Saturday, February 3, 2007

Sewing Machine Museum

I had a pretty good day today. I got phone calls from both my daughters and one niece (Jody Marie), had an awesome hot stone massage that got the kink out of my shoulder (thanks Lori!) and I finished my first denim quilt top for the year. It is my hope that between Super Bowl commercials I will be able to get another top done.

Toward the end of my sewing, my sewing machine was really complaining and slowing down. I know, I know, I should just oil it occasionally and it would do much better. The sad thing is, I did just oil it. So instead, I just pulled out my 'spare' sewing machine and kept sewing. The amazing thing is, my 'spare' sounds great, why was it the spare? And actually, it was only one of my spares. I am the proud hoarder of 11 sewing machines and one serger. My favorite machines are my three 1970's vintage Pfaff 1222's. I have 7 Singers: one Featherweight, three 99K's, two 301's and one 66. I also have one little mint green Bell portable. It may seem that I am a little crazed but in my defense, I only purchased 4 of them! Larry bought the others. I bought my first Pfaff in about 1985 after I sold my Singer Touch & Sew at a garage sale. I bought it used and I have never regretted that purchase. My next machine was inherited from my mother. It is her black 301 in a cabinet. The machine that I learned to sew on many years ago. The next came a few years ago when my Pfaff decided to give me problems just a week before a quilt retreat! My sister had seen another used Pfaff at the sewing machine repair shop near her home. On the way to the retreat I bought it as a spare for the retreat and the future. I bought my first 99K at an antique shop for my daughter to have at school in Sitka. Larry started looking at and bidding on machines on eBay and got the 3rd Pfaff. The second one then went to live with my oldest daughter and her husband as I really didn't need two back-ups! He also bought the other two 99K's, 301 and the featherweight. A friend has one of the little Bell's and I thought it would be fun to have one and got it on eBay. The final Singer, the 66 (pictured) was given to me a few months ago. I just looked up its serial number online and discovered that it was made in 1911. Not sure about the manufacturing date for all the rest but none are less than about 30 years old.

I keep telling Larry that he needs to build me a new sewing studio so I would have room for all the machines, fabric and pending projects.

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