Let's see your sewing machine!!

[HeathenPeddler]

This is my first machine I've used my sisters old Singer previously but only a couple of times so this is all still really new. My partners mother gave me it, she bought a new one some years ago and this one's been sitting in the cupboard ever since.

It's got the hemming foot and zipper foot, neither of which I've used before so that'll be an experience!

[jenangelcat]

It's a Kenmore 158.1931, I have no idea how old it is.  I bought it at Value Village for $20, works great.

[missbentley]

I have that exact same sewing machine, mine is from Sears made in 1967. $20 - Good Buy!!!

[jenangelcat]

Maybe you can tell what the symbols for the stitches mean?  I've looked for a key on the net and in sewing books but nothing shows what the stitches are.

[paroper]

My Sears purchased in Mar, 1974 was TOL and didn't have the free arm.  I didn't realize they came out that early.  I would have placed it about 1975 or 1976.  Sometime shortly after that Sears started handling the Quantam machines that were made by Janome I would guess those machines came in about 1978 or 1979.  I don't remember if they had only a few made by Janome at that time or if they switched their entire line.  At any rate, that is one wonderful buy for that machine!  Hang on to it!!!!  Great machine!!!!

[laughingsquid]

this is my baby. i haven't had him for more than a few months so he doesn't have a proper name yet. he works like a dream! *swoon*

[stolendreams]

*runs round wildly in circles*

I just picked up a singer machine for £15 at a charity shop. I don't know the age exactly, but pretty damn old covers it. The lady said it had been there weeks and nobody had shown any interest.
It's old enough not to have a model number on it. Any ideas on working out the date and model number?

I will put pictures up later when I've found my camera

[TheDishclothQueen]

I'm too lazy to look for it, but somewhere in this thread is a link to a singer page, in which you find your machine's serial number and it tells you when and where your machine was made.  (Well, it gives you a time frame.  If you're really curious, you can call the 1800 number for the exact date.)

[stolendreams]

Thanks, I'll look for that

[stolendreams]

Here we go, photos






(excuse the sideways-ness)

The faceplate is plain.

Now unless I'm doing this all wrong (which is possible), I looked up the serial number and it says it was made in 1896