This is just TOO TOO funny! And way heartwarming – at least to me.
You know I’ve been lamenting my demolished featherweight since July.
It’s only September now, but man, it feels at least 3 times that long, doesn’t it?
Yesterday I took the final step in sending the itemized invoice for the repair of my laptop plus the receipt for the $84.95 it took to have them give the broken laptop the go-over.
They assured me when I received the check for the reimbursement of my featherweight that they would also reimburse on the laptop, but you know? Okay. I’m sending it off in good faith. If they do, it will be “just enough” to cover the cost of the new one I had to buy to cover the old one.
However, no souped-up featherweight with a knock-out paint job has really struck my eye or my heart. I just haven’t felt connected to any that I’ve looked at. Still in mourning? I don’t know! I think I would do better if I actually got rid of the broken one, but there she sits on my shelf –I’m saving her as a part machine because many of her parts are in good shape –I should box her and put her out of sight, I might feel better!
SO…yesterday I returned from physical therapy to find THIS PHOTO on my facebook wall with a message from my niece asking “Do you know how old this is??”
This is the niece-by-marriage who has just taken to quilting and sewing and is going gangbusters.
I am so excited about HER new acquisition that the following conversation takes place:
Oh yes, I am so excited for HER!! She can take it in and get it gone over by a featherweight guy in Dallas and she will be good to go. Oh I am busting my buttons I am so proud of her! As I am checking the date, I’m thinking of how she will use this in her quilting, next step she will join a guild and go on RETREAT and we will grow old together piecing away the hours ----
And the conversation continues:
She got the machine for ME! for $40.00!!
I think I’ve been gifted the machine that NEEDS to be refurbished. That is worthy of a special paint job. One that has been “Rode hard and put up wet” by the looks of it ---Do I have to tell you how much I love my family, by blood or by marriage? I was so happy I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry!
I’m headed out there to teach in Plano and McKinney over New Years--- guess what is coming home with me? I think I’ll name her Missy :c)
Thanks Melissa!
And in a few hours I’m off to Indiana! I’m hoping there is a CULVERS in my near future!!
What a thoughtful niece! I'd call this one Honeybee, which is the meaning of the name Melissa.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great story. Maybe all the pain you experienced when you machine was demolished will now be replaced with happy thoughts of loving family every time you use your NEW even more special machine. Congratulations.
ReplyDeleteWhat color are you gonna paint her? Don't forget the racing stripes! ;)
ReplyDeleteYou have a lovely niece and beautiful machine in waiting!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Bonnie. I was there at the time of your little ones tragic misfortune and I know how devastated you were. I think your wonderful niece is a little angel for thinking of you and I just know "Missy" is going to be beautiful and bring you many hours of quilting pleasure. Can't wait to see her all dolled up.
ReplyDeleteVery thoughtful of Melissa to think of you....favourite Aunt!!!
ReplyDeleteI loved this story - what a great niece you have!
ReplyDeleteAww! You are so blessed to have her in your life. She is so very thoughtful! I hope it doesn't need much work, and enjoy!!
ReplyDeleteSee what our Momma's told us is so true. What you give will come back to you a thusand fold. Not only do you have a needs-love old FW, you have a terrific caring neice. THAT is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteBonnie, you are so open and giving .... Momma's are right!
Smilies
JulieinTN
Holy crap is right!!!! Awesome!
ReplyDeleteYou are so lucky to have such a wonderful and so thoughtful niece!! Congrats on your new little "girl"
ReplyDeleteWhat a blessing! So happy for you...and what wonderful memories you'll have as you use it.
ReplyDeleteWoo Hoo for Melissa!!!! and you too!!!
ReplyDeleteI read a blog that a gal had named her Featherweight Patsy Cline because she was a good Singer. LOL I think I'll have to name mine Elvis!
ReplyDeleteYAY for you and for Melissa too!! I call my Featherweight LuckyMartin, one because I found it on Martin Luther King Day in a thrift shop and I only paid 27.00 for it. Lol It's a beautiful story and I've told it a million times.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! And cheers for wonderful friends and relatives. My sister helped me box up my grandmother's treadle machine on my vacation this summer and send her 3000 miles from Seattle to Florida. I named her Stella, after my grandmother. Had her serviced, but haven't gotten the cabinet put together yet. You might be interested in this blog post...
ReplyDeletehttp://prsd4tim2.blogspot.com/2012/08/stella-part-1-unveiling.html
I also have my mother's 99K, that I haven't used in a long time. Her name is Jean - yup, after my mother. I'm thinking about getting the cabinet out of storage and setting her up again. She makes the BEST buttonholes.
So congrats again! I know you and Missy will be great friends.
Scott would be proud!
ReplyDeleteI'll be right there with you in Plano. Signed up for both of your classes. Just can't wait. vickisamsel@gmail.com from Willard, MO
ReplyDeletewhat a wonderful story and such a great find! now all that's needed is for the new machine to need some parts from your old favorite--that would be perfection!
