Show Us Your MYOG Sewing Machines

Solar powered and runs on Beer!

Like many people here I have a couple of machines that I've collected over the years. Presently my favorites are an old Brother industrial zigzag (a clone of a Singer 107 machine) and a Consew 226R walking foot for really thick stuff. I'd like to point out that no matter what you use it's important that you learn how to adjust and maybe even repair your equipment. I bought my machines used and they usually had some sort of issue. That's probably why people got rid of them in the first place. However, by looking at repair manuals and slowly working the problems out, I got all my mechanical machines working quite well.

I inherited this from my nan, i think she bought it second hand and put the motor on it . The oldest so far at 1898 however its so simple even I can use it.

Singer Model 15, Manufactured in Elizabeth, New Jersey in 1955. I am the second owner. I haven't mastered the many attachments.

The machine I first learned on was my mom's 30+yr old viking, really nice machine. I have borrowed it on and off over the years, she did make me give it back to her though. I had a $60 special brother that was a piece of junk. Should have gone to the thrift stores instead of buying that one.

The machine's I have now are a 1972 kenmore. Thanks again Ken its sews really nice, your machines are beautiful.

And a seiko needle feed/ walking foot machine, I love this sewing machine.

Chris,I really need to get over to your place and see the new machine. Very nice. Glad you are putting the Kenmore to good use.

I've been using a bombproof 1946 Singer 15-91 and just picked up an early 1960's 503A. The two cost less than a cleaning and tune-up of the more modern machine they replaced.

When I was a little kid, my father taught me how to fish, and my mother taught me how to sew with her Singer. It had a foot treadle and a wooden console. No motor.

–B.G.–

Kenmore convertible freearm machine 'borrowed' from my mom:

Bob,

"…my mother taught me how to sew with her Singer. It had a foot treadle and a wooden console. No motor."

I've got one of those also. It is still in 100% usable condition and looks great. It was my Grandmother's. I used to watch her sew with it. She could make that machine hum with just her foot on that treadle.

Good memories. :-)

Party On,

Newton

For Christmas I bought my wife a Brother xr9000: http://www.amazon.com/Brother-XR9000-Sewing-Machine/dp/B002ROVEY8

At the time, I wasn’t even thinking about doing MYOG. But that changed last month and I’ve been using her machine as much as she has.

It seems to do the job. But I have no idea in what to look for in a sewing machine. In fact, it is shocking to hear how old some of your machines are. I wasn’t even aware they had sewing machines back in the 50’s! ;)

Chris, they had a few sewing machines in the 1850's. Singer machines became popular a little after that. By the 1930's, many modern homemakers owned some kind of sewing machine or at least had access to one, because commercially sewn clothing was sometimes too expensive. For nearly all of the stuff that we do here, all you really need are the straight stitch and maybe a zigzag. I think I had to pay $75 for a new one a year ago.

–B.G.–

Same thing here

My wife bought a sewing machine – Janome Excel 4014

She never used it

I have made many tarps, shirts, jackets, vests, sleeping bag/bivy,…

I'm interested in getting into MYOG and am thinking of making a flat tarp for my first project. I'm reading up right now and came across this thread. My daughter has a fairly new Brother and I thought I could probably use that for silnylon. But this thread reminded me that we had at least one in storage that my wife (who doesn't sew) got from her aunt when she passed away. I just went looking for it and found it. It's a Necchi BF that has hand writing on the case saying it was purchased in January 1953. It appears to be in good shape. Now I just need to learn how to use it. I looked it up and read that BF means straight stitch only but I guess that's good enough for now.

I get to use occasionally at Mom's, under close supervision, a Necchi Silvia:

The Necchi I'm not allowed to touch, Mom's Supernova Ultra (she's the original owner):

According to Moms, the holy grail is the Necchi Supernova Julia, which came out shortly after she bought her Ultra. No, she doesn't own one. Yes she wants one. No I would not be allowed to touch it.

A Necchi 539 that Mom gave to me, I think in an attempt to keep me away from her Italian machines. (The 539 is Japanese.) So this one lives with me and suffers my abuse (cheerfully). Can't fault it. Doesn't have the feel of oiled silk like an Italian Necchi, but a tough metal machine.

Mrs. pitsy has a Brother machine that she lets me use. If I have a real project to work on, I usually get my mom involved. She's got the walking-foot machine and a serger.

