Vintage Sewing Machines

[JoffreyBaratheon]

Just realised we're taking over the other thread with chat so anyone up for a separate thread dedicated to the beautiful vintage sewing machine, and all its glories?

Woukld love to see pics of and hear about everyone's vintage machines; where you got it, why you love your machine, and what you're making on it? Also tips for restoration/fettling/cleaning and oiling.... And anything else people who sew on vintage machines might like...

crocky which is your favourite? I know it's a bit like asking which is your favourite child, but am curious as your collection seems similar to mine...

My great gran was Australian, she sent for a sewing machine in the 1880's from England; I still have this machine today and it is brilliant.

Lovely Polter , one of mine arrived today - it is very lovely. The 221k.

The bobbin winder bit is a bit loose, does anyone know if I just need to tighten the screw? It doesn't look like it has a rubber ring but if anyone can confirm that I would be very grateful .

DH .... Another machine? ....yes and there is another one coming tomorrow! What is the small one for then? .... Because if is truly beautiful and they are quite collectable.

He just doesn't get it.

This machine is incredible - stitch is amazing! I think I did really well.

The bobbins cost 11p each, the button holer 4 pounds 12 shillings and 4 pence! 6 needles cost 2 shillings. Then there is an old receipt post decimalisation for £8.95. Really interesting to see it all.

I have just burnt my finger on the light bulb!

Blimey, lavender you got loads of stuff with that! Must admit since the day my Featherweight arrived, my other machines have barely had a look-in...

The bulbs do get hot. I tend to use a reading lamp instead of/as well as mine!

Varya what model is your machine?

Joffrey, can you tell me if your bobbin winder is loose? Not sure if you can see from the photo but I can wiggle it about and move it from side to side by a cm. I wonder if it is just the screw.

I have found others online that don't have a rubber ring on the little wheel that touches the big wheel (is that called a freewheel)? No idea.

Mine doesn't have a rubber ring, lavender and it's pretty stiff - if you change its position, it stays put so it sounds like you might just have to tighten something (if it's affecting your bobbin winding?) The bobbin winder is so simple but ingenious.

I learned to make clothes in a hand-cranked Singer from my great-aunt, with a 'boat shaped' bobbin rather than the modern circular ones. Then progressed to my Mother's converted-from-a-treadle Pfaff. Then a distinctly unbeautiful brown 1960sisn number - something horrible happened to the pedal, burned Bakelite and all - with lots of discs to slot in for different stitches.

Currently using a new John Lewis one as my main use is for dance costumes using stretch fabrics, which older machines don't cope with well. But I do still slightly mourn that black-and-gold beauty.

Posted on the other thread I think? So here is today's vintage machine pR0n. My mum's 1970-ish Brother, with one of the 1910-ish Jones Family CSs I have since given to son. (Not mum's machine - it's my most modern one, the only zig-zag I have so I've kept that!)

This Jones was also a boat shuttle. Got two from a car boot, did them up to learn how to do up machines and passed them on to two of my sons.

Mum's machine has had one service/re-wire. She actually had a Singer treadle but we had a house fire and so she bought this blue Brother with the insurance pay-out. She died within a year of buying it so never got much use out of it. I have never figured out the attachments - it made a shedload of living history costume but these days mainly gets used for the zig-zag if at all. It is such a pretty machine, though.

The Brother looks like it will sew through anything Joffrey. I know where there is a very pretty Jones treadle for sale. They were the most stunning machines.

My 201 came today .... DH asked if he needed an international dialing code to phone my world!!

It is another lovely example of an old machine, not sure if I will add a motor to this one or a treadle.

Joffrey, my favourite child? Maybe the 201 but I love them all, especially the treadle. Does anyone have any tips for clearing and polishing the metal parts? I do have some auto sol but is there something I can soak bits in to remove grime/tarnish?

crocky the best thing I've found for my machines, is Maas cream - smells of lavender which is a bonus! It's horrendously expensive (Lakeland). But it works better than some others I've tried and you only need to use a tiny amount... Not a thing to soak in, just a kind of polish. I have been known to put some parts in vinegar but only internal bits that don't show just in case I did damage... If parts are very tarnished, it's a lot of elbow grease with the Maas but it works for me.

For paintwork/decals, I just clean with sewing machine oil on cotton wool buds or soft cloths. (And test first on an inconspicuous part round the back!)

Thanks,off to Lakeland website now to have a look.

Polter, these videos are where I learned how to strip down and clean a vintage machine. This woman is seriously brilliant.

I honestly don't work for Lakeland but just to add to the recommendation for Maas for the brightwork... Also got in Lakeland (but seen cheaper since i Home Sense), another US product. I cleaned the woodwork and cases of my machines with this - smells of orange oil which is a bonus - and it comes up so shiny it actually looks wet.

www.lakeland.co.uk/24168/Parker-and-Bailey-Orange-Oil-Polish

I've just seen this thread and what a coincidence as I've just unboxed a machine that was given to me a few years ago and finally have somewhere to put it. It's a Jones machine but I have no idea how old it is. I think it would need a good service and clean to work as its been in storage for so long. DH wanted to eBay it but I think it's a work of art!

Oh that's lovely!

You can date it here:

www.sewingdownmemorylane.com/Pages/DateyourSingerorJones.aspx

Apparently Jones' records were lost/destroyed but some clever people did eventually figure it out. That one has the same base as mine, which were from around 1900-1910. You can sometimes roughly date them from the royal appointment decal.

Alicia forgot to say but in case you don't know (you probably do, but this might help others reading this thread) Jones had a round shank needle, unique to them. So it won't fit a standard modern needle like a Singer of the same date.

Needles are easily available though. From here:

www.helenhowes-sewingmachines.co.uk/needles.html

Does anyone else have a knee operated Singer? TBH I'd really like a modern version as it is so much easier to control than a pedal

Thanks for the link, Joffrey, it looks like it dates back to the early 30s which is earlier than I thought! Thanks also for the info on needles. I only know about more modern machines and only have this as my Step-Mum gave it to me. It belonged to her dad and she didn't know much a out its history apart from that. At the minute it has pride of place in our dining room as it's too beautiful to hide away and I love sewing so feels nice to have it out. I should really get it serviced and see if it is in a useable state! DH doesn't get it, though!

Oh goodness, you lucky lucky people with all these beautiful looking machines! I'm feeling ever so slightly jealous now with my Netto special machine & second hand electronic Janome . They are not things of beauty.