I was at a thrift shop yesterday and spied this case. "Cool case!" said me.
I opened it and nearly fell down.
No joke.
Inside was this amazing Singer Featherweight sewing machine from 1954.
After I got my breathing under control I carried the machine and case to the cashier and asked if I could plug it in.
Wait for it.
Wait for it.
She worked! Even the light turned on and off.
::Squeal::
"How much?" I asked.
"50 bucks," said the cashier.
I waited to hear back from my mother-in-law while trying to casually walk around the store. Another employee sauntered over and whispered, "You should see if that's her best price. She'll often come down."
::gulp::
"I don't think I've hid my excitement well enough to get a better price. But thank you." I said with a smile.
 |
| This beauty is pristine! Anything that appears to be scratches in this photograph are, in fact, only reflections of light and lint. This vintage 1954 Singer was well used and well cared for. |
So, I bought it.
The end.
Well, not completely the end because I plan on boxing it up and sending it to my sweet mother-in-law.
Just as soon as I'm done marveling in bewilderment at it.
-dana
52 comments:
You have lived my dream. I still have hope I will find one too. I am sure your mother-in-law will love it. Wishing you a great day.
Ah, Memories. I learned to sew on one of these. Nice little machine, only straight stitches unless you had some attachments, heavy duty, hard working, well built little work horse. Looking back, they actually were pretty special, built to last and dependable.
how special is that? ANd how sweet are you to get it for your MIL and not keep it for yourself.
Don't hate me Dana.....but FW always have a fold down bed on the left side of the needle. This is probably a 99. Oh, I hate to be the person to tell you. Google Graham Forsdyke's website - he is all FW.
Sorry :(
xoxo
What a find for $50! I know your MIL will love it. You gotta love thrift stores. They are so awesome!
Wow, I learned to sew on an older version of this. It was an old trundle Singer that was wired for electric operation. Great find.
Awesome find!!! This is the part where I die.
Well, congrats to you! So glad she's found a good home~
I am SO jealous!!! I looked on ebay and the model 221 (don't know if yours is the same) is going for over $300!!! You got a steal :)
No matter what model you actually found....it is still an amazing find!!! :)
That's definitely a 99. I have my grandmother's. Started learning on it at age 6 or 7, carried it to college, used it for many years and still give it a run now and then. It is a wonderful workhorse and will sew anything you put to the pedal. Lynda in PA (58yrs old)
That's a beauty! I have a hand wind in my attic!
I don't think that is a featherweight. It doesn't have the folding bed. You got a 99K. AND, $50 for a 99K is about normal.
Great find! I collect these myself and you did well even paying the full price of $50.00...
Dana I learned to sew on my Grandmothers featherweight. Such an awesome find!
Gasp! $50.00! Gasp! beautiful!
That is PHENOMENAL!! Congrats on such a steal!!
Well if you ever find another one like that let me know!
How fun was that!
did you plug the serial number into the Singer site to see the model and birth date and place?
Happy Sewing, I thought it was gonna be a box of 45 records :0)
that is awesome! my mom has one of those that she takes camping with her to quilt with :)
OH WOW! Is it really heavy?, Cuz 99s are. I bought a 99 about 2 years ago from an antique store and, may I say, $50 is a GREAT price! It has the identical case as yours. I love mine...It is truly a work horse and runs like a charm! I have it in my NY cottage...it's waiting for me to make my travel plans! =-) Great shopping, you!! =-)
Score! I love it when things like that happen - and when well loved treasures make their way to new homes where they will be equally loved. ;)
Holy, SCORE.
I'm beginning to think that you are a magical thrift store shopper. Ya gots the mojo!
Oh how FUN! Good 4 you!
Fantastic story, And, I am like you, I would have paid the good lady what she asked!
Girl, that is the deal of a lifetime!!! I am so jealous. I have wanted one of those for ages. Good job!
I got your gnome ornament today and your pin! Thank you so much, I hung them above my sewing machine ; )
PS I would have paid the $50 with a smile on my face, I hope to find one someday to cherish!
WhoooHOooo...I love it just for the case alone!:) I have a Singer down in the basement...it's in a beautiful wooden table with wroght iron legs...maybe I need to go down there and see what it is!:)
Got your lovely pins and case today! Awesome...I think it's going in my purse!:) Thanks sweetie! xoxo
What an amazing find! She's a beauty!!
That is so completely awesome. Good for you!
Totally awesome!
I.am.so.jealous!
WOW... Lucky MIL
JEALOUS!!!!! What a great story. And such a sweet ending. Yay!
I'm so jealous. So. So. Jealous.
Great find!
She is just so pristine!! I can imagine your excitement. Those are the times you wish you had one of your bloggy friends along to truly understand the emotion, the bewilderment, the lightheadedness of this find. ;-)
A dream come true...for sure! What a great find! I just priced several featherweights at our local Singer dealer. They ranged from $300 to $450. Needless to say I went home without buying one, although I did find a Singer 301 at a garage sale for $50.00 and it too is pretty sweet:)
Some people have all the luck!!
Congratulations.
Nothing better than an unexpected find that makes you happy! :)
WOW! The trunk was pretty enough!!
Squeeeeeeeeeeeal!! Yeah!! Don't you love when the stars all align? It must have been waiting there, just for you!
NO?!?!?!? I can't even believe it! That is wonderful!!!
Congratulations on the wonderful find. You gotta love thrift store.
Lucky you! Have you looked up how much those usually cost!!!! When I drive around town I am always checking out garage sales looking for little black boxes being sold by someone who has no clue!!!
Oh wow! What a find!
What a find! People who don't thrift miss out on all sorts of treasures, don't they?
(Though my twin sister and I, born in 1954, sometimes get a little freaked about finding things we grew up with now labeled vintage...) :D
What a deal you got!
My mom has almost the same.
I love your blog, we'll be back:)
I have my Mom's featherweight. It is so delightfully pretty. And there are so many stories that little machine that could tell.
What a wonderful find!
I taught a sewing class for beginners last weekend. One of the ladies had this same machine! It was SO fun reading thru the manual and figuring out how everything works.
So jealous!
Hey Dana! Was just lisenting to you with Pat Sloan talking about your machine. I had to come check her out. I think it is a 99k. I have one too! It really doesn't matter if it is a featherweight or not. They are beautiful machines! here's a post on mine, a thrift store find also!
http://whynotsew.blogspot.com/2011/04/bee-block-and-vintage-singer.html
hello, friend!
just catching-up on your blog and have to comment on this post. this is the machine i use for all of my sewing. it belonged to my mom and is the only one i have ever used. :)
as always, love your writing and you, too...
sarah <3
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