Wednesday, February 4, 2009

She was only 39...

A horrible tragedy!

I mourn.

My hand-me-down sewing machine (from Grandma) might have just bit the big one. My 1970 Singer Touch and Sew 758 gave Gran years of service, and then got trucked down to Toronto with me a few years ago, along with its custom sewing table. For some reason I thought it was just immortal, and would go on working forever and ever...

Stuffy Skeletons!
Here it is in its skeleton making glory. *snifff*

I took it all apart and found that some gears have broken their teeth, and things are just wearing down. I use it to chug through serious fabric, thick felts and velvets and canvas, and hardly ever clean it, so I shouldn't be surprised. Plus Grandma sewed for a family of one billion. I bet if this machine had a notch for every pair of hemmed jeans it would blow your mind.

And it died exactly in the middle of me making a ton of new pouches. Argh! I almost went and got a garbage bag and just threw everything away. I was that annoyed.

So its back to my new sewing machine. I mean, its ok. I guess.

But its plastic, lightweight, small, has a foot pedal instead of knee pedal, a short ass cord, it jams and tangles, and its loud. I just really loved the solid heavy old machine that would sew through anything (including my entire finger!)

So I am grumpy. I should never have praised my grannie-machine on Twitter. I cursed myself!

I am going to see if the old one can be fixed, but gear replacement from a vintage machine shop is at least $70. I can get a whole new (1970) Touch and Sew on Ebay for $80. Will mull it over. Its not so much the money as the "this machine is ancient and must pass away" that is making me grouch.

That is the end of my complaining blog. Go about your business...

9 comments:

  1. ooo!! I feel your pain!! It is so hard to say good bye to a faithful friend!!!!

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  2. That sucks, I hate it when sewing supplies die!
    I think it might be worth it to bring it to a repair place and have it looked at, they might be able to save it for you at a reasonable price. My mum owns an antique Bernina, and when the motor of that broke a couple of years ago they were still able to repair that. That machine was about 40 years old at the time, so there is definitely still hope for your Singer!

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  3. I am sorry for you. I have my Grandfather's (yup, Grandfather) singer from the 1950's. I was sewing on the weekend and thinking how upset I would be if "something went wrong". I hope you'll be able to bring life back to your girl.

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  4. Anonymous11:16 AM

    Awwww, good luck getting her repaired.

    Jo

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  5. Anonymous11:53 AM

    You have a blog that is faithfully updated. Well holee crap. Learn something new every day.

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  6. Thanks everyone. I am sure there is someone in Toronto that can fix her, if i decide to do that.

    Cub: WTF? I have had this blog FORE-EV-OR. Like over a hundred posts! Guess I need to spam my friends more.

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  7. Anonymous4:33 PM

    Fix her if you can,new machines suck.Those gears are always the first to go...

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  8. I love your teeth.
    You have an interesting workshop.

    I should come over some time and we could make a video, "Making Stuff, with Blacklilypie"

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