Just when you think you’ve seen every machine bobbin out there:
Kay lives not too far away in Virginia, and sent me the remains of sewing machine paraphernalia left from a vintage machine purchase. After she went through the drawers and found all that she needed to go with her machine, THIS is what was left.
She was going to toss it, but then thought – Oh heck, send it to Bonnie, there might be something in here she needs!
I can recognize bobbins for featherweights and 301s, I can recognize class 66 bobbins, and those that fit class 15 machines, be they singer or Japanese import ---
Even my quilting machine takes a different kind of bobbin ---
The old pfaff machine I had used even another bobbin, and the viking – those were different as well. But the three you see here?
What looks like a featherweight bobbin with the holes? Is actually FLAT on the other side….so the flip side of the bobbin HAS no holes.
The black one – well that looks like a 1940s blackside bobbin, but it is an odd size as well, and yes, it is the same size as the silver one above it so they could have gone with the same machine. Here’s the flip side of the one with the holes:
It’s a different height than the other two.
It’s a mystery to me!
The mess as I poured it out from the envelope!
The mess after I grouped “like kinds” together!
The seam guide will work on many machines, as will the thumb screw at the bottom of the photo. The bobbin case at about 4 o’clock is a mystery – it’s the same kind of bobbin case my APQS Millenium takes! I compared them side by side – identical! Is it a full rotary hook bobbin case, because it has no “finger” at the top like a class 15 would?
The presser foot parts fit together….not sure what kind of machine that is for…It’s a low shank zig-zag foot.
The other mystery bobbins are at 1 o’clock and 5 o’clock. The class 15’s are at 11 o’clock – and in the center are the class 66, some with 4 holes, some with one – but same shape, same height and I’ve got class 66 machines that have come with both of these.
Thank you, Kay for the goodies! If anyone recognizes the odd balls, let me know!
I’m home from my hooky play date with my friends. I sewed until I ran out of papers and it was time to pack up and hit the road home.
The Hubster is home from his business trip as well, and he brought a nasty cold home with him so I am keeping my distance! I leave for Granbury, Fort Worth and Weatherford, Texas on Sunday – and I don’t need to be sick for that – it’s my last teaching gig until New Years!
Tonight I hope to be trimming and depapering the sashings I stitched up ----I’m going to push this project to completion – these blocks have hung on my wall for far too long!
That thing at about 3 or 4 o'clock looks like the bobbin case (that holds the bobbin) my mom had on an industrial sewing machine that I learned on and I've never seen another one like it. I'll ask my mom what kind of machine that was, but I think it was a sears kenmore.
ReplyDeleteThe one with holes on only one side might be for a vintage Elna - I will check my Grasshoppers when I get home tomorrow and let you know for sure!
ReplyDeletewash those hands every chance you get. try not to touch anything your sweetheart touches. and you should avoid a cold. but you knew this already..right?
ReplyDeleteSara Stockton
I thought of my industrial consew...when saw the mystery bobbin and case...hubby said the one set is a 66
ReplyDeleteThat bobbin case looks a bit like the one that was in my Domestic machine that was a 1962 model. I can't remember the other machine I had that had a bobbin case like this. I remember having to lift the lever after loading the bobbin and I believe it loaded into the front of the machine below where bobbins go now. Boy how I wish I could remember more!!!!! I do know that if I let go of the lever, the bobbin would fall out! :(
ReplyDeleteWhen you foundation piece on paper, do you use your studio cutter to trim to size?
ReplyDeleteThe industrial Machines I use at work everyday have that same looking bobbin case.
ReplyDeleteWhen you lift the lever, a metal piece slides over and a little hook thingy on the side hold the bobbin in place while inserting the case into the machine or taking it out to change bobbins for that matter. We Use Brother, Singer and Gempsy and they all have interchangable bobbin cases.
Hope you stay healthy and bet you can't wait for all your teaching commitments to be over for this year so you can concentrate on getting ready for the silly season., oh and our Mystery. lol.
Take Care. :)
Do you know that old tatting shuttles often had a "bobbin" to hold the thread? They could pass for sewing machine bobbins - maybe even from the same sources. So if you can't identify a bobbin it might just be for tatting.
ReplyDeleteThe "4 o'clock" bobbin case looks like the one which fit my Mom's 1952 Necchi.
ReplyDeleteThe bobbins with the holes on one side look a lot like my old metal bobbins for my Elna machines.
