This is Lela! She is a Singer 24 chain stitch machine. Her Serial Number is AG740463 which gives her a birth date of 1946!
I was able to find parts of her original brochure on line at Alan Quinn's Needlebar.org. It reads:
THE SINGER NO. 24
The general advantages of this type of machine for family sewing comprise greatest ease and quietness of operation, simplicity of construction, and the elasticity of the single-thread seam. When needle is threaded the machine is ready, the stitch requiring neither bobbin nor shuttle. The thread is taken from one spool, and is so interwoven and twisted that seams cannot rip unless the finished end be unlocked. When this is done the entire length of thread can be quickly withdrawn without injury to the fabric. Guaranteed to be in every point the best single thread chain-stitch machine on the market.
From a Singer brochure entitled "Singer Machines For Family Sewing"
And this little bit:
"The Automatic tension device has exceptional excellence; it is so operated that, at each vertical reciprocation of the needle,
exactly the correct length of thread is supplied and "slip-stitching" is absolutely impossible."
Singer description
Why is it that the fancier that sewing machines get, the more computerized, the more features and embroidery capabilities, the more bells and whistles they have, the more I want to run and play with my vintage babies?
Oh..and her name is Lela, because this machine belonged to the sellers great aunt, and it had been owned and used by HER mother in law (Lela's MIL) Lilly before her. I got the full family run down on this machine. The only thing I didn't know was the manufacturing date until I could get her home and check out her serial number online.
Welcome Home, Lela! You are in good company here!
30 comments:
Lela's a beauty, congratulations to the proud new "mama"!
Oh, she's beautiful! I love vintage machines too, but I cannot afford to actually collect. You are *sew* blessed.
Isn't it fun to own something so old and beautiful...many years of enjoyment to you...Bobbin
A beautiful machine. I, too, have quite the collection of older machines. Actually, all of my machines are older in that the ones I use most are about 35 years old and everything else is older! I don't use the older ones so much but they are beautiful to look at and some bring back memories of my youth, either at home or school.
Very nice! I love old machines too.
Great find!
That is a lovely machine.
I don't seem to share the urge to collect machines that so many people have. Which, I suppose, is a good thing. I have the Bernina 1031 workhorse for Most Of The Time and the Featherweight for travel, and that's enough.
A matter of interest, though, last month a friend shared an ad from the Bernina dealer in Lancaster County for a TREADLE Bernina! We were all intrigued . . . . .
n, np
OOhh my goodness what a beauty Bonni!!
I can't believe that a machine that old is actually electric! Amazing. I wouldn't plug it in either. It's beautiful.
Congratulations Bonnie on a gorgeous machine! That one's still on my wish list :-). I have tried a few other chain stitch machines and they are fun to use. Is the date on that machine correct? 1873 seems too early for an electric machine...I would have thought approximately 1920 for that? Are there any letters in front of the serial #? That would make a difference.
Enjoy!
Jacqui in Canada
Lovely vintage Singer! I love to collect old machines and give them some TLC. I don't have the room to display them so I only have a few.
Bonnie -- congrats!! BTW I just finished bricks and stepping stones for DS in Air Force -- a fungly challange -- he said it was interesting which means -- what was I thinking. LOL Boy did I use some doozers! It was as fast and easy as you said.
Thanks for all you do for the quilting world.
Sharon in Colorado
What a sweet little machine!
I also own some older Singers. I have (2) 301's, a 401, a 237, a 99 and a green 185J made in Canada to go with my Singer Treadle. I also have 2 Pfaff's (2140 & 7570) and a Janome Gem Gold. An embarrassment of riches to be sure. Congratulations on you new baby.
Anita O
what a lovely treasure you have rounded up for your other ladies to cavort with on the shelves. I too have many vintage ladies-- I love to sit and think of the 'frocks' they sewed up in their younger years. We are always so caught up with the newest - latest and greatest-- but these elder ladies are really the treasures of the sewing world.
Polish her up and take her for a test drive. If the handwheel turns over smoothly and the electric is all intact why not!
She looks to be the belle of the ball.
carrie
the mischief maker
It just might be the correct date. I remember my mom using her treddle machine as a trade-in on an electric machine in the late 40's or early 50's. The salesman told her that all the non-electric machines they obtained were going to be electrified. The price of those machines now???? Whew! Congratulations on your "new" sewing machine.
Regards, Peg
What a find - it appears to be not well used!
I love your new machine Bonnie. I bought an old singer the other day a 1938 made in Scotland with all the decals still perfect i doubt it had ever been used. My daughter is quilting her first quilt on it now, we plugged her in and even the light still worked!! not bad for $30!! Aren't the old machines just so prim and pretty??
A
Oh dear. I also meant to say congratulations. :-)
What a pretty machine and case! And so practical!--in reading the manufacturer's description and drawings...I'm thinking how much easier the alterations of and re-making of the hand-me-downs for the children would have been in those days. Just think how easy it would be to un-sew the necessary seams and take them in or set in an extra piece of fabric. Very important in those early days of fewer available fabrics, etc. And large families.
Could the little machine be re-wired?
Enjoy!
Bonnie: That is such a cute little machine and its great that you have a bit of it's history. A good sewing machine repair shop could probably rewire it for you. My mom once told me that she had a treadle machine and my dad "electrified" it for her (i.e. put a motor on it). This would've been in the 1940's. I would guess that people often did that to the treadles. Those folks were resourceful and worked with what they had. In this age of excess (myself included) I admire those traits!
Louise
PS; i alos love the way you gave it a name - my family think I maweird becasue I call my machine Frank. No reason the Janome 10000 just looks like a Frank to me.
Angela in Aus
Because of your antics in the antique sewing machine market, you've got me on the look out at boot sales. I found an old electric Pfaff the other day (with an English plug!) - price was way beyond my range. I think people are cottoning on, more are appearing and the prices, even over here, are beginning to go up. I'm after a Featherweight and hope some day to fulfil my dream of owning one.
when I was about 7, in the dark ages, my neighbor had a treadle machine. It was so beautiful and I often wonder what became of it. I would give a lot to have that beautiful table and machine.
Your new baby is really sweet and I love the cat and her thoughts ring so true.
How fun! I just got my first antique machine - rescuing a 1920 New Home treadle from curbside. She does not have a name... yet but I hope she does as soon as we get her in working order!
Regina! Congrats on your curbside find! You could call her "Lady Marmalade" because you found her out walking the street ;c)
Bonnie
what a beautiful new baby! Congratulations!!!
Wow! Very neat. I'm doing the happy dance for you. Well, maybe not the dance but you know what I mean. ;)
Sewing Machines we Love, *karendianne.
I love old sewing machines and have a small collection of them. This one looks smaller size than a full size machine. Is it?
I just brought home a green Singer that I picked up for $25 at a flea market. Haven't gotten to check much out about it. That will be this week's project . The market also had a little Belair for $25. There wasn't a case, pedal, or instructions. I passed, but it was so cute. My friends are going to go back next weekend and try to get it cheaper.
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