Our landlord is A M A Z I N G! He sent me a quick email Friday saying he found a sewing machine “table” at a garage sale for $25 and wanted he know if I wanted it. I’m pretty sure I replied, “yes!!!!!!!” and sent it back.
He said he’d drop it off on our back porch; I only kinda freaked when I saw it later that afternoon. Zack brought it inside and again, I was totally freaking out over it. Turns out this Singer sewing machine was made in 1916. My great-grandma, one that I was named after, was 15-years-old.
This is just so amazing! My current sewing machine is a Kenmore and was a gift from my husband’s grandma {one that she used to use}. I love old sewing machines — I can’t even imagine the women that used to sew on this antique machine.
Things I want to know…
- What did they wear?
What were they making?
What did their sewing room look like?
Who taught them how to sew?
How much did it cost?
These photos totally inspire me:
I’ll share more photos of my new {old} machine later! I have to go stare at it again…
Yay! So beautiful!! My mother-in-law just handed down her 1969 Singer to me and I stared at it for quite a while! I can’t imagine how lovely your 1916! Singer must be! I wonder if Singer would ever consider making their machines pretty like the old ones again…just because it would be fun. I wrote about my machine-love here: http://oursomethingnew.wordpress.com/2010/07/12/sew-new/…hope you are having a happy day!
Oh my WORD. That is a beauty! Art, really.
I would be staring too.
It is in glorious condition too…wow!
Where will you put it? So pretty!!
-Arianne
If you lived closer, I bought an old sewing machine at a yard sale that I’d be willing to get rid of.
this SO rocks it! wow! what a find…you need to bake that landlord of yours some cookie yumminess or something! :)
i recently called my mom, asking if she still had her old sewing machine table…&, sadly, she got rid of it at a garage sale years ago. b.u.m.m.e.r.
That’s awesome. I’m using an old sewing machine table (that looks similar to the one) as a desk in my bedroom right now.
Ours is sitting in my office. So I can look at it easily. Amen.
What a beautiful machine!! That was so nice of your landlord to think of you! Does is still work?
The band that runs the machine is broken, but I’m told “it does work…”
oh my, she is a BEAUTY!! i love the detail and the vintage look of her!!! what a great find!!
Oh goodness, I do love it. How great for you, Maggie!
How cool!! My mom has the exact same machine. It was my great grandmother’s and it still works. I don’t know if she’s ever used it since she has a more modern machine.
She also had my grandmother’s machine that she gave to my cousin- it was from the 60’s and the manual called it the “modern machine of the future”. We got a big kick out of that.
I love your blog and LOVE this sewing machine! I started sewing on my mom’s 1960’s Elna. The new ones just aren’t the same…although I do love the newer features.
oh your so lucky my mom had an old sewing machine when i was younger but she sold it before i started sewing.
Wow, how exciting! I love the look of old sewing machines. There’s just something special about them.
How awesome!! What an AMAZING find!!!! My grandma had one of those too.
Very cool! My mother used to have a machine similar to this, also with a table…regret that we didn’t hold on to it!
Lucky girl! I have a similar machine that was passed down to me from my Grandmother. I love to imagine her using and wonder what she made on it.
Oh how beautiful!!! What an amazing find! Vintage peices like that always make we wonder what the story is behind them. :-)
It is beautiful! I’ve got my grandmother’s singer table from 1932, it’s got the huge cast iron petal at the bottom, I love it :)
My mom has one of these. I have been trying to get her to give to me for like 13yrs now. As soon as I read this post, I asked her again:) I think I might get it this time!!!! They are so awesome, lucky you!
it’s beautiful. i inherited both of my mom’s sewing machines after she passed away.. my mom had a singer sewing machine like that.. in the cabinet & everything. it’s still at my parent’s house.. and my dad brought me her other machine that was a 1956 Kenmore Zig-Zag Automatic.. the sad thing is.. i don’t know how to sew & i need someone to show me! heehee!
Gussy, Gussy, Gussy, I am so jealous that you get to have that machine! I learned to sew on a machine like that and was doing just that before my boyfriend (husband to be) bought be a new machine about 25 years ago. I used my mom’s machine, just like this, and I don’t know what happened to it. I thought I returned it to her and she doesn’t know where it is. I am so sad. I still have a bobbin from it. If your new baby works, you are totally lucky because that would be cool – no?
she’s beautiful. i was given my granny’s machine. she gave it to me. my grandpa bought it for an anniversary for her, but she wasn’t sure which one. i stuck it in my basement. it’s a bother to my husband that i still have it but i just couldn’t. now that i sew more, i am so thankful i never did. i want to clean it up and have it as a show piece in my studio that isn’t finished yet!
ps. i’m going to go take a peek at mine. haven’t really looked at it.
enjoy!!!
My mom has one of these!!!! When I was little I used to push on the pedal thing all the time, making it go as fast as possible :)
Congrats on your new pretty toy!
that’s gorgeous!! my parents have an old singer sewing table but it doesn’t have that beautiful gold detailing. what a great find!
[…] recently owning a 1916 Singer sewing machine, and since recently blogging about it {more photos to come, I promise!}, and recently locking eyes […]
[…] been one week since I shared with you my 1916 Singer sewing machine. We’ve found the most perfect place for it in our home: in my office, just outside the door […]
I apprtciaee you taking to time to contribute That’s very helpful.
I just received my owl bocroh in the mail today! It is SO adorable, and will look great with my favorite shirt. The shirt is a really bright grass green color so the turquoise in the owl stands out like crazy! Thank you so much :)
Oh man, I LOVE wood floors patnied white! With four little girls on the loose in our home I’ve never dared to try it. A sewing space might be the perfect place, though. Can’t wait to see how it comes out.