ReplyDeleteYou didn't tell me I'd need a Kleenex! How wonderful of your neice to do this for you. There was a reason you couldn't find the one special FW to replace the one the met such a sad end to her life. Many happy hours of stitching on Missy!
ReplyDeleteSOOO Happy for you! Makes this machine all the more special! "Little Miss Melissa" will bring you all the more pleasure, since she was bought with love! (Melissa is my daughters name, and that is what I called her, either that or Little Lissa)
ReplyDeleteIsn't family great! Name her Missy and paint her sunshine yellow to remind you of all happiness and sunshine your family brings into your life.
ReplyDeleteLove this idea!!
DeleteWhat a special niece!!! I know how you feel when your featherweight is not working. One night before sew day, I oiled my featherweight, went to sew... had everything set up and she wouldn't sew a stitch. I was so confused.... well a friend there had a extra machine, she let me use it that day. I went home... searched on the internet to see what the problem could be...(jammed???? but it was working fine before I oiled it) Still confused. So I asked DH to take a look at it. He works repairing machines. I was afraid it would never work again, thinking I'm gonna have to find another featherweight. But, DH repaired it.... it had a thread in bobbincase area and the oil swelled it and made it jam. And now....... it is running better than it ever has!!!!!! My featherweight is Fanny, my favorite machine! I love DH, too!
ReplyDeleteSharon
sharonmamaw@yahoo.com
You are flying high in more ways than one today! Maybe you don't need that airplane to get to IN :-P
ReplyDeleteOh - this is just too sweet. I was laughing while reading the exchange on FB - especially the part of is this a bad holy crap.....tears - had tears in my eyes for you and her by the end. Thank you for sharing! You've got a great family.
ReplyDeleteBest story I've heard all week! A fancy paint job and racing stripes!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great niece!!!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to meet you Monday!!!
Melissa doesn't know what she's missing!
ReplyDeleteAwwww...you've got me crying with happiness for you.~ That is SO sweet. I SO understand!
ReplyDeleteLucy~
And she will make you smile every time you sit down to sew on her! Great find!
ReplyDeleteMelissa really likes you! That poor Featherweight looks like she has had a hard life and deserves a little pampering. Have fun with her Bonnie.
ReplyDeletep.s. 1948 is the year of my birth. If you decide you don't want her send her my way. lol :)
Cathy in Kansas
What a sweet story, like many others it brought a tear to my eye! How nice to have such a darling niece looking out for you :)
ReplyDeleteI have a FW that I bought from a friend. I named it Minnie after my great grandmother. It seemed appropriate!!
hi Bonnie it's Bonnie T. from Va. It's a wonderful thing when your family get's you. M just knew you would and could use the featherweight. Such love, have a wonderful trip. Today is my bday 50 something.
ReplyDeleteBonnie
What fun! I think chrome yellow would be a great color!
ReplyDeleteAwesome!!!!
ReplyDeleteI would love a featherweight, guess I better start the search. Any special place for looking? Good luck with machine Missy!! Yellow sounds like good color for her.
ReplyDeleteGarage sales, estate sales, word of mouth from other quilters. I acquired 3 from my housekeeper in Atlanta, Georgia. Her husband bought storage lockers for tools to resell.
DeleteShe came to clean and said her husband found some of those "OLD" machines I like. I kept one and gave the other 2 to a good friend who helped me pack and sell my sewing stuff when I moved to Vancouver, Washington.
Just let everyone know you are looking for one. Good luck.
Wahooooo for you! And thanks Melissa!
ReplyDeleteWoo hoo for the new machine! I'd love to know if you can suggest a place to get old machines painted.
ReplyDeleteNot sure where you are -- here is a note I kept from quite a while ago --
DeleteFeatherweight refinishing: About $1000 - Late Bloomers Quilt Shop and Dry Goods Company - 125 West Main Street, PO Box 427, Carlton, OR 97111 - 503-852-5533
Sue Monsey
Aloha, Oregon
w7sue@comcast.net
That is a wonderful niece you have !!!
ReplyDeleteSusan
So happy for you to get a new one to paint! The price was right in this case! Does it have the case? No worries, if not you probably have an extra. LOL. I had a friend at the quilt show offer me her 1957 FW yesterday, I wanted to hug her. That's my Birth year. I have to convince DH it is a NEED now! She wants $300 with all the attachments and case. At New Years I think there is a Niece in Texas that's going to get the HUG of a lifetime!
ReplyDeleteWhat an incredibly sweet niece you have there! Can't wait to see how you "trick out" your new Missy.
ReplyDeleteYou have a very special niece ... she obviously loves you very much. Now, the big question is "Can you wait until New Years?"
ReplyDeleteI vote for a yellow ... it makes me want to choose one of mine and get it all done up pretty - maybe one yellow, one baby blue ...
I better start earning some money ... lol
Sue, Aloha, OR
What a wonderful find and a very special niece! I too vote for yellow, it's such a bright and sunny color, which is just right for you! Have a great trip, I'm sure your flying already!
