Here’s a cute little song sung and performed by Betty Hutton in the movie ‘The Perils of Pauline’ from 1947. She doesn’t love her sewing machine like the rest of us do, but it’s a cute song anyway. If you click on the video itself, you will go to the youtube page and can read comments about it. Interesting. Someone on there says this machine is a Singer model 31-15. Hmmm…I don’t have one of those!
Enjoy!
Be blessed,
Michelle
My husband had a hand crank kit out in his shop from another machine we were going to add the hand crank to a few years ago, but for some reason, it never happened. There was one machine we didn’t keep. I can’t remember why. Can you believe it? This morning, he said, ‘I just have to see if that hand crank will fit’. I guess it did.
Hmmmm…so do I leave it in the cabinet or have my talented husband make an oak base for it, and set it on a table somewhere? , or do I leave the hand crank on the machine, still add the treadle belt, and leave it in the cabinet? That might be weird, but I like how it looks with the hand crank on it. I sewed about 10 rows of stitches today with the hand crank. This machine sure makes a nice looking stitch.
AND…I want you ALL to know, that we went junkin’ today, and I did NOT bring home any new (OLD) machines. My husband, the enabler, tried to entice me with a newer model (less than 10 years old) Singer, but I decided that someone needed it more than me. Now, aren’t you proud of me?????
Have a great Sunday!
Michelle
Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; but remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for. Epicurus
A few days ago, I replied to an ad on Craigslist about a sewing machine. The ad simply showed a closed up cabinet, and listed the machine as a Singer in good condition. I asked that the sellers take a few pictures of the machine itself and email them to me. I did not get a reply.
Last night, about 7pm, I got an email saying ‘I know it is short notice, but’…the couple were loading a Uhaul this morning, and did I want to come look at it last night? They were in Davenport (35 miles from me), so I said no, but we could talk about it today. At that point, I still did not know what model it was, and I really was not interested unless it was a Red Eye. I attached a picture of a Red Eye that I ‘borrowed’ off the internet, and I said I was looking for a particular model, and unless this is what they had, I probably would not be interested. She replied that it indeed WAS what she had. Oh boy….(sigh……) I’ve been wanting one of these for a very long time.
This Red Eye is a model 66-1. You can identify that, because the pressure foot attaches on the back of the pressure bar. This characteristic is exclusive to the Model 66-1. The 66 models attach from the side. See HERE for more details.
From 1pm until 5pm, I cleaned the head. The pressure foot bar was STUCK. The lever went up and down, but nothing happened. I forced it to move with pressure from a screw driver. I sprayed some WD-40 on it, until it broke loose, then I wiped it off and gave it lots of oil, working it until it worked freely. I removed as many parts as I felt comfortable removing, then scrubbed and put them back on.
Here are some pictures. Take note of the nicotine on EVERYTHING…even on the underside. Also take note of my ‘weapons’ for cleaning, and the 13 filthy paper towels and 4 dirty qtips. A toothpick came in handy too.
BEFORE
The top half of this piece is scrubbed, but not the bottom.
The piece with the keyhole is actually a drawer! See? The top is not in good shape.
AFTER
Ok, another ‘Before’ of the machine, then an ‘After’ so you can see the difference. 
Notice the tension assembly, bobbin winder, knob, and badge are much cleaner. What the heck is that round knob for anyway?
The round silver cover was BLACK when I started, now it is shiny. The decals are in exceptionally good shape.
The cabinet is not in the best shape. The extension table was not pretty. Someone used it for a plant stand. The veneer on the underside of the table, which would be the work surface if folded out, was cracked, water stained, and lifting. The underside, which is the top of the cabinet, when closed, was not in good shape either. Since I needed a small space to put the treadle stand, I removed the extension table. It still needs to have a belt installed, but there is no hurry for that. I have one.
I had to turn the hand wheel by hand, but she does sew a nice stitch…and that was after I even had the bobbin assembly all apart, and put back together…with no adjustments! (Forgive the dirty paper towel I sewed on).
The serial number on the machine is G5703818. According to the Singer website, she was born on September 5, 1917 in Elizabeth, New Jersey at the Elizabethport Factory, so she is officially 94 years old!
