What's New?!

I haven't done any actual sewing since my last post, but I have done some sewing adjacent activities.

I've been working on the Chalk and Notch Fringe dress. First was assembling the PDF. This is NOT a no-trim pattern. Boo. I spent an evening in front of the TV trimming the pages. Yes, I know I could do the "fold a corner thing" but actually trimming gave me an excuse to do something sew-y that didn't take much brain power. 

I left the TV to assemble the pages and sort out which pages/pieces I needed and which I didn't. Thankfully, I can use my office printers and not worry about ink or paper because there were a LOT of wasted pages, like 10-ish or so pages just for interfacing patterns and 5-6 that ended up being blank after turning off smaller size layers. I don't use/need interfacing patterns and I either just block fuse (preferred) or I use the actual pattern pieces. I certainly didn't need to print interfacing patterns for a bunch of different sizes but I found the "key" for which pages to print kind of fiddly and/or my brain just was not on full power. I generally print ALL the pages (thanks office!) and the sizes around my general base size and then I sort out which of them I actually need to put together. 

The fabric I'm planning to use is below. It's the Fabric Mart navy blue/dotty rayon from one of my last posts, which is now hanging over my chair since I pre-washed and pressed it.

The big (BIG!) sewing-adjacent activity (previewed on Instagram) was bringing in my Designer 1 for service (finally!) and also coming home with this. 

Meet my new toy! It's not a top of the line anymore but it's certainly at least 50 steps up from my Designer 1. It's weird (and not gonna lie, still a teeny bit annoying) to have to wait for my sewing machine to boot up. But it's also very cool to have a 21st Century sewing machine. This one better not die before I do. Not that my D1 is dead — I expect to pick her up in a couple of weeks.

I went into the store set on a Topaz 50. But there were a couple of quirks I just wasn't thrilled with. Silly, minor things but things that would bug me nonetheless. Don't get me wrong, the Topaz is an excellent machine and I almost came home with one but … I spent a good 2+ hours in the store (an independent fabric store slash Viking/Pfaff/Singer dealer) and the saleswomen were very patient with me, letting me go back and forth between machines and do whatever I wanted with no pressure, and in the end, the owner/saleswoman dropped the price of the Sapphire 85 considerably lower than what I have ever seen for a new OR used one and that pretty much sealed the deal for me. If you're ever in my area and need a new machine or sewing stuff, I highly recommend Fabric Warehouse in Lakeland. (Side note and probably one reason for the extra good price on my Sapphire — There's a new Designer Epic 3 coming out next month that's going to cost ~$25K. It's quite a machine from the previews but for that price, it had better drive me to the fabric store too.) 

Here's the internet on my new machine. Well, sort of. I haven't actually created my account yet.

Here's the regular stuff.

All of my Designer 1 feet and accessories are 100% compatible, including embroidery hoops, which is great news because I have about every foot made and it's nice to not have to re-buy them. But I knew that before heading to the store which was another reason I stuck with same "family," the main reason being I'm just a Viking girl.

But there are some Viking feet I didn't know about until I started looking at new machine stuff, including an "interchangeable" walking foot. It's just like a regular walking foot except there are specialty feet options, such as an edge joining foot, a 1/4" guide foot, and others, so you can dual feed AND precisely topstitch/edgestitch at the same time. Cool, right? I'm not sure how often I'll actually need it, but I was stupidly happy one was included with my new machine. My name is Debbie (hi Debbie!) and I have a machine/accessories problem. ;-) 

I'm hoping to get my dress cut out before the weekend so I can actually SEW for real on this new machine. I will not be shopping for a while. 

A Bit of Shopping

I am truly and well back into the sewing thing, as evidenced by my recent shopping sprees. Yes, I have two cabinets (plus some bins in the garage) full of fabric. Does that stop me from adding to the collection? Nope. I feel I'm preaching to the choir.

In the top row below are ITY knits purchased from Gorgeous Fabrics. The solid black will become a top of some sort. The b/w print a top and skirt. And the coral/white dots likely another top and skirt. The bottom row are all rayon challis purchased from Fabric Mart. They are bit thinner than I was expecting, but they will still work for tops and dresses. They are being prewashed as I type. I hope to stay away from further fabric purchases since I really have more than enough and I actually WANT to sew some of the stash so I can finally wear it. But I had to dip my toe in a little bit to get the sewjo into high gear. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I also went on a bit of a PDF pattern buying bender. I now own the Chalk & Notch Fringe, the Itch to Stitch Nittany, and the Love Notions Saltwhistle. I will print them when I'm in the office next week, because free office printing is one of the perks of actually going into the office.

