# Another "Sewing Rooms" tour



## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

I'll give you a warning - My husband and I have been accused of being addicted to vintage sewing machines - And I have a certifiable case of SMAD (sewing machine attachment disorder). 

We have an old farmhouse - and converted the upper story for the main sewing room. It works pretty well - even when we are both sewing at the same time. 










This is my husband's sewing corner. His main machine is a Singer 201. and he also uses a Bernina 830 Record when he needs to zigzag something. He makes "gear" and he's getting pretty good at it. He also made the covers for his machines.










This is our dining room table. If I want, I can open it up to about 10', if I really need room for cutting. 










And this corner we have the portable AC unit. I like this way better than a window unit, and in the summer it keeps this room very nice. We have a second for the lower level, and can move it into the bedroom on really hot nights. 










This is the ironing stand, it's easily removable. The white unit in front is a Mangle, but it's not working yet. I picked it up for $15 and I think it will be really neat. The iron heats but the motor does not run. I'm hoping DH can get it fixed for me. 










And the cutting/work table (with storage). This is a trundle bed, the table top is easily removable, and this pulls out to a queen size bed (two mattresses). We bought it before we converted this to the sewing room, and I didn't want to get rid of it on the slight chance we might need it some day. We've had to for 4 years and that has not happened yet. 










And my main sewing machine. We modified the cabinet so it would sit down a bit, and then made the nice big work area that slides out of the way to change the bobbin, or use it open arm.










On the side is another ironing station, though I've found I prefer to get up and use the main one. That's a cordless, dual direction iron in the case. I use that more when sewing clothing. 

And some more storage 










I tried to move things around so most of what is up in this room is usable supplies. Last year I went to a garage sale where they were cleaning out their mother's house after she passed away -she had been a life long quilter. I spent quite a bit of money - and came home with a lot of nice fabric, and bags and bags of scraps, lace, ribbon, . . . I gave away about half and still have a lot. I figured I needed a jump start as I had almost no scraps as I'd just started getting back into sewing.

In case you are wondering - there are 18 sewing machines in that room, and it's not even were we store them.


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

This was the dining room - and this is why my dining room table is upstairs.










This is my Bailey, it's the only non-vintage machine in the house. 

And the quilt I just finished from a sister - my Mom pieced this together about 30 years ago. So it was a very long standing UFO. 










The Bailey takes class 15 bobbins, so I use my Singer 15 as my bobbin winder. I also love FMQ on the 15. 










Isn't she a beauty!










We keep a few machines under the quilt frame - and the cases for the machines in use. 










there are 24 sewing machines and four empty cases in this room.


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

This is actually my dressing room- but it works for sewing machines too. These are all treadle machines.










This cabinet has been modified (not permenently though) so we can use it for a variety of machines. 










And some of my treadle machines. This is one Singer in the top right - that is the only Singer I have in this room. 










There are 15 sewing machines in this room.

I have five Singer treadle cabinets and two hand cranks in the Library, plus two machines in the bedroom and one in the den. I've also got one in transit . . . and I've got a few I'm still looking for to complete the collection.

Speaking of "collection" - here is some of my Attachment storage. My goal is to have a set of attachments for each machine - most are stored with the machine.


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## Molly Mckee (Jul 8, 2006)

Wow! My DH would not like all those machines, unless they didn't work. He likes to fix them but doesn't think I need as many as I have. Great sewing areas.

How do you like the Bailey?


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## FarmChix (Mar 3, 2013)

I am sitting here with sewing machine envy. I love the way you have the machines displayed around the door......


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## puddlejumper007 (Jan 12, 2008)

looks like a fun place to hang out....


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## DW (May 10, 2002)

I LOVE the shelves around the door with the machines. I have 4 Singers and am very happy with them BUT if I had all those, I'd NEVER get anything done! LOL...great rooms!


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

I have a 8 year old Janome, a 1979 Brother and a 1930ish National Treadle. The treadle machine does not sew properly. It has a long bobbin and dh and ds moved the machine one time, dropped the bobbin case and one of them stepped on it. I've been saying for several years that I was going to get it fixed, but the head is too heavy for me to get out of the cabinet to take to the repairman. I should call and ask him to stop at the house and get it. Don't know if he will, but it won't hurt to ask. I would really love to replace the National with a round bobbin Singer treadle. I had a borrowed one when I was in high school and first 6 years I was married. Dh then bought me a new machine so I returned the borrowed one.

On the east wall of my sewing/office/computer room I have the door into the room, a book case and then the closet doors; on the south is the ironing board, Janome (sitting on a reworked cabinet) and a stack of storage totes; on the west is a bookcase with the Brother (on a rolling typing table) in front of it, a filing cabinet with shredder, office desk, homemade corner unit; on the north wall is another file cabinet, computer desk and a 3 shelf roll cart piled with junk. Everything is fairly well organized. The closet has a 5 drawer dresser full of fabric and there are a couple dozen plastic boxes of fabric, thread, snaps, zippers, lace, etc. I know where everything is ... mostly.


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## CJ (May 10, 2002)

I very much enjoyed your tour, boy do you have a lot of machines! I LOVE the ones displayed around the door, that looks awesome!


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Wow! I was going to say how nice you've made your sewing room and how the 2nd story keeps it all out of the way- then I saw your dining room. It's a good thing your husband also sews.

We are moving into a retirement (smaller) home this year. Only two bedrooms and DH has designated the 2nd bedroom as my future sewing room. I also have a bed/mattress that fits under a bed. My plan is also to get a regular twin and put the trundle under it. Over the bed will be my cutting table, which I can move out of the way when we need the extra beds. Great minds.... I have an old corner cabinet to fit three of my antique machines, possibly 5.


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## CJ (May 10, 2002)

I just had to come back for another peek at your vintage machines on the wall . They make me smile!


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

thanks for the nice comments. Sometimes I wonder just what I've gotten myself into with all the machines.

I started out wanting a collection of different Singer machines, and I limit myself to the more "modern' types, not the early ones. The oldest I have is from 1895 and I'm not really looking for any older than that. 

But I got sidetracked along the way when my husband found a National Two Spool, and then I found a wonderful old White in a beautiful cabinet. Both of these take a very different type of attachment than the Singers, so I started looking into that.

And that is when I fell off the deep end, as I found there were a whole lot of styles of these and they fit a whole lot of different machines. And almost each one takes a different style shuttle (for the long bobbin type) . . . and many take obsolete needles (not Singers, or those of the same style, you can still get brand new for them).

So I decided it would be neat to have one of each type - and that is why I have a very assorted collection of machines and attachments to go with them. I also love the 3/4 size machines, so I have a selection of those too. 

Another fun item is that several of the Mfg would put any name on the machine the reseller wanted (called "Badged" machines) so often the "Name" on the Machine doesn't mean a whole lot. National is recorded as putting over 600 (and some say as many as 1,000) different names on their machines. Davis did this a lot too.

And then there is Sears, who never made a machine but had manufacturer put their "Name" on them. There are "Minnesota" badged machines sold by Sears that were made by at least 5 different companies over the years. Sears eventually settled on "Kenmore" as the badged name, but again they could be made by a host of other companies.

SO one of the real fun parts has been learning enough about the old machines to be able to figure out exactly what you are looking at. From the time period I'm interested in, there were only about a dozen companies making machines - the rest were all out of business by this time (US companies, that is)


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