UPDATE:
THIS website is fun! It printed out an official certificate of the year my machine was born, when I gave it the serial number! How fun is that? Only machines built before 1970 qualify.
It found me….I swear!
Be blessed,
Michelle
Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what’s going to happen next. Delicious ambiguity. Gilda Radner
A few weekends ago, the lady I bought my Pink Necchi from through Craigslist, emailed me and told me she saw a nice Singer 301 at a garage sale she went to. She also gave me the phone number of the lady selling it. I told her thank you, but we didn’t call at that time. A few days later, she emailed and asked if I had called. She said the lady was very nice. The price was fantastic. Of course, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
We didn’t call until this past weekend. The lady WAS very nice, and we brought the 301 home. She’s a very nice machine!
Yes, I’m keeping her. 
Be blessed,
Michelle
Kindness is the only service that will stand the storm of life and not wash out. It will wear well and be remembered long after the prism of politeness or the complexion of courtesy has faded away. When I am gone, I hope it can be said of me that I plucked a thistle and planted a flower wherever I thought a flower would grow. (Unknown author)
I saw this machine a week and a half ago at the Salvation Army ‘As Is’ store. I didn’t buy it. The cords were brittle and broken, with exposed wiring. It had a box of accessories and cams. The case was pretty nice.
I thought of ‘him’ all week, wishing that I had rescued him and nursed him back to health. We went this past weekend, he was still there waiting for someone to ‘adopt’ him, so we brought him home. I didn’t know he had a manual, until I lifted up the head to oil the underside of the machine.
He got a good oiling and new cords to the machine and foot control. He was ‘parched’. His needle bar went up and down when winding a bobbin, so I took off the hand wheel, oiled the inside of the wheel and the post it spins on. I ran him until he finally rested while winding a bobbin, and a beautiful bobbin he wound!
I didn’t play with the decorative cams, but I did test out the zig zag and straight stitches and he did NOT disappoint.
Be blessed,
Michelle
Into all our lives, in simple, familiar, homely ways, God infuses this element of joy from the surprises of life, which unexpectedly brighten our days and fill our eyes with light.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
You know there is ‘always something’ that I am wanting and looking for. Well, aren’t you like that too?
For a month or so, I have been wanting an ottoman. See that couch above in the picture? It is a very nice couch, but to sit on it for a long time, you need something to put your feet on. Since I donated my coffee table (not sorry I did), it’s hard to stay comfortable for long. Most times we are in our recliners, but sometimes you just need a ‘new seat’ for awhile, or you might get company. Gotta have somewhere comfortable for them to sit!
Now I know you know me well enough by now, to know that I don’t like paying retail for anything! I like recycling, repurposing, and just getting my ‘stuff’ for as close to free as possible. I don’t care if I need to work on it to make it like new…that’s half the fun!
While I was off on vacation, I was surfing the internet looking for places that sold ottomans, because after a few weeks of looking at the thrift stores, I was coming up empty handed. Louie and I went to Big Lots one night to check out their ‘on sale’ ottoman for that week, and it was just too wimpy. It was BIG, but not sturdy. I wanted to be able to sit on it if I wanted to. We left empty handed and disappointed.
A day or two after that, I had to go to the dentist in DeWitt, and there is a very nice furniture store there where we have purchased La-Z-Boy recliners in the past, and our newest La-Z-Boy loveseat recliner. I thought about stopping, but in the end, I just couldn’t make myself. I knew if I did, I would more than likely have a new ottoman, and a new debt to pay. I wanted a bargain.
Louie took a few days off while I was on vacation, and we went junkin’ in Cedar Rapids one day. The first thing I saw when I went back by furniture was a BIG RED ottoman! It did NOT look like it does in the picture above. It was red, and the same cover that is on it now, but it needed some ‘crispin’ up’! It was sturdy though, and peeking underneath the red cover, revealed a very nicely built, quality ottoman (if you like beige with blue checks). I can see why the previous owners covered it. They did the best they could.
