Out From Under the Basement Steps!

           

This week, I’ve been thinking of some of the other sewing machines I have, that are hidden under the steps in the basement. Two, in particular, that I have been thinking about were bought very early in my ‘junkin’ venture. This first machine, I remember paying $3 for at Goodwill in Bettendorf, and now their pricing is different. Everything has a .38 or .88 on the end of it, or is just 38cents or 88cents. No other numbers, other than the dollar amount. Not sure what it means, but it’s a special code for something!

Anyway, here is the first machine for $3. It is a SWEET machine. It is a Singer 293B. It sews like a dream. It is a straight stitch only machine, and the needle threads from right to left, which is totally backwards. The Featherweights thread from that direction too. It has a vertical bobbin. When our little quilting group got together over 10 years ago, I do believe this is the machine I started sewing with! After that, I lent it to a friend, and it has been under the steps ever since it returned. An internet search tells me that it was built in Bonnieres, France, and the serial number is SB662526, but I couldn’t find a birth date for it, because the Singer Machine Serial Numbers site does not carry this information. Evidently, some of their records were lost. On the stitch length thing on the front, by the numbers, it says MM. Maybe all the stitch lengths on machines are metric, but maybe this one is different. I’m just not sure!

                 

The Singer 293B is a heavy machine, but not as heavy as this little gem! This is a Singer 285J. This machine is smaller, but about TWICE as heavy as the 293B. Again, a straight stitch only machine. You know, I just realized…they almost look like they could be the same machine, except one was made in France and one was made in Scotland. Wish I could find out more about them.

                  

This 285J was born on February 6, 1964 in Clydebank, Scotland. According to THIS web post, it has some oddities. I did not take the bottom off it to verify, but I do think I remember that I had seen this odd mechanism before. I still like it. (Photo borrowed from above link.)

                  

The case it is in, is NOT a sewing machine case, but an old movie projector case. Works pretty good, yes?

Update: (June 3, 2011) I found a manual for my little Green Singer 285J on eBay, and it came today!

                  

Since I took this picture the other night to show a friend, I will post this machine again too. This machine is a Singer 99, which is a smaller (3/4) version of the Singer 66 sewing machine. When I got this machine, it was electric, but we removed the motor, and put a hand crank kit on it. I love this little machine. I have not sewn on it, other than a few stitches. Louie made the oak base for it to sit in, and it sits on top of my file cabinets in my office.

This machine was born November 20, 1956 in Clydebank, Scotland.

                        

Ps…I updated my last post with a photo of some stitches I sewed on a paper towel with the 401A I found last weekend. I didn’t even have to  mess with the tension! She’s a dream machine!

I hope your Friday is wonderful, and you have a safe and happy Memorial Day Weekend.

Be Blessed,

Michelle