I've said it before, but I'll say it again here: Sewing machines and other tools are pretty much free, if you take the long view. As long as you buy them used, you can almost always get your investment back. For this to work, you have to be able to do your own troubleshooting and repairs. I've turned a profit on automotive tools by haggling a bit on the purchase, then cleaning them up and taking good pictures for a well-written craigslist ad.

Vintage sewing machine pornography

I wanted an older metal sewing machine after sewing my first pack with target special singer. There was a Viking on Craigslist for $100. Went to check it out and the old boy broke out the boat anchor. He said he bought for a lady friend and she didn't want it. He bought it from a dealer completely refurbished. He sold me both machines for $150. I've tried the Viking once . It's a great machine but it can't hold a candle to the white. It's a 40s machine I think and it sews like butter.

I only just started sewing for the first time about a month ago. Let me tell you the MYOG bug has bitten me hard. Very hard. I have a lot of fabric on order and I also started watching outdoor upholstery youtube videos… D’oh! Uh oh.:)

Making gear isn’t too far of a stretch for me considering I’ve been DIYing all kinds of recording studio electronics, such as EQ’s compressors and even discrete opamps, for years, as well as woodworking and general household projects.

Anyway, on to my machines:

My main machine is a Singer 301A that belonged to my Grandmother which she bought new in 1953. It was $229 in ’53 which is about $2000 in today’s money. Wow! She was a seamstress, however. Funny, I have seen the 301 in it’s case for years sitting tucked away in my parents garage just waiting to be restored. I’ve found that I really enjoy taking them apart and cleaning them up.

Which brings me to my next machine. It’s a 50’s or 60’s Universal Zig Zag that I found on Craigslist for cheap that needed some TLC and a few parts. I intended this to be my bartacker since my 301 is a straight stitch only machine. The universal is cast iron and weighs about 30 pounds. It runs ever so smooth. It also has a 1.5 Amp motor, by comparison, the 301 has a .53 Amp motor.

Next up is a 1975 Kenmore 6 Stich 158.12411 with free arm. It was $25 with case on CL and it’s in mint condition. It just needed a little oil and that was it. It’s got a 1.2 amp motor in it and sews very well. Not as good as the 301, but hey. This is now my main bartacker/zig zag machine.

This is my MYOG man cave which is temporarily setup in the tracking room of my recording studio (day job).

Here is the cutting table which also has some of my other maintenance projects for the weekend.

Cheers,

Mike Stromsoe

That blue Universal, besides being a beautiful machine, bears a striking resemblance to a Necchi Supernova.

I have a Bernina "Bernette" 440. A late 80's/early 90's machine, I think. Pretty burly so far. It took a lot of abuse when I was first learning, now I'm a lot nicer to it. But I think it's nearing some needed maintenance.

The machine sits in the sunroom, 10 feet from an amazing wood stove. Cutting gets done on the dining room table…

EDIT: That picture's old and doesn't show the ruler collection:

it seems those who post to this thread seem to have well ordered homes (and minds) . as well as a flair for bad puns.
here's the units providence has gifted peter with.

my dead mom's Singer 223.
inside this machine, and it is a sewing MACHINE, is the bounty of the industrial revolution. cogs, gears, linkages, arms and shafts, bearings, it's got it all, and it has it in the form of some ridiculous precision too. dad bought this for her. it will be kept until the end of my days.

you can be jealous at this point. the Baby Lock (is a stupid name) throws up to 8 threads at a time. and makes al but every stitch one might ever imagine. this is the fine japanese unit that makes the beautiful (self tensioned) cover-stitch that holds the headnets together so nicely. this thing is amazing. and after a blizzard of mods .. it's like my mac .. it just works. easily worth however over-much i paid for it.

for all those with cutting tables.. this is how you do it. 6' x4' .

I just bought a Singer 401a off craigslist. The old lady who it used to belong to clearly maintained it really well as it purrs like a kitten.

Oh and here’s a pic without the cat in the way

I’m excited to have a sewing machine that works again! Now the trick will be using it instead of buying stuff.

Anthony

Mom’s 401A…and I also have a backup in the closet from the Salvation Army I snagged for $45 before mom was willing to give hers up.

Is having a walking foot a helpful feature? It seems that most on this thread to not have them.

My grandmother’s Singer 192k. Originally purchased around 1960. Found her in a box, oiled her up, and was good to go. Seeing my grandmother this weekend for her 90th birthday. Plan to show her this picture!