The Sewing Place

Vintage CWS Federation sewing machine

Elnnina

Vintage CWS Federation sewing machine
« on: May 18, 2019, 13:45:26 PM »
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!!


KayK

Re: Vintage CWS Federation sewing machine
« Reply #1 on: May 18, 2019, 14:05:49 PM »
I am afraid I dont know anything about these machines, but there is a lady called Helen Howes of Raindrop Kites who is the guru of the old machines. She has a wonderful website and is full of invaluable information.  No doubt someone on this site will be able to help, but do look her up anyway!
www.helenhowes-sewingmachines.co.uk

Hours of fun!
I have learnt by my mistakes: Sewing machines now are Bernina 720, Bernina 1008, Bernina 801 from 1981, Brother overlocker, ancient but works well

LeilaMay

Re: Vintage CWS Federation sewing machine
« Reply #2 on: May 19, 2019, 14:24:27 PM »
The machine is unlikely to work straight away, but might work after some care.
hard to say without seeing a photograph, to know much about it.
If it has a needle in place, then you would be able to tell whether it has a completely round shank, or a flat side on one side.
Round shank needles are no longer made I think.

Yes get in touch with Helen once you know exactly what you've got  :)

Best wishes and enjoy
Leila

BrendaP

Re: Vintage CWS Federation sewing machine
« Reply #3 on: May 19, 2019, 15:57:40 PM »
Round shank needles are still made, lots of industrial machines use them.
https://www.calicolaine.co.uk/prym-round-shank-machine-needles-152205.html
but that doesn't necessarily mean that they will fit; there are/were quite a few different lengths.

Helen Howes stocks Jones CS round shank needles
http://www.helenhowes-sewingmachines.co.uk/needles.html

but she appears to be cutting back on less common needles
http://www.helenhowes-sewingmachines.co.uk/moreneedles.html

Another source for vintage machine parts is
https://www.sewlincs.co.uk/index.aspx?pageid=4628653
If you do Facebook his screen name is Dave Dong.

Looking forward to seeing the pretty machine when you get her home :loveit: :vintage:
Brenda.  My machines are: Corona, a 1953 Singer 201K-3, Caroline, a 1940 Singer 201K-3, Thirza, 1949 Singer 221K, Azilia, 1957 Singer 201K-MK2 and Vera, a Husqvarna 350 SewEasy about 20 years old. Also Bernina 1150 overlocker and Elna 444 Coverstitcher.
http://paternoster.orpheusweb.co.

Elnnina

Re: Vintage CWS Federation sewing machine
« Reply #4 on: May 19, 2019, 18:53:34 PM »
Thanks so much for all the replies, you have confirmed what I thought  about the needles.  Charity shop opens at 9.30 tomorrow morning, it will be a busy morning too, my cleaner comes, Twopence has asked if she can pop in as she will be over this way.  I shouldn't be long in the Charity Shop, just enough to have a quick look in the box on the side, check the wood for wood worm (don't want it if it has that) and I can't go wrong with £15 can I.  Then it is a case of just cleaning her up and if she doesn't sew then it doesn't matter too much she can just be a decorative feature instead.  From what I could see though - she was in the window - her chrome just looked a bit dull, didn't look pitted, so I am hopeful, and also the end plate was the same as well as front and back sliding covers over the shuttle area.  Oh yes I need to check whether the shuttle case is in there.  Oh it is ages over 50 years in fact since I used my mother's Frister Rossman that had a shuttle.  All you ladies that have been collecting vintage machines have a lot to answer for.

Oh I must tell you, after we had got back from our quick look at the machine, my husband's comment was that all the husbands/partners must have had fun taking these old beauties apart and cleaning them up, and I said oh no it is us ladies that do that and he was surprised.   Now even further back I was given a really ancient knitting machine, and it was really old  and I took that apart to clean and it worked, I was very careful when I took the screws out and there were an awful lot of them as well.

I had better get my camera charged up - I do not have  any other way of getting photos on to here.

Cheesecake

Re: Vintage CWS Federation sewing machine
« Reply #5 on: May 20, 2019, 11:04:35 AM »
I have a couple of Jones Family CS machines and think it’s dbx1 needles I’ve got in them but read somewhere 128x1 fit better but harder to find.

Elnnina

Re: Vintage CWS Federation sewing machine
« Reply #6 on: May 21, 2019, 17:40:17 PM »
Well this machine has found a new home with me, it is a dinky little machine and I am sure given time I can clean her up and she will be respectable again.  I have taken some photos, only cannot fathom out how to upload them to my laptop, so another ongoing project.  There were few items in the box, the tiniest zipper foot I have ever seen, and some odd looking items that I have never seen before.  The wooden case is like a coffin top, and has some interesting carving part way down the four corners  Just under the hand wheel there is a long cut out slot that is rounded at the back so I am wondering whether this could have been able to be converted to a treadle.

BrendaP

Re: Vintage CWS Federation sewing machine
« Reply #7 on: May 21, 2019, 20:57:06 PM »
Yay! 0_0

The dinky little zipper foot is lovely to work with - I used my Singer one to put an invisible zip into my floral dress this morning and it went in really nicely.  I think the modern wide feet are because zig-zag machines have more/wider feed dogs and the foot needs to be in contact with them all.

