Quilting with a Vintage Singer Sewing Machine

OK... if I were going to go into a "12 step program",  the addiction would be for vintage sewing machines - with a vicious fabric addiction to boot!

I started sewing at probably age 6 -falling in love with the rythym of my grandmothers treadle machine, and watching (and eventually) helping my mom make clothes for her 3 children (yes, I'm the overacheiving oldest...).

I made my first quilt (a Trip Around the World Pattern) at about age 14 or 15, and, at about the same time (late 1960s...), a pair of patchwork bell bottom pants with a peasant top! But although I always appreciated quilts, sewing, and machines, a business career intervened, and sewing took a real back seat. About 15 years ago, a lovely 5 drawer Singer Tiger Oak  treadle cabinet with a "worn-smooth-out" Memphis Sphinx machine came into my life when I fell in love with it at a local antique shop... a vintage 30's dresden quilt top joined it, and my addiction began in earnest. About 7 years ago, I bought a lovely old Singer 201,and started sewing, first some clothing, a few hems, and, eventually some quilt tops.

Which led me to collecting and restoring old sewing machines for pleasure and use - and eventually for others!

Which leads me to recommned that you check out this week's sewing machine listing at Karen Quilts Texas: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&viewitem=&item=330108263442&rd=1&rd=1

This is a lovely Singer 15-91, a great workhorse, and my absolute favorite of all the older models for free motion quilting. Has a super reliable, size 15 oscillating hook design - so versatile and dependable, that it is still the most commonly used hook design around the world... My Bernina 830 has this same design as it's "operating system" so to speak.

It's strong suit is that is adapts VERY well to any type of thread size/configuration without complaint. Because the bobbin in mounted vertically, there are no extra "turns" to the feed of thread from the bottom end of the machine - allowing for VERY even tension feeding of the thread - which means fewer "loopies" or "spiders" when free motion quilting. Also means you can vary the thread size greatly (from 28 to 80 weight) in top and or bottom, and still get a good stitch with minor tension adjustments. Since it has a removable bobbin case, it means you can easily adjust bottom tension as well as top to balance thread exactly to your needs.

Of course it's also a great heavy cast iron Singer driven by a steel geared mechanism - NO belts, which means little loss of power from motor to needle bar... I wouldn't recommend using one of these for on-going heavy duty work, but in a pinch it will sew some pretty heavy materials.

Anyway... this is a machine I've used off and on for a few years, and recently came across a real "minty" 15-91 to replace it with...so it must go out at auction to fund that "addiction"!!!

Check it out, and let me know if you have any questions!

Hope your daffodils and Tulips didn't get hit in the big freeze -my Amaryllis are blooming all over the yard, and the sleet didn't harm them a bit!

PIECE and Happy SEAMS to all!

Karen Alexander

www.karenquiltslife.blogspot.com