The Fringe will be first up in the woven category but not until I've sewn another knit top currently in the works (see below). I will definitely have to muslin this one and I'm sure I'll be adding length to the skirt and straightening the shirt tail hem. 

The Nittany below has neckline pleats which are impossible to see in this print. There's also an option for a keyhole in the middle of the pleats. Not sure which option I'll try, but this will be another I'll have to muslin.

And finally the Saltwhistle, which was on a $5 Friday sale. I'm not in love with the scallops, especially as tiers, but I do like the square neckline. I'll likely make a dress version with short sleeves. I'm sure I'll need a muslin for this one too. At least in Swedish Tracing Paper if not fabric.

The biggest purchase is a sister for my Designer 1. But by "big" I mean a mere fraction of what I paid new for my original D1. I paid nearly $5K for my original about 20 years ago. (Gah, How has it been that long??!) I paid $170 on Ebay for its sister. Sister seems to work very well, but it does have a couple of issues that will need to be fixed at the local repair shop. 

First, the thread cover broke off in shipping. Well, one of the hinges holding it in place. (My original D1 with the thread cover flipped up is on the right, the "new" one is on the left.) Second, the auto thread cutter "thingie" is completely missing so it doesn't cut the bobbin thread. This missing piece wasn't mentioned in the listing and the seller has not responded to any of my inquiries, so Boo on that. But the machine itself seems to work well otherwise so I'm going to keep it anyway and just get those things fixed and still feel I got a good deal. I can snip threads with scissors until then.

You're probably wondering why I bought a SECOND machine exactly like my original? Well, the truth is that while I ADORE my D1, it has some things that need fixing too and I've been just limping along for YEARS instead of bringing it in for repairs. I just haven't wanted to be without it while it's in the shop. Yes, I haven't actually been sewing for the last couple of years so I could have EASILY been without it (and I do have other "vintage" machines), but sewing and machines were not top of mind. Now that they are again, I just decided I must have a comparable backup. And well, just because. :-) I thought $170 was a reasonable backup price, not that I don't think my original was worth every penny I paid because it was/is and I still love it.

It's going to be a shock to be sewing with a working reverse, a light over the needle, and a fix button that I don't have to trick into working by re-selecting my stitch every time I want to end a seam. Yes, I have been sewing without a reverse for years. How ridiculous pitiful lazy is that? 

So my plan is to bring my original D1 into the shop next weekend and keep its sister at home to sew. Then I'll switch them when my baby is ready. I also might want to look at some new machines. Ahem. I never did spend that Pandemic relief money so who knows? 

Currently on the cutting table is another Niagara top. My last one was one of the last things I made a couple of years ago before the sewjo went MIA. I still love/wear it and want another. Stay tuned.

Orange you glad to see me?

(My favorite knock-knock joke as a kid, so I couldn't resist.)

Since I'm not working, I decided to spend some time with some old friends in the sewing room today.

First up, my Viking 6010, which I dusted off and oiled, prepping her for some topstitching duty. Poor girl, I've neglected her for a year.

Next a TNT skirt, Burda 8623, which I've made numerous times. So nice to just cut and sew.

But, no, I couldn't just cut and sew. I had to change it up a little bit, by stealing the pockets from Simplicity 2152.

The front half is done. The pocket bands don't look so contrast-y in real life. Just pics playing tricks.

My 6010 never lets me down when using heavy thread for topstitching. Here, I'm using a salmon-y upholstery thread for both needle and bobbin, with a stitch length of 3.0.

Tomorrow, I'll be submitting resumes, inserting an invisible zip (can you believe I have one in the stash to match this fabric?), and then finishing up the skirt with a rayon lining.

She's Heeeeeeeeeeeere!

UPS overnighted (yes, I just verbed an adjective — and now a noun too!) the machine to me so it was here at 10:15 this morning. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the original box or the packaging, so I have no idea what happened to it or what UPS meant by "repacking" it. I'm guessing they meant putting a new label on it for overnight service. I'm not going to dwell on it since it there was a happy ending.

The machine was dirty, but I knew that. It cleaned up great and has hardly any scratches at all. Just minimal normal wear & tear. It was missing its foot pedal (also expected), but the pedal for my 6010 works just fine and, frankly, it's nice NOT to have an extra pedal shuffling around. Looks like tonight I'll be playing around with all the stitches to see if everything is good. For now, it's been generously oiled and is soaking for a bit.

