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Scored a $60 vintage sewing machine and it changed my whole approach to making clothes
I hit up a garage sale over the weekend and found this old Singer from the 70s for just $60. It was dusty and the guy said it probably didn't work, but I took a chance anyway. Got it home, cleaned it up, and after a little oil it runs smoother than my $400 modern machine. Now I'm actually enjoying the process of stitching up patterns instead of fighting with my fancy one. Has anyone else had luck with older machines beating out the new stuff? I'm tempted to sell my current one.
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emma_perry19d ago
What kind of Singer did you get? I found a 60s Kenmore at a thrift store for $40 once and it was a total workhorse. The metal gears inside just feel so much sturdier than the plastic ones they use now, and it never skips stitches no matter what fabric I throw at it. I mean, modern machines have all those fancy features, but sometimes simple just works better.
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the_drew18d ago
@emma_perry right. The 70s Singers with metal gears are tanks. I notice the same pattern with a lot of old tools, not just sewing stuff. My dad's got a hand drill from the 1950s that still works perfect and you can't kill it with a sledgehammer. Modern stuff is built to be replaced, while the old stuff was built to be fixed. That $60 machine will probably still be running in another 40 years while the modern one ends up in a landfill.
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