Well…….my dh wanted to spend his Sunday going to a swap meet. Normally I will find something else which I just HAVE to do….HE may find bits of twisted metal and other car bits and pieces laying on the ground, interesting….BUT I can’t really say that I do! BUUUT….This time I decided to go along anyway. MUCH to my delight, the so called ‘automotive’ swap meet had a lot more than just ‘automotive’! PHEW! SOMETHING for me to look at afterall!
Anyway….I must say that there was a lot of….errr…well..ummm..JUNK! WOW it is AMAZING what some people will try and sell you…and at what PRICES! LOLLL Nevertheless I made my way around the rows and rows of…uhhmmm…..stuff…. and then all of a sudden out of the blue, there right before my very EYES…was a lonely little sewing machine! WOW….NOW things were really getting interesting!! LOL
Before I knew it, some gremlin had taken hold of me and my wallet…and I had BOUGHT the machine…not knowing a darn thing about it or even if it worked! But, hey…it was a Singer and it was only $20 so…what could I lose? Right? LOL
I had NO idea it would WEIGH so MUCH! Thank goodness dh was not far away…..I managed to con him into hauling it back to the car for me…..
Then…back to the Swap Meet we went…. I continued on my merry way, quite pleased with myself! Then, out of the sea of stuff, SOMETHING caught my eye! There, laying on the ground, among a whole pile of other things which I do not care to remember…a wonderful GREEN MACHINE was calling my name!! Low and behold…..THIS machine came with all the bits and pieces, book, feet, cams…EVERYTHING and best of all….it was only $10!
I know you can guess where it is now?? LOLLL Of course, it is taking pride of place in my sewing room too! AND it purrs like a kitten, I might add!!
Of course…..the next few days I was all but CONSUMED with cleaning and reading and finding out as much as I could about my ‘new’ old sewing machines! WOW…I must say it was FUN to discover that you can find out EXACTLY which model you have as well as where and even what DAY your machine was manufactured, just from it’s serial number! I found out that my ‘new’ old black beauty was a Singer (OK, that bit I knew already! LOL) Model 201K manufactured on May 3, 1950 in Clydebank, Scotland.
I found out that my mean green machine is a Singer (Yes, OK, I already knew that too!) Model 320K manufactured on January 16, 1961 in Clydebank, Scotland.
All you have to do to find out is go here: http://www.singerco.com/ and ‘contact’ them with your serial number and a day or two later you have your answer!
Thank goodness for the internet! You can even find free manuals to download if you haven’t got one! (I wanted one for the 201K as it didn’t come with one!)
I also found out a lot of other interesting things! The 320K is rare in the US because they didn’t distribute them there BUT here in Australia, they are not so rare and if you are lucky, like me, you can score yourself one! 🙂
I couldn’t figure out how to operate the 201K as it didn’t come with a foot controller and I wondered what on earth that funny metal bar was up inside the case…turns out it is knee controlled! The controller (Absent in the photo, because dh is rewiring it for me) lives in the box to the right of the machine and the funny bar which is the knee contoller, goes into the hole at the front! I can’t wait to test it out!!
As for the 320K….I soon discovered it uses a different size needle than regular machines so I had to track them down. It uses 206X13 size. It was easy of course, thanks again to the internet! Margaret from KentuckyArgie (Etsy shop) is my needle lady and sure enough, she can order them in for me! If you need needles or other sewing notions, she’s your lady!!….These needles only come in 3 sizes now and only Schmetz make them!
NEXT time dh decides to go to a swap meet…I shall be sure to tag along too….why not? One never knows what one might find! 🙂
Cheers,
Love them! The green one is fabulous and not one I’ve seen before. I’ve only seen them in that colour in the featherweight style! How wonderful and that it works perfectly.
Singer are doing commemorative certificates for their machines (prior to the 1970s) for free on the website set up to celebrate their 160th birthday. There’s a link to it under ‘My Singer Story’ on my blog http://www.lovemaxi.blogspot.com if you’re interested. You just put in your name and the serial number and ta dah! a PDF certificate appears ready for you to print out to go with your ‘new’ machines!
Enjoy your purchases and looking forward to seeing what you make first with them!
Thanks Maxine! I am off to check out your Blog AND Singer! COOL! LOL!
I’m a sucker for vintage machines…I have 10 now! These are beauties. I’m amazed how how even they usually stitch and they can sew through anything! My vintage Pfaff has replaced my newer Janome. I also love that they are easy to repair. Great finds!
YES…it is great how they are easy to repair and replacements parts are actually easier to get a hold of than I thought they would be too! …..besides…there is little to go wrong with them, especially compared with the modern electronic machines!
Hubby has just scored me a Treadle machine in a cabinet…..he hasn’t fetched it home yet, so I don’t even know what it is….it is like waiting for Xmas! LOL! If you ask him, it is a ‘Singer Treadle’ …that is as much as he knows…………..
great find! 201’s are my fav vintage machines; in fact they’re considered Singers best ever machine (made primarily for tailors/seamstresses etc)…conversely the 320 is considered one of about 5 worst models. I came across one recently, but didn’t buy it; it’s not on my ‘want list’…the Pfaff 30 sitting next to it was about (at that time) 2nd on my ‘want list’, but i didn’t get it either; bobbin case missing! it’s too hard getting vintage pfaff parts so i said a fond farewell.
Enjoy that 201! She’ll serve you well 🙂
Yes I must say I LOVE the 201! It is interesting that you mention the 320 is considered one of the worst models…I do wonder why ….it certainly seems to do a great job to me BUT then I haven’t really explored all it’s possibilities yet….maybe it isn’t so good when you try to do something more than just the basics! LOL
Can you tell what type of needle the 320K takes as I just purchased one on the weekend. Yours was a better buy than mine. I also just read that it was one of the worst machines made but mine just purrs like a kitten also and it is in great shape but alas no cams. I just want to straight stitch with her anyway.
Hi Pauline,
The 320K takes a special needle size: 206 X 13. As I mentioned in my post, I got mine from an Etsy seller. I haven’t seen them here anywhere locally. Where are you at….maybe you might have better luck!
Don’t be tempted to use a regular needle as they are shorter and the eye is in a slightly different spot on the needle so apart from not sewing properly you could damage the machine as the needle will wack into the bobbin housing (Or whatever the technical name is! LOLLL) Well….I don’t know who says they are the worst machines BUT mine sews straight stitches beautifully and no problems at all….in fact the stitching looks nicer than my modern Pfaff! I do have the cams BUT of course, I haven’t gotten around to trying them out! LOL (Not yet anyway!!)
Vintages models have a totally different vibe about them.As you pointed out,most often they use a different size needle than regular machines. I’ve decent collection of machine, but don’t get time to explore it as much.
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Thanks for stopping by, Willie.