The case looks cleaner in this photo than it actually is, and the latches don't work too well anymore, but what do you want for $26? And am I really planning on lugging this 30+ pound hunk of metal somewhere? I doubt it. With my sewing room makeover in process, the case will probably end up in the attic anyway.

Also in the package was a Great Falls, Montana repair tag from 1987 attached to an old needleplate, with this note:

"Needle plate. Adjusted mach & reset needle position. Removed considerable lint. Reset tensions."

For the grand sum of $38. Don't you just love that "considerable lint" comment?

Lastly, with the instruction book for the machine were four additional booklets from 1924 from Iowa State College: Meal Planning, Design in Dress, Under Garments, and On the History of Art Needlework. They each have someone related to the original owner's name (per the repair tag) handwritten in the upper right corner. Thank you Anna and Dorothy E. Buchholz. (I'm guessing Dorothy is Anna's mother, but I have no idea!) These ought to be interesting bedtime reading!

* * * * *

Speaking of the sewing room makeover …I think I've settled on a way to be a cheapskate using my bin cover pattern. I will line them with old sheets or muslin and add a sewn-on "cuff" for the contrast. It's a couple more steps, but oh-so-much cheaper. If I was only making 1 or 2, I wouldn't be so thrifty, but I think I want at least 12 and that much cute fabric adds up quickly. If I wanted this to be a $200 project, I would just buy pre-made bins. ;-)

So a trip to Joann's with a coupon or two is on the weekend agenda, I think. Hopefully, I can find something that's both suitable and cheap because I won't be able to move forward with any other sewing projects until this is done. Thank you OCD.

Anticipation …

Remember this beauty? Yeah, me too. It was supposed to be here on July 2. Doing the math, that's almost two weeks ago. The seller quickly shipped via UPS and provided me with the tracking number. I watched the tracking info update every day for four days. Finally, it was in Jacksonville (4 hours to the north) and it remained with the July 2 delivery date. But on the morning of July 2 there was no receipt in Tampa notation in the tracking, which still showed it as in Jax. I kept checking the tracking every couple of hours, but no change. And then the calendar flipped over to July 3 and nothing. Still a July 2 delivery date. Sob! I knew something had gone horribly wrong and I was sending out death ray eyeball stares to whichever UPS worker decided they wanted MY machine. OK, just kidding on that last part. Sorta.

Then we had the holiday weekend which meant the earliest the seller could file a report with UPS was on Tuesday, July 6. The tracking was then updated to show a tracer request on that date. And there it has sat. And sat. And SAT. The seller kept me updated with the non-news from UPS, so I wasn't faulting her at all. Frankly, I thought she had actually gone above and beyond for a $25 sale but I was glad she was being so proactive. I want this machine!

I tried not to give up hope, but each day passing made that harder.

This morning, I received a call from UPS. They asked me some address questions, but didn't really tell me anything. I decided that they were only just now *starting* the investigation. And I think I was right, because a couple of hours later the seller emailed me that the machine had been FOUND! She said that UPS will repack it and send it back on its way and that it should be here within 5 days.

So the waiting continues. Cross your fingers for me.

It Happened Again

This Swedish beauty is on its way to me. It's a Viking 2000 and pretty much a mechanical duplicate of its younger sister, my Viking 6010. But look at that lovely green metallic. How could I resist?

It doesn't have a foot pedal (my 6010's will fit) and I have no idea if it even really works. But for $25.85 plus shipping, it can just sit on a shelf and look pretty and I will be OK with that. It does match the walls and will make a lovely "accessory." Although I have a sneaking suspicion that it will work fine. These machines are tanks, after all, and this one looks fairly pristine.

Of course, I do need to get that shelf to house and display my little growing herd. I think if I get my mom's table runner & napkins finished, I'll reward myself with a trip to IKEA over the weekend.

Review: Viking 6010 Sewing Machine

Price Paid: US $46 (Ebay)

Features:

* Built-in ZZ and triple ZZ
* Embroidery Stitches (with cams)
* Free Arm
* Adjustable Stitch Length and Width
* Adjustable Presser Foot Pressure
* Non self-oiling
* Reduction (Low) Gear
* & More (read below)

Likes:

My favorites include the low gear setting, the interchangeable snap-on presser feet, and the overall familiar feeling of the machine - me being a Viking girl nearly my whole life. The best feature for me is the ability to use heavy topstitching thread both through the needle and the bobbin, for topstitching jeans and other heavy materials with perfectly matching threads and stitches.

Other features are detailed below.

