Friday Featherweight Fun-Fest!

Friends, I recognize that this week, MPB has been a little -- how shall I put this?  -- sewing-machine-heavy.  Please believe that I have new projects in the pipeline and I will return to sewing soon.

A brief recap:  If you've been following the daily drama, you know that I bought a vintage Viking 6020 on eBay on October 6th, when my other vintage Viking, a 3240 -- seized up on me all of a sudden and I didn't think I could do anything to fix it.  Well, the 6020 arrived damaged, having been dreadfully packed, and I requested a full refund from the eBay seller.





In the meantime, however, I succeeded in lubricating my 3240 and returning it to full functionality, which meant that I didn't need the 6020 in the first place.  (Whether I ever really needed either machine is not a topic we will be discussing today, thank you very much.)

In the meantime, I successfully bid on a Kenmore 158.1040, a vintage 3/4-size machine, not to be confused with a Frister & Rossmann Cub 4.  That one joined the family on Tuesday, and though it needed considerable oiling, it's a keeper, and, considering it's a zigzagger, actually has an excellent straight stitch, due to its separate straight-stitch plate and excellent straight stitch presser foot.  (I have since learned that any Kenmore low shank zigzagger can use a vintage Singer straight stitch presser foot, but I digress...)



Meanwhile, despondent over my damaged Viking 6020 and not completely lucid, I bid on and won another Singer Featherweight on eBay last Saturday night.  I took a chance with this machine, friends.  The bidding started high-ish (at $125 -- a bad selling strategy for a highly coveted item, imo) but it received a mere three bids and I got it for about $140.  The photos of the machine were poor and the description briefer than brief -- basically, that what you (can hardly) see is what you get.  Nevertheless, the seller had 100% positive feedback (as did the seller of my Viking...) and was located nearby, so the shipping was low.

Well, the Featherweight arrived yesterday, and guess what -- it's fabulous!  This is the first and only time that an eBay machine has sewn perfectly right out of the box, requiring no oiling, no adjusting, no belt or wire replacement, nothing.  Amazing.

It's positively lustrous and dates from 1948.



My first Featherweight -- which I love today, of course -- arrived last March with a host of problems.  Yards of what looked like fishing wire were wrapped around the shaft behind the shuttle.  Even after removing it, thread kept getting snagged under the feed dogs.  Ancient thread, moreover, was tangled up in the handwheel.





A screw was missing in the bobbin case and I had to replace it.  But it still wasn't sewing right.  With Rain's help, we figured out the machine needed a new hook assembly -- the old hook had burrs on it which Rain didn't have the tools to smooth down -- and I was able to find a vintage one for sale on eBay.



All told, and not counting labor (which didn't cost me anything, but still), that Featherweight ended up costing me $100+ more than my new one.  You may also recall that its carrying case was so moldy it made me sneeze every time I opened it.  Achoo!



Many weeks later, I finally got this Singer working right, and it has performed flawlessly ever since.  That's why I wanted another one, plus it seemed like a good place to park some cash till interest rates go up.

My first Featherweight came with no accessories except a buttonholer, which I didn't need, but was still nice to get.



This second Featherweight came with a whole host of accessories and a vintage Singer oil can.





And did I mention that the case -- which has a lovely leather handle and just a few minor scuffs -- smells...well, OK, we're not talking Chanel No. 5, but it doesn't smell moldy in the least.  Just a little like gun cleaner.  Refreshing!



As I mentioned, it stitches beautifully.  I feel very lucky.





Now, many of you are no doubt wondering what is to become of the damaged Viking 6020, for which I have indeed received a full refund after persistent pestering.  You're probably thinking, Wouldn't Peter -- given his familiarity with vintage Vikings, success with loosening up stuck machines, willingness to wrap exposed wires with electrical tape, and overall cheapness -- try to get that machine running? 

Friends, upon my attorneys' advice, I  shall refrain from answering that question.  Let's just say I did only what you would have done, and leave it at that.

In closing, I will stop talking about sewing machines now.  Oh, one more thing:  a while back, I was kvetching about the straight stitch on my Kenmore 158.141 zigzagger, and MPB reader Wingamajig reminded me that my machine has "a flipping straight-stitch/zigzag plate."  Oh, joy!  I flipped the plate, and after attaching an old Singer straight stitch presser foot, it too is now an excellent straight stitcher.  My $20 flea market workhorse and I are back together again!  Now if only I could loosen the clutch from the handwheel -- a problem I have with both Kenmores, actually.





