Men and sewing machines

[GrahamNR17]

I have a lovely old hand operated Singer machine complete with boat shuttle!

That's the kind mine is

I did lots of Googling today while my finger heals and found out it was made in 1898

How many things made today will be around and working in 112 years

Gotta raise a hat to Singer, they made 'em to last in them days!

[p.penn]

Mine is old but has a round bobbin. It is beautiful though.

[Totally Scrambled]

We have a couple of old Singers. One is a hand cranked with bobbin and the other is an electric one with a shuttle bobbin, even has the original flex and still passes all the safety checks when serviced. It was only made in 1924 so not as old as yours Graham but one of the early hand cranked models that Singer converted to electric. Both still work beautifully but then they were made to last and were a simple design.
Ali's latest machine isn't a sewing machine as they now call them sewing computers
Dom

[p.penn]

OOhhhh - that reminds me - I have a really old singer electric one in the loft somewhere - really small and in a suitcase type box. It was my daughters.

She bought a really whizzy one to do lots of craft on and it broke within months. It had a 3 year guarantee but there was some problem or other - I think she had to post it back.

I get scared with the electric ones as they sort of shoot off.....

[Raven]

A sewing machine is on my list... along with a Woodrat, workshop, lots of timber and a few other tools... lol

[GrahamNR17]

A sewing machine is on my list... along with a Woodrat, workshop, lots of timber and a few other tools... lol

Cor, that Woodrat looks a bit special. That's proper boys toys

[Raven]

Yeah, it's my dream toy... Just so many things I could make!

[Lilo-Lil]

Having just spent the last 45 mins with Yr 8 and a number of sewing machines, all of which WERE working fine until they got their mitts on them, I can safely vouch that men and sewing machines should never come into contact!!!!

[Mo]

I get scared with the electric ones as they sort of shoot off.....

I had the same experience, the only time I used one - 50 years ago at school.
My mother had a hand Singer, recently the scar on my finger has faded from a toddler encounter - it stayed visible for 50 or more years.
I have my MILs Singer treadle. A 'posh' one that goes down into it's case like a piece of furntire. She got it from her MIL so early 19??. Can't get replacement parts for the bobbin winder (round bobbin not shuttle) so I do have to wind mine by hand. Not that I've used it much recently, was put off when I started needing reading glasses.

[p.penn]

Oh you lucky thing!I used to use a treadle at school and absolutely loved it - you can control it so well can't you? Electric is either stop or go in my experience, and it always went further than I wanted!!

[Raven]

My mum used to have an old treadle machine that'd been converted to elec. It was still in the old base though, with treadle tied up with a piece of string, and it was still able to fold up into the base :)

Loooooong time ago though :(

[Totally Scrambled]

For Singer machines there is a plate with the serial number on the top side of the base plate. If you look this number up on line it will tell you the year and place of manufacture and model of machine.
looking round second hand shops, boot fairs etc you can find old singers at reasonable prices and depending on condition either replace your one, keeping yours for spares or vice versa.
Both our old Singers cost £10 each, still work and were a bargain.
Dom

[Shlugh]

My old gal is a Pfaff, from about 1930's and converted to electric in the 70's. She was given to me after my "adopted " granny next door died when I was a teen.

I was popular with my friends, as in the 80's it was quite cool to customise your clothes and I was the only one with my own machine that we were all free to use.

As a tip, U-tube is a great source on "how to" video clips on sewing and using a machine. There's even how to thread guides and lots of useful stuff.

There's a posh clothes shop here in Glasgow that has hundreds of old sewing machines in it's window displays. I must try get a picture and share.

Shlugh xx

[Meanqueen]

There's a posh clothes shop here in Glasgow that has hundreds of old sewing machines in it's window displays. I must try get a picture and share.

Shlugh xx

If it's the same as the shop I saw in London a couple of weeks ago, it's amazing. Old fashioned hand sewing machines stacked from floor to ceiling in the windows, and more inside too.
Ilona

[Totally Scrambled]

The shops are called All Saints, there is one at Bluewater too.

Ali