Then and now

[Six30]

likes these vids
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMFGHTcYX/

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

It’s a bit now n then so here you go. 

I love these machines. 

The skill and effort put into making these gorgeous things mean you can buy a machine that’s 100 years old and it still works perfectly. 

Saville Row tailors still use these old singer sewing machines because there’s no other machine that comes close to the quality of the neat top stitch. 

I’ve wanted one for a long time and did buy one in 2019 but when I picked it up the needle plate was missing. It was very frustrating at the time because the guy I bought it from just kept saying it must have fallen off in his garage and he’d post it to me…… grrrr.

I’ve poured over hundreds of these machines and it’s extremely rare to find one with the gold paint intact. The gold paint (and it really is gold) used is protected by a thin layer of shellac and is easily damaged usually where your hand would rest to push the fabric through. 

I’m very excited that this machine is going to be mine. I feel pretty lucky to have bought a piece of history, as if I’ve walked into a museum and bought a gorgeous exhibit. 

Anyway I know it’s unlikely to be anyone on here’s thing but I’m certain there are a few who appreciate the mechanical beauty of it. 

It was a choice between one from 1928 and this one from 1955. I wanted the 1928 one just because of it’s age and the lovely domed bentwood case but this one was in significantly better nick and is sold by Singer sewing machine centre who serviced it and demonstrated it’s in good working order.

 

Bit of geek out history- 

1858 SINGER brand introduces the first lightweight domestic machine “the Grasshopper” @Grasshopper  

Expanding fast with nearly a million square feet of space and almost 7,000 employees they produced on average 13,000 machines a week in Scotland,

In the First World War sewing machine production gave way to munitions. The Singer Clydebank factory received over 5000 government contracts, and made 303 million artillery shells, shell components, fuses, and aeroplane parts, as well as grenades, rifle parts, and 361,000 horseshoes. It’s labour force of 14,000 was about 70% female at war's end.

From its opening in 1884 until 1943, the Kilbowie factory produced approximately 36,000,000 sewing machines

At the height of its productiveness in the mid 1960s, Singer employed over 16,000 workers but by the end of that decade, compulsory redundancies were taking place and 10 years later the workforce was down to 5,000. Financial problems and lack of orders forced the world's largest sewing machine factory to close in June 1980, bringing to an end over 100 years of sewing machine production in Scotland. The complex of buildings was demolished in 1998

 

 

 

 

[Pedro]

6 minutes ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

It’s a bit now n then so here you go. 

I love these machines. 

The skill and effort put into making these gorgeous things mean you can buy a machine that’s 100 years old and it still works perfectly. 

Saville Row tailors still use these old singer sewing machines because there’s no other machine that comes close to the quality of the neat top stitch. 

I’ve wanted one for a long time and did buy one in 2019 but when I picked it up the needle plate was missing. It was very frustrating at the time because the guy I bought it from just kept saying it must have fallen off in his garage and he’d post it to me…… grrrr.

I’ve poured over hundreds of these machines and it’s extremely rare to find one with the gold paint intact. The gold paint (and it really is gold) used is protected by a thin layer of shellac and is easily damaged usually where your hand would rest to push the fabric through. 

I’m very excited that this machine is going to be mine. I feel pretty lucky to have bought a piece of history, as if I’ve walked into a museum and bought a gorgeous exhibit. 

Anyway I know it’s unlikely to be anyone on here’s thing but I’m certain there are a few who appreciate the mechanical beauty of it. 

It was a choice between one from 1928 and this one from 1955. I wanted the 1928 one just because of it’s age and the lovely domed bentwood case but this one was in significantly better nick and is sold by Singer sewing machine centre who serviced it and demonstrated it’s in good working order.

 

Bit of geek out history- 

1858 SINGER brand introduces the first lightweight domestic machine “the Grasshopper” @Grasshopper  

Expanding fast with nearly a million square feet of space and almost 7,000 employees they produced on average 13,000 machines a week in Scotland,

In the First World War sewing machine production gave way to munitions. The Singer Clydebank factory received over 5000 government contracts, and made 303 million artillery shells, shell components, fuses, and aeroplane parts, as well as grenades, rifle parts, and 361,000 horseshoes. It’s labour force of 14,000 was about 70% female at war's end.

From its opening in 1884 until 1943, the Kilbowie factory produced approximately 36,000,000 sewing machines

At the height of its productiveness in the mid 1960s, Singer employed over 16,000 workers but by the end of that decade, compulsory redundancies were taking place and 10 years later the workforce was down to 5,000. Financial problems and lack of orders forced the world's largest sewing machine factory to close in June 1980, bringing to an end over 100 years of sewing machine production in Scotland. The complex of buildings was demolished in 1998

 

 

 

 

That's a cool thing!

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

Just now, Pedro said:

That's a cool thing!

Cheers  

[Six30]

24 minutes ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

It’s a bit now n then so here you go. 

I love these machines. 

The skill and effort put into making these gorgeous things mean you can buy a machine that’s 100 years old and it still works perfectly. 

Saville Row tailors still use these old singer sewing machines because there’s no other machine that comes close to the quality of the neat top stitch. 

I’ve wanted one for a long time and did buy one in 2019 but when I picked it up the needle plate was missing. It was very frustrating at the time because the guy I bought it from just kept saying it must have fallen off in his garage and he’d post it to me…… grrrr.

I’ve poured over hundreds of these machines and it’s extremely rare to find one with the gold paint intact. The gold paint (and it really is gold) used is protected by a thin layer of shellac and is easily damaged usually where your hand would rest to push the fabric through. 