Background

My mom had (still has) a Viking 6430 that she bought new in 1971. That was the machine I learned to sew on, even though I did very little sewing until I was in my late-30s. When the sewing bug finally bit and I went new machine shopping a few years ago, I headed straight for the Vikings and wound up with a Rose and then later sold that and bought a Designer 1. The D1 is my current go-to machine.

Last year, the vintage machine bug bit and I bought a Singer 66 treadle and a Featherweight. The bug has still been biting though and I thought it would be fun to find a machine like mom's. These old machines are great to sew on, wonderful to look at in my sewing room, and just plain addicting to collect.

I decided to do some reading and research on the Viking 6000 series machines before plunking down any cash and learned that it was quite common for the permanently lubed, self-oiling models (from the 6030 onward) to "freeze/seize" since the original lubrication materials would harden if the machine had been left unused and unserviced for long periods of time. There are plenty of reconditioned series 6000 machines available that have been torn down, cleaned and relubed with more modern materials but they were probably going to be out of my price range for what I had decided I would be willing to spend. But worse, there are even more machines that look beautiful on the outside but have *not* been reconditioned and do have usage problems. I didn't want to end up with one of those.

However, I also learned that the 6010/6020 models were the last two TOL (top of the line) Viking models before the self-oiling feature was introduced, which means the freezing/seizing problem would not be an issue. A 6010 or 6020 would also be a darn-close match to mom's 6430 in both features and looks. Of course, there are still potential age/wear problems with any vintage sewing machine so you do have to be careful and/or lucky when shopping. I bought the machine via Ebay and I was lucky. ;-) It did incur minor cosmetic damage during shipping, which was unfortunate because it would have been cosmetically perfect otherwise. The seller offered to take back the machine or refund me half of the purchase price. I chose the latter. So for $23 plus a reasonable shipping charge, I can definitely overlook the few blemishes. I did have to spend about an hour cleaning her up. You should have seen the huge wad of lint jammed into the bobbin area!

Features Detailed

Adjustable Stitch Width - up to 4 mm, with micro-reductions available between whole numbers

Adjustable Stitch Length - up to 4 mm, with micro-reductions available between whole numbers



Adjustable Foot Pressure - Inside the hinged side plate, there is a numbered dial for adjusting foot pressure, which means you always know where you started/ended and can easily go back to a precise setting.

Instant Foot Pressure Release - In addition to the dial for adjusting foot pressure, there is also a red-tipped lever to instantly release all foot pressure.

Quick Drop Feed Dogs Button - Engaging the button on the front of the machine will quickly drop the feed dogs. Releasing the button raises them again.

Snap-On Presser Feet - One of my favorite Viking features. My Designer 1 feet also fit on the 6010, which is great because my 6010 did not come with all of the feet included with the machine when new. The machine will also use standard low-shank presser feet.

Reduction (Low) Gear setting - A great feature, and one for which the series 6000 machines are "famous." The reduction gear allows you to use the machine's full power, but at a lower speed for sewing heavy materials such as thick denim, leather, etc. I tested it with eight layers of heavy denim and various stitches. It works extremely well.

Reverse - The Reverse button is located on the front of machine in the center of the stitch length knob.

Built-in Stitches - Straight, zigzag, 3-step zigzag

Cams - Called "stitch formers," the 6010 came with 4 cams (4 stitches per cam) for additional utility and decorative stitches. All series 6000 cams will work with all series 6000 machines, which means the 7 additional cams which were introduced with later models will work with the 6010 - if you can source them. Note that the cams have 3 "prongs" on the reverse side. If any of these prongs is cracked or missing, the cam will not work.

Narrow Free Arm - Viking free arms are noted for being some of the narrowest available on home machines, which is handy for those sewing children's clothes.

Thread cutter - Integrated thread cutter on the back of the presser bar.

Extension Table - The included enameled metal extension table fits into the machine with a lip and retractable catch. It can be kept in place and moved upward to access the bobbin area.

Oiling Points - The oiling points are clearly marked on the machine exterior and/or in the manual for the oiling points inside the side plate. No gymnastics or semi-disassembly required.

Four-step Buttonhole - There is a special tension setting/mark for buttonholes, and each leg and bartack of the buttonhole is a setting on a dial so you just sequence through each as you go.

Front Loading Bobbin - Metal bobbins inside a metal bobbin case are loaded at the front of the machine, behind a little door which easily flips open even with the extension table in place.

Bobbin Winder - Bobbin winding is easy, with the separate spindle and winding area at the rear/side of the machine. Although not technically a "through-the-needle" bobbin winder, I believe one could wind a bobbin without unthreading the needle. I'll have to remember to try it! But since this machine is so easy to thread, it's not really a big deal either way.