ReplyDeleteThe ones in the center look like the ones in my `1970's(ish) Singer. (it was my mother's so I'm not sure on the year)
ReplyDeleteThat bobbin case looks like the one that fit Kenmore machines from a while ago. 70"s maybe Just a guess.
ReplyDeleteThat bobbin case and the bobbins at 12 0'clock
ReplyDeletelook like what is in my 1030 Bernina......which is about 30 years old.
Kind of fun to open a package like that huh?
Happy Sewing and congrats on getting the mystery quilt quilted........did ya get the binding on too?
The bobbin case looks like one that goes to one of my Bernina's. The rest I have no idea.
ReplyDeletethe flat one with no holes looks like a vintage white sewing machine about 1950ish. my mom had one. bobbing case looks like one from a montgomery wards brand that had also had plastic cams. some may be from the old "new home" machines that were sold door to door and the salesman stopped once a week or monthly for the premium.(payment)
ReplyDeleteThe bobbin case may be for a Singer 319. I have a few cases like that. Di in TN
ReplyDeleteCould any of them be for an old White sewing machine? Unless your hubby has medical problems/medicine that would cause problems have him to start taking garlic oil for his cold. It does work wonders but it is also a blood thinner so be sure not to mix with any other blood thinners or use if there are any medical conditions.
ReplyDeleteMy Elna Super takes a bobbin with a bunch of holes on one side and a solid back side and they are a little bigger than Singer bobbins. Looks just your mystery bobbin!!!
ReplyDeleteSo cool! I love mysteries and vintage freebies! I just had a coworker give me two machines. A Brunswick from a treadle and a Universal. She takes old machines in cabinets, tosses the machines and refinishes cabinets to sell as vintage tables. Ugh! They are both a mess but I figure they will be my learning machines. Ill be posting and asking for help on the fb page when I get time.
ReplyDeleteI have a Voyager mid arm machine which is really a stretched Singer. It uses a bobbin holder like the one Shen and an 'L' size bobbin. Perhaps some of the mystery bobbins are 'L' size which is different just a touch than a 15 class bobbin.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the others about the one with the holes on only one side. I have an Elna Super, ca 1975, that still runs great! That bobbin looks just like mine. Also, the zigzag foot looks like the one I have for the Elna.
ReplyDeleteThat is a rotary bobbin case, what it goes to may remain a mystery. If it has any numbers in it you can research it. The bobbins at 1o'clock are the bobbins that go in it I believe.
ReplyDeleteThe 4 o'clock looks like the bobbin case I had to put the bobbin into for an old riccar machine I had it was a front loading machine to put the bobbin in.
ReplyDeleteLucky you to be gifted that package! I am sure you will find a home for them all. Hope you stay well for you trip and so excited for daytime quilt cam!!
ReplyDeleteBonnie, the black bobbin looks like the bobbin my old treadle had - don't know the brand of the machine and haven't seen it in over 50 years. I used it while in highschool and made many clothes on it.
ReplyDeleteMy parents sold our old cabin where I had the machine, contents included, without letting me know. I wanted that machine but found out too late that it went with the cabin. The bobbin was slightly larger than the Singer bobbin on the machine my mother bought for herself on my 16th birthday!
Have fun finding the machines that they fit!
From the comments made, it seem the bobbin at 4 o'clock fit many machines. The one we had like that in the 60's was a Pfaff 220. (I think the number's right).
ReplyDeleteThe bobbin case and flat-no-side-holes bobbins that seem to fit into it do look much like the ones for the Singer 306 and 319. They are almost identical to the ones used in my Juki TL 98Q. Now the real treasure there is the presser foot. It looks just like the ones that I try to keep on all my machines because they match up so nicely and provide 1/4" on both sides of the foot. My Singer from the early 1970's had a low shank one and I always call it the "utility foot". The slant series Singers all came with one if they were zigzag capable. Sometimes have to put a tiny piece of moleskin to align the foot perfectly, but they seem to work so much better with all the vintage Singers and clones--not too heavy or wide for the narrower feed dogs. Hope you are enjoying your trip to Texas--been out of internet service at the Texas coast myself. 80 degree winter weather -- love it!
ReplyDeleteBonnie, my brother just gave me three random bobbins that were in with some junk in his shop. Two are regular class 15 bobbins, but the other one is like that one in your hand in the picture that has 8 holes on one side and is solid on the other side. I wonder what it goes to?
ReplyDelete