Sometimes older is better!

I have an all-singing, all-dancing sewing machine. It is computer-driven, has umpteen squillion stitches built into its clever little brain and nearly sixteen years ago, it cost more than my first car!

I haven't had much time to sew in recent years, but today I got the machine out to make arm-covers to hide the mess that the cats have made of the arms of our sofa. I made up the pattern, cut the fabric and toddled upstairs to start creating.

My Bernina Artista 180 clearly had other ideas as it snarled at me and snapped the needle.

On close inspection, it was evident that the needle was hitting the bobbin case - meaning that somehow the timing was out.

I'd love to know how THAT happened. I mean, has the machine been taking itself off to sewing-fests? Getting down and dirty with overlockers and embroidery machines?

So I rang the Bernina people, who gave me a main dealer's number and THEY gave me the joyous news that the machine would cost £96.00 (incl. VAT) to fix and take 10 days. Humph!

I then found a mechanic who will do home visits - £89.00

Being somewhat short on funds (and wanting to get this job done asap), I considered my alternatives.

Then I remembered The Singer.

Some years ago, a friend kindly gave me an old, hand-operated Singer in the iconic bentwood case. I intended for it to be a fun objet d'art, so had put it away in a cupboard to await the right place and time to bring it out on display.

I rootled in the cupboard and emerged with the machine. It looked in lovely condition, complete with all sorts of feet and the original instruction manual, so I pushed the Bernina to the back of the table and began to set up the 'antique'. I worked out how to fill the bobbin and thread the machine up and then gave it a trial crank.

BRILLIANT!! Beautiful straight, even stitches. This machine is AWESOME. I didn't even need to alter the tension!

I finished my arm-covers and proudly fitted them to the sofa, then decided to check out my Singer's history.

My neat little Singer Model 99 was made in Clydebank, Scotland in 1916 - yes, you did read that right! I have just sewn with a machine that is 98 years old, that has not been serviced in heaven-knows-how-long. O.K., it doesn't have any fancy stitches, it just does straight stitch, but it does it well.

I wonder what things have been made on it over the years - the childrens' clothes, the shirts made and mended, the pretty party dresses. I wonder when it was put away, in favour of the electric version. And I am really grateful that my friend thought to give it to me, instead of throwing it out. The repairs to the Bernina can wait, while I reconnect with sewing as my grandmother would have done!

Here it is, with the Bernina in the background.