In honor of the release of my book Sewing in a Straight Line, I’m very, very pleased to announce a super-duper, truly over-the-top giveaway. That’s right my friends: here on Manhattan Craft Room, you can enter to win … drumroll please … a SINGER SEWING MACHINE AND A SINGER SERGER! [Cue confetti falling from the ceiling!]
Yes! A sewing machine! And a serger! A SEWING MACHINE AND A SERRRRGERRRR! [Oprah voice!] Both of them! One winner gets both!
This is the Singer Perfect Finish Combo, a sewing machine and serger that come together as a dynamic duo, just waiting to infuse their sewing power into the life of one lucky reader. Sewing machines and sergers go together like peanut butter & jelly, and every sewer should have both type of machine in their arsenal! The sewing machine is an electronic machine with over 400 stitches, two alphabets, drop feed, an extension table, and much more. The serger features adjustable tension, four different rolled hems, differential feed, and more. If you don’t know what all that stuff means, just trust me, these are great machines!
To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on this post and tell me your sewing machine story. Did your mom or grandma have an ancient machine that still lives on in your memory? Did you find a used machine at a thrift store and wanted to learn to use it but never did? Do you find sewing machines more intimidating than rotary saws, yet you still want to try to learn? Have you never used a sewing machine, but have been dreaming of the day when you’ll give it a whirl? Do you have an old machine and really need an upgrade? Whatever it is, even if it’s just a memory or a wish, I want to hear your sewing machine story!
CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED, THANK YOU FOR PLAYING!
Contest Rules
This contest will be open for the duration of my blog tour; the contest opens when this post goes live, and closes on Friday, August 12 at 11:59pm EST. A winner will be chosen from the comments on this post using a random number generator. One entry per person, please.
Thank you for playing, and a huge thank you to Singer for sponsoring this giveaway. Good luck!
PS: Are you new here?
I hope you’ll come back to visit again! I’ve got sewing-related giveaways (including fabric, thread, sewing tools and autographed books) scheduled every day for a month to celebrate the launch of my book Sewing in a Straight Line, as well as sewing how-to’s, free patterns, and other crafty tutorials to share. (There will probably be some jello, too.) So please bookmark this site, follow me on Twitter or Facebook, or sign up for the RSS feed. Nice to e-meet you, and thanks for stopping by! xoxo
{ 8 trackbacks }
{ 1925 comments… read them below or add one }
This is to die for! My sewing story: My grandmother taught me the basics of sewing when I was a little gal. She was an avid quilter and I really cherish those quilts I have of hers. I want to be able to quilt and sew various items for myself, my family, and my home. I have a lot of dreams, but not the machinery to make it happen! Winning this giveaway would be a dream come true!
This is my first time on this site, how great! Congrats on the book release!
I would die of happiness if I won this Singer, me and my sister sketch designs all the time and would love to have an actually working (rather than the ancient singer our grandmother gave us) to attempt to make them come to life!
HI Brett!! Congratulations on the book! It looks great, the new website looks great too.
My grandmother gave me a sewing machine for my 11th or 12th birthday. It was back in the day when sewing machines were serious business. That sucker is heavy and it’s still going.
My mom taught me to sew when I was a child. It started by sewing on buttons and then doing the hem work (by hand…ugh). My mom sewed for other people the whole time I was growing up, so we always heard the whirr of the machine. I remember when she bought a serger, they were new to home seamstresses at the time and was super expensive. She still has it but doesn’t use it because she doesn’t know how to thread it and her lady who always worked on it is no longer around.
I learned to sew on her old machine, which went somewhat slow, but was great for a teenager learning to do it. Then I got my own machine which was like going from a station wagon to a sports car. I had the worst trouble with it because it went so fast all the time. So, Mom took that machine and the last time I got a machine it was a very basic machine. Since I don’t sew anymore, that one has disappeared as well.
I’m about to move by the end of the year and I would love to have a machine and serger to be able to sew items for my “new” home (it’s actually a 1927 home with original architectural details). My mama raised me that Singer was the brand to use…always.
