Congratulations! She's a beauty!

Connie
AtHomeSewing

She is beautiful!! I know you will love her. Is she going to be used for quilting or just to treasure? Unfortunately I seldom take mine out of the box. I also have the buttonholer and an automattic zigzag attachment that looks complicated to me. I believe it is cira 1955 or near there and is in pretty good condition.
Yours looks as if it is just out of the box!
Congratulations and have fun. Jayne

NIIIIICE!!
Congrates and Enjoy!

Faye

Very pretty! I have one on display in the guest room, but she is yet unnamed. Also unused, I'm scared! lol Love looking at her tiny cuteness, though..

Love that little Annie! What is it about these little black machines that make our hearts flutter? Their small size? Their strong, basic workhorseness? Their connection with past sewers mending, piecing quilts, making school clothes for their children, wedding dresses for their daughters and kitchen curtains? Is it the companionable sound they make as we sew? No beeps, grunts, or pings with these little black beauties. Whatever....we do love them!

My heart did flutter when I saw Annie!
She is really a beauty.
Tell us her story!
I can't believe you even have the keys!
When I'm in sewing mode I do use mine quite a bit, esp for classes.
I usually take mine on a vacation to the back patio once or twice in the summer too.
Mine belonged to my dear MIL hence Betty is her name.
Love2sew get the book & learn to service her yourself, it will make you even closer!
Jill

That looks just like my mother's machine--all the gold design work. She got hers in the early 40's. Did you see my white one? I hadn't thought of giving it a name, but maybe Mary after my mother who could make a dress from a sketch. Carole

Between the quilt for Grandma and naming my machine after mother, I'm getting a little sentimental. For all Grandma's talents, needlework wasn't one of them or maybe she was just too tired after working all day and keeping house for 7 to focus on sewing. My mother learned to sew because the dresses Grandma made for her were like sacks.

Mother told that she would go to the movies (30's) and sketch the dresses the actresses wore and then go home and make them. That is one special talent that I will never have. I thought I would show you one.

What a great pic! She was so talented, and beautiful, too.

Annie is a real beauty! ...and with all the orginal parts! You are one lucky lady! Thanks for sharing her with us!

Teresa, well said!

Gwen

What a lovely pic of a beautiful woman and a smashing dress! Wouldn't I love to have the talent she had?

Thanks for the nice words about my mother. Unfortunately, I didn't get her looks either.

Love2sew: My manual for my featherweight is different, but I recognize that little green book that Mother had. Yours looks to be in good condition too.

How many of you that have the older machines and the Featherweights also have the original manuals?

Carolek what a lovely picture of your Mom and how talented she was. The dress is so fancy and fashionable.

My Annie is a 1956 model and I don't know why I won the bid so low but I think I am so lucky to be her owner. The seller didn't brag it up and had only a few pictures and said it was very good for it's age. I would say it is in excellent condition and I cannot believe it is so shiny. I took the face plate off and it is spotless so it has been cleaned and serviced. I plan to make a copy of the manual for my use and then I can keep the little one in good condition.

Annie certainly won't be my everyday machine but I plan on using her occassionally, take her to class, maybe sew on the patio on a nice day. My DH doesn't think I should use her because I might damage the finish. I'm not one to buy something just to have as a novelty and to look at...I like it to be useful.

Thanks for all your nice remarks.
Jean

Carolek, your mother was very attractive and to make a dress from a sketch was remarkable talent.
Jean, I am still so happy for you and don't be afraid to use your machine, that is what it was made for. I am ashamed that I don't use mine more but I didn't buy it because I needed it but because it was almost a giveaway. I found it in a garage sale with $10's marked on the closed case, which I only opened out of curiosity. As it was for my GD's ballet group I told them what they had but they insisted I take it anyway. Out of quilt I gave them $20, a week later the previous owner found the buttonholer and sent it to me. The manual was not with it but I went on line and copied one and then this summer bought a copy of the original. It doesn't have a name but I will keep that in mind if one pops into my head.
Enjoy and thanks for giving so much pleasure. Jayne

Annie is beautiful. That is the name I have given to my Featherweight also. My friend Ann found it for me so I named it after her. I didn't get any accessories with mine and just a copy of the manual. I take that back.. I did get a buttonholer but it is for a slant needle machine. I do have a BH that was my mom's that will fit it.
I bought a white featherweight in April but haven't named her yet. I'm thinking of calling her Lisa after her previous owner.
Linda OH

I graduated from High School in 1949 and around that time my sisters decided our mother should advance from treadle
I know it was a Singers but don't remember the type. She did learn to sew on it. She made all my clothes I remember the year Eisenhower was going to run for President and I fell "in love" with his jacket and I asked my mother if she could make me one. She made the jacket and kick pleat skirt to go with it. I wore it alot and thru nursing school. She also was one of those show it to me and "i will match it"...I did not have her talent she died my last year of training. I think she would have taught sewing to me.

Your stories are so wonderful and it is so nice they are tied to special events you remember. A good writer could write a wonderful book based on Featherweights. When you look at them, they just seem to need a name. My new Bernina has no name but doesn't have that charm either.

Jayne your tops for the greatest bargin ever!!! So is this unnamed darling you stole from babes in good shape? LOL
Eyes still big in disbelief!!!
Jean

My 1947 Featherweight came with the original manual and all tho other stuff from a dealer in Canada. I named her Gracie for a favorite relative and just because I liked the name.

