When Barry I headed to Shetland a few weeks ago, we crossed to Orkney via ferry before flying onwards. As we wandered the streets of Stromness on a Sunday afternoon, we saw a wee sewing machine in the window of a charity shop.
Of course, it wasn't open so we smiled and thought no more of it.
Until we returned and had an hour or two to wander before the ferry brought us back to the mainland...
The sewing machine was no longer in the window, but Barry asked me to humour him by going in to ask about it.
As fortune would have it, it was out the back, with a sign saying - needs repair.
For £5 Barry figured we couldn't go wrong, so we exchanged a fiver for a wee Singer Featherweight!
It came back to the cottage with us and we tried a few things to get it going.
I found a manual on the web; so printed it out and we set to thinking about. We watched a few YouTubes as you do - not that there are many for this funny little model.
Barry worked out how to pull it apart and set to oiling things, tightening the stitch length lever; getting the thread to wind onto bobbin. So we were making progress.
It had come with all the kit - a nice box with bobbins and feet and screwdrivers.
The tiny foot pedal which is either off or on - none of this gradual increasing pressure to ramp up the speed or decrease it.
But still, it made wretched screeching noises when one actually tried to sew.
Barry yarned to a guy and ordered a new bobbin case. I spoke to the nearest sewing machine repairer who is 31/2 hours drive away and we contemplated the value of a long round trip and repair costs for a £5 machine...
We persevered and read the manual one more time and adjusted the stitch tension as a last resort and bingo! that made a difference.
The underside showing some terrible looping and lack of tension.
We fiddled with it a bit more and think we have actually got the wee machine up and running again!
Happy dance all-round.
So, now we have it set and sorted and ready to go I might be able to sew on it the next time we visit.
For scale - here it is next to a small apple and a kettle!
Of course, it wasn't open so we smiled and thought no more of it.
Until we returned and had an hour or two to wander before the ferry brought us back to the mainland...
The sewing machine was no longer in the window, but Barry asked me to humour him by going in to ask about it.
As fortune would have it, it was out the back, with a sign saying - needs repair.
For £5 Barry figured we couldn't go wrong, so we exchanged a fiver for a wee Singer Featherweight!
It came back to the cottage with us and we tried a few things to get it going.
I found a manual on the web; so printed it out and we set to thinking about. We watched a few YouTubes as you do - not that there are many for this funny little model.
Barry worked out how to pull it apart and set to oiling things, tightening the stitch length lever; getting the thread to wind onto bobbin. So we were making progress.
It had come with all the kit - a nice box with bobbins and feet and screwdrivers.
The tiny foot pedal which is either off or on - none of this gradual increasing pressure to ramp up the speed or decrease it.
This is how you control the speed - it is either off, slow or fast. Simples.
The detachable cotton reel holder feeds from the back...
But still, it made wretched screeching noises when one actually tried to sew.
Barry yarned to a guy and ordered a new bobbin case. I spoke to the nearest sewing machine repairer who is 31/2 hours drive away and we contemplated the value of a long round trip and repair costs for a £5 machine...
We persevered and read the manual one more time and adjusted the stitch tension as a last resort and bingo! that made a difference.
The underside showing some terrible looping and lack of tension.
We fiddled with it a bit more and think we have actually got the wee machine up and running again!
Happy dance all-round.
So, now we have it set and sorted and ready to go I might be able to sew on it the next time we visit.
For scale - here it is next to a small apple and a kettle!
what a little beauty!
ReplyDeletea wee ripper Mo!
DeleteThat's about the size of a little turn-the-handle machine I was given, about 70 years ago!
ReplyDeleteThose little ones were great too Di!
DeleteCute! And portable!
ReplyDeleteTotally - featherweight by name and by nature!
DeleteHow wonderful F. You have even more reason to get back there quickly.
ReplyDeleteSuch fun to know it will be waiting next time....x
Deletenifty, and so cool to have figured out how to fix it. i was gifted a 1950's singer featherweight--metal, but very petite and pretty.
ReplyDeleteoooh lucky you! We looked at lots of videos about that one and had to adapt to this model. It is a real sweetie I hope you enjoy it.
Deletecute machine !
ReplyDeleteVery cute and lots of fun to be had!
Delete