Wednesday, September 7, 2011

New Sewing Machines!

... OK, so they're new to me.

Yes, it's been a long time since I posted, but it's hard to post when there's no new machines to talk about!

A couple weeks ago, another Onion and I headed off to the wilds of northern Illinois to do a little treadle shopping. (And it was a beautiful trip, in spite of the rain.) This is what I came home with:


This is a ca 1880 New Home, made by Gold Medal (according to the patent), in a Home cabinet. It's a lovely machine and was signed on a drawer by Chesley T. Sabine of Maine in 1887.

This dates to 1883-1885 and is only the 2nd mother of pearl New Home machine I've ever seen. It was a "package deal" so I couldn't say no..... OK, so that's not totally honest. I couldn't say no because it was so lovely!!
This lovely New National by New Home sews as well as she looks! She's not as perfect as the picture makes her look, but I prefer a machine with dings and scratches because then I'm not afraid to use it.
This lovely little gal wasn't what I thought she was, but that's OK. She turns out to be an Elsa made in Germany for the English market. At first a kind Onion ID'd her as a Gladys A, but then the man I got her from looked in his notes and had her as an Elsa. They're the same machine, either way. Ca 1890. I have the base which has to be repaired, but she's still a sweet gal. One of the boys has taken a shine to her. The other boy decided he wants a black Singer 301 (thanks Michelle!)

Now this lovely New Home came from nearby a month ago. Ca 1885. Her former owner told me that it was his great-Aunt Clara's, and so she just had to come home with me. This makes 3 sewing machines I have that I know were owned by ladies named Clara. She also was tempting because of her attachments.

And that should be enough to keep me busy for a while, you'd think! But oh, no, I've got one coming from next door to live with me. I never posted about the two machines I got from the Treadle Fairy one Sunday, either, or the Davis NVF that I saved from the barn. However, the green beans are in and can't wait any longer, so I'm headed off to freeze some beans.