Thursday, April 10, 2008

Miryam, the Obstinate Singer 66 Tiffany

I have had a diversion from the pressing details of getting ready for TOGA and my trip to Shipshewana, IN, for the advanced sewing machine repair class. I guess I tend to create diversions when I should be focusing on due dates. A bad habit that I used to get house cleaning chores done when I was in grad school. ;)

Well, this is what has been sidetracking my attention, Miryam, the obstinate one:
Miryam has Tiffany decals. I used to think that all Singers with decals with red in them were "Red Eyes" but when I went looking to see what the Tiffany style looked like, I recognized my own Singer 66.

This machine has been in my husband's family for years. It was on the family farm and his sister said she sewed on it when she was young. Al's dad says the machine belonged to his dad's half brother. They think it was Shorty's mom's machine because Al's dad remembers his mom had a White treadle.

Miryam has a production order date of May 3, 1916; not really an old machine for a treadle. My Lorelei, a White Rotary is older.

Miryam has been the most resistant of all the vintage machines I have worked on. Most anything that should turn didn't or did so with great effort. The handwheel is still cemented on the shaft but I can wind bobbins. I worked the bobbin winder by hand until all the parts functioned as they should. I am planning on getting some Kroil penetrating oil in hopes that it will work on getting the handwheel loose.

I have given up the notion that I will swap the presser foot bar out for one that will take ordinary side clamping presser feet and attachments. The screw that holds the presser foot bracket on the bar is stripped. If I can't get off the bracket, I won't be able to lift it up though the hole in the top of the machine. I am disappointed because I really want to use all of my Singer attachments on Miryam and do free motion quilting with the foot I bought from Cindy Peters. I guess I will just have to find another Singer treadle for that. ;)

1 comment:

Sally said...

Thanks, Missy! She is packed away and I use a Janome head with cams in the cabinet. I did save a side clamping presser bar from a otherwise rusty 66 that I stripped and gave to a tractor artist but it will probably stay a back clamper.