Thursday, July 15, 2010

The project that didn't quite happen...

Recently I got a new sewing machine.
 My old one (circa 1983) needed repair, and for a little more than the cost of that, I could get a new one -
so I did!  It has some features my old one did not.
I can't wait to tackle some of the projects on my sewing to do list - curtains for the den are first.
I  had the brilliant idea that somehow the antique sewing cabinet that housed my MIL's old machine could somehow be made to house the new one.
It's really a cool, old machine.  My MIL was quite the seamstress.  She made all of my sister in law's dressy clothes on this machine.  Not to mention curtains and other things.  She was a great cook and seamstress and just like the cookbooks I inherited from her, this machine is so sentimental to me.
I'm gonna look up the info on how to operate it one of these days.  It came with a ruffler and some bobbins, but not much else, so it is very basic.  And it looks like an old treadle machine, but it's actually electric - you sew by leaning your right knee into the drop down handle on the side (not pictured).  Hubby spent a day making adjustments to it to make it work, but we both realized it would detract from it's value to modernize it - plus, the new machine is just too darn big.
When stored in its cabinet, it looks like this!  
A sweet table to set my wine on while I am curled up with a book. So, I guess, it will still serve that purpose.  (yikes, I have got to hang curtains in here and get those chairs re-covered!)
For now, I will keep sewing in the kitchen. 
But maybe paint the knobs to match the rest of the furniture in this room, and keep my eyes open for something at a thrift store or Goodwill.
I think Marie would approve!


4 comments:

Unknown said...

ooohh.. that is a cool old machine!!! Good luck with all your new sewing endeavors :)

Amanda @ Serenity Now said...

What a lovely cabinet!! It looks great where you've placed it, even if your new (cool!) machine won't fit. Thanks so much for the visit. :)

a.M. said...

Well, you tried! A second life as a wine glass holder is pretty nice, I think!

Marie said...

Lol! I love it! I went to the thrift store yesterday and "scored" two books and a pair
of expensive jeans. (I got the jeans for $2.50)
Sewing machine repair is ridiculous. When my machine died..I promptly went to a resale store and found one for $25 and guess what? It works
fabulously! Actually better than my machine did.