my vintage sewing machine

the threading of the 320k

I realised recently after receiving a new comment on my original blog post, that I hadn’t posted an update about my wonderful singer 320k sewing machine since May 2010 when I was lucky enough to get her.

After falling in love with her, investing in new parts and then being so disappointed that she wasn’t working properly for me, I took her to my local sewing machine shop on Green Lanes and was helped out by a very interesting chap who took some small but significant part out of the foot pedal that stopped it sticking at top speed (a restrictor or something that is a common fault – who knew?).

stitch selectors which explain why it was called the typewriter sewing machine

He also fitted a new needle (correctly) and rethreaded it to make sure that was all in order and in no time at all she was purring like a cat again. The missed stitches were simply that the needle was in the wrong way around as it seems these machines will take the needle any way presented but there is a right way (bit of a schoolboy error on my part but you live and learn).

stitch samples using the typewriter keys

She is sewing beautifully again and has become my absolute favourite sewing machine. She is used far more these days than my trusty little frister rossman cub 7 which has been with me since I was about 13 (I also owe a blog post about that little machine so watch this space).

more stitches

Anyway my 320k (I really feel like she should have a name like Lilian, Ethel or Bridget or something along those lines; something solid and dependable) has been busy helping me make any number of things but the ones that I have enjoyed making on her best are the strings of bunting made for the 3 grand daughters of her last owner, Esme.

bobbin casing

One of the girls is named after her grandma and it seemed rather lovely and fitting that the bunting was made for them at a machine used by their grandmother. The girls aunt likes that and I hope the girls understand it one day.

bobbin for the singer 320k

She is ready for another good clean again now to get rid of all the dry lint in the bobbin casings and is about to start some more sewing jobs for me.

part number for the bobbin

I hope this update and the photos help Tony in Switzerland who contacted me about his own 320k recently, parts for which he is searching. Good luck, Tony and let me know if you find what you are looking for!

the hoarder next door

the singer 401 needle and threading

I have added another vintage singer sewing machine to my collection.

Well, I say collection, that’s stretching it a bit as what I have only amounts to 2 vintage singer sewing machines, my steadfast frister rossman and a miniature sewing machine that I don’t use.

the singer 401 top tension wheel

That, however, in the eyes of my lovely husband makes it a collection and me a hoarder.

But less about that and more about this solid little machine……..

the singer 401 needle and feeder plate

It is a singer 401 which dates from about late 50s – early 60s and unlike the singer 320k which has become the sewing machine equivalent of the love of my life, it was made in germany rather than in great britain. Nothing wrong with that I hear you say!  True, as we all know about german engineering.

The Singer 401 is heavy and very sturdy with a solid sound when you sew with it.  It has a built in embroidery and decorative stitch options with a lift up plate on the top showing all of these options. It also has a very sensible threading diagram in the inside of the hinged end for access to the needle workings and it has become another sewing delight in my life.

the singer 401 made in germany

During my research about it I found this fabulous blog about how to refurbish a singer 401 and it is full of fantastic information for anyone who owns one of these machines.

I spent some time a few weekends ago cleaning it and oiling it as, although it had obviously been looked after and was in good working order, it had been stored in a loft for a long time unused and was definitely a bit on the stiff side.

It isn’t as pretty as the 320k but it is a lovely sturdy little machine and I am generally very happy with my purchase. I have only found one problem with it that I am sure will resolve itself in time and once the oil does it’s work and that is that I haven’t been able to loosen the second dial for the stitch options. That  means, unfortunately until it loosens up I will only be able to do straight stitching.

the singer 401 after it’s clean and oil

If anyone is ever thinking of investing in a sewing machine, these old models really are fantastic and shouldn’t be dismissed for the newer versions. If you have some patience and don’t mind how heavy your machine is, these vintage beauties could be right up your street.

Some of these old machines are incomplete and a search on the internet is often required to equip yourself fully but this Singer 401 is pretty complete. It comes with the electrical cable, pedal foot, instruction manual and an in tact carry case. Whilst I was cleaning and oiling the machine, I also discovered that it has an extension arm for the working flat bed which is stored inside the carry case.

This extension also holds drawers that contain all the spare bits; the cleaning brush, screw drivers and lots and lots of different feet. It even has the receipt and ID tag for the service it received in november 1976.

I think it has been well used and very well loved and I like it so much more knowing this. I also love knowing a little about where it came from.

the singer 401 spares and extra sewing feet

That brings me onto the back story to the machine and how I came to own it.

I bought it from a lovely lady called Samantha who lives in Catford and she has been selling some of the things in her Nan’s loft on ebay. I had been watching the machine and when it didn’t sell, Samantha approached me direct. I picked it up some weeks ago but sadly we didn’t meet.

That has subsequently changed but more about that later……….

my vintage sewing machine

I was recently lucky enough to be gifted a vintage sewing machine from a dear friend of mine.

It is a Singer 320k which was produced in about 1958 – 1960 and was the first specialist embroidery sewing machine that the singer manufacturing company had ever produced.

From the first glimpse I was just a bit in love with it and find it’s weight, solidness and quaint detail very reassuring.

I was particularly busy the week I took it home and couldn’t get my grubby little mitts on it for what felt like an age.  I didn’t waste a minute when I had one though and bought an internet pdf copy of the hand book that instructs you in all things singer 320k.  What a beast of a book it is too with over 110 pages illustrating the huge variation of stitches that can be achieved with this amazing piece of kit.

In the interests of encouraging others though, here is the handbook as a pdf for FREE!!

SINGER-320K2

I did eventually sit down to try it out and it was so exciting to discover that it purrs like a pussycat when the foot was pressed and the belt threw the needle into action.  It was equally disappointing as it was exciting, unfortunately, to also discover that the bobbin case was missing and I still couldn’t sew with it!

I had become quite taken with this machine though and had set myself the task of finding a replacement for the missing part.  There was no chance it, or any other bits, were still with my friend so the internet and a few local sewing machine centres got my attention.  I spoke to some very lovely people on my search and although most were not very optimistic about the chances of me finding the part, they did all seem to think it was quite a rare machine and quite possibly worth a sum of money.

singer 320k

Now a gift is one thing, but if it is worth money, you have to be sure that the giver is still happy to gift it and doesn’t want a payment for it. With all that sort of thing cleared up and a conversation with a lovely lady called Rachel at Bogod and Co Ltd in East London (the Bernina sewing centre), I was soon to be the recipient of a bobbin case for my lovely machine!

It arrived a day later and fit like a glove and today I sat down to try it out and explore some of the thousands of stitches it can actually do!

I’m afraid I am off to the local sewing machine service centre because, although it sews brilliantly in a straight line and feels lovely to work on, it is missing a step on some of the intricate stitches and the power foot has jammed at full speed!!

I am heart broken as I have become quite obsessed with it and have already managed to get a zipper foot for it from ebay and am searching for other parts and bobbins.  I’m not giving up on it yet.

My wait continues……