And that, as they say, is that!

Have a great day, everybody, and remember: Friends don't let friends bid on eBay in the middle of the night.

The Lure of the "Little"

Friends, why are we humans obsessed with tiny things?   Doll houses, teacup chihuahuas, mini Ipods -- the list goes on and on.  It's not like most of us are living in teensy weensy dorm rooms and couldn't squeeze a full-size chihuahua into it.

Speaking of all things small, I have (once again) done the unthinkable:  I bought another sewing machine -- not to be confused with the Viking that I purchased last week that's supposed to be delivered sometime later today.

And I bought -- if not exactly a tiny sewing machine, a 3/4-sized one.  Want to know which one?  Read on!

Sewers are especially keen on the tiny.  The Singer Featherweight 221 is easily the most-coveted vintage sewing machine ever.  Not a day goes by that there isn't a Featherweight for sale on eBay, and on some days it seems like there's a Featherweight auction ending just about every fifteen minutes.  I resisted purchasing a Featherweight for a very long time.  They seemed too expensive and I couldn't imagine how that little thing could live up to the hype -- until I got one of my very own.



I adore my Featherweight and I use it all the time.  I have plenty of full-size sewing machines but I find this one so easy to set up and use and then to put away when I'm done.  Sure, it's also cute, but that's not what I like most about it.  Despite its diminutive size, it can handle anything I give it.  Its motor is also absolutely silent and it has excellent piercing power.



I also used to own an Elna Grasshopper, one of the first modern portable machines.  I couldn't warm up to it, however, partly because I hated the way the old thing smelled (musty), and also because, while the machine was small(ish), the heavy gunmetal case it came in was big, and had been designed to unfold to create a sewing surface for it.  I never used it that way -- which I suppose would have been handy if you were carrying it into battle -- but it still took up a lot of space and weighed thirty pounds.



Another popular collectible small sewing machine is the Elna Lotus.  I like the sleek lines of this machine, but those fold-down doors look like they'd get in the way.  I've never seen it sell for less than a few hundred dollars, either.  Too expensive for me.



No, friends, the machine I got is a Kenmore.



No, of course it wasn't this Kenmore.  Do you really think I'd buy a petite pink plastic sewing machine for the same money I could buy a vintage metal Kenmore?  The machine I just won this morning on eBay is this -- a Kenmore 158-1040!
.


I hate to talk money but I spent less than $100 for this machine (a bit more with shipping) -- in fact, probably less than what a pink plastic Kenmore goes for (if it's still in production).  I'm guessing it will arrive in roughly a week.

Now, I know you're wondering why I even want this machine, since I don't travel with my sewing machines and have been known to turn up my nose at zigzaggers.  I guess for the same reason that I have a collection of Ken dolls:  I like small things.  Being rather small myself, I suppose they make me feel large.  Seriously, I've heard it's a fine machine and probably not a bad investment to boot.

In closing, readers, do you like miniature things?  Do you like them primarily because they're convenient (lighter to carry, easier to store, etc.), or because they're so cute you could just pinch their cheeks if they had any?  If the latter, do you also like doll house furniture, miniature Yorkies, and finger puppets?  (Have I left out anything?  Porcelain pigs?)

Do you think the cult of the small sewing machine has gone too far?  Have you ever actually seen somebody quilt with one?  I wonder if anybody really does.

Hey, have you heard about the new Singer "Limited Edition" Featherweight? (The 160, in honor of Singer's 160th Anniversary, and already available in -- I'm feeling faint -- Australia.)   What do you think?  Could this (computerized?) Singer be a Featherweight-quality machine?

Maybe they'll send me one to test!  (Are you out there, Singer people?)

Jump in!

Loved the gown, Kate!

We like to stay up to the minute here at MPB, so I must opine on the dress: it's beautiful.  But then again, I'm a sucker for a lace overlay!

Which provides the perfect segue into the book I just received the other day, Susan Khalje's classic, Bridal Couture.


