Datcat

I have written before, about how I love and adore vintage sewing machines.  Totally impractical love of course.  I don’t use them to sew, preferring the speed of my modern machine.  But they have stories, love and memories …. all stored up in them. I have so little of my childhood, that is either love or memory …. its nice to borrow sometimes.

Last weekend, I scored another treadle. After the experience of the “Great Pretender” I had been shy of buying another treadle, but this one seemed so dull and grimy, and in need of a new home. I was all set to be strong about this, to look at the machine from a practical standpoint, assess the work needed to get it back to its best, and not be sentimental. I insisted on seeing the serial number, checking the online reference to make sure it was as old as claimed, before considering buying it.

Its a 15K, not rare, but built in 1919, so still quite old. She has come to me, through only a few hands. She was bought new post-war in England, probably by a young housewife looking to make money to support her household during the depression. At the end of the lady’s life, it was donated to the Womens Institute (1980’s) as part of her estate. From there, it came into Ruth’s life. Ruth used the machine, to make curtains, when she lived in England. When she came to Australia, she brought the sewing machine with her. It has sat idle, loved but not used, since then.

Ruth is downsizing, moving on to the next stage in her life, and wanted to pass the machine on. She was a bit optimistic with the asking price, but I wonder if that was her tactic; as a way of seeing only buyers who valued the machine. I even said no at first, considering how much work would need to go into her. Ruth kept discounting, until I said yes ….. LOL, I am such a soft touch.

This is after my first step in cleaning ….. just a simple rub down with machine oil. I am a bit daunted by this machine, by the work it will probably take to restore, and I am worried about my ability to do it well. When I feel like getting down on the floor, I will get a bucket of soapy water, and clean her legs.

She is still grimy, but much better than when I first got her.

I need to get some polish …. for the silver bits. Not sure about all the dials and knobs though. And she needs a new belt.

That is her for the moment ….. I am sure we will have her back to her best eventually.

Rule breaking, especially when you sew, is usually a recipe for disaster.  But sometimes the universe works in your favour, and you find yourself having a win for a change.

I picked this skirt up in a second hand store. A lovely, well worn denim, with a really nice coffee coloured raw dye appliqué. It was a long skirt, and a couple of sizes too small, but I could immediately see what I could do with it.

And here is my first rule breaking. I probably should have measured properly, to ensure I got the length right. Instead I folded the skirt straight across, til I got to a point where it would go comfortably across my middle. I figured that given how I carry my weight in front more than back, this would give me the ease I would need. Then, just cut it off. This gave me a skirt that was sort of midway between an A-line and straight skirt.

A quick try on showed that it was a little firm across the hips to get away with just an elastic waist. I unpicked the side seam and inserted a zip.

I roughly cut two pieces of quilting cotton the same shape as the waist. These were stitched together at one side seam, and the I bound the bottom hem with satin bias binding.

These I then attached to the waist edge, turned to the inside, and topstitched along the top edge.

On the back, I measured a width, and then topstitched again 2.5cm down, to create a channel for the elastic. I anchored the elastic at the zip side, and then threaded it through until I came to the other side seam. Pulled up the elastic, did a couple of try ons. Once it was tight enough. I anchored that side down, stitching all the way to the edge of the facing.

After ages trying to perfect fit, I have come to the conclusion that the shape of my hips just works better with an elastic back. And since I normally don’t wear shirts tucked in, I am not bothered by it.

I am genuinely surprised how well this worked out. Its a wearable skirt, at a good (not frumpy) length.