Mom's 1950 Singer 15-91 in it's cabinet has the original manual and still has the original finish on the cabinet and cover on the stool since it has stayed in our family. It was the first good piece of furniture my parents bought and they paid cash - Mom says she remembers that very clearly. Guess I will name her Vera Vivian after my mom.

Teresa

I learned to sew on my grandmother's old Singer--a floor model, and every time I see one--floor or featherweight--I wax nostalgic. Annie looks to be in beautiful condition! Like you, I would want to use her from time to time and not just enjoy looking at her.

Carole: That's a great picture of your mother. She was not just pretty, but elegant, and had an obvious talent for copying the clothes on the big screen.

In my family, the sewing bug seemed to skip generations. From my great-grandmother to my aunt, and then down to me. My mother made most of my clothes, but her real thing was knitting. I still have some doll clothes made by my great-grandmother with tiny perfect hand-made buttonholes.

Ooooo! NICE one! This Annie is glad to meet your Annie. In answer to Carole's question--I have lots of original manuals for my old machines.

Annie

I'm surprised to discover what an emotional button that green manual is. It has opened a door to a number of memories with my mother, watching her sew, learning to use a machine.

I have always felt that my love of quilting was partly about connections--connecting with women back in history and those throughout our country and the world who are keeping the craft alive. And now a machine has brought out another connection. I hope you enjoy Annie as much as I'm enjoying Mary. It is almost like coming full circle--I started on the Singer featherweight and I'm back to it after all these years. Thanks for sharing your Annie. Carole

Because I'm a collector, manuals have little charm for me, except as adjuncts to the machines. I think I've seen too many of them! 8^) The Singer 15-91 that I learned to sew on did have a manual, but mom just showed me how to use the machine and I don't think I used the manual more than once or twice. It is funny what sorts of things push our emotional buttons, though.

My mom's Redwing pottery "Bobwhite" dishes do it for me. They're sort of weird looking, but they make me think of the holidays when I see that pattern.

Annie

This thread has become a delight with your wonderful stories about your grandmother and mothers sewing and teaching you to sew.

I don't want to take away from the nostaglia but I feel a need to briefly explain why I am not talking about my mom the beautiful seamstress that could sew so beautifully. She became ill with RA when I was 4 and lost her eyesight when I was 7 so we didn't have chance to do things together. I never saw my mom sit at a machine at sew. So enough, and on with more delightful events.

Annie, I have some original machine needles. Can they become sort of dull and not slide through the fabric smoothly just from sitting. Can you polish them up with something. The stitch doesn't look like a nice stitch, rather tight top and bottom. My needle might not be sitting quite right either. Just wondering!
Jean

What we often find with old sewing machines are old needles that were returned to the packaging. It may be that the original user planned to sharpen them (you can do this on a stone for sharpening fish hooks) or that she thought that in a pinch they'd be better than nothing if she broke all her new needles. Or she didn't want to leave them around where little fingers could find them, it's anybody's guess.

Why bother with old needles at all? Your Featherweight will use modern needles just fine as will all but the oldest, earliest Singer machines and many other brands as well. I'm able to use modern needles in all my treadles except for my chainstitcher.

Annie

Jean, In answer to your question, yes my machine is in good condition. Maybe not as pristine as yours but the finish is pretty good and sews like a dream. It's too bad I don't have more room so I could keep all my machines up at the same time but that isn't the case.
You sure make me feel guilty but they did insist. I probably should think up a ballerina's name for my gem.
Jayne

Thanks Annie, I'll just keep the old ones in their package as a keepsake and buy new ones tomorrow. BTW do you have names for your machines...all 70? or just some favorites?

Jayne, you are such a good person and you did write you pointed out what they were selling but I'm glad you feel a little guilty as I should too for the price I paid on an item from the Salvation Army. No one else put another bid on and there were (6) so I was stuck.

Your darling desperately needs a name. A name just adds so much personality to them and when you sew you talk to them and think about the person you named them after. You surely must have a relative that you like very much or a friend that is very special!
Jean

I have names for some, especially those that see regular use. For me naming is often easy because the machines themselves have many different seller names on them. A few examples of named machines (and why):

Gypsy Rose Davis--a Davis Vertical Feed whose original finish is almost all gone, so she's nearly naked.

Rosie the Riveter--An Eldredge that has beautiful decals that remind me of Norwegian Rosemaling, but she's awfully noisy.

Barnie--my National Two Spool, named after Barnabas Eldredge, who founded the company

Jennie June--actually the name the manufacturer gave this machine model back in the 1880s

Mary H and Paul H--two machines given me by some collector friends

Ug--For a little National REX that is caveman ugly

Carmen Miranda--an Eldredge E with exotic coloring

The Guv'nor--a National Expert BT Vibrator with the seller name "Governor C" imprinted on it.

Once you get started, the names just keep coming! These are all machines that have special significance for me.

Annie

Your Annie is a real gem. It is in such nice shape, box and all the goodies, lucky you! I would definately use her and after all she was made to be a working machine.....I know you will take good care of her and she will be just as lovely in years to come. Let us know how you find she runs.....my "Beatrice" is not as shiny but is a well loved member of my sewing machine community. Enjoy. Thanks for the pictures.

Okay! She has a name. "Miss Berny". She is the person who runs and owns the ballat studio and who insisted that I take the machine. It was her mothers. I am sure our relationship will be closer now. Jayne

Miss Berny, that is a very neat name. Now when you see the ballet instructor you can mention this. She will surely be pleased and may share some story about her mother sewing on the machine.

Don't you feel so much better. tehehe or are you just hoping to get me off your case haha.

Jean