Machines ((66 & 99))
Info on VS, 127, 128 Singers
Trade Literature from the Smithsonian --fascinating!
Singer 66 tension assembly repair
1944 Machine Cleaning & Tune Up Manual
Cleaning Vintage Machines - McKenna Linn
Cleaning Vintage Machines - Treadleon.net
Packing a machine head (no case) for shipping
Tubing Treadle Belt Supplies
Machine that runs while winding a bobbin
Vintage Sewing Machine Manual Reprints
Links to Videos for Singer VS2 Machines