Do you have one of these? Singer Featherweights? They weigh about ten pounds and have a neat case. Great for hauling to quilt classes, retreats, etc. Or just carrying from room to room in your home. I'm showing you the two I have. There's a story. (Of course!)
This is a Featherweight bought by my Dad for my Mother. It came in black. I don't remember ever seeing her use it though. Then in the sixties, I learned to sew using this very machine. Home Ec projects and so forth. I loved the little thing right away. I grew up...moved away, leaving that little machine. Years later, when the old navy man and I moved to Silver City, New Mexico....I called my Mom one day and asked if I could have it next time we came for a visit. Her reply was...."well, I had intended to keep it in the family, so no." My dad had passed away several years earlier and I was her oldest child (of four) and the only one even vaguely interested in sewing, so I was thinking I should have it since she didn't sew. "I had intended to keep it in the family." Hurt my feelings. (Yes, there is more to the story, but just know my mother was a difficult person to live with.) We were all shocked.
A couple of years later, she called to tell me I could have it. A few months after that, we visited her and I brought it home. Years later, she passed away. I had seen some Featherweights people had painted and got the idea that since my mother loved the color red...I would have that little machine painted. There was a man in Hot Springs who would clean your Featherweight, repair it and paint it. Turns out you could paint it any color you could buy a car in....that's what I did. And, you can still get the original decals, etc. It's cute, don't you think?
A while after that....well, being a person who loves all things vintage and old, it got to bothering me that I had that machine painted, so I decided I needed one in it's original color. The old navy man told me if I could find one at a good price, I could have it......I already knew that, but wasn't it nice of him to say it. A year or so after that I did find one....at the flea...for $125. I bought it, not knowing really if it worked or not. Brought it home and he checked out the electrics for me...not a thing wrong with it...and there you go....a lovely vintage machine!
They are easy to clean, sew a lovely seam and are fun to use.
You can go online and check the age of your machine. Just find the serial number and go take a look. The red one was born on January 22, 1948. I would have been four years old when it was manufactured.
The black one is the one from the flea. It was born on October 14, 1953. So cute....I really don't know why I felt I needed to paint the other one. At the proper time, the red one will go to my daughter. As she and her husband are abstract painters...I suspect she'd rather have the red one anyway. While she doesn't sew, she might actually do that some day. But, neither will leave until I am finished 'playing' with them!
I think this machine is DEAR!
In that Vintage way!
(By the way, the red is actually a bit darker than this photo.)
They are just adorable!!!
until next time
BE WELL
from
Bird Nest Cottage
