Adding to the Collection - a Singer 15-88

I've been a good girl for quite a while, and then for some reason I found myself taking a mooch at Kijiji, and what should I see - a handcrank Singer sewing machine.  This was actually my very first sewing machine that my parents bought me (a couple of years ago, honest, and for just GBP12).  Sadly I don't recall what happened to it, but seeing this one for sale made me think about it.  So I made a offer, and this lovely lady came home with me:

Cinders (I will be transforming her into the Princess that she truly wants to be!), is a 15-88 and was made in Prussia.  Her serial number is C3390349.  Unfortunately as the Russians invaded Prussia during WWII and cleared out the factory, there is no information on her exact age, but that is OK with me!

She is really grimy - I'm thinking that it may be nicotine (although it doesn't smell at all), and I'm slowly getting her cleaned.  She has a really smooth action, although I need to replace a wire guide on the tension control.  There is a bit of rust and some chrome missing on the hand-wheel, but once this is done, I'll be able to sit at the table and sew away whilst watching TV with Mr. SDSC.  I'm aiming for a sewing machine in every room - I don't think he has noticed yet!

Incidentally, this is a great site for help and instructions to overhaul handcranks and treadles.  It is from a UK site that refurbs machines for transport out to Africa.

I really love these old Singers, I use my Featherweight for doing buttonholes as it is much better than my Pfaff, and I have a couple of others that just are so lovely to look at - what fabulous stories they could no doubt tell.  Oh, and Cinders has a working reverse stitch.  A hand-crank with a reverse stitch!  The one on my Pfaff died years ago so it will be quite a treat being able to reverse!

So you have a soft spot for older machines>  Do share!

Buttonholes - Featherweight Style

Picture the scene . . . I had almost completed the first shirt for Mr. SDSC, and all I needed to do was add the button and buttonholes.  I checked out how to make the buttonholes on my Pfaff 2020 Tiptronic machine.  Put some test fabric under the foot and voila.  What a nightmare.  I was so disappointed.  Despite an intertubes search, I could not find any top-tips, and the manual was sadly lacking.  I considered chatting up Mr. SDSC and seeing how he felt about me spending @$1000 on a new machine that would make fancy smancy buttonholes, then thought how I would prefer to spend it on fabric instead, and so I dragged out my lovely Singer Featherweight.

It is in really good condition, and I knew it would work with my singer buttonhole attachment:

 

I just love how it all fits into the space age container.  This attachment cost about $25 and made perfect buttonholes on the shirt.

OK, so maybe it is a little hard to see white buttonholes on white stripey fabric with white buttons, but I am trying!

All-in-all I am thilled with these buttonholes - the time it took to set up this machine and buttonholer took only a few minutes - and will use this set up in future.  I know that I am lucky to have more than one machine, but it makes you realize why professional dressmakers (and non-professionals as well) have dedicated machines for different processes.  It is also interesting that a machine that it over 60yrs old and a buttonholer of about the same age still make perfect buttonholes.  I love my Pfaff in so many ways, but buttonholes are not its speciality!

What about you?  Do you have any equipment/notions that you find are far superior to their modern day counterparts?

Singer 128

This is my 'new' machine - I only got it last week at auction.  It is also the third of my vintage Singers.

It is near perfect condition - practically no dust or oil build up.  It has a serial number of JC186606 and appears to be a 128 - the 3/4 sized version of the 127 (my treadle!)

What is a little strange, and needs more research, is that the serial number appears to relate to 1948 machine.  However,  it has a badge on it celebrating 100 years of Singer Machines - 1851 - 1951.

The decals on this machine are called 'Celtic Swirl' -  rather fitting as this machine was manufactured in Clydebank, Scotland.

It appears that a previous owner has scratched their telephone number into the body of the machine.  There is the faintest indication of rust here, so I will need to look into that.  Hmm, I've just looked up '612' and that is the dialling code for Minneapolis, Minnesota, or Sydney Australia.  The plot thickens!!

There is a handsome silvered badge on the back, and a bolted on light and motor.

The side plate is quite stunning - a grapes and vines engraved pattern.

This is another reciprocating shuttle, and as can be seen, it is spotless!

Finally - here is the cover, complete with a key and a sticker on with the auction number and my winning bid number.  My 99k also has a similar carrying box - and I have learned (not through experience, thank goodness) that the handle should NOT be used as a carrying handle as it cannot hold the weight if the machine - the handle is purely to lift off the cover!

 
I used Singer and ISMACS to help date the machine and this site to determine the model.