You could scroll down through the following fourteen individual posts, but hopefully this will save you time if you are interested in something specific.
Why so many? Friends, the day has come. The day I always knew would come. The day when slinging around 40+ pounds of cast iron is no longer a good idea. And another day is coming when it will no longer be possible. I'll be 75 years old next month. More on this at the end of this post
I've grouped them into tiers based on pricing. Tier pricing is posted at the NC TOGA Facebook page. I never discuss price on my blog for many, many reasons.
I will only bring the machines to TOGA that one or more people express a serious interest in. Serious interest means that you plan to buy it based on my description. There is ABSOLUTELY NO COMMITMENT in advance, other than that serious interest. If you look and don't like something about it, no hard feelings. This is how I have done it in the past and it has always worked out just fine.
Let me know on the NC TOGA Facebook page if you want dibs on one of these machines. If more than one person is interested I'll keep a list.
Tier 1: Take this puppy off my hands PLEASE
Davis New Vertical feed, head only
Singer 66, barn fresh but operational
Singer 99 no motor, works but has issues
Tier 2: Some portion of this has some value
Domestic High Arm Fiddlebase head with accessories
Singer 15-91, in bad shape but with black side accessories
Tier 3: Middle of the Road. Common models
Singer 15-91 in good shape. I actually have two 15-91s in good shape
Singer 99 in a grasscloth case
Tier 4: Moving on Up to the Good Ones
Necchi BU Mira with Wonder Wheel
Necchi Supernova Julia 534, pink!
Tier 5: Sought After. With good stuff (accessories, etc.)
Singer 301 mocha longbed in trapezoid case
Necchi BU Nova in original case
Tier 6: The Top Tier
Necchi Supernova Ultra with all the bells and whistles
If you were just here for the list of machines you can skip the rest of this post, in which I explain why I am downsizing the hoard. And where the blog and I are going in the future.
I'm getting older and just like many old sewing machines I now have replacement parts. This year the machines feel like they weigh twice as much as they did last year.
But that's not the whole story. There were several years when I didn't get out much (family reasons) and I spent a lot of time servicing and repairing old sewing machines. My life is much more open now. Less time in front of machines, more time getting out, seeing friends, traveling, etc.
I still am passionate about antique sewing machines but I have other outlets now. Volunteering at Repair Cafe is one of them. We have started branching out to new locations and to sewing machine specific workshops. Well, OK, only one so far but it was a hit and we plan to do more. And that one event has opened up some tantalizing possibilities with other local organizations. Can't talk about that until it solidifies.
I will still be buying antique sewing machines, if you consider things older than 50 years to be antiques. Opinions differ on the terminology. But I no longer want to collect them just to have them.
I now want machines that other, normal, people want to buy. And you can't beat a simple zigzagger for that. Nothing too fancy or complicated. Something that will not intimidate a beginning seamster.
Singer made some lovely aqua blue machines of this type. I've got three in the workshop now waiting to be serviced and tested after TOGA. I do plan to keep write about sewing and sewing machines.
This blog is not going away!
Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry. It sucks, doesn't it? I gave away some machines when I moved and need to find a home for my Davis and a Two Spool head. I just don't have the room. And I'd like to sew with my favorites. Good luck with the sale!
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