UPS Delivered!

Two posts in two days? Trust me, it was all I could do to stop myself from posting last night. I’m that excited.

When I got home from work last night, there was a very large box waiting for me. What could it be?

I had ordered something from eBay I had been wanting for a long, long time. It was packaged beautifully:

The storage case was actually wrapped in bubble wrap over plastic wrap to keep it safe. Inside the storage case:

I’m sure many of you have guessed by now what this is. It’s something I’ve wanted for a long time, and finally a few factors came together and I could get one of my very own:

My very own Singer Featherweight 221, vintage 1956!

This is the type of machine I learned to sew on. My mom still has hers, and it sews like a champ still. These machines are workhorses. They do one thing, and do it very well – they sew straight lines. No fancy zigzags, no one step buttonholes, just simple forward and backward lines. This machine is no exception.

I’ve been scouring eBay for one of these machines for quite awhile – not a constant search, but I’d look for a few weeks, stop looking for a few weeks, start looking again, etc. etc. I had very particular criteria:

• Reputable seller, preferably one that specializes in sewing machines (not just selling off items from Aunt Bertha’s attic, for instance)
• Replaced power cords
• Cleaned and oiled
• Proven sewing capability (with samples shown in listing)
• Some wear to decals was OK – it didn’t have to look showroom perfect, as long as it worked
• At the price point I was looking for which was at least $150 less than what most of these machines were selling for – I was adamant I didn’t want to pay more than $XXX.

This machine had it all. There are some wear spots on the front where it’s been used – buy hey, it’s over 50 years old! I’d be suspicious if it was in too perfect condition. Plus, the slight wear to the work surface kept the price low, which was fine with me.

To my delight, the seller left a loaded bobbin in the machine, so all I had to do was thread the machine, grab some scrap fabric, and give it a go.

It runs like a dream. I may have to play with the tension just a bit to get it where I want it, but I want to try some different thread in the bobbin (the one that was loaded was a heavier weight than the top stitching, which might make a difference). Even so, I couldn’t be more pleased.

“But Susan!” you’re thinking. “Just last month you were saying you didn’t have any sewing mojo. And now you bought yourself a new (to you) machine? What’s up with that?”

To which I reply: It’s all about the tools. It’s the same as when my co-worker asked for advice on whether she should buy a treadmill or a stationary bike. I answered, “Which would you use more? Then that’s the one to get.”

The same goes for this sewing machine. It’s lightweight, it’s easy to store, it has it’s own storage case. I can even store it in the dining room, tucked away under our sideboard, ready and waiting for me to use it. Most importantly, I’m comfortable with it. I don’t feel overwhelmed by too many options – it’s just turn on the little light, thread the machine, and start stitching without fuss. Just what I need.

In fact, last night I must have just sewed lines on a piece of fabric for 20 minutes, happily chugging away, trying the different number of stitches per inch, seeing how they looked. It felt natural in a way the newer machine never did.

As I was sewing in the dining room, I asked Mr. Martini if it was too loud (I thought it was pretty quiet, but I thought I might be biased). He said that it sounded good, that it was a nice sound to have in the background while he watched TV.

I couldn’t agree more. I think I got my sewing mojo back. It’s about time.

Filed in: Sewing