Lighting - There is a bright incandescent light on the arm of the machine with an on/off switch. The light (inside the lamp guard) can be swung downward for close-up work.

On/Off Switch - There is none. You must unplug the machine to turn it off.

Carrying Case - The 6010 comes with a hardshell plastic case. (My mother's 6430 comes with a "suitcase" which I prefer.) Unfortunately, the carrying case for my machine was damaged during shipping. I'm not too upset as I don't plan on transporting this machine.

Accessory Tray - An accessory box which fits around the free arm and holds 6 bobbins, the stitchformer/cams, presser feet and other accessories/tools is standard with the 6010. My "pre-owned" machine did not come with its accessory case. It's easy enough to use another plastic box for the accessories.

Foot pedal - Very substantial and will not easily slide around the floor.

Instruction Manual - Very thorough and well-illustrated with photos and line drawings. Spiral bound. Easy to get up and going on this machine and all of its features with only the manual. Additional information on why and when to use various stitches, including extensive darning and mending instructions, zipper insertion instructions, and various accessory feet instruction. This is how manuals should be.

More photos and accompanying anecdotal comments are here.

Dislikes:

These are NOT major dislikes, just slight annoyances because I'm quite used to a more modern, computerized machine.

1. No on/off switch. This came in later models.

2. The needle plate is not marked in fractions or even in millimeters. Instead, it's marked with lines and 1, 2, 3. Not very intuitive, although it's easy to measure and get used to - or, what I did, mark with a fine-point Sharpie.

3. No multiple variable needle positions, but there is a left needle position so that's something.

4. No needle/up down setting. This came in later series 6000 models.

Monday Rolls Around Again

No pictures today but I should have some tomorrow.

This weekend I worked on the HP Weekender Summer in the City shirt. I'm almost done, but I've lost some of my motivation. It's my fault for not really looking closely at the pattern illustration, but this shirt is very 1980s and has extremely dropped shoulders. Not really a look I planned to revisit with my 2010 body, so we'll see.

Remember how I just recently said that sometimes Kimono sleeves work on me and sometimes they don't? This shirt appears to be falling into the "Debbie Don't" category. It has gathers at the shoulder yoke instead of sewn darts and while usually I love me some shoulder gathers, for this top those gathers mean there's a lot of fabric across my bust and into my armpit, which makes for a wider visual. I haven't made up my mind completely because the shirt isn't done yet, so the jury is still out.

But even if it's not going to be a style favorite, I know I will still wear it during the summer because it's loose and flowy and will be quite comfortable during our oppressive summer heat which is now kicking into gear. When it's 95 degrees with 300% humidity, you do tend to sacrifice flattery for comfort. ;-) But It will definitely work as an overshirt for our Artic air-conditioned restaurants where a sweater would be overkill. Well, that is if I would *ever* make the plain white tees that I've been wanting to make forEVER.

I've been sewing this shirt entirely on my "new" Viking 6010 to get to know her and do a real test. Well "entirely" except for overlocking seam allowances with my serger. I squeezed the 6010 onto my sewing table next to the three permanent residents (my serger, my D1, and my CS). It's a little crowded but I pushed the serger to the back when not in use and I have more than enough room. Remember, I used to sew in a closet. :-)

I'm so pleased to report the 6010 is a champ! And while I still wish it didn't happen, I'm pretty much over the surface blemishes from the shipping mishap. I've even edgestitched (evenly!) with it and a couple of my D1 feet. While I hardly ever used the left-edge topstitching foot on the D1, I've found it's perfect for edgestitching with the 6010, giving just the right amount of space between seam and stitch. I love, love that I can use my snap-on Viking feet with this machine.

The motor hums along, so quiet. Much quieter than my D1, which I already thought was pretty quiet. I really can't believe I got this machine for $46. I bet the Ebay seller can't believe it either. LOL! I've bought some more bobbins which should be here this week and I'm going to keep my eyes open for some original feet, but that's not a desperate need like the bobbins since my D1 feet are working great. But I know they're out there so I'll find them at some point.

Yes, AngieA., you *need* one. Bwahahahaha!

New Toy = Playtime on the Viking 6010

NancyK, this is for you (and for me too!).

I mentioned that I was hopeful the new/old Viking could be set up as a topstitching station. NancyK emailed me and asked if I had tried it out yet. Well, that was all the motivation I needed.

