Check back on Sunday around noon (London time) for wedding dress photos!
Around the end of August, I got an MMS (photo text message) from my bridesmaid Pip’s boyfriend Rob of a brown case next to an assorted pile of clothes with the message “Saw this and thought you might be interested.”
I replied with “Ooh what’s inside? Have you got a model no or year? And does it work, or Need Love?”
To which he said “No idea at the moment. It’s in the window of a charity shop, I’ll check it out on Tuesday.”
And I said “Ah I can’t really justify a 3rd machine! But if it’s a vintage Singer I’m interested (I’ll pass on any others, so don’t spend too much energy on it!)”
And since I never heard anything further about it, I completely forgot about our conversation (conveniently still saved in my phone though!) until they presented it to me as a wedding gift!
It weighs a TON, but it’s got a great hard case:
…which opens with an altered Citroen car key! ha!
Front, left, and back views:
This is a manual (non electric) model which runs off a hand crank and flywheel (yay yay yay! I can sew even if the power’s out now!). It works perfectly, and the mechanisms are all so smooth and lovely. Really, this machine doesn’t even purr – it’s almost silent.
Here’s the official seal and serial number plate:
And ooh look, there’s an accessories box! Full of feet I don’t already have (like a ruffler and a binder) plus some extra bobbins. Funny that it takes standard feet and needles, but the bobbins are different to my other machines…
But wait, there’s more! What’s that under the base?
That’s right – it’s the original manual from 1913!!! Holy crap!
The manual is in pretty bad shape, even though it’s in protective plastic now, but I just love those old illustrations.
First that vintage sewing chest for my 30th birthday and now this – I’m beginning to think I need to hit up their charity shops more often!
I’m going to have such a great sewing Fall when I get home, between sewing up all my fabric from NYC and now discovering the joys of this!