I'd first heard about Susan Khalje and Bridal Couture from Robin, who attended Susan's week-long Couture Sewing School in March.  Kind Robin even offered to lend me her copy of Bridal Couture, but friends, I like to know I can take a book into the bathtub with me and not worry.  Not that I would ever take my copy into the tub, given that I paid about three times the original price (the book is sadly out of print though a CD copy is available on Susan's website). Since used print copies can go for well over $100 these days, I'm OK with the $79 I paid (a birthday present to myself).  Still, for me, that's a sewing machine. 

I'm going to be honest here: when I opened my mailbox to find the book folded inside and realized this was a softcover book, and not a particularly thick one at that, my heart sank.  Then I opened the book.  Friends, I love Bridal Couture -- and I'm not even getting married any time soon! 







Bridal Couture is so clearly written, so well organized, so beautifully illustrated -- it's a must for anyone interested in sewing evening wear, and not just wedding gowns, though that's obviously its primary focus.

Would I have preferred if it had been a how-to guide to recreating Rita Hayworth's wardrobe from You Were Never Lovelier?  Absolutely!  But I don't think the techniques are dramatically different.

It pains me when something so worthwhile is currently so expensive, though again, a CD copy can be had for much less.  I've posted more pics from Bridal Couture here and am even thinking of attending Susan's next workshop in Baltimore in the fall, though I'm not sure what I'd make.  Something to think about...

I have more great news, patient readers -- my Featherweight is working at last!



You may recall that after I replaced the missing loop guard screw, Rain discovered that the original hook had tiny burrs that were snagging the thread, burrs he lacked the tools to remove.  Fortunately I was able to find a full hook assembly for sale on eBay for what seemed like a reasonable amount ($38 with shipping) given the original cost of the machine (about $225 with shipping).  This meant the whole loop guard screw replacement drama was totally unnecessary, of course, but that's life.

In addition to my original damaged hook, Rain had taken my bobbin case and bobbin back home with him to test and clean, so to make the machine work I needed to pick these up and it didn't seem fair to make Rain come to my place yet again.  I also wanted Rain to install the hook assembly.

Now I know you're curious -- I was -- so I will share that Rain lives in a huge, semi-industrial space (whose location I cannot reveal) bursting with vintage Singer sewing machines in various stages of restoration -- mainly 221's (Featherweights), 201's, and assorted 15 models.  There must have been five different workstations set up for him to work on his machines.  I even got to revisit my 15-90, which Rain has already converted to a hand crank. This guy is something else.

Anyway, the Featherweight now stitches beautifully; I still have to polish her up a bit.





Like Bridal Couture, this is another item that consistently receives raves so effusive, it almost made me not want to like it.  But I do, and I totally get why so many people collect Featherweights with a passion.

Finally, readers, even more good news!

After I-don't-even-remember-how-many months, I finally emptied the cat litter out of my stinky vintage American Tourister luggage set (not including the cosmetic case, which still needs help) and vacuumed the insides.



I let them air out on the balcony for a few more days and I can say that 90% of the smell is gone.  I made lavender sachets to tuck inside and am now using the luggage to store fabric as well as some of Cathy's endless accessories. 





Don't you love a happy ending?

Speaking of Cathy, I should also tell you that my poor cousin was unable to attend the show and party last night (for which I originally was going to make her another taffeta cocktail dress) and I went in her place.  Cathy had been looking forward to it and was going to wear her Twenties flapper dress, but pooped out at the last minute.  It's just as well: we could take the subway (Cathy insists on cabs) and save ourselves some cash.

Friends, that's it!  Believe me when I tell you that the only royal wedding I care about is the MGM one with Fred Astaire and Jane Powell (and even that's a bit of a yawn), but you have to admit, a lace overlay gown is tops.

I'd love to get your initial impressions.  How do you think it compares to this?

Maybe it's the times but, lovely as it is, Kate's dress is rather sober-looking in comparison to Diana's.   Thoughts?

Happy Friday, everybody!

For Want of a Screw...

Readers, believe me when I tell you that yesterday at this time I had never heard of a loop guard, let alone a loop guard screw.  But life is about learning, friends, and if we're open to it, knowledge will come our way, no matter how arcane and (arguably) trivial.