I wound my one and only bobbin (gotta fix that!) with Gutermann upholstery thread. I threaded the needle with the same thread. I put in a 120 topstitching needle, pulled out a RTW jeans scrap I keep on hand for patching up my sons' jeans, and I was off!

(Click on the pics for bigger versions.)



Above:
1 = straight stitch over 6 layers of denim, low gear
2 = zz over 6 layers of denim, low gear
3 = ss over 2 layers of denim, regular gear
4 = three-step zz over 2 layers of denim, regular gear



Above:
The backside of the stitches over 6 layers of denim. (The darker stitching on the bottom came with the jeans.)



Above: The 6 layers of denim between the arrows



Above:
Buttonhole (because I knew someone would ask!). This machine has a 4-step buttonhole. I just winged it so it's a little crooked on the first leg where I started.



Above:
Back side of buttonhole

Conclusion: I'm sold! All of this stitching is with upholstery thread in the bobbin and no tension adjustments. I just threaded it up and off I went. I definitely see a topstitching station in my immediate future.

* * * * *

Other likes and dislikes:

1. Like: The light. It's big and bright. And …



… you can pull it down for when you need extra brightness. At 40-mumblemumble years old, that's more often than not these days. ;-) But isn't that cool? (Uh, the light, not my old eyes!)



2. Like: The honkin' big and heavy foot pedal. I don't think this one will be sliding quite as easily under the table.

3. Like: An in-your-face button for dropping the feed dogs. Now dropping the dogs isn't hard on my D1 but I do have to slide off the freearm cover thingie and if it was sitting in a table it would be even fiddlier.

4. Like: A lever for instantly releasing foot pressure. No screwing something up/down. Just open the sideplate, push the red button up and in and voila, no pressure. Push it back, and you're back to where you started. There is also a numbered dial right next to the instant-off lever where you can dial foot pressure up or down. Admittedly, I hardly ever, ever adjust foot pressure on my D1 because it adjusts itself, but I still think this is a cool feature for an older machine. Why don't the newer machines have this? (I'll take pics later so you can see what I mean.)

5. Dislike: No needle positions or needle up/down. No Needle up/down doesn't bother me at all. But I do miss my 25 needle positions on the D1. But that just means I'll have to topstitch a little slower instead of relying on my cheater edge feet. :-)

6. Dislike: No on/off switch. My Featherweight doesn't have one either. You just yank the plug out of the machine and it's off. Well, yeah, but how much brainpower would it have taken to make a power switch? Not a big deal, but just weird.

7. Like: Her smooth curved body. I know this is why I don't like Berninas — I can't look past their angular bodies (sorry Bernina owners, it's just me). I grew up with (and into!) this shape and it … er … shaped my preferences. I also love the shape of the old black Singers. These old girls and me, we have our curvy figures in common. :-)

So, maybe now I'll go sew something for real. I've got the whole weekend ahead of me. Woot!!

There's Good News and Bad News

The good news is that my patterns arrived yesterday and the machine arrived today.

The bad news is there was some shipping damage to the machine, which makes me sad. In the seller's photos, the paint was nearly cosmetically perfect. A little discolored from time, but no major dings.

The good news is the seller has very quickly offered to settle via FedEx (it was insured) if I want to, and the better news is that the machine does work and seems to be in very good mechanical condition.

The good news is that I think I'm already bonding with her so I'll probably keep it no matter what. It was only $46 after all.

The bad news is she really needs some deep cleaning, but I can handle that. And she is missing most of her accessories (which I knew, but I thought at least I'd have one original presser foot instead of a generic). But all that stuff can be sourced separately later. Meredith asked if this machine takes the fancy stitch cams. It does. It came with two out of the four originals. There were 8 for the whole series of 6000 Vikings and they will all work.

I said I'd take and share pics of the delivery, so here goes.

So far, so good. No visible damage to the box.



Still OK, but I was beginning to doubt at this point since I could hear rattling.



Double-boxed and bagged, good.



No padding inside the case, bad.



Here you can see the machine is not properly seated in the case/cover. Uh oh.



And once I got the case off, everything tumbled out just like this — with the sideplate detached and banging around.



My heart sank when I saw this:



and sank more with this. The damage is actually worse than it looks in the pics. It's more than just a surface scratch. :-(



Besides the dings and grime, there were little pieces of plastic floating around. You can see one at the top center of the pic and another near the bottom center on the "ledge."



Those pieces came from the damaged case. Here's one side:



And another. I don't really care about the case at all. It would be nicer if it wasn't damaged, but I don't sew with a case and I'm not planning on traveling with this machine. And the "suitcase" style case is what I want anyway (just like mom's!) and I can find one of those at some point.



