Tuesday 28 April 2020

My “ new” sewing machine

Last year a friend offered me an old sewing machine, he had found it in hard rubbish a while before, and never gotten around to using/ fixing it  - “ all I know is we plugged it in to the power and it seemed the light came on!”. Turns out it was a Singer 201K machine!
I was very excited to take it, as I have been dreaming of getting a classic old machine for years! My Dad had a couple in his shed, but they were specialised shoe making machines ( which we will try and sell once life goes back to “ normal” ), so I grew up loving the look of old singer machines.
 It has taken me ages to get around to taking the machine in to see if it actually works, I was almost not game enough, in case it didn’t work, or was in really bad condition. I guess I was a bit put off after I found a 1974 singer in hard rubbish last year, which turned out to be not worth repairing.

 But once the sewing room was fixed ( involving angle grinding a channel  into the concrete floor ( outside) and LOTS of silicone sealant  inside on the floor/ wall joint!)  and everything back in place, I had a clean up, and it was time for a test drive!
At the start of the holidays I had taken the 201 in to Statewide Sewing in Coburg for a service. Roger said it was a fantastic machine in great condition, only needed a good clean and general service. He gave me some tips - like the right- left needle  threading! and  I bought some bobbins and needles.



The case is a bit damaged, I really must put some beeswax furniture polish on it!



And here she is!  Shout out to the lovely Katie over at Katie Writes Stuff, for her great vlog post on how to thread an old singer machine! I still have yet to try winding a bobbin though, that will be the next challenge!


4 comments:

  1. I should do a bobbin winding video, too. It usually works pretty well, although I have one machine (the Singer "Blue Magic") where you need to keep an eye on the bobbin (or preferably a finger) in case it flings itself off while winding. Crawling around on the floor after a rogue bobbin and metres of thread is every bit as fun as you might imagine.

    Enjoy using your new old machine! Now you need to find a buttonhole attachment to complement its skills.

    Katie Writes Stuff

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    1. I remember looking at a buttonhole kit years ago at a school fete, kicking myself I didn’t buy it ( of course I didn’t even have the machine back then...!) I can sooo picture the bobbin flinging itself off, aaarrgghh!

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  2. WOW I think my mother in law has the same one! Will be a while before I can check it out - it lives in Yarrawonga! If I remember I will get a copy of the instruction booklet. If I remember correctly you use your knee to lift the foot up and down?

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    Replies
    1. Lovely to see you last weekend! Totally random as always! You are close - there is a knee control for sewing, instead of a foot pedal.

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