Hey Everyone, welcome back to Coffee Talk Saturday.
The other evening my sister and I checked out our Grandmother’s sewing machine. The machine is an Improved Seamstress from the National Sewing Machine Company with beautiful scroll work covering it. I actually thought it was a Singer because the manual said Singer on it. Thank you Allison for providing me with the correct information regarding my Grandma’s machine.
Grandma’s vintage Singer machine
I have seen a few old machines and think they are just so neat. In fact I had a student recently using one from the 1940’s to piece her mini sunflower. She said she does all of her piecing on this machine. Her machine had no fancy scroll work though and was just black.
It also has a gorgeous antique cabinet that it lives in with lots of wood carving in the front of the drawers. The manual had a date of 1925 on it so I am assuming that the machine is from that Circa as well.
A close up of the woodwork on the cabinet
Grandma’s machine came with a little box of accessories which have no similarity to the modern day machines at all. I have no idea when this machine actually last sewed any stitches and the belt looks a little brittle so it won’t be today.
Accessory box and manual for the Singer
From vintage to old
Last evening we were visiting our mother who at one time was a seamstress and worked in the fabric department of our local department store. She bought her Bernina machine when I was quite young so I am pretty sure it has to be at least 40 years old. I love how her machine sews and I am pleased to say that it will be coming to live in my house soon (shhhhhhh, don’t tell Michael as he thinks I already have enough machines).
Mom’s machine is heavy as it is made of metal. Unfortunately, she doesn’t have near as nice a cabinet for her machine as Grandma did.
Mom’s Bernina
From old to a bit more modern
My sister bought her first sewing machine back in 1978 which was a Pfaff. She has certainly put it through it’s paces and used it to sew many items over the years. She still uses this machine today and it has never let her down. I know that she used it to sew me many pieces of clothing for my dolls when I was a kid and last night she informed me that these pieces were very ugly. I didn’t think so.
My sister’s machine
From a bit more modern to ultra modern
Machines nowadays are so sleek and modern looking. They have been computerized and have a gazillion different functions and features. A huge difference from my Grandmother’s old Singer machine from the 1920’s. The technology now is amazing.
This week I have been blogging for QUILTsocial all about the Pfaff Quilt Expression 4.2 – it’s features, functions and how it performs.
Pfaff Quilt Expression 4.2
Taking the machine for daily test drives has been a lot of fun. Each day I focused on something different in regards to the machine’s features, functions and performance.
Make sure to check out QUILTsocial, the new website for people who are passionate about quilting and want to be inspired. My week there is over for this month but I will be back next month to create a small project using the Quilt Expression 4.2 from Pfaff.
Jen, loved this post about your family machines from antique (over 100 years old), vintage (50-99 years old), classic (20-49 years old) and cutting edge. I love reasearching sewing machines. Just a tiny correction. Although the green booklet says Singer on it, your grandmother’s machine is a badged machine called Improved Seamstress made by The National Sewing Machine Company of Belvidere, Illinois. They were in business from 1869 – 1957 after several acquisitions and mergers. The only comment on dates is “Most National sewing machines were stenciled [and/or badged] for department stores and retailers. By the 1920’s, the majority of National made sewing machines were sold this way.” Page 99 of The Archive of Antique Sewing Machines by Charles Basebase Law. Third Edition revised with 2002 Addendum. There is no ISBN number for the book. Your grandmother’s machine takes a shuttle (looks like a silver bullet) that a long bobbin (think tiny barbell) that fits in to. Gosh that cabinet is just gorgeous! Allison in Plano, TX. Member of numerous on line sewing machine yahoo.com and Facebook groups.
Thanks Allison for your comments. It is nice to know a bit more about the machine. And yes, it does have that badge on it. I just thought it was a model for Singer. I guess I should have done a bit more research. The bobbins are a long barbell looking shape. I will definitely look a bit further into this. Thanks again for the info. Yes, I agree the cabinet is gorgeous.
It is interesting reading about old sewing machines. I learned on my mother’s hand crank Singer when I was 5 or 6. When I quit work to have my first son I spent my refunded pension money on a Bernina, my son just turned 40. I have since bought a Janome with thread cutting and other modern conveniences, but still haul out my Bernina when I want nice even stitches and it is much quieter running.
Meryl, I am looking forward to adding my mom’s Bernina to my collection of Bernina machines. It sews a beautiful stitch line.
My old girl is a 1902 Timothy Eaton Treadle in the original table with the accessory box full of great foot attachments.
Very nice Cheryl.
Love your post on old machines. Both of my grandmothers sewed, which is where my love of sewing came from. Last year my dad gave me my grandmother’s old Dressmaker machine. It sat in my grandmother’s garage for almost 20 years, then after she passed away, it sat in his barn for another 10 years. We took it to the gentleman who services my machines and he loved it. There was absolutely nothing wrong with it, just needed cleaning. It’s a little rusty and is heavier than a boat anchor but I believe it will sew through steel. I love using it to sew heavier fabric such as when I hem my grandson’s jeans. None of my newer machines can get through all those folds. They don’t make them like that anymore.
Holly, you are right they do not make them like they use to.