Up in the sewing room, set up, oiled, and being tested. The sideplate went back on no problem. It's meant to be removable. Just not in transit.



The big glob of thread and lint I pulled out of the bobbin area.




One of the seller's photos. Sigh.



* * * * *

Testing went well. Every stitch works. Every knob turns freely. Even the lightbulb works.

More good news is that it came with the original manual, which is actually a very helpful manual. I definitely needed to refresh how to thread one of these and wind a bobbin. I love that the last few pages are photos and part numbers of the original included and optional accessories. That will be helpful for future hunts, although my current presser feet seem to fit it just fine and the Viking ankle that Gaylen sent is perfect (thanks again Gaylen!) so I can snap on/off the feet.

So, while I'm very disappointed about the damage, I'm pretty sure I'm keeping it. If FedEx pays for the damage, even better, but I really don't think it's FedEx's fault and I'm not going to lie about it to get money back. I'm more inclined to ask the seller to work out something and file his claim with FedEx himself.

If anyone is counting: D1, Treadle, Featherweight, Kenmore, Viking 6010, 936 serger, BLCS = 7. I call that a good start. LOL!

* * * * *

On another note, as I said, the patterns arrived yesterday and I've already cut out the pattern paper (not traced!) for one and hope to cut fabric tonight if I can decide which fabric. More details coming soon. It's one of the new blouse patterns, w/o the tuxedo bib, but I'm too lazy to look up the name/number. Maybe I'll sew it using the new/old Viking. I have 7 days to make up my mind per the seller's original terms. I have some reservations about this pattern but I'm withholding judgment until I'm done and can see it on me.

Impatient

So, I bought two new Hot Patterns patterns last week and … wait for it … a vintage (retro?) Viking sewing machine on Ebay.

Are either of my purchases here yet? No!

Am I impatient? Yes!

Now to be fair, neither purchase is late. In fact, per the shipping confirmation from Hot Patterns, I expect the patterns to be in my mailbox this afternoon. (Hey Trudy and Jeremy - you know you could always hand-deliver my next order and we could do another lunch. Just sayin'.)

The machine is going to take longer as it was only shipped a couple of days ago.

So what machine did I buy? A Viking 6010, and for the reasonable sum of $46. In the photos, it looked to be in really good cosmetic condition. The seller says it works, but we'll see. This Viking is one of the last (if not THE last) models to *not* be permanently lubricated. In other words, it needs oiling by its owner. In other, other words, there's a really good chance it's not going to be frozen up like later vintage Viking models. Fingers crossed.

And why did I buy it? Well, sentimental nostalgia. My mom bought a Viking 6430 new when I was a little girl (we're talking early 1970s here). That 6430 is what I learned to sew on. Even though I never really sewed much before my late-30s (my mom sewed, so I didn't have to-LOL), I still learned how and could if desperate! My, how my thinking has changed - now I'm desperate if I *don't* sew. Mom still has that 6430 as her only sewing machine and uses it often. The thing is a tank!

So that tank is what made me a Viking girl when the sewing bug did finally hit me. (Mom is still in shock, BTW, that I sew for myself.) I was so much a Viking girl that when I finally went "good" machine shopping it felt almost genetic.

One of the many great things about mom's 6430 is the low gear option which can be engaged when sewing over really heavy sturdy stuff. Like my dad's leather belt, that dad himself had to try when he finally gave the approval to spend so much money on a (gasp!) sewing machine. BTW, that was in the days when machine dealers still brought the machines to your house to try out. Can you imagine? But mom knew what she liked and stood firm. Besides, dad always had much more expensive hobbies so he didn't really have much of a chance anyway. LOL!

I don't want to jump the gun too much before I know whether it works as expected, but I'm hopeful that it will be an improved back-up over the Kenmore since it should take all my Viking presser feet, and maybe it could be a topstitching station for when I make jeans and other heavier items. Or, it will just be a decoration. LOL! I'm already thinking I need a sturdy shelf on the wall to house and display my growing collection.

Hey — maybe when it gets here I can do a Peter, but with stills not video. I'm just not ready to see myself in video on the internet yet. I'll leave that to my sons, who have YouTube on speed dial.

They're Back!

Yes, yes, my men are back from their trip up north, but really, what's equally as important is my D1 is back too! My home is again full and complete. ;-)

Here she is. Notice the working Fix and Reverse buttons lit up, and the working lights. The bobbin winder is under the lid but it's fixed too. And, lastly, the needle threader works again.



