My new, old Singer

[HenriettaMaria]

So while DH and DS were in Austria skiing last week, and in DH's case, acquiring the need for crutches for a ruptured calf muscle , I went to Scotland to see DM.  She's now 81 and suffers from scoliosis of the spine and cannot lift anything heavy. 

For xmas 1978 DF traded her unbelievably heavy, knee-lift, cantankerous, 2nd hand Singer (probably a 15 or similar) for a spanking new 522.  I turned 21 a few months later so I got one too and, while I got fed up of four-step buttonholes, I could do just about anything I wanted on that machine - it became an extension of my hands in the end.  Mine died in 2000 and, while I am happy with its electronic Brother replacement, there's something about it that means it's harder to do dead-straight lines of stitching, for instance.  Maybe the trend towards bigger presser feet is something to do with it.

Anyway, when DM offered me her old machine I bit her hand off!  I've just been upstairs oiling the moving parts and trying it out.  The motor smells like my wee brother's Triang-Hornby train set did (ozone, maybe?), but it works a treat.  Here it is on my sewing table.  This, BTW, is the table that nearly got scrapped last year when the veneer really started to come away but DH and I stripped the rest of it off with wallpaper scrapers and sanded it down.  I then varnished it - the apparent grain is just brush strokes - and it looks pukka again.  Not bad for something that's been in the family since the 1930's!

[Lantana]

That's a great outcome you must be over the moon! The modern day machines don't do straight line stitching so well do they? The trade off is that they can do more but how often do we really need the 'more'? As you've said that one did all you needed it to do!
The table looks perfect as well you did a good job ... they were also made well in the old days!

Hope DH's calf muscle is healing.

[Holly Berry]

She looks pristine and well looked after. It's nice she has an extended life and someone to look after her and cherish her.

Agree modern machines can't do straight stitching like the old machines. My 6 month old Husqvarna is a great machine and does good automatic buttonholes, but if I want perfect topstitching and great quality buttonholes then it has to be my Singer 15K and her huge buttonhole attachment.

[SkoutSews]

That looks very similar to my own 21st birthday present Singer Capri, which is like this  https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=singer+capri+sewing+machine&rlz=1Y3KTZR_enGB527GB527&oq=singer+capr&aqs=chrome.2.69i57j0l3.12466j0j4&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#imgdii=UCmGLWkOU5btnM:&imgrc=6ydZ8-7DM-xu-M:
I used it for years, until the capacitors in the foot control burnt out resulting in a spooky 'ghost in the machine' flat out sewing incident, when I was away from the machine! It's now fixed, but has tension issues.
It's a good machine, very fast, much faster than my newish Janome. It's my stand-by. Must get it out for a spin.

[BrendaP]

while I am happy with its electronic Brother replacement, there's something about it that means it's harder to do dead-straight lines of stitching, for instance.  Maybe the trend towards bigger presser feet is something to do with it.

I think you are right there.  It's a combination of the narrow presser foot and close set feed dogs.

I have recently acquired a 1940s Singer 201K which does beautiful straight stitches and I really like the narrow foot, but I wouldn't want to be without a more modern machine for all the other things.  I'm not fussed about embroidery but I need the utility stitches.

[Snowgoose]

That is a beautiful    How lovely to have a machine with such a happy family connection  You'll be sewing memories and love into everything you make