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Hiding in Plain Sight

For too many years, when we would find old sewing machines, Featherweights, 301, 401, 403, 99K, and the like, we’d buy them.  We’ve cleaned up and given away quite a few of them to folks who thought they might want to learn to sew.  I’m not sure many in the younger generations ever realize that some of the old machines sew as well as many of the newer, fancier machines when all you need is a straight stitch.  On several occasions, I’ve been told “No, thanks!  There’s a new machine I can buy at Wal-Mart for $99.”   I can look back and see how many times I’ve thought that way about things too.

Before we left MO, I gave two 301A machines to young moms who wanted to learn to sew.  I still have several but I knew there was one missing.  I’d asked Vince several times if he had seen a 301.  No!  Hadn’t seen one.  They’re all in your sewing room I think!

Every day I try to unpack a few boxes.  Yesterday I went upstairs and look what was sitting at the end of a row.  In plain sight!

I hadn’t been up there in a few weeks but we’re trying to get everything unpacked and in the right place before the summer heat gets here.  It will be miserably hot upstairs in the shop and I don’t want any of my canned goods up there (and some probably are up there in boxes that haven’t been unpacked) and I don’t want to be going up and down those stairs a lot during the summer.

At the end of another row, I found this machine.

This little 99K machine is in good shape but I thought we had given it away.   It was in a cabinet but we didn’t keep the cabinet.  I’d like to find the little box they fit into but it’s way too heavy to carry around and it’s belt driven where the 301 machines are gear driven so I don’t have a lot of interest in the 99K.  I’ll get Vince to bring it downstairs and I’ll clean it up and keep it since it made the move with us.  I do believe all the sewing machines are accounted for except for a Singer 401A, which Vince thinks we gave away and I don’t remember giving away but we haven’t seen it in a few years so maybe he’s right . . he usually is!  🙂

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Comments

  1. I do my best sewing on my 301A – My mother got it new in 1953.
    It’s nice to find other people who value these good old machines. I love my featherweight, too!

    Happy Sewing.

  2. If you ever have a Featherweight that needs a anew home, let me know… I dream of having one to use for retreats and going to my quilt buddies. My Bernina is just too heavy to be carrying up and down my stairs. Glad you found what was “LOST”!

  3. I recently picked up a 1951 Featherweight and it sews like a dream. I haven’t yet decided if I’m keeping it or selling it.

  4. We did the same thing with the little Featherweights. Bought all we could find, at a good price, until all the women in the family had one. They’re wonderful! My husband grew up taking his Mother’s machine apart and putting it back together, so I have a mechanic whenever I need one. Now, I have twin granddaughters who like to sew, and we don’t have any more to give them, so I’m on the hunt again. However, the prices are not the same!

    It’s great that you found your machine and I think you should keep it!

  5. Those older machines are great. No plastic snap-on feet to break, and they sew like a dream. I have a little Singer Featherweight and a Willcox & Gibbs silent automatic. I love them both dearly. I use the W&B to stitch quilt backings to zippers. When I’m done, one snip of the thread, and off they come — it chain stitches like the top of feed sacks.

  6. Judy,
    I have been for following you for a couple of years now. You keep my spirits up. I had a feather weight that was my Mom’s. not sure of the year, but I am 72 now, so guess. We took it to Turkey when we lived there and I left it with my sister-in-law. It is still going strong. We still spend 6 months a year there, so I just recently was able to purchase a 1951 featherweight for here. I’m sure the seller had no idea of the prices now because I paid $55 plus shipping.
    Glad your chicks are on the way.
    Bev

  7. so glad you found your burried trreasure!
    and you’re right, now is a really good time to be working upstairs where it’s warmer, unpacking everything.

  9. I love my 301. It’s my favorite of all of my sewing machines. My mother used a 99K, and I own two of them.

    I managed to get two Featherweights– one, I paid $300 for and the other one was a gift from a friend whose mother had passed. I told him I couldn’t accept it, because it’s an expensive machine, but he said, “You don’t understand. I don’t want to sell it. I want to give to someone who’ll sew on it.”

  10. I learned to sew on my mom’s 301A – but she gave it to another sister when she upgraded to a Bernina — which she constantly talks about giving away because it doesn’t sew like her old Singer could! 🙂

  11. I recognize that 301A, my Mother had one! Gosh I wish she still had it.
    It’s almost like Christmas at you house what with fining all these treasures packed away 🙂

  12. I learned to sew on a 301. I have 3 Janomes but the next time I add a sewing machine it will be a 301. Love them.

  15. My husbands grandmother had a 301…what a great workhorse it was! I’d forgotten all about that; not sure where it ended up. I do love my featherweight! Blessings, Marlene

  17. I have several 301As and taught my grandchildren to sew on them. I also have a little (but heavyweight) 99K in a case, and a Featherweight with its case.I have my first sewing machine, a 500A in a cabinet. I sold a 301A to a friend for her granddaughter to use and sold the Singer treadle I had because it was heavy and I didn’t want to take it with me when I moved to my current house. I’d like a 401, but haven’t found one yet. My only “modern” machine—a Bernina 1230 purchased new—is already over 20 years old!

  18. My mom also had a Singer 301. Your picture brings back memories. I’ve bought a couple of those newer (cheaper) machines for the grands and been sorry. I need to start looking again for the older Singers.

  19. Well darn, where was I when you gave away all those 301’s? Oh yeah, in Texas… lol I’ve got my dad on the prowl for a 301 at garage sales and auctions. Hope he finds one soon. 🙂

  20. I’d love one from the 300 series (I think it’s the 312 that can be treadled, but I’m not sure). I do have a sweet little crinkled 99 from the 30’s that I converted to a handcrank–and I take it with me to sew on when electric outlets are at a premium.
    I too think a lot of people would be a lot happier with vintage machines that have at least another 100 years of use in them.

  21. My Featherweight is my all-time auction best buy — paid less than $100 because no one else knew what it was.

  22. Sometimes people just do not appreciate what a gift they were given. My machine took a nose dive on me 7 months ago and I do not have a spare I do borrow a friends featherweight every now and again just to get some things stitched and appreciate the thought of her even lending it to me. They have beautiful straight stitches and really that is all you need. I have not bought another machine well because now is not a good time for me to buy one but when I can it will not be one that has all the bells and whistles because sewing to me is a pleasure and I really do not need all the rest of the stuff that would take me a month to figure out. How fortunate the people were that were given a gift of a sewing machine from you. You have done your share of paying it forward (PIF) and I send you many kudos for that…..

  23. JUDY! I went to a yard sale last Saturday and was NOT even looking for another machine, and went around a corner in furniture and there was a 99K in green! I plugged her in, and she ran so quiet, she is missing a plate that goes over the bobbin though, but for 15.00 I had DH pick it up weighed about 40 pounds with its cover on it and took her home. I dont know how old she is yet or what, but this will be the first one of all my machiens I will name.

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