Today's post will have primarily wonk appeal so, apologies.   I should state immediately that the screw pictured above is not Singer Featherweight part #200145, the aforementioned loop guard screw (I'm sure some of you knew that already).  But I couldn't find a good picture of #200145.  Sometimes you need Troy Donahue but you have to settle for Tab Hunter -- or is it the other way around?

Long story short: I worked a bit on my Featherweight yesterday.  Quick recap: I bought this machine on eBay and paid what I would consider a low-end price, though sadly not bargain basement.  I've seen them at the flea market for somewhat less and considerably more.  It didn't come with the accessory box but I did get an intact case, the original manual, and a nice vintage buttonholer with seven templates.





My last piece for BurdaStyle was all about how to buy a vintage sewing machine and I didn't follow my own advice.  The eBay seller wrote "the light works and the machine sews."  Well the light does work and the machine does sew -- sort of.  I could have asked for a stitch sample but it was clear that the seller knew very little about the machine and I hoped the vagueness of the description would depress the bidding, which it did.  It's a crap shoot as they say and I gave the seller positive feedback regardless.  (BTW, the seller thought the machine was from 1934; it's from 1951 based on the serial number and indeed -- I just noticed this five minutes ago -- it has the Singer Centennial badge!)

The motor sounds great, and after significant oiling everything now runs smoothly and powerfully, but after a few stitches the thread jams.  So yesterday I read online about Featherweight thread jams -- and read and read and read.  The amount of information out there about this little machine is astounding!

Remember I mentioned needing to buy a small screwdriver to tighten the hook gib screw with?  Well I did, and though I tightened it, the thread still jammed (I'd already checked the needle, thread, etc.).

One site suggested I remove and clean under the bobbin case base, pictured below, which I then did.  (This is the piece that the bobbin case fits into.)  It's all part of the larger hook assembly.  Am I losing you?



With bobbin case base removed:
 

I then noticed that there was what looked like a screw hole visible as well as a loose plate beneath it on the same shaft.  This loose plate I eventually identified as the loop guard.  And wouldn't you know: the loop guard is supposed to be screwed on to the hook assembly.  Can you see where it looks like there's a screw missing on the right?  That's because there is a screw missing.  (It's the smaller of the two holes.)

Here's the side view:
 

Wrapped around the shaft between the loop guard and the rest of the hook assembly were layers and layers of thread -- old, old thread, my friends.

First I pulled out a few strands of filament as fine as doll hair (which it could be for all I know).



Half an hour later I had removed all this:



Anyway, miracle or miracles, many websites sell this loop guard screw for just a few dollars and I ordered one.  It should arrive next week sometime and then we'll take it from there!

As I was figuring all this out yesterday I kept sending emails to Rain with headings like "My Featherweight issue," "Last email, promise" and "REALLY the last email!"  Obviously a man of few words, his (sole) response was "Sounds like you solved the problem, yeah?"  Friends, is that what you think I wanted to hear?  He's the sewing machine repair specialist!  This is the problem with the internet, I think.  With a little effort you can solve just about any technical problem yourself; I hate that.

Here's a bonus pic of the entire hook assembly for you Featherweight fetishists.  Pretty hot, huh?



Lest you think I spent the entire day marinating in sewing machine oil, I actually got some sewing done, though not as much as I'd hoped to.

I started on the jacket and readers, it's going to be so cute, though obviously not something you'd wear over a tee shirt.



I also finished the kimono sleeves on the bodice with bias I cut myself.









Such a nice finish.  I'll slip stitch those down later on.

Friends, we're nearly out of time.  Thank you for all your wonderful Featherweight-related tips yesterday.  The stinky, sneeze-inducing carrying case is on the balcony and I'm not entirely sure what to do with it.  In a city apartment there's really no place to store moldy things and I already have all that old luggage smelling up the bedroom.  I will probably never even use that case and I don't really see myself stripping it down, fumigating it, potpourri-ing it or anything of that ilk.  Then again, yesterday I'd never heard of a loop guard screw.

If I had to do over I'd pay less for a machine without a case (most of the old ones have the stink issue, apparently) and get one of those nice new tote bags for it.  Live and learn!

TOKIBAT!

Have a great day, everybody!

P.S. - You can read my latest BurdaStyle piece here; comments are always welcome!