The Sewing Place

Vintage CWS Federation sewing machine

Roger

Re: Vintage CWS Federation sewing machine
« Reply #15 on: May 27, 2019, 21:37:28 PM »
Hi Elnnina,

hope your clean up is going well, Ive put a couple of how to guides up around cleaning (not definitive but work for me) and theres a more than a few posts with hints and tips.

Let us know how it goes :)

R.
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

Elnnina

Re: Vintage CWS Federation sewing machine
« Reply #16 on: May 28, 2019, 10:15:26 AM »
Good morning Roger, thank you for your note, and no I haven't started cleaning yet - I need to get some supplies and the Tools for Self Reliance booklet first.  Also somehow the days seem to just whizz by and other things have got in the way.

My daughter popped in yesterday and she managed to get my photos on to my laptop - made it look easy - well she is a graphic designer so it was so easy for her.  So here are just four photos.  This is a 3/4 machine, and as I have already said the actual zipper foot is really tiny,  and I can see one of the pieces is just going out of the photo, but this was also on wrenkins photo of her accessories.

Elnnina

Re: Vintage CWS Federation sewing machine
« Reply #17 on: May 28, 2019, 10:33:38 AM »
Well I can see now that no photos attached, so let's have another go.  You can tell I am a complete novice here!!

wrenkins

Re: Vintage CWS Federation sewing machine
« Reply #18 on: May 28, 2019, 10:41:00 AM »
Oh that is very pretty @Elnnina. Those decals are gorgeous.
I have ordered some metal polish, some oil, two red felts and some new feet for my old lady. And a take up spring of course because the other one is banjoed!
Yours looks very similar in layout to my 28k.  :loveit:
Enjoy.
Harbouring resentment is like swallowing poison and waiting for the other person to die!

Elnnina

Re: Vintage CWS Federation sewing machine
« Reply #19 on: May 28, 2019, 10:56:35 AM »
Thank you wrenkins oh being a complete novice at this vintage lark, I really do need to go and get some proper stuff for cleaning, have been reading up this morning on the thread that Roger started last year, so  Plusgas should I find anything stuck, and AutoGlym for polishing and of course the booklet showing you how to take apart.

Now so far the wheel turns and the needle already in situ goes up and down but that is all I have tried.  In places the very pretty floral decals have worn, and the main CWS logo on the machine bed and up on the arm are a little faded  but for the small amount they were asking for this machine it needed a new home.  I am happy to go tinkering when I know what I am doing with the instructions and right tools for the job, and if it doesn't work then it can be just a decorative machine on display.  Even the coffin lid has some pretty decoration to the corners - haven't seen that before.

Oh a few years ago  on the old TSF someone put up a link to using an old vintage machine for embroidery and just how fast and easy they made it look.  Well as that link finished another loaded and oh this was the most magnificent treadle machine in immaculate order dating to around 1870's, it had I think a fiddle shaped machine bed and instead of the usual decals this one had roses on, the machine glowed, and worked, but it was in America and it also had the most amazing amount of accessories - I have never seen so many all neatly packed in purpose made cases.  Now that is the machine I would have loved to have had and it had a glowing black wrought/cast iron treadle.

wrenkins

Re: Vintage CWS Federation sewing machine
« Reply #20 on: May 28, 2019, 11:49:55 AM »
HeHe we're hooked!  0_0
I've even started cleaning up my old 1970s machine because I feel guilty about neglecting her. The cotton buds were coming out from under the feed dogs like those candy floss machines at the fair!  0_0
Everything is moving well on my 28k but she's a bit grimy. The more I look the more I realise how lucky I've been with condition and accessories. Some of the ones for sale are positively ropey! Mine is clean as anything and has loads of bits with it.
I'm planning display shelves.....I think I need help!!  :ninja:
Harbouring resentment is like swallowing poison and waiting for the other person to die!

wrenkins

Re: Vintage CWS Federation sewing machine
« Reply #21 on: May 28, 2019, 13:04:26 PM »
@Elnnina I don't know if you saw this link but it's fabulous!!!
TFSR archive
Harbouring resentment is like swallowing poison and waiting for the other person to die!

b15erk

Re: Vintage CWS Federation sewing machine
« Reply #22 on: May 28, 2019, 13:21:27 PM »
@wrenkins , the TFSR link is an amazing resource if you have vintage machines.  I also love Lizzie Lennards YouTube videos, especially the ones showing FMQ on a Treadle machine!

