Friday, November 30, 2012

You know it's really bad when.....

We are trekking to North Carolina on Sunday.  It is our annual winter trip to see Mom.  Alice will be there too.  We stay in a great place that caters to dogs and dog people: Barkwells.
 http://barkwells.com/   Four dogs, four humans and, this year, two sewing machines.  In preparation, I was in the shop figuring out which machine I would take.  I thought about the Singer 221 but figured that I should take a Kenmore.  Alice is bringing hers and I thought it would make the most sense for me to have a class 15 Kenmore along, too.

I got out the 158.1430 that Betsy and I bought this past summer in Clifton Park.  I love that machine.  It is strong, quiet, makes a gorgeous stitch.

 It is a flat bed.  I am not planning to make anything with sleeves, so it should be fine.  As I was working on it, though, I thought "Gee I wish I had this machine in a free arm.  It is just such a nice machine."

As I got ready to come in for supper I saw a Kenmore, in a box, just inside the shop.  I looked at it and wondered "Where in Sam's Hill did THAT come from?"

I could not remember.  Really.  I didn't fret, too much, though.  I knew that I would figure it out.  If not, well, what the heck.  It looked like a nice machine.  Probably one of Betsy's that somehow ended up here (That has happened before, and NO I don't mean the Pfaff).

I took it over to the bench to look at it more carefully.  Wrigley and Wilson understood.  They knew that I had a dilemma on my hands and decided they could wait for their liver and kibble.  Had Frannie not been in the house, snuggled by the fire, she would have been less accommodating.

I turned the thing on its back and recognized it.  I had worked on this machine.
 I remembered putting the spool felts on the bottom of the machine to balance it out since it was missing feet.   I remembered the writing on the bottom of the machine ( I don't need notes to show me where to take what off.  I just start removing screws and parts when I tear into a machine).  Then I remembered the whole story.
http://mysewingmachineobsession.blogspot.com/2012/10/sewing-machines-cheap.html

Well, there it is.  My Kenmore 158.1430 in a free arm.  Who knew?  I labeled it and packed it for the trip. 

Friends, have you ever found a machine that you did not recognize?  Does it worry you?



5 comments:

  1. 1.Yes 2.No (I am too old to worry - best to have others worrying about me)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I would love to find one of those in a free arm in my home! How many amp motor is it?

    I worked on a lady's sewing machine from church over the weekend. She bought a sewing machine from ALDI, the grocery store. It should be illegal!! I did get it to sew properly but plastic and stamped metal is only able to do so much. And made in china.

    Now I am watching out for a nice machine for her. I gave it back to her and I do have it sewing but it is a piece of junk. Her son is moving out and she is taking over his room and wants to buy a better machine. Of course, I suggested a vintage machine.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh, my! Enjoy these machines! I loved my "old" (ca. 1971) Kenmore. It wasn't working, and couldn't get it fixed. It went into storage never to be seen again. What worries me is when things disappear - like my good sewing shears, just yesterday. I set them down somewhere and now can't find them. (They'll turn up in some odd place.)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I KNOW !!! I am missing my Gingher shears. No clue where they are. As Ingrid says "They will surface."

      Delete
  4. I love this machine. Mine burned in the Camp Fire. If I ever find another one I will get it!!!

    ReplyDelete