The Singer 66 that did not go to Afghanistan

 

One of the online sewing machine groups that I follow once had a member stationed in Afghanistan when we had troops there.  He had a Featherweight, as I remember, and developed a strong interest in sewing.  His job took him around to local villages and he began channeling machines we sent from the US to villagers who needed them.  

Oh my, did the members of the group ever get excited!  Somebody actually wanted our beloved vintage  machines and could match them up with people who could use them.  I took a nice looking Singer 66 and installed a hand crank.  The very day I finally got it packed for shipment he posted that he had been reassigned and could no longer take them.  I don't know how many machines reached him in time, but I missed the boat.  Or airplane.

Here it is below, packed in a styrofoam box that was going to go into a cardboard for shipment.  I converted it to hand crank because that was what our contact in Afghanistan recommended.

I had used some yardage for packing, and threw in some thread and other sewing supplies, and some little toys.

I  had a lot of fun assembling all this.  It was disappointing not to be able to send it, but it was fascinating to hear the stories from our contact person while he was distributing machines to villagers in Afghanistan.

The machine eventually did find a home though.  While I was in Dayton Ohio delivering machines to some Congolese refugees (that's another post) I met T******,  director of a Montessori school.  She had been tasked with finding a sewing machine for use in the school.  She bought a multi-stitch Kenmore that I had acquired while on the road from North Carolina to Ohio.  She had seen the Singer 66 in the back of my car and called me the next morning to ask if it would be a good machine for someone just learning to sew.  There's nothing simpler to operate than a vintage straight-stitcher, so she came back the next day and bought the Singer 66.  I had removed the hand crank and replaced its original motor.

(I only use first names in this blog, and then only if I have permission to mention them. I forgot to ask, so I'm only using an initial here).

The after effects of the trip to Ohio continue to reverberate.  I'll be telling you about another Singer 66 in a future post.  And I have a new Imaginary Friend*, Becky, who I hope to meet on my next trip to Ohio.

*Imaginary Friends are people I know only online.  Once I meet them they become Formerly Imaginary Friends.  And eventually just become friends.  You know who you are--I'm talking about you Linda!