These are the "bad" buttons. A $6.00 part. Well, only two of them are bad but the whole panel is one unit as you can see.



All of the parts totalled only about $40. It was the $89 in labor which was the biggest charge. But still, it's hundreds cheaper than I was expecting so I'm not complaining. Except to wonder WHAT TOOK ME SO LONG?? I'm still holding final judgment on the issue with the lights. The tech said that they kept burning out because I touched them with bare skin when installing new bulbs. But these aren't halogen lights so I think that's mostly hogwash. But I'm willing to be proven wrong, especially if it means that it's a $5.00 dual bulb replacement instead of a $xxx computer board.

It was strange sewing on it last night to test things out. It's been forever since I had a working needle threader so I had to dig into the brain cells to remember what to do with it, but I remembered pretty quickly. And the first thing I reached for when I started her up was the presser foot lever. Except — Designer 1's don't have presser foot levers. The foot raises and lowers automatically when you step on the pedal. It's funny how quickly you get used to (or UNused to) things. The Featherweight and Kenmore both have presser foot levers, of course, and there I was reaching for one of them on my D1. I had to laugh at myself.

Speaking of Mr. Kenny … Do you see his shiny new white ankle for snap-on feet? Well, that's courtesy of Gaylen who popped one in the mail to me and it got here in what must be record time. Washington State to Florida. Opposite ends of the country in two days. Thank you so much Gaylen! Sewing friends are the BEST! And now Kenny can use some of my favorite D1 feet.



And OMG but I swear this card was as good as getting that ankle! Gaylen is definitely a dog person who knows I am too and she taped the ankle inside this great card with Chili's cousin looking right at me.



My sons saw it and asked, "How did she know?" But Gaylen is a sewing friend and dog person. She just knows. :-)

Tablerunner & Napkins & Kvetching

Done! I'm sorely out of practice with the binding but some washable glue and Wonder Tape let me pretend I'm an expert. I had attached the binding to the front of the runner before the D1 died and after the meltdown I seriously contemplated tacking it on the back by hand. That lasted for about 8 stitches. I'm so NOT a good stitcher-by-hand (because I never practice, of course) and it would've taken for-freakin'-EVER.

Here's the back. Or, it could be the front too since theoretically it is reversible.



I'm still debating whether to toss it in the washer/dryer to create the wrinkly quilty goodness or to send it on to mom in its current state.

I made four napkins. If I had been more forward-thinking when I bought the fabric, I would've bought more so I could have made more napkins. But I didn't, so I couldn't. The napkins are double-sided. Each has the same backing so they can be folded as four matching napkins or four coordinating napkins. On the napkin from the "backing" print, I used the wrong side for one side, which is a solid blue.



Sewing with the Kenmore was an … adventure. (I think it's actually a Janome-made machine, since its model number starts with "385.") It's not a total bottom-of-the-line, but it's only one or two up from that. And I felt it. Even my dilapidated D1 sews circles around this machine. But hey, at least I have a backup, right? Trying to think positive. ;-)

Here's the "new" line-up. Look how small that thing is. LOL!



The things I miss most from my D1 are needle up/down, all the needle positions, automatic tension, thread cutting, and just the overall ease of the sewing experience. I had to test and adjust a lot more with the Kenmore. Some of it is because I'm just not used to sewing with it but most of it is because my D1 just does everything so beautifully without adjustment.

Oh, and I miss all my D1 feet! I don't have a stitch-in-the-ditch foot for the Kenmore and I REALLY needed it for the binding. I made do with a generic adjustable edge-stitching foot, but it's not as sturdy as my Viking feet. That plastic guide thing on the right is wobbly.



Another thing I miss — winding a bobbin without unthreading. And ALL MY BOBBINS. I think I have 3 bobbins for the Kenmore. What a pain. I wish I had thought to buy more when I was at Joann's yesterday.

The Kenmore is good as a buttonhole station and it's a decent sewer, but it's not a *great* sewing machine. The stitch quality is acceptable but not outstanding. The Featherweight's straight stitch is much, much nicer. Even my fumbling on the treadle produces a prettier straight stitch. The D1 stitching is easily as nice as either of the vintage machines. I'm beginning to dread the edgestitching I'll need to do for my sister's scrubs. I'm not used to having to work at getting a straight, even stitch. Spoiled, I know.

I did drop off the D1 yesterday at my Viking dealer, which is inside Joann's. It won't even be looked at until Monday at the earliest. Sob. But at least it's there. I'll just have to wait for the bad news.