I went to a thrift store yesterday (like that's a surprise) and saw a machine. I was a GOOD GIRL, I resisted buying the machine!!!! (even though it intrigued me).
Well, this morning hubby asked me to look for him a pair of painters coveralls or a jumpsuit for a costume he needs. Where else am I supposed to look for something like that? I did warn him before I left that if the machine was still at the thrift store, it was coming home with me. Guess what?
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| Sewmore Model 404 |
This is a series 66 style Japanese made machine. I'd never seen a series 66 style Japanese machine before. All the Japanese machines I've ever come across have been series 15 style machines. See, you learn new things every day!
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| bed of machine BEFORE cleaning |
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| Serial # B5331575 |
Most of the Japanese machines that I've seen in the past have serial numbers stamped on the underside of the machine, and usually start with 'JA' or 'HA'. Not this machine. This is the only number on the machine.
This machine was filthy dirty!
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| see all that grime on the back of the machine? |
The cabinet is in pretty poor shape, too. It has a knee control attached to the cabinet, and all the wiring is connected inside the cabinet.
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| dusty wiring inside the cabinet |
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| plug inside the cabinet (after I unplugged the light and motor) |
The cabinet is broken near the knee control. I'm guessing that it wasn't built to take the pressure of a knee control.
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| broken wood from the inside of the cabinet, near the knee control |
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| broken part of the cabinet from the outside |
Hopefully hubby can help me figure out a good fix for this. It shifts every time I try to use the knee control. Really hard to sew that way (holding onto the side of the cabinet).
The plug for this cabinet is missing. There is a place to plug it in on the back of the cabinet, but, the cord isn't there.
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| where the cord should attach |
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| my temporary fix |
Because the hole is small, and the plug isn't flush with the wood, but is recessed instead, it limits what kind of extension cord I can use. I had to slightly enlarge the round hole so that this cord would fit.
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| 66 style bobbin area |
The bobbin case was STUCK! My son and I worked hard at getting it out. I've never had a hard time removing a bobbin case before. This is the same style bobbin case as in my Spartan, Tinkerbell (my 99), Betty (my 1941, 66) and several other 66's (remember, we don't count how many machines I have, or I can't keep on collecting machines/ per hubby).
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| all the dirt after the light and motor were removed (BEFORE cleaning) |
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| cracked bobbin tire and motor belt (borrowing a belt from another machine for now) |
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| dust and lint under the machine |
I didn't take any pictures while I was cleaning, but, here is my kitchen cabinet after I was done.
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| just some of the mess from cleaning the machine |
Here is the Sewmore AFTER cleaning.
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| stitching |
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| nice stitches |
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| after cleaning |
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| front of cabinet, missing hardware |
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| light works fine |
I need to figure out how to clean the knee control. It is still stiff. I'd like to keep the motor on this machine. I may have to order a different controller to go with this machine. I've never used a knee controller before. With the condition of this cabinet, I thing I may need to ditch the knee control and even the cabinet, and get hubby to build me a base for this. I'm just scared to work on wiring. I've never rewired a machine before.
Hey! I won something!
Sharon Vrooman tested a pattern for Beaquilter.
Beaquilter was giving away 3 copies of the pattern, and, I WON a copy! Thanks Sharon (for letting me know about the giveaway) and Thanks Bea!
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| pdf copy of pattern I won |
Bea asked everyone what 3 colors they would like to use with her pattern. Since I chose Red, White and Blue (Quilts of Valor colors, of course),
she showed what the pattern would look like in those colors.
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| 'Boxes!' in Red, White & Blue |
This will make a great
Quilts of Valor quilt, don't you think?
