An unusual car
The toy car made from sewing machines.
Now:
My mama sewed. She made most of our clothes for many years. She was a natural. Until the second grade mama did all her sewing on a ‘treadle’ singer sewing machine. There was no power except her legs and feet. If you know the treadle of those machines you know as they rock back and forth there is very little clearance between the ends and the floor. My fingers were mashed a couple times before I learned.
(Sorta like the washing machine wringers, I caught my fingers in them only once, never again.)
She was one happy woman when daddy had her Singer Treadle converted to electric power with a small electric motor. The treadle was still there but she did not use it. She removed the belt so I wouldn’t mess with it.
Both my sisters sewed. Sherry never cared for it other than sewing a patch or a tear. I do crazy stuff so once I made her a dress. I bought cheap cloth and did well until the zipper installation. It was so bad I made a snap on kite for the back of the dress to hide the zipper. I didn’t sew again other than patches myself. I don’t even remember what happened to our machine.
We inherited two machines. I decided to do some sewing. I have forgotten so much. I spent probably 8 hours and a seam had a bunched thread wad on the lower side. I took scissors to cut the fabric loose. My bobbin ain’t working right on the singer.
So I went to the other one. It has not been used in over 10 years. It would not even turn. So I took it apart. There are a lot of little gears and cams in this sucker. But me ‘n WD40 are good friends. I took it apart and drowned it. Then to get rid of the excess I took the leaf blower to it then let it sit until after our walk.
It is now back together and I was able to sew one inch of a seam. I shut it down until tomorrow.
Do you sew?
Nite Shipslog
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10 comments:
LOL about your adventures with sewing. I grew up sewing. I think I made my first skirt when I was about 9..and, growing up on a farm, my mother bought chicken feed in calico bags that were washed and used for material. I still have a couple of quilts made from those old bags.
I sewed all of my clothes growing up and made my kids all matching outfits when they were little. I LOVED sewing--still do although I don't have the time to do it now. However, I am looking forward to sewing when I quit work.
Have fun playing with your new/old machine!
I haven't sewed in years, but I do remember it was a bit tricky to put in a zipper. I think it required a special attachment, at least on the machine I used. My mom had one of those old washing machines with the ringers in it. We weren't allowed close to it. She feared our fingers would get mangled in them! Fun memories!
betty
My Mom sewed most of my clothes up until high school ~ she was a fantastic seamstress! I've done a little sewing, but now I mostly use my machine for art & crafts!
Not many men would have persisted.
My mom and gr-ma sewed with the treadle, taught me how. Then Mom got a Singer Feather Weight machine, and that thing sewed for 20 years, before she donated it to me. It was a war horse of a machine.
Don't give up, Jack.
To this day I still get lost in my own little world at the sewing machine. I sewed a lot of my daughters clothes. She'd pick out what she liked in the Sears and Penny's catalogs and ask me to make it. Back then, it was still cheaper than buying new...now fabric is pricey. Now I mostly hem and patch. I have a couple treadle machines that are great plant stands now. When all 9 of us kids were still home, mom sewed us and she and dad all matching green and blue plaid shirts. We'd wear them to the beach and every one of was proud to be ' another one of those kids.' with matching shirts. lol Brings a smile.
love n' hugs from up north where the grandloves have gone home and we grandparents still haven't kicked these coughs. Exhausted
Hahahahaha!! Not even a little bit, Jack. My mother sewed beautifully; and how I wish I appreciated it. No. All I wanted was store-bought like my friends. Then I took 2 years of Home Economics -- which, of course, included sewing. I'll never forget our final grade was to select a pattern, sew the dress and model it before the faculty. I chose something called a 'granny dress', complete with high neck and fluted cuffs. A few days before the final and it was still in pieces. My best friend took it home and finished it for me. To this day I don't recall ever having worn it!
PS - Bowing to your perseverance!
I do not sew but my Mom always made my clothes when I was younger. My sister is a wonderful seamstress. Me..I just never liked it. My Mom made my beautiful wedding dress...my sister's too. Also all my bridesmaids dresses. I actually have that very Singer sewing machine in your pics in my foyer. You sound like a genius with fixing stuff..plus sewing! Awesome! Do you knit? Lots of men do!
Jack that sewing machine - my grandma had. I remember her using her feet.
My mom was a great sewer.
I can sew - took it in high school.
They don't offer it anymore.
Wish I had more time to sew.
Sandie
Yes, I sew and like your mama used to sew clothing for my kids. My grandmother taught me how to sew on a Treadle sewing machine and I loved it. Yes, You do have to keep a machine filed and I remember doing that-- squirting a little machine oil in every little hole you could find to put a drop in. then cleaning up the whole thing with a safe cloth so you didn't leave any spots behind. Lots of good memories. The hum of my grandmothers sewing machine was like music to my ears.
My mother-in-law has a sewing machine like that one. No, I don’t sew but I would like to machine quilt something one day.
Take care, Sheila
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