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Monday, March 26, 2012

Ugh.

Okay, so...here is my day:

Get up at 4:30 a.m., because you have a ton of veils to make that customers want for Holy Week.

Sew until 1:00 p.m., at which time your grandmother's 50+ year old Singer starts to make...that noise.

Hold your breath as you attempt to coerce the jammed stitch selector back into place.

Lose your breath when the machine starts making those birds nest thingies that it makes when it does that jammed stitch selector thing.


Finally resign yourself to the fact that you may have to buy one of those plasticky new-fangled computer sewing machines that throws error codes like your overpriced front load washer does when it should be occupying itself with more important activities like washing your clothes.

Research machines.

Wait until your husband comes home and then drive a blasted hour into town.

Buy plasticky machine for no small amount of money.

Be amazed at how light the dern thing is.

Bring it home.  Place grandma's 50+ year old Singer on the floor and put new fangled plasticky machine in its place.

Read the eminently confusing "quick start" guide.

Be made very leery by the fact that every part of the thing feels like it will snap in half if you look at it funny.

Once you are pretty darn sure that you have it threaded/bobbined, etc. correctly....start to sew.

Be frustrated as heck at the fact that it makes stupid birds nest things just like grandma's 50+  year old Singer does when it is being cranky...

Try to adjust things.

Observe error code that it is flashing at you.

Realize that if you sit down and spend an hour reading the manual, it will probably work just fine.

Turn new fangled machine OFF, and place it on the floor. Return grandma's 50+ year old machine back where it belongs.


Be delighted at the weight of its metal casing and gears.  Know that if you look at it sideways, it will not snap in half, although it may toss you a bird's nest or two just to keep you in your place.

Have husband fiddle with stitch selector a bit.

Hold your breath and begin sewing a perfect line of beautiful stitches.

Realize that a machine that has lasted for 50+ years of good service should probably not be dispensed with so easily.

Know that grandma is probably up there smiling.

5 comments:

  1. I'm so glad you got it working! That's was one of my great fears that led me to get another machine (along with a gift certificate for Christmas). It seemed like every time I had orders lined up, something would go horribly wrong.

    I finally have my fancy machine working (it did the same thing the first night I used it until I realized it wasn't catching something that adjusted pressure when it looped around another part), but I've kept my grandma's machine as backup. Just in case. And I was very bothered when I took my new machine apart and saw how plasticky and cheap all the parts were. I miss the metal bobbins in my old machine!

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  2. I own more than one faithful, easy to fix and oil vintage Singer machine.

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  3. Michelle,
    Your veils are beautiful! Keep up the good work. I make my own veils, too.
    Many blessings!

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  4. Lol. I have the exact same "new-fangled" machine. I also have what is likely one of those lovely 50+ year old jobs. I have no way of knowing for sure, as it was a hand-me-down from a friend. Only problem is, getting parts is next to impossible. :( LOVE the solid construction on it, though! Don't sew nearly as much as you do, though. Good luck with both of your machines!

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  5. Old Faithful lives to sew another veil... WHOOT!

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Pax Christi!
~Michelle