I thought it would be fun to share my machines with you. I'll show you my babies, what I'm working on with them, tell you how I came across them and what I decided to name them. I'm fairly new to collecting them and what I've learn to fix them I found online. So if you've been on the fence about getting an oldie but a goodie that needs some work I hope I'll be able to take away your fear.
So this month lets look at my first vintage machine, the one that started it all...
Meet Sigmund.
He is a Singer Model 185J circa 1954. He uses a class 66 bobbin and a standard 15 x 1 needle. I found him on Marketplace. It was about an hour away so hubby and I took a Sunday drive on January 21, 2018 to pick him up. The lady selling it wasn't sure if it worked. She was only using it as decoration because of his sea green color...hence his name Sigmund the
Sea Sew Monster. Do you remember that show? It was a kids show that ran from 1973 to 1975 and produced by
Sid and Marty Krofft.
We got him home and he needed a bit of a clean up. You should have seen the lint! I oiled him up and tentatively I plugged him in and tried him out and happily he ran! I use him daily now and had to fix his timing only once.
He didn't have a case or a bottom and I didn't want to put him in a cabinet, so I made him a box to sit in. I matched up the paint the best I could, using Rust-Oleum Painter's Touch Gloss Sage Green #249094. It's a tad darker, but it's pretty darn close. I may use it to paint the foot petal as you can see it's in need of a paint job. Sigmund though is looking good with only a few spots where the paint has come off and thankfully no rust. To keep him rust free I use a car polish all over his body a couple times a year.
The funny thing is I purchased him to take to sew days with my quilt guild, he was already heavy but with the box he's a monster! I did recently purchase a Tutto large sewing cart to help get him where we need to go.
The price I paid for this sweet machine...$27.! I've heard of people paying $25 and get the case that went with them!!! I thought I got a good price!
Are you wondering what is under my needle? I'm tackling the curve!!! I've started an apple core quilt, more on that later.
Thanks for stopping by! I would love to hear if you have this model or the 185K and how you like it.
Until next time, give your machine some love and clean out the lint! I know I need to do mine! I'm thinking he may want a drink of some oil too.
Sheila