That same day, we went to another thrift store, and on that day, I had it in my head that I would recover it. I found some dusty rose upholstery fabric for $5. I had a plan. Then at another thrift store, I found the rope fringe. Now, I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I knew I could live with it.
After I had it at home with the fringe, I decided that maybe I would just try adding the fringe to it and ‘crisp it up’. The previous owners had left lots of ‘raw’ edges, and used staples to attach the edges. I tried attaching the fringe with a staple gun, but found that staples just were NOT going to work, so I ordered some upholstery tacks. 300 of them.
Why does it take FOUR days to make it from Indiana to Iowa? You would think for $7 shipping for 4 itty bitty packages of upholstery tacks, it could be sent for less. Ok, I get it. Shipping and handling…but really, FOUR days to make it 344 miles???? (ok…rant over…sorry!)
I used lots of tacks to tack down the fringe. I did not want it coming off when we grabbed it to move it, or sat on it. Do you know that when I was all done, I only had about 8 inches of fringe left over? How’s that for ‘just enough’?
I am NOT an upholsterer, and I didn’t have a clue where to start from scratch, so I just upgraded this one. I like the color well enough. I would have preferred a darker red/maroon, but beggers can’t be choosers, right? I did a lot of trimming, turning under of fabric so there were no raw edges, and I used LOTS of tacks. 144 of them, to be exact, plus the 6 I bent, before my sweet husband told me what I was doing wrong. Yes, the ‘feet’ look funky, don’t they? I actually thought this ottoman was home made when we first found it. I thought someone used ‘weights’ that you fill with sand or something for the feet, but when I was working on it, I discovered that they are NOT weights. They actually came with the ottoman. There is a ‘post’ on the other side of the foot, which fits down into a hole on the frame. I’ve never seen anything like it before.
When we aren’t using the ottoman, we push it over to the other side of the room right where it is sitting in this picture…at the end of the fainting couch, which matches the couch. Since the fainting couch is short, we could also use it to extend the fainting couch and someone could lie on that too.
We paid $20.38 for the ottoman, $1.77 for the fringe, and $6 for the tacks (plus $7 postage). Labor was free. Not bad for a $35.15 ottoman. I like it!
Have a great week!
Michelle
I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:11-13
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**An ottoman is a piece of furniture consisting of a padded, upholstered seat or bench having neither back nor arms, often used as a stool or footstool, or in some cases as an improvised coffee table. Ottomans are often sold as coordinating furniture with armchairs or gliders.
An ottoman can also be known as a footstool, tuffet, hassock, bisset, or pouffe.[1] Some ottomans are hollow and used for storage.
The word ottoman was introduced into English in the "footstool" sense in 1806 (probably from the identical French word, which also denotes a type of textile fabric), because the ottoman's typical use in a reclining position was associated in Europe with the Orient, in line with fashionable Turkish style. The shape of the first footstools called ottoman were cylindrical and tall; similar to Ottoman government official's tall and round distinctive hats. Beyond 18th century the use of ottoman furniture became common in upper middle class families in western Europe.
Are there ‘things’ in your life that you associate to a person that was very special to you?
Yesterday Louie and I went junkin’. I KNOW! You’d have never guessed, had I asked you ‘Do you know Louie and I did today?’ I was looking on Craigslist the other day for ‘sewing machines’ (Hey! I can LOOK! I can’t help it!!!! It’s an addiction…I have to look!) ANYWAY, in the results, I found a GARAGE SALE that goes on all the time in that area. I told Louie about it, and we went today. What a wonderful place! It is on someone’s country home property, just off the highway, in a HUGE machine shed. The building is new, and neat, clean, and organized. The prices are good too. Look what I found!!! I have been wanting one of these GE electric skillets for-EVER!
When I was a little girl, and my dad was alive, he had one just like this. Same color, everything…except in my very young mind, I remembered it about 1/2 again as big. I have learned though, over the years, that as an adult, the things you remember as big as a child, end up being much smaller when you see it as an adult. Why is that? Anyway, for $4, it didn’t take me long to grab it and hold onto it like I was protecting it from any evils life would throw at me. It definitely needed some cleaning though. Between my sweet hubby and I, we took it all apart and cleaned it. Louie took off the legs, and sprayed some automotive bug/tar removal stuff on the old, baked on greasy areas, and removed quite a bit, then brought it into me, and I finished up scrubbing the little leftover, hard to get to places, with a toothbrush and another bigger brush, and scouring powder. It looks ‘almost’ new again on the outside. The inside has some ‘freckles’ that aluminum gets, but it’s old, it’s supposed to have freckles. I doubt I will ever use it. It’s just part of a visual memory of my past, but it’s mine!
