I didn't feel like sewing tonight but was bored so I decided to get one of my vintage Singers working. I have this little 3/4 Singer 99 that was given to me by a former co-worker. He had found it in his aunt's house and no one really wanted it so he gave it to me a few years ago. I looked it up online and it was born in October 1955. I really do not think it was used hardly at all. I did not get a manual with it but I was able to find the manual online free so I proceeded to oil the many places indicated. The manual says to oil every 8 hours of sewing - I find that amazing because I also have a vintage Singer 66 that my mom and I sewed furiously on for decades and probably oiled once a year. My 66 was well used and looks way worse for the wear than this beauty.
So after a really good oiling - I figure it hadn't been run since the 50's - I just ran her for a few minutes with no thread to get the oil all through her. Then I was able to wind a bobbin (one I had from my 66) and threaded her. Here are my first rows of stitching. I didn't even have to mess with the tension. This machine has a great rhythmic clickety clack of a mechanical sewing machine.
I didn't get any extra attachments other than the seam guide with this machine but I do think my ruffler, hemmer foot, gathering foot and 15/16 binder from the 66 will fit her. I don't have a zipper foot but I doubt that I will be inserting any zippers with her anyways. I really like the skinny feed dogs and may actually do some piecing with this machine.
I guess next I will clean up the 66 and see if I can get her running. The 66 was born in 1948 and my Singer Treadle, according to it's serial number, was born in 1910. Both of these will take alot more work than the 99. Jobs for the cold snowy days of winter!
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