Saturday, March 17, 2012

Singer 185J3

Yesterday (Friday) Louie took a vacation day, and we planned to spend the day together. Early in the morning, I found this Singer 185J3 sewing machine on Craigslist in Coralville. We were planning on spending the day in Cedar Rapids anyway, so Coralville wasn’t ‘that’ far out of the way. I contacted the seller and made arrangements to go pick it up. Afterwards, we ran around Iowa City to the thrift shops, but we really didn’t find much. What’s up with that? Anyway, here she is, complete with a buttonholer in a sleek green case, book, attachments and cover.

185J 018

I took her serial number and went to My Singer Story to find out her age. She was born in 1954. She’s older than me!

singer 185j3

I still need to learn how the Singer 185J3 is different from the Singer 185J. I’ll update this if and when I find out. 

Update! I emailed my Singer Hero and asked him about the differences in the 185’s added #3 and the single J’s. This was his reply:

Hi Michelle
In the history of Singer making machines they would make slight changes in the models and would add a number to the model number.
I have seen parts manuals that would say that it covered 66-1,2,3 or 201-1,2 or the like. It would take a serious hunt to find what the change was.

I honestly don't have a clue about the 185. I sold them new but cant answer your question.....sorry
Jim

Miss 185J3 had some problems when I test sewed with her, but I fixed them.

185J 006

185J 005

I’m not really sure what Singer was thinking when they put this HEAVY machine inside a plastic base. There are supports that have broken down, and the bobbin slide plate cover was off of the machine, because you couldn’t slide it open to change the bobbin. I put it back on, and stacked some big round washers in the bottom of the case to lift it back up. On the other end, I stacked up a couple short spools of thread to raise it up so the machine would sit nice and level and tight inside the case.

185J 011

The end cover by the needle bar is a lighter shade of green, and also chrome. The light green needs to be repainted as it is pretty nicked up.

185J 010

The hand wheel is also very chipped up, so that should be repainted as well. (You know, this green is just light enough I might be able to mask the chips a little bit by lightly dabbing some liquid ‘white out’ on them. Hmmmm…might have to try that.) Thinking smile

185J 009

185J 020

When we got back into Cedar Rapids, we stopped to see Amy and park our second car in her driveway while we went junkin’ in Cedar Rapids. We went to a couple of Goodwills, but didn’t really find anything, so we went back to Russ and Amy’s and we went to the Olive Garden for supper. YUM YUM! We enjoyed the visit. Russ and Amy just got a ‘new to them’ Goldwing motorcycle last year, so we are looking forward to doing some riding with them this year, and introducing them to my brother and sisterinlove, who we usually ride with. It will be fun!

Before we knew it, it was after 7pm. We needed to go to Home Depot to get some J blocks for our siding for when Louie mounts my wooden Barn Quilt block, and Louie needed to get going to Waterloo for his pool tournaments which start today(Saturday). We took Russ and Amy home, visited for a few more minutes, then Louie headed for Waterloo, and I headed for home. I got home about 9pm, and Louie pulled into the ramp of the hotel at exactly the same time, so we both made it home safe. Praise the Lord!

It was 85* in Iowa yesterday. That is just CRAZY! It was only March 16th, but we’re not complaining! We’ve broken temperature records for three days now, and we’re supposed to break another one today. I signed up a few months ago for a new city alert system notification deal where I get phone texts and voice messages of weather alerts and important city and county information that is going on. Yesterday I got both a text and a voicemail from the city saying that we were under a burn ban and that NOTHING was to be burned in the COUNTY until further notice. That meant leaves, garbage and fire pits. That is so odd to have dry conditions in Iowa in March. I can’t ever remember a winter like we’ve been having.

I’m going on a sewing machine rescue today from a friend of mine in Fulton, Illinois, and it will go to my sisterinlove who claims she is collecting ‘boat anchors’ now. She warned me when I talked to her, that there were no sewing machines in Cedar Rapids, because she had taken them all, and she was right! Good thing I found this one in Coralville, or there would have been no rescues for me!

I thought another thing was funny too. As she was telling me about the machines she got, she said one of them was a 3/4 size machine that was two tone green, and that the case was plastic and two toned as well. My mouth dropped open, and I asked her if it was very heavy, and if the top of it sloped down like her 500A Rocketeer? She said yes. I said, ‘That is like the machine we are going after right now!’ Surprised smile Then I found a picture of one on Louie’s blackberry and showed it to her and she said, ‘Yes. That’s it!’ Now, how odd/cool is that? BUT, being that she got hers at Goodwill, and I got mine from a private party, I paid over 5 times more than she did for mine! Who me? I think she’s joined me in ‘rescuing’ all the orphan sewing machines of the world! Thanks girl! Together we can save them from the landfills! Now I just need to teach her how to service them so her husband doesn’t have a second full time job! Winking smile

Have a great day everyone!

Michelle

11 comments:

  1. I love the accessory box that came with your machine. Very futuristic which was all the rage in the early 1950s!

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  2. Nice Singer sewing machine. It is a pretty green colour.

    Brandon, Manitoba Canada has also been experiencing temperatures well above the seasonal norm. Yesterday, March 16, my husband went for his first motorcycle ride, it was 68 F here. We had a fire in our back yard fire pit. Normally this time of year, we have a ton of snow (it is all gone) and the day time highs are below freezing.

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  3. Cute sewing machine. Hope you had a great day with Louie. Enjoy your weekend!

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  4. Great new addition .glad you enjoyed your day .Good Luck Louie .

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  5. I think I saw one of these at the thrift store the other day. It was green. It was a singer. It was small but heavy and I think the numbers were the same except for the letter. I think they wanted 30.00 for it. Is that good?

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  6. this is a pretty little machine...kinda looks like a feather weight??? but perhaps a bit larger?? so glad girls/couples had a good day of fun!!

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  7. This was my very first sewing machine. My mom bought it for me when I was only six--in the early 1970's. I used it for decades hauled that heavy little cutie around through a few moves, but sold it in the late 1990's. I wish I still had it!

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  8. It's so funny, I'm thinking of buying a 185 in a cabinet for my young adult granddaughter and have been asking for opinions. I thought to myself I ought to ask Michelle, and then I was looking in Google and this popped up. I have a picture of it on my blog and the guy is asking 75.00. What do you think?

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  9. Hi, This is Howard in Brooklyn...and no you have not rescued all the orphaned sewing machines in the world, because I have rescued my own...Today I received a 185K & a 285J to add to my collection...have unpacked them, & both seem to be in good condition, although both need new cases as the plastic ones are crumbled & not usable. I found 3/4 sized cases for my Singer 99 & Spartan, so I will order the same for these two new gems...
    So glad I found your blog, Howard

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  10. Thank you for letting me know about My Singer Story! Now I have an "official" certificate to give to my grandson when I give him the 185J3 my mom (his Oma) rescued! :)

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