I also found this West Bend teflon coated crock from the ‘70’s. I don’t think it had been used too many times. The instruction sheet was included for $4.38. The Flea Market Style magazines on the table are magazines that I bought. They are SO fun to look through and see what other people have done with their ‘Flea Market’ finds. I got the fall issue at Walmart, but I ordered the Spring issue, because I loved the Fall issue.
Ok, hold onto your seat, sit down, or whatever you do when you need to brace yourself. Ok. Ready? My HUSBAND (not I) bought a sewing machine yesterday! It was in a cabinet with LOTS of accessories and neat gadgets. It was hidden in a cabinet and the way the cabinet was made (home made) I thought it was just an empty sewing machine cabinet, until I walked around to the back and could see the bottom of it peeking out. The cabinet actually had a sign on top saying that the accessories were in the drawers. I thought, ‘Oh, maybe someone bought the machine, and donated the cabinet back to them’ (like we do so many times), especially since it had no price on it, and they didn’t take the sign off the top. Louie asked how much, and before I even had a chance to think about it, he said, ‘We want it’.
Now, believe it or not, I would have said ‘NO’. I didn’t need another machine. I already have a Singer 500A (Rocketeer) in a portable. Rolling my eyes, we loaded it into the van. Here is the AFTER. I wrote another post, which is just below this one, showing you the transformation, as I made a few changes to the cabinet, that to me, make it a much nicer setup.
I covered the head with a goodwill pillow sham so I can leave the head up, and not stored in the cabinet.
It sews like a dream. I only adjusted the tension a little bit, and I haven’t even cleaned it up, or oiled it. I may do some oiling later, but it now lives in my office. It will be nice to be able to mend something quickly if I need to, or play upstairs if I want to. I did have to do some rearranging of furniture, but I think this will work out nicely.
Today is our 36th wedding anniversary. I love my man more than words could ever convey. I feel so blessed to have him in my life, and I thank God every day for such a blessing.
Have a wonderful day, whatever you do.
Michelle
I blogged in a post just above this one, about this Singer 500A, also called the ‘Rocketeer’ sewing machine, because of it’s style. My husband bought it before I could even blink, and think about it. The cabinet is home made, and built well, but had some design flaws that I thought needed to be changed. The extending table to the right, and left, fold UP and OUT from each side to make the table much TOO MUCH longer.
Now, who has THIS much space in their home to have it extended? I can’t think of many, including me. (The piece of wood on the top of the left table is the piece that fits into the top of the table where the head of the machine is now when the machine is lowered into the cabinet.) As you can see, the right table is just leaning open against my desk.
You may have to enlarge the picture to see, but there are two ‘bars’ that slide OUT of the machine to hold up the left table. There are bars to hold up the right table as well.
Of course, you all know me, and after I sewed on this machine, I fell in love, as I do with all my orphans (in this case Louie’s orphan), and I had to figure out how I could keep this machine in the cabinet and make it usable. As you can see, the cabinet maker used piano hinges to attach the tables, so what did I do? I took out all the screws in the piano hinges and flipped the tables over on both ends! Now, instead of the table flipping up and laying on the top, it folds down and lays against the side. The cabinet length is now 36” shorter, and can still be functional!
I really can’t think of any reason why the left and right table would ever have to be extended but if the need ever arises, I am ready! (Louie says I can use his machine any time I want to!)
Did you notice the little bracket the cabinet maker made to set the foot control in to keep it from sliding? There is a notch in it to hold it up against the back leg of the cabinet. The lady’s name who owned the machine was S. Hessler. Her name is on a piece of tape on the side of the foot controller. I think I’ll just leave it there.
Be blessed!
Michelle