I am an off and on sewer. In college my parents bought me a portable machine at JC Penney’s. I kept that machine for 35 years – it was metal inside and sewed basic zigzag’s as well as straight. I sewed my way through graduate school and sewed when I gained and lost weight. We moved to Maine in an old farm house and I sewed curtains for all the windows. I measured and sewed and sewed and sewed. It needed repairing only once. When I took it in to the shop the man told me never to get rid of it. It was a great machine with a fake label. Still, life got busy again and I didn’t sew. I retired and we moved across the country and I gave the machine away [big mistake]. Now I have a lightweight machine that is not fun to use. I would adore those machines – I know they would change my life for the better. I read blogs by sewers and am green with envy.
Dang. Just dang.
So my mom has an ancient made-of-lead sewing machine, and she was always making things on it while I was in high school. Just out of college, I asked if I could have it, and she stared at me like I was nuts–the thing weighed a ton, and was older than me! So that year for my birthday she bought me a good starter machine–a Brother Pacesetter. Ten years later and I’m still using that somewhat dinky machine! It of course doesn’t weigh a ton but is getting to be past its prime, for what it is. Time for an upgrade!
My mom is a fantastic quilter and she tried to teach me to sew but I really wasn’t interested in it at the time. But recently it has become something that I am absolutely facinated with. And of course the chance to make myself some properly fitted clothing would be icing on the cake. I’ve been looking on Craigslist for some used machines since I don’t exactly know what type of machine I’d like, but they are all antique Singers! They look gorgeous but definitely not for a beginning sewer like myself.
Thanks for the chance to win such an amazing prize package! Keep up the great tutorials! I have bookmarked several of them for when I finally get myself a sewing machine. Cheers!
I’m coming back to my crafting and sewing roots these days, having just started embroidering, and thinking about getting a sewing machine. My mom is a supreme sewer of all things, and dazzled me as a kid with her creations. I knew vaguely that there was some cultural class shame about wearing homemade things, but my mom was just so good at it, I loved everything she made me. (To wit, this was my favorite outfit as a kid: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=282794396175&set=t.550566175 )
She created everything from clothes to intensely complicated Halloween costumes to a junior high formal dance dress that all the cool girls wondered where I bought it from. A few years ago, she decided she wanted to teach me to sew again, and we embarked on a project to make a simple handbag. It’s too much to post here, but picture several glasses of wine, (very) furry black and silver sparkly material and a flip cam… the rest is history.
Now that she’s retiring in a few weeks, she’s going to be spending a lot more time in NYC with me, and I’ve been thinking about taking up sewing as something we can do together when she’s here, or when I’m up at her house. She’s a quilter (and sometimes dog-clothes maker), and I’d like to be able to make stuff for my still barely-decorated apartment I’ve lived in for 3 years now. Surprising her with a machine like this would just make those plans all the more sweet, given our sewing and craft history.
WOW Brett! New site looks AMAZING!!!!
Congrats on the book coming out!!!!
Out of frustration from “make me this! make me this!” my mom taught me the basics of sewing….I taught myself the rest. I wish I had you and youtube back then, it would have saved a lot of fabric and frustration.
I have an old reliable Bernina that I wouldn’t give up for the world. I’ve stitched through leather, plastic and even a foil windshield sun blocker (KISS costume, and yes, it was AWESOME!!!)
A new Singer with programmed stitches sure would be useful…..and I was JUST thinking, while doing alterations last night, how badly I needed to invest in a SERRRRGERRRR!
I have never sewn with a sewing machine. My wife has several machine, some ancient and some new. I very much would like to learn how to make shirts for myself. I am very particular about shirts and how they fit/feel. I have already purchased and read two books on sewing shirts; I am ready to get hands-on. I would love to win my own sewing tools.
Dave
My grandmother had one of those treadle sewing machines that I was always fascinated by but I wasn’t allowed to touch. My mother had a sewing machine that we had to figure out how to use because the instructions were in Japanese! She sent me to sewing classes at the Singer store and my aunt gave me her Singer machine. It was a touch n’ sew with a pink front plate. No electronics back then. When I was on my own, I bought a Kenmore machine, which I still have. It’s about 30 years old now. My sister-in-law passed away last year and I have her Viking but that’s got some years on it too. I would love to have newer machines with bells and whistles. These look gorgeous. What a great giveaway. Wanda
I would so love to win these. My sewing machine is dieing a slow death…it needs to be replaced…
What an amazing giveaway! Loving the videos, too!
