It's been a while...

... since I posted here but lots has been happening. I finished my Sencha weeks ago! I will post pics soon. Andy got a new job so the redundancy difficulties are now over. My lovely little Brother machine that I bought because my Mum has a Brother (a vintage one) failed me. I love Brother machines and this one has been so good, but it won't sew though thick seams (well, only 4 thicknesses) and needles were breaking here there and everywhere. Long story short, I tried to get it fixed but to no avail. Apparently it can't be fixed, that's just the way it is, a light weight machine. So I invested in a sturdy workhorse machine that I hope will last me for the rest of my life. I'm loving this machine. It is a Pfaff 1.0. I've written a review about it on pattern review.com and I am going to be doing some youtube tutorials which I will post here. I found tutorials like this so helpful when I was looking for a new machine so I thought I'd contribute to help others. It's such a new machine (I think it only came out in the summer) that there aren't many reviews and tutorials around. So hopefully this will help people whe considering it. I think it is a great machine. My review looks like it has a long list of things I don't like! But I just wanted to include everything and be honest. In reality they are just little niggles, no machine is perfect. The good things about this machine definiately outweight the niggles. Check out my review, see what you think. http://sewing.patternreview.com/SewingMachine/Review/1/4414

Vintage Sewing Machines Part 2

I was lucky enough to be given this overlocker by Andy's Grandma. I'm not sure when she bought it but it was probably 70s/ early 80s. She describes it as a P.I.G!! It's temperamental and it required a bit of tweeking here and there, and plenty of oil, and now it sews beautifully. I'm hoping I can learn to use it well and it will speed up my dressmaking as I have so much I want to make.

Overlockers are notoriously difficult to thread but I've become a dab-hand at it now through all the tweeking and playing and messing I had to do to get it to work! The only drawback to this machine is the instructions. They only describe the basics and do not give any tips on how to use it properly or any of the additional functions it might have like only using 2 or 3 threads etc. Still, I am very pleased it works and I can't wait to use it on a garment, lots of practice needed first though!

Vintage Singer Sewing Machine

This is the first of a few posts I'm going to write about vintage sewing machines. I sew on a modern day Brother machine that I bought last year, the machine I had before that was a Brother machine but very basic so I upgraded. My Mum uses a Brother machine from the 60s so that's why I have always bought Brother machines. However, the first time I saw one of the old Singer machines I was in love and was desperate to get one! Whilst on holiday this year, I saw one with a treadle in a big wooden cabinet but alas, it was too big to transport home in my small car. Days later I saw this small one in a local vintage shop. It was a sign! I had to have it and after a little haggling it was mine. (This all happened the day before Andy was told he faced redundancy.) 

 I was impressed with the good condition the machine was in.

 It takes pride of place in my living room.

 The gold decorative lettering was undamaged.

 And once threaded up it works like a dream! Although it is a bit tricky as one hand has to turn the handle to make it work.

I was sure this machine probably wasn't as old as I hoped. I thought that perhaps it was made in the 70s in the style of the old machines. On the Singer website you can date these old machines by putting in the serial number. I discovered it was made on January 17th 1936! In Scotland! So much older than I thought. I'm so pleased!

I love the fact these machines are so sturdy that people are still using them. Poppy Treffry, a well know designer maker from Cornwall swears by vintage machines. I love this little video of her using one

http://www.poppytreffry.co.uk/other-info/watch-poppy-video

I chatted to her sister whilst on holiday in St Ives this year as she runs their shop there. I also bought a bunting kit from her. I think her work is fantastic and it is all done on vintage machines, how wonderful.