Using A Vintage Sewing Machine: Preparing

I'm going to start a series on Tuesdays on how to use a vintage sewing machine. I know of some people that have inherited or bought old machines but don't know much about using them. I've used one since I was about 12 plus have aunts who have sewn since the 1930's. I'm not going to teach you how to sew but more of how to get acquainted with your old sewing machine and what it can do.

I will be writing mostly about Singers since that is what I know and have old booklets about. If your machine isn't a Singer that's ok--most of them follow the same general principles. I'll be demonstrating on my 15-91 pictured above and sometimes a 201. I have some diagrams of other machines I'll be using.

I'm not going to tell you how to rewire or clean your machine. Other places do that; such as ISMACS or the many Yahoo groups for vintage machines. You'll find varying information. Some people will say to clean with one thing and others use something else. Just try and stay away from household cleaners which can make the gold decals turn silver if not totally remove them. You'll notice my 15-91 isn't perfect. It has nicks in the paint. I tried to clean a thick layer of gunk off it and couldn't get some of it without ruining the decals so you can see how they're cleaned around but not on. I don't mind. It's a workhorse of a sewing machine not a museum model. If you can, identify your machine. If it's a Singer it will have a serial number on an oval plate on the right front side of the bed. You can go to the Singer site and identify it. Once you have the ID you can hopefully find a manual. ISMACS has some. Also Sew-Classic. For free. I'm a member of the Vintage Singer group on Yahoo where there is a section of files with manuals and loads of helpful information.

Older sewing machines require oiling. Buy some nice clear sewing machine oil. The manual will have a diagram with all the oiling points. I think there are thirty-something of them on the 15-91. After a while you won't even need the diagram to follow, you'll know them. I actually like oiling the machine. My eight year old son helps sometimes because he thinks it's neat. Hopefully he's learning to take care of tools and machinery.

Wipe lint and fuzz off the sewing machine before oiling. Don't drench the machine--one drop is enough--unless it's a spot with a little felt wick, in which case you put several drops.

How often do you need to oil? The Singer Reference Books says, "When the sewing machine is used all day and every day, it should be oiled every day. When used moderately, a few hours a day, oiling and cleaning once or twice a week is sufficient."

Often you'll need a few new parts. Many machines are missing their spool pins and felt pads. Don't neglect the little felt pad. It helps regulates the thread coming off the spool--not too fast, not too slow. The bobbin tire winder is often rotted. These are all available at sites such as: Sew-Classic, Cindy Peters who sells on Ebay under the name Stitchesintime, and Sewing Machine 221. I recently bought from Sew-Classic and was very pleased with the ordering process and my order.

You can get new bobbins from any of these places too. If you have the original bobbins, take care of them! Don't lose them. I haven't had the best of luck with the newer class 15 bobbins for my machine. I bought a pack at Hobby Lobby and none of them fit onto the bobbin winder. I bought some from Sew-Classic and all but one fit.

The only update I've made is a new throat plate. The old ones (at the bottom of the photo) didn't have markings for seams. A seam guide was attached to the machine bed. The newer marked ones make sewing easier. You can get one at any of the above mentioned places. Oh, I did make another update--I needed a new foot controller. You can get these from the mentioned places too.

Next week I'll write about needles and threading.