Sunday, April 13, 2008

a little gem


Look at what Ed surprised me with the other evening!!! This is a "feather weight" Singer sewing machine, circa 1940's. This little gem is a quilter's dream and they can be quite hard to get a hold of, especially one that is in top condition like this.
I have know about these little machines since I was a child. My Mom has one, that actually was her high school graduation gift, and only weeks after she got hers, it was in a house fire!!!! My Mom and her family pretty much lost everything in that fire, but her little sewing machine was found in the basement after the fire. It had been in her bedroom on the second floor of the house, and fell the two stories to the basement during the fire. My Grandfather took it back to be repaired and gone thru, and wouldn't you know ... the little machine came back to life. I remember my Mom sewing all sorts of things on her little machine... it did everything!!!
When I "got into quilting" and took a few classes and such, I saw that the others there had these machines, when I told them the story about my Mom's they were impressed, and many offered to buy it from her if she ever thought that she would want to sell it. Of course, that would never happen, because if my Mom wanted to part with her machine (which she doesn't,) you can be sure I would scoff it up in a heartbeat.
Well, my Dad found this one somewhere... and he was telling me about it, and he wanted to sell it. Never knowing that I would love to have one, I told him I would buy it from him. I haven't ever got around to doing that, though, and Ed knew that I would love it... so..... as a surprise, HE bought it from my Dad and gave it to me!!!!
I would love to know more about this little machine.. because it was well loved by.... Flora Dennett... and the reason I know that, is she has her name etched in the bottom of it, and on the foot pedal. She didn't want to loose it, that if for sure.... I haven't had it running yet, but, I know it works just fine and come fall, I will certainly find a quilt to make on it.....and "Miss Flora Dennett" will know that her little machine is in good hands and will be much loved!!!!!