When you have worked out how to get the photos to your laptop (can you email them to yourself?) do post piccies of the accessories, I'm sure somone will know what they are all for,
Brenda.  My machines are: Corona, a 1953 Singer 201K-3, Caroline, a 1940 Singer 201K-3, Thirza, 1949 Singer 221K, Azilia, 1957 Singer 201K-MK2 and Vera, a Husqvarna 350 SewEasy about 20 years old. Also Bernina 1150 overlocker and Elna 444 Coverstitcher.
http://paternoster.orpheusweb.co.

twopence

Re: Vintage CWS Federation sewing machine
« Reply #8 on: May 21, 2019, 21:16:35 PM »
@BrendaP Elnnina did ring me about getting her photos from her camera to her laptop but unfortunately when we got to the point of looking at the photos on her camera via her laptop the ones that she had taken today were not visible even though they were on the screen of her camera.  Not sure what happened there.

Roger

Re: Vintage CWS Federation sewing machine
« Reply #9 on: May 21, 2019, 21:19:33 PM »
how lovely!
I'd love a new machine project - but I have to sell a couple before I'm allowed any more!

We need pics of this little beauty :)
A bit of a vintage sewing machine nut! Singers: 500a, 401g, 48k Elnas: lotus SP & grasshopper, Bernina 530-2 F+R 504, Pfaff 30, Cresta T-132

BrendaP

Re: Vintage CWS Federation sewing machine
« Reply #10 on: May 21, 2019, 21:26:17 PM »
@BrendaP Elnnina did ring me about getting her photos from her camera to her laptop but unfortunately when we got to the point of looking at the photos on her camera via her laptop the ones that she had taken today were not visible even though they were on the screen of her camera.  Not sure what happened there.

That's all a bit tecchie for me, but if it's a camera doesn't it have an SD card or something?
Brenda.  My machines are: Corona, a 1953 Singer 201K-3, Caroline, a 1940 Singer 201K-3, Thirza, 1949 Singer 221K, Azilia, 1957 Singer 201K-MK2 and Vera, a Husqvarna 350 SewEasy about 20 years old. Also Bernina 1150 overlocker and Elna 444 Coverstitcher.
http://paternoster.orpheusweb.co.

Elnnina

Re: Vintage CWS Federation sewing machine
« Reply #11 on: May 22, 2019, 10:32:30 AM »
Again my thanks to all who have helped it is really appreciated.  As Twopence mentioned yesterday I rang her to ask how to get the photos I had taken with a camera on to my laptop, and so far no luck.  I have done this before but on a previous laptop, and thus I am wondering whether there is something missing on this newer one that is baffling me.  I will get there  I hope.

I am pretty sure when I had this up on a table yesterday that in addition to the CWS Federation that it also mentioned 'family machine', and if I am right then according the something I was looking at on the internet, this means that it is a 3/4 machine - which explains its dinkyness - is that such a word?

I shall now go and explore TSP's vintage section on how to set about cleaning this up. 

Now for another question, is the Tools for solidarity leaflet about refurbishing these old machines the one I need to get, the one I saw looked as though it was for Singer machines, and mine is by Jones.  Are the machins similar enough ? As you can see I am a complete novice as far as this is concerned but a very keen novice.

Now I just want/would like a black wrought iron treadle and I will be very happy.

LeilaMay

Re: Vintage CWS Federation sewing machine
« Reply #12 on: May 22, 2019, 12:33:05 PM »
Your machine is probably similar enough for the Singer instructions to be really helpful.
And if you hit a glitch then a photo of the offending part (when you've got the photo thing sorted :) ) will be enough for folks here to talk you through it.

Apologies for the mis-information about needles - I knew there was something about round needles - but as had been said it's different lengths that can be problematical.

Looking forward to seeing your lovely dinkyness  :)

LeilaMay

Re: Vintage CWS Federation sewing machine
« Reply #13 on: May 22, 2019, 12:34:23 PM »
Also the stuff by Lizzie Lenard is helpful - she has youtube videos on cleaning and so on
here's her blog

http://lizzielenard-vintagesewing.blogspot.com/p/vintage-sewing-is-best-description-i.html

BrendaP

Re: Vintage CWS Federation sewing machine
« Reply #14 on: May 22, 2019, 15:35:20 PM »
this means that it is a 3/4 machine - which explains its dinkyness - is that such a word?
.....

Now I just want/would like a black wrought iron treadle and I will be very happy.
If you do find a treadle make sure it's made to take a 3/4 size machine.  You don't want it to go straight through the hole!
Brenda.  My machines are: Corona, a 1953 Singer 201K-3, Caroline, a 1940 Singer 201K-3, Thirza, 1949 Singer 221K, Azilia, 1957 Singer 201K-MK2 and Vera, a Husqvarna 350 SewEasy about 20 years old. Also Bernina 1150 overlocker and Elna 444 Coverstitcher.
http://paternoster.orpheusweb.co.