On the washing machine saga..... Turns out it was a gear or something in the transmission! $190!!!! But that's half the price of a new washer, and he said this one was in such good condition should last us another 7 years or more, all it needed was this gear. I'm not in the mood to go washer shopping anyway, and I hate disposing of the old ones, so since he was here I said FIX IT.... Wash is now running....I got an email from my good friend Lucy who lives in Haarlem, The Netherlands. She drove 2.5 hours to a little sewing machine shop to buy herself a featherweight! I am so tickled for her, she has wanted one for a long time and I guess they are a rare treat there, especially finding one in working condition. She sent me a pic of her new baby, and I turned around and sent her pics of my two. I thought i'd upload them here as well.
I bought the black one first, it's birthdate is 1942. I found him in an antique mall in Boise Idaho. I have the case, but it is missing the tray that fits inside. However, he came with lots of attachments and the little oil can :c) I do use this machine when I go on quilter's retreats, etc...but you have to be careful about sewing a project with different machines....The seam allowances may vary, even if you are using 1/4" feet. I think it is safe to do things like paper foundation piecing, or string piecing or things where seams don't matter when you are switching between machines, but I get the best results sewing with the same machine through the project.
The little white one was made in Scotland in 1964! I stumbled into him in a little shop in Twin Falls Idaho. He doesn't have a case, but I keep him in a little soft sided cooler that has a shoulder strap and pockets for extra goodies. I love them both, but don't use them as much as I could....
My favorite machine is a Bernina 1080 that has been a work horse for 10 years now and I wouldn't trade it for anything. It doesn't have alot of fancy stitches, but I'm not into doing machine embroidery or using those kinds of stitches. I straight piece, I use zig zag occassionally, and don't even THINK about asking me to do button holes! :c)
I also have two treadles, and a hand crank, plus a wilcox & Gibbs treadle head that I couldn't resist. Numerous other singers in round wooden cases, and a pfaff and a viking that I just HAD to have and the price was too good to pass up, but I find myself still sticking to the Bernina 1080 as my main machine. Why have so many machines? I don't know! It boggles the mind!
3 comments:
So sorry to hear about the washing machine woes. Glad the outcome wasn't worse..and I think I'd have made the same decision.
I got hit with the price of new rear tires on Friday. When the handiman here checked the pressure for me(day after I had just driven at 65-70 on the freeway for 180 miles..in rain!) one rear one only had 10# of air...YIKES ! And Thank you Universe for my safe arrival !
It's an ouch moment to pay, but in the long run, a good decision.
I love the pics of your machines. I would love to have a Featherweight. Got to sew on one once, it was wonderful. I kept my old work horse Viking (metal housing from the 1970's) but added a low end of line Pfaff in 1994. It's computerized but all I do is straight stitch quilts.
Mostly it's a nice lightweight one to take on retreats. The Viking weighs a ton.
I'd say we need what we need, and since the "other halves" of us get their toys..we should too!
Bonnie -
Love the pics of the featherweights. I got mine on e-bay a year ago and I use her non-stop. She is so much quieter than my newer singer. She was born in 1951 in New Jersey. She isn't in pristine condition but since I use her everyday I figure why worry about a few scratches. My kids both love to sew with it so I may end up having to buy another one!
Glad your washer was able to be resurrected! I have my eye on those new front loaders when mine finally give up the ghost.
Hi! After being a current Quips and Snips fan for almost a year I decided to read from the beginning!
I've always heard Featherweights referred to as 'she', so your's are special for that reason too, 'he'. Our minigroup named each of ours. Names like Mildred, Iva and Beatrice, names from the previous generation we decided. It was a blast!
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