2 sewing machines- which one to get rid of?

[Melfish]

Firstly I am not a particularly proficient seamstress- I make basic stuff like skirts, tops and the occasional curtain. I've now got 2 machines, as I've ended up with my late mum's old machine and my electric Janome 7025 which is about 10 years old but was serviced 2 years ago.

The old machine is a Singer 99 which has a turning handle to sew. It has basic stitches and the stitches on the back of the fabric are slack and I don't know how to adjust it. My mum made wonderful things on this machine but she was a fantastic seamstress. Don't know if it does buttonholes and zips- I can't work out how to do them.

My Janome was a mid range John Lewis machine and I like it but I find it runs away with me and jams quite easily. Although all this can be attributed to my general rubbishness at sewing. It does do buttonholes and zips.

I guess I'm not sure whether I want to keep the Singer due to the emotional link with my mum or whether it is the right machine for me. Argh, help!

Hmm. I'm no sewing machine expert, but as far as I can see from a quick Google, your mum's machine only does straight stitch and so is probably rather limited if you want to do basic dressmaking. That said, it's a lovely looking machine and, in your shoes, I'd keep it because it's pretty and has sentimental value. If you had it serviced, I'm sure they could sort out the tension problem for you (although you can often find the manuals for old machines online and so might be able to fix it yourself).

Thanks Maudoncemore. I'm going to try and get the Singer serviced. My 'local' (train and bus) sewing machine repair shop closed shortly after sorting out the Janome- I hope these 2 events weren't connected- and have a proper bash on it. God knows how Mum made some of the clothes she did on that old machine!

Keep the singer irrespective of whether you get rid of the other one. It owes you nothing and it was your Mum's. I have got five old singers, well six ATM but I am giving one away.

You can buy everything you need should you need anything here.

The manual for it is here.

They are so simple that you can service it yourself - if you want to that is .

You can buy attachments for button holes and zig zagging if you want to although they are getting more expensive as they become harder to find.

I have had my 99 for 41 years, it was my eighth birthday present.

Sell the Singer, it's clutter. You must have much nicer ways to remember your Ma.

I would say that b/c I can't do non-electric machines... maybe you have greater talents.

Thank you for the manual BarchesterFlowers . I think there's a problem with the tension so I'll see if the manual has any ideas to sort it. I don't have room for both but I think rehoming the Janome will be best.

But the Singer could be a decorative addition to wherever OP does her sewing. William Morris said have nothing in your home that you do not believe to be beautiful or know to be useful; once serviced, the Singer could be both, especially if OP has children who might like to see with it.

We have a local sewing machine man with van who'll collect machines for servicing, so it's worth checking whether you do too, OP.

Perhaps a good test would be to get the singer serviced and then do you next sewing project on it?

When I still lived at home my Mum had an old Janome and I had a hand turn Singer, for what ever reason the Janome never worked properly (funnilly enough the foot pedal on her's used to be erratic) I just used the Singer for everything in the end, I seem to remember having a zip foot for it as well.

I have a Singer and another new machine, I still can't quite bring myself to get rid of the singer though because my children love using it.

cost £100+ to get my Janome serviced. What does it cost to get a handle-Singer serviced.

They are so simple that you can do it yourself really easily lljkk.

My modern Bernina service costs £65-75 here.

I'd flog it in a heartbeat on Ebay!!
Ok, maybe I'd service it with a youtube video instruction and then flog it.

My mother tried to teach me to use a manual machine (pedal driven, driven). I have no sense of rhythm so... Even the electric machine I needed a 1-to-1 2.5 hour lesson to get the hand of it. I consider it a major achievement of my life that I actually got the hang of the electric one, maybe I'll put that on my tombstone....

I inherited a 500kg piano from my mother, tbf, which is somewhat more awkward to look after than OP's Singer, tbf. I only consider selling the piano occasionally...

*2nd "driven" supposed to be a "SHUDDER"