Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Mom's sewing machine

I have an obscene number of sewing machines, most of which are not really functional, but I like the looks of old sewing machines. They really seem to have a lot more character than my newer machines. This one was my Mom's machine. It sits on the landing partway up my stairs with a bunch of other old sewing stuff. I like the way it looks there, but its real function is to give us something to stub our toes on in the dark.

It is a Montgomery Ward brand, purchased, I suppose, in the early '50s. I don't remember when Mom didn't have it. She used it for years, until she inherited my grandmother's much more modern Singer Touch 'n Sew. She sewed a lot of curtains and dresses for my sister and me and I sewed all my 4-H outfits on it. Mom never wanted a newer, better machine, because she swore she didn't like to sew, although she did a lot of it and was very good at it. It is a simple machine, with only a straight stitch. And it weighs a ton.

And, see that little pinkish thing on the far right side? That's a piece of a bandage. It's been stuck there as long as I can remember. I don't know why.

Compared to some of my other old machines—Singers with gilded decals and embossed designs on the metal plates—this one is a real plain jane. But it has such a sturdy, little no-nonsense look to it that I feel a real fondness for it. It would probably still sew if I plugged it in.

1 comment:

  1. I thought of you when I got my Quilter's World magazine today, and they had an article about fabric stamping. Your post about your Mom's sewing machine is hilarious! The toe stubbing, bandaged thing is just like something I would keep in my home.

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