I’m so thrilled! Not only do I have a new friend/estate sale-ing/thrifting/sewing buddy who does vintage sewing and lives literally within walking distance of my house (HOW did we never meet before?), but we went on our first joint outing today and I found these two amazing sewing machines at a thrift store! One is a hand crank with Egyptian style markings and the serial number dates it to 1917. The other one is electric with a knee pedal and is from 1920. I need to find tables for them, but seriously they are so beautiful- and not only that, they were 75% off the regular price at the thrift store! WOOHOO!
Aren’t the so beautiful? Machines back then were a work of art!!
Have you ever found a sewing machine at a thrift store? Please tell me about it!
I also wanted to let you know that I finally have a Pinterest account. You can find me here on Pinterest– feel free to “follow” me on there. I have now enabled “pinning” from my blog. Feel free to share, just please link back to me :) Can’t wait to see your inspirations on there!
Bri
June 5, 2012 at 9:41 pm (12 years ago)Wow, those are gorgeous! No I have never been lucky enough to find a sewing machine at a thrift store. How amazing for your to of found such a fun individual and so close to you too!
Beth
June 5, 2012 at 9:47 pm (12 years ago)Too fab! You lucky girl!
Nat
June 5, 2012 at 10:07 pm (12 years ago)Never found one in a thrift store, but found one abandoned by an elevator at a storage facility. Freebie! I left my name and phone number with the storage facility in case somebody called in a panic that they’d left Great Grandma’s sewing machine behind. Never heard from anyone.
It is a Jones treadle machine, and I believe it is from the 1920s. In original table, with original bobbins in the drawers. I’ve never gotten it running, but one day. One day!
Summer
June 5, 2012 at 10:40 pm (12 years ago)Nice find! Especially the hand crank, those seem rarer in the US. I found a 1950 Singer 66-16 in cabinet in a thrift store, ~10 years ago. It works great and fits great in an apartment.
It’s worth doing research and cleaning up the machines before sewing, especially checking out the motor and wiring. My motor brushes were in backwards–the motor ran but it was a bad situation.
Vicky Sue
June 5, 2012 at 11:20 pm (12 years ago)Where I live, in northern Sweden, you can find lots and yet again lots of sewing machines when out thrifting. I’ve got one with the entire table left, a Singer from the 1940s. There is a special thrift store out on the countryside where they always seem to have at least two-three old sewing machines in store, with boxes and/or tables for just about $10 each. It’s a shame one haven’t got room for more sewing machines!
paperdoll
June 6, 2012 at 12:45 am (12 years ago)They are lovely, I have a similar Singer machine, just so pretty! X
Charlotte
June 6, 2012 at 4:35 am (12 years ago)Those are so beautiful! My own sewing machine (the one I use for all my sewing) is a Singer 201K cabinet machine from 1959, which I got at a car boot sale for £20! It doesn’t do anything fancy, just a straight stitch, but that’s all I really need :)
xx Charlotte
Tuppence Ha’penny Vintage
Becky
June 6, 2012 at 7:24 am (12 years ago)What a find! They are in great shape, too. I love the graphics on them. Truly, they are works of art!
I have never found a machine like those at a thrift store, but I have found lots of other great things. How nice that you have a friend that shares your passions! Happy hunting!
Sheila K
June 6, 2012 at 9:00 am (12 years ago)I’m very jealous of your original hand crank. My crank machine has a reproduction crank, and it’s just not as nice looking as the originals. Nice finds.
Sabrina
June 6, 2012 at 10:44 am (12 years ago)So beautiful! Too bad all appliances can’t be that lovely. Congrats on the great find!
Heide at Apron History
June 6, 2012 at 11:04 am (12 years ago)How beautiful!! I love those old Singers. I can’t say I have ever found one at a thirft store, but sewing machines usually find me! Lol! I don’t know how many have been given to me. In fact the one I use right now was given to me, a vintage 1960s green Kennmore! I love her!
CoudreMode
June 9, 2012 at 4:09 am (12 years ago)I sew on a 1928 Willcox & Gibbs industrial machine and I love it! It’s a beastie and it does 4,0000 stitches per minute at full speed. Also that Eygption motif Singer is a rare beauty, hold onto it.
MB@YarnUiPhoneAppv2.4
June 9, 2012 at 6:01 am (12 years ago)I have yet to find a vintage sewing machine but I’m not seriously looking. My sister has my grandmother’s original hand cranked Singer (later motorized) with the original treadle. She even got it fixed…but I don’t know where it’s sitting these days. Maybe I need to reclaim it….
Erika Mulvenna
June 12, 2012 at 6:36 am (12 years ago)I have a machine just like the smaller one in your photo, it sews wonderfully. I just thrifted a vintage Singer 201 and my husband brought home a garbage picked Singer 66!
Alessandra White
June 13, 2012 at 4:48 pm (12 years ago)Four years ago I found a vintage Singer in a table stand sitting with a pile of other stuff in front of a house where people were moving. It was obviously with the garbage, although I did knock on the door to see if they cared if I took it. Anyway, I almost hurt myself lugging it into my car, and now it sits in a corner of the living room. I’ve included the blog link which has photos of it. Yours are much prettier, but cheap or free they are all amazing!
http://melmorestreet.blogspot.com/2008/06/check-out-my-big-score.html
LollyWillowes
June 18, 2012 at 12:45 am (12 years ago)I saw the Egyptian one for sale with it’s treadle table last year, oh, my, but I wanted it so badly. But they were asking well over three hundred pounds for it, not a chance!
Deborah Gyug
June 19, 2012 at 7:15 pm (12 years ago)I found an Elna (not the original but the next one-1950’s version) next to the dumpster at my apartment block. I recognized the grey case and assumed it must be empty. Gave it kick and just about lost a toe! And it works too – a little oil and a little tender cleaning – If it hadn’t been so heavy maybe the previous owner would have thrown it over the top edge of the bin and into the landfill forever! – Yikes!
– Deb