Sunday, August 18, 2013

Too many machines?

I have too many sewing machines. There, I said it. :)  But that doesn't stop me from buying them, I just don't keep them, and dh is okay with that!  Or i just play with them at the thrift store, reassemble the bobbin area which is often dismantled for some reason, and put it back on the shelf in better working condition for another lucky shopper. 


Here are some problems unique to having 30+ machines:

The color of thread and bobbins i need are always on the other machine.
When I go on a trip or take a class, which one do I take?? 
My tools and notions are tricky to find because of my many sewing tables, with many drawers.
I can only use one at a time, so some beauties are neglected.
I have a low shank walking foot, but not all my machines are low shank!
When I tell my children to get something and say it is by the sewing machine, they give me a blank look.
I have to get descriptive, i.e. "the one in the living room under the hand crank."


There are advantages though! 

I am not afraid to try a new machine, even if it is foreign to me.
I can set up one machine for appliqué and another for quilting and leave them that way.
I can come to the rescue when the machines at a church service project fail. (You need 5 machines to replace these? I'll be right back!)
When my quilt group meets at my house, no one has to bring their machine.
If one machine fails, I can get out a different one. This is only in theory, my machines are vintage and rarely fail, after I've given them the once over.
When I find cams at the thrift store, I usually have the machine they go to already.
I can lend a machine to a friend.

Can you think of any more? Post a comment!

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Singer 403a Slant-o-matic



I am not a big fan of slant shank machines, probably because I already have a lot of low shank attachments that won't fit on this machine.  But I am loving this one.  It is fast and smooth, and I even like the table it is in.  Another winner from the earlier days of Singer.  The tension has issues, but I think we cleared that up, the discs were stuck together, probably with old oil and grime.  I wish it weren't tan, but I'll get over that. ;)  It is already for sale so I won't have it long!