Right I have never got dressed so quickly before as I did this morning, I get up late, have breakfast, eventually shower and get dressed, and the morning is gone. So what was different this morning, my husband came back in from shopping and said there is a sewing machine in our village's charity shop window and it says CWS Federation. Quite a pretty machine, Trouble is the shop was closing in less than 20 minutes. Well I got in there with five minutes to spare - it does need a lot of TLC, it has a shuttle and from one bobbin I could see that it had wound and piled up one side (I remember this happening on my mother's machine) No needle in situ but there was one in the side box - no lid to the box.
I intend to go back and have a closer look on Monday morning - I will be popular!!!! Now something is ringing alarm bells in my head and that is needles. So far I have learnt that Jones made this badged machine for CWS Federation back in the 1920's. I believe those of you who have ventured into the vintage side that Jones needles for this type of vintage machine are extremely difficult to get hold of.
Now why do I want this - well something in me has hankered after an old pretty - pretty being the operative word here - machine for a long time, ideally I would love a wrought iron based treadle but it is getting it to my home. This CWS machine is a hand turned one so should be easily transportable.
My husband is sort of egging me on it is only £15, and although I would want this to be a decorative machine, it would of course be nice if it worked. So those of you who have tinkered with these old beauties, i.e. taken them apart, got them working, cleaned up the chrome and the body work, would this be an easy machine to try and sort out? The chrome on the hand wheel from what I could see looked okay needs a good clean and polish, and the chrome plates covering the shuttle, and the end plate also need the same attention. I did not look to see if the shuttle case was there.
So please any feed back from anyone over this over this weekend really would be appreciated. If I am right on the needles is there anywhere I could get them - or should I just give this vintage machine a clear miss?
By the way the two ladies on duty in the shop today were saying it could not be taken out of the window until they change the display - well I have had things out of the window before and of course on Monday it will be a different team in there, so I intend to have it brought out so I can see it more closely and I shall have some thread with me!!