Thursday, September 20, 2007

Traitor

Singer Merritt 1872, I'm afraid your time has come.


I got this lovely machine years ago from my sister, who got it from a coworker. It came with no manual, and I didn't know what to do with it. It sat in my basement for a few years until one day I dragged it out, determined to figure out how to use it. It's been almost two years that I have been sewing with it now, but I've come to realize it's got issues. I have been spending a small fortune on tension control repairs, and it just doesn't pay to keep fixing it every few months for $80 a pop. But I love that it is heavy and all metal. Such a solid workhorse, it is. They truly don't make them like this anymore.

Gosh, I feel like a traitor. I've formed a senitmental attachment to this machine and even though it has been sewing like poo, it is so hard for me to give it up! If I want to continue to make money from sewing, though, I need one that sews well. You know, nice straight, even stitches; not ones with bits of bobbin thread poking up through the needle holes. Sigh.

I've been looking in earnest for a new machine for the past couple of days, mostly via Freecycle and Craigslist. I can't bring myself to spend a fortune on a machine. There's plenty of ladies out there who buy $1000 machines in the blink of an eye, but I can't do it.

On a lark I visited the Singer shop today and chatted with a nice young bloke who showed me some newer models. The commerical-grade line caught my eye, this one in particular:



Ooh. Shiny. This is the C-550, and I believe it is one of the only mechanical models still being manufactured by any company. All of the commercials are mechanical, but the regular homesewing line doesn't offer any, I don't think. Hey, look! It's metal and it's heavy! There's a lady on craigslist selling hers for $150 and she only used it once. Please let her get back to me soon! I've got projects piling up and it's kinda crazy round these parts.

Even if I were to get a new machine, I'd still keep the Merritt around. It would make a good paperweight.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

funny! I just acquired one of these exact machines from a friend. Could you shed a little light on the drop in bobbin system for the model. How do you get the thread to come out?
Sharing the love will resolve you of your traitor status :))).

Anonymous said...

Put the bobbin in (thread going counter clockwise) about four inches extra dangling out to the right. In the front of the bobbin there are a couple of notches, hook thread in the right one and pull to left it should slide under the little metal spring there and pop out the next notch. (takes a few tries). pull thread to the rear and slide the metal cover over bobbin. (assuming you are all threaded in the needle already) advance one stitch. pull on the top thread and the bobbin thread will be looped in it. bingo there you go.

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