I’m very excited that this machine is going to be mine. I feel pretty lucky to have bought a piece of history, as if I’ve walked into a museum and bought a gorgeous exhibit. 

Anyway I know it’s unlikely to be anyone on here’s thing but I’m certain there are a few who appreciate the mechanical beauty of it. 

It was a choice between one from 1928 and this one from 1955. I wanted the 1928 one just because of it’s age and the lovely domed bentwood case but this one was in significantly better nick and is sold by Singer sewing machine centre who serviced it and demonstrated it’s in good working order.

 

Bit of geek out history- 

1858 SINGER brand introduces the first lightweight domestic machine “the Grasshopper” @Grasshopper  

Expanding fast with nearly a million square feet of space and almost 7,000 employees they produced on average 13,000 machines a week in Scotland,

In the First World War sewing machine production gave way to munitions. The Singer Clydebank factory received over 5000 government contracts, and made 303 million artillery shells, shell components, fuses, and aeroplane parts, as well as grenades, rifle parts, and 361,000 horseshoes. It’s labour force of 14,000 was about 70% female at war's end.

From its opening in 1884 until 1943, the Kilbowie factory produced approximately 36,000,000 sewing machines

At the height of its productiveness in the mid 1960s, Singer employed over 16,000 workers but by the end of that decade, compulsory redundancies were taking place and 10 years later the workforce was down to 5,000. Financial problems and lack of orders forced the world's largest sewing machine factory to close in June 1980, bringing to an end over 100 years of sewing machine production in Scotland. The complex of buildings was demolished in 1998

 

 

 

 

[XTreme]

[Grasshopper]

3 hours ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

It’s a bit now n then so here you go. 

I love these machines. 

The skill and effort put into making these gorgeous things mean you can buy a machine that’s 100 years old and it still works perfectly. 

Saville Row tailors still use these old singer sewing machines because there’s no other machine that comes close to the quality of the neat top stitch. 

I’ve wanted one for a long time and did buy one in 2019 but when I picked it up the needle plate was missing. It was very frustrating at the time because the guy I bought it from just kept saying it must have fallen off in his garage and he’d post it to me…… grrrr.

I’ve poured over hundreds of these machines and it’s extremely rare to find one with the gold paint intact. The gold paint (and it really is gold) used is protected by a thin layer of shellac and is easily damaged usually where your hand would rest to push the fabric through. 

I’m very excited that this machine is going to be mine. I feel pretty lucky to have bought a piece of history, as if I’ve walked into a museum and bought a gorgeous exhibit. 

Anyway I know it’s unlikely to be anyone on here’s thing but I’m certain there are a few who appreciate the mechanical beauty of it. 

It was a choice between one from 1928 and this one from 1955. I wanted the 1928 one just because of it’s age and the lovely domed bentwood case but this one was in significantly better nick and is sold by Singer sewing machine centre who serviced it and demonstrated it’s in good working order.

 

Bit of geek out history- 

1858 SINGER brand introduces the first lightweight domestic machine “the Grasshopper” @Grasshopper  

Expanding fast with nearly a million square feet of space and almost 7,000 employees they produced on average 13,000 machines a week in Scotland,

In the First World War sewing machine production gave way to munitions. The Singer Clydebank factory received over 5000 government contracts, and made 303 million artillery shells, shell components, fuses, and aeroplane parts, as well as grenades, rifle parts, and 361,000 horseshoes. It’s labour force of 14,000 was about 70% female at war's end.

From its opening in 1884 until 1943, the Kilbowie factory produced approximately 36,000,000 sewing machines

At the height of its productiveness in the mid 1960s, Singer employed over 16,000 workers but by the end of that decade, compulsory redundancies were taking place and 10 years later the workforce was down to 5,000. Financial problems and lack of orders forced the world's largest sewing machine factory to close in June 1980, bringing to an end over 100 years of sewing machine production in Scotland. The complex of buildings was demolished in 1998

 

 

 

 

Oh I love stuff like this.  My grandma had a beautiful Singer and then my mom had it for awhile.  As a kid I was not bad at using it, but I think I would need some practice now.  I should think about getting a sewing machine for making some curtains and stuff for my new home.

Thanks for sharing.

[Catteeclan]

That is very much like the one we had in the house as kids. Only difference I can remember is our was a totally wood cover.

I did some window licking in Bath when Samantha as in Uni.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.3794777,-2.3594188,3a,75y,47.89h,81.09t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sfl0_oYEefCVbtAxKiK4WnQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[Clive]

My grandmother had a Singer treadle sewing machine that stood in her front room...I never remember her using it for anything other than a table.

[Tango]

On 17/12/2022 at 11:55, Six30 said:

likes these vids
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMFGHTcYX/

I go on a few Facebook groups for WWII then/now pictures. I think one of them is DDay then/Now or something like that. Another one I like is Tom Marshall, who colourises old WWI era photos. It completely transforms the images. I guess it's a bit morbid looking at these pictures, but it does bring home to me the bravery of the soldiers and the futility of war!

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

8 minutes ago, Tango said:

I go on a few Facebook groups for WWII then/now pictures. I think one of them is DDay then/Now or something like that. Another one I like is Tom Marshall, who colourises old WWI era photos. It completely transforms the images. I guess it's a bit morbid looking at these pictures, but it does bring home to me the bravery of the soldiers and the futility of war!

I like the coloured film footage they do now technology’s moved on. When they started doing it it was so clumsily done it ruined the footage but now it make it seem more real. 
The footage they’ve done that shows people smiling and milling around outside their doors completely oblivious to what’s coming is always chilling. 

[Tango]