ReplyDeleteGreat FW story. I found mine when we were cleaning out my MILs garage. I had no idea it was there but I immediately recognized the case. I first offered it to my SIL and niece (while praying that they didn't want it!) Turns out it didn't belong to the family. They had just adopted a bunch of stuff from a friend who had died. I've named mine "Jean" in memory of my dear MIL because I know that if she had known, she would have gifted it to me a lot earlier.
ReplyDeleteI have been looking at featherweights. I have one. Wow what a nice Niece to gift you a machine.
ReplyDeleteI got teary eyed just reading this. Melissa is so thoughtful. The story is heart-warming. My mom has several featherweights and she paid more. Maybe they go for more on the west coast? She has a white one...I don't remember all the details right now but I'm sure you do, but it is mine...someday.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful niece! You'll be smiling more than usual all weekend long!
ReplyDeleteJust got my first FW from eBay. Well, it hasn't actually arrived yet. FedEx says Tuesday. Bought it for $275 plus $25 shipping and figured I did pretty well. If you buy on line, only buy from vendors who have a return policy. Mine has a 14 day return policy. I am hoping it's a goodie, though.
ReplyDeleteJust goes to show... good things happen to good people!
ReplyDeleteThis is fantastic for you!!! I'm a little teary - I'm celebrating too because I just got mine back from my favorite sewing machine mechanic and just tested it out. It now runs like a champ!!! It's like I just had one of the kids come home after being away for awhile - I'm thrilled!!! I bet you can't wait for New Years!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice and thoughtful gal Missy is.
ReplyDeleteSafe trip and have fun. I know you will.
Maryella in Maine
What a fantastic family!!
ReplyDeleteThe color could be like the flower of the melissa plant.
cy in Canada
Great story! What a find. I paid about $200 for mine, but I have to say she was in very good shape and sewed right out of the box. I've no doubt that "Missy" will will a sight to see when we next see her.
ReplyDeleteI love that story so much! Bonnie, I am so happy your niece found you a machine. You can never have enough featherweights and it makes me so happy when they land in good homes. Enjoy refurbishing your machine when you get it...I need to catch up and read what happened to your other one.
ReplyDeleteWow, lucky you! I've been trying to find a feather weight machine for a while now. In the meantime I've found a Greyhound sewing machine and was wondering if you know anything about them. I'm finding it difficult to get information on this machine.
ReplyDeleteOh how wonderful! Those babies are hard to pass up, aren't they. I only have one featherweight, but I got it for a song at our local thrift store. Mine is a 1933, I brought it home, hubby took her apart and cleaned her up, she has all of the accessories and such and runs like a dream. Oh, and I only paid $5 for her!!!! I'll never find one like that again!
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful and Blessed day
Kristie
Funny how things work out, it was meant to be! Congrats!
ReplyDeleteCool beans!! Are you going to send it to Florida to have it painted?? Isn't that where you got the pink one?? I thought I saw the pink one at the quilt show in Trenton a few years ago.
ReplyDeleteGreat find! Also, I just had to go to Culver's today in your honor. No custard though. Butter burger for me!
ReplyDeleteJo Anna
Today I found a featherweight in a Salvation Army thrift store. I couldn't believe my luck! I opened the case just to be sure it was a machine and otherwise bought it unseen and untested, thinking it 's always good for parts, and only $10? When I got it home I said HOLY CRAP even louder than you! It's a 222 in beautiful shape! I think I'll call her Sally and make a bigger than usual donation in the kettle at xmas! I'm so excited! WOOOOOHOOOOOO!!!!
ReplyDeleteBonnie, you make me smile and tear up all at the same time. I've gotta start hitting thrift stores.
ReplyDeleteCongrats! You do have lots of family and friends that love you!
ReplyDeleteWish I was going to Culver's with you! Makes me miss living in Wisconsin...well, lots of things do, but the mention of Culver's certainly does! :) Enjoy!
Sometimes you can't replace something ruined because it is irreplaceable. And maybe trying to find one like her didn't work out because you needed to do it yourself. So here comes Missy, needing a spa treatment in the worst way, and voila! Love.
ReplyDeleteYou will love doing it yourself.
Judi in Ohio
What a lot of love......Lovely niece, lovely story, lovely Aunt Bonnie that inspires that love. You will SEW great things on that machine.
ReplyDeleteNikki in VA
nikki_moshier@hotmail.com
Hi Bonnie,
ReplyDeleteYou niece really scored!!! I know a man in Dallas that prefers to work on only Singer machines and has been doing it for over 30 years, also does house calls, if I remember correctly. We now live in Arkansas and still call him for different things and have referred others that live here to him for parts, etc. Let me know and will send you his name and phone number.
Have a great day,
Jan
What a wonderful machine and an even better way for her to come into your life. Looking forward to seeing Missy after you get your hands on her. ;)
ReplyDeleteI'm closer to Missy than you are...I'll just go get her for you!!
ReplyDelete