Thursday, March 24, 2011

Resurrecting the blog!



Wow!  It's been such a long time.  The attic did get insulated, the stairwell was wallpapered, the ceilings in the pantry and the bathroom were repaired and the snowblower got a work out. Perhaps the best "repair project" was getting my Singer 301 back in operation.  It's a long story, but years ago I foolishly tried to unjam the bobbin by tapping it with a tack hammer and ended up breaking the hook assembly.  There are rumors circulating that I threw the machine down a set of stairs in a fit of frustration.  Not true.  I packed the machine in a plastic bin and sent it to the attic.  I rediscovered it while doing the insulating project and figured it was time to get it repaired.  I'm not sure what I would have done without eBay.  I was able to find a salvaged hook assembly, a new bobbin case, new "rubber tires" for the bobbin winding gizm0 and a set of 4 button hole cams in sizes that I didn't have. ( A 5/8 keyhole, yes! )

My fingers did the walking through the Yellow Pages and I found Mr. Klaus Heimann in Damariscotta, Maine.  He answers his phone "sewing machines fixed."  He lives in an apartment filled with books, vintage sewing machines and cat hair.  Warning, Don't let the cat out!  He loved my 301 and did a great job getting it put back together.  He even rewired the foot pedal.  While I was at it I also brought him my Bernette 4 thread serger which hadn't been fully operational for years.  Now it does a safety chain stitch and trims and overcasts the edge in one operation.  I don't use it often, but it's nice to know that it's available.  I guess it's time to sew something.  Stay tuned.  

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