Jessie
Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

KayK

Re: Vintage CWS Federation sewing machine
« Reply #23 on: May 28, 2019, 15:07:22 PM »

I'm planning display shelves.....I think I need help!!  :ninja:

I have those.................with my pensioners on!
I have learnt by my mistakes: Sewing machines now are Bernina 720, Bernina 1008, Bernina 801 from 1981, Brother overlocker, ancient but works well

wrenkins

Re: Vintage CWS Federation sewing machine
« Reply #24 on: May 28, 2019, 15:15:36 PM »
I have those.................with my pensioners on!
Oh stop!!!!
I live within walking distance of a country auction. Thankfully if I were to buy more oldies it's just too far to carry them home (I am no longer 19 and that's what I did with my first machine...on the bus!  :o) I do, however have a car and a trailer!  0_0  :vintage:  :vintage:  :vintage:
Harbouring resentment is like swallowing poison and waiting for the other person to die!

Roger

Re: Vintage CWS Federation sewing machine
« Reply #25 on: May 28, 2019, 20:04:59 PM »
i like to keep an eye on the local auction - but I'm not allowed to buy :)

Elnina your machine is looking lovely! shes going to really shine with a touch of autogylm :)
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 #26 on: May 28, 2019, 21:32:44 PM »
She looks lovely even before being cleaned up.  Worn decals are a sign that the machine has had a lor of love and use in the past.

Looks as though you have the shuttle and four long bobbins, wide and narrow binder feet and a zipper foot.  Also I think the thingie at the back is possibly a quilting guide.

The zipper foot looks as though it might be a Singer one; if it is the chances are that any low-shank attachment will fit it.  Lower the preser foot and measure the height from the plate to the middle of the screw which holds the foot on.  On a low shank machine it's 5/8".  If it is low shank that good news.  0_0  It means that ou will be able to use a standard vintage buttonholer.
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.

Cheesecake

Re: Vintage CWS Federation sewing machine
« Reply #27 on: May 30, 2019, 12:23:43 PM »
I love those decals, so pretty.  Lucky you!

Elnnina

Re: Vintage CWS Federation sewing machine
« Reply #28 on: May 30, 2019, 12:56:47 PM »
Thank you for all your comments.  I have yet to start the cleaning process I need to get some of the correct stuff to do the necessary parts - I have been reading the link that Roger put up, and I need to download the TFSR pages.

Brenda, interestingly the little zipper foot I  have mentioned actually has the Singer name on it and a number 161127, this is an adjustable foot and the actual foot is hinged.  I will have to get the machine up on to a table again to measure the distance from the foot to feed dog - she is rather heavy and I don't do bending very well - it affects my balance/head.

Cheesecake thank you - yes I too like the decals have never seen one like this before.  It was just one of those things I just could not leave her sitting in the charity shop window, and for such little money it has a new home.  I know the hand wheel turns and the existing needle goes up and down, and that is about all I have done.

Trying to do some cutting out and then sewing before the heatwave comes as I need some cool cotton type tops to wear, thus maintenance of any sort is on the back burner.

Very many years ago I was after some bobbins for my then Cosson machine - a straight stitcher, and I found a machine shop near where I worked.  I went in to ask about the bobbins and found the ones I bought were actually Bernina bobbins.  I went back for more bobbins - I do not like different colours wound on top of one another.  The owner started talking to me and disappeared into the back of the shop and came back with boxes upon boxes of various attachments and accessories and said here you I bet you cannot get them to work let alone know what they are - these were given to me - no money exchanged at all.  In amongst all these were loads of rufflers, tuckers, pleaters, a lovely edge stitch foot which I still use today, gatherers, under braiders, a hem stitch attachment in its own box, a weaver's reed (think that is what it was called).  I then happened to find a book published by Singers especially for schools, and they showed you how to use all these wonderful goodies.

Do you know I had these and occasionally used them on my Elna with no detrimental effect to the machine, and then being a generous person I donated my Cosson machine and most of these accessories/attachments to a charity that refurbish machines and sends them out to  east Africa.

Perhaps now I might regret that but I am sure the ladies in East Africa have far more need of these accessories than I have, and of course now I have  modern machines they come with their own type of accessories and attachments.

Greybird

Re: Vintage CWS Federation sewing machine
« Reply #29 on: June 03, 2019, 17:27:56 PM »
Have just seen one of these today in an antique centre (alongside 2 vintage Singer machines) for £28. It was very pretty - had never seen one "in the flesh" before. Because of the angle it was at, other than turning the wheel a bit, I couldn't examine it much, but the condition looked pretty good. I did take some pictures but have no idea how to get them from the phone into the computer.