I’ve been sewing since I was a kid and my mom teaches sewing out of our home. When I left for fashion school, she gave me one of her student machines, a Kenmore. That was 7 years ago, and that Kenmore has taken a lot of abuse! It’s a great machine, but could stand to be replaced. When I got married, one of my in-laws’ gifts to me was my husband’s grandmother’s old pedal Singer sewing machine. It’s gorgeous! Tough to work, though. Takes more finesse than I have. I was honored to have it, but I’ve been wanting a new machine and a serger for YEARS!! Crossing my fingers! Thanks Brett!
wow, what an amazing giveaway! I fell in love with sewing in college, where I had access to really great equipment 24/7. I eventually saved up to buy a machine of my own, but it is very basic. I love the idea that you can make almost anything in a relatively short time using a sewing machine. being able to hem dresses and construct skirts and make your own curtains (and on and on and on) is such a powerful, liberating feeling in this culture!
thank you so much for the giveaway!
My mom tried and tried to teach me to sew, but I never really got the hang of it. When I was 15 I found a skirt pattern I fell in love with and wanted to make it for picture day. It was a NIGHTMARE!! I was up trying to finish it with mom’s help well past midnight the day before pictures. It was a wrap skirt that was supposed to close with a button….it never did get that button. I still wore it proudly with a safety-pin for picture day, not that you could SEE the skirt in my school pictures:) I inherited a very old Singer from my husband’s grandmother and used that for a couple of years until my mom gave me her last Singer when she got a new Bernina. I still don’t use my machine to make clothing, but it gets a lot of use with different crafts I find to do. Even though I never really learned to “sew” like my mom, I enjoy getting it out for one thing or another:)
My grandmother had a machine, but the sewing she did was not for hobby — it was necessity! She made clothes for all 5 of her kids. When she got older, I think she liked doing it a lot more. She once made me a beautiful evergreen cape for my birthday. My mom sews, too, and she’s the one who taught me the more hobby/fun side.
Congratulations on the book and new website I made a dress in Home Ec that barely earned me a passing grade. I’ve been intimidated ever since. Your videos have renewed my interest. Who new putting in a zipper could be so simple. Thanks to you and Singer for this great giveaway.
Wow wow wow. What a great prize.
Not much of a story to tell really lol.
We have always had a sewing machine sat around the house. The first thing I remember being made for me was an awesome school uniform and then I remember my Mum making me maternity clothes to work in. Not much sewing went on really but always a machine to stare at. I however have recently started sewing. Just simple easy things. I love log cabin patchwork, I make them into pin cushions – sew easy. Just started a bag from a kit. I managed to get myself a little second hand singer which after using the old Hanging around machine runs sooo smooth and doesn’t clog up. (I never realised you could complete a whole project without having to stop and untangle) but I would love a top of the range machine that sews alphabets- how amazing would that be, So many projects wizzing around in my head. It would come in for all of my Crafts that I love.
Thank you so much for the chance to be able to win one. xxxxx
What an amazing giveaway Brett!! My mom had an antique singer sewing machine, the kind that sits in the table. I never saw her use it, she had a new one. She made everything with her sewing machine! I learned how to sew when I was about 10 but never really made anything big. A few years ago I bought one myself and started up again. I made a few dresses and skirts for my little one. I usually make something for holidays. It doesn’t come out often, but I would love to make some super duper awesome items!
My mom taught me how to hand-sew when I was in elementary school, and my Great Auntie was an amazing quilt-maker (all hand-sewn), so I had lots of inspiration. But I didn’t learn how to sew with a machine until 7th Grade Home Economics class. My mom let me use her Singer after I finished that class. It’s a real shame sewing class is no longer available in public schools! It was a required part of the curriculum back when I was in junior high. I LOVED that class and learned a ton. Later, as an adult, sewing came in handy when I was a mom making clothes and costumes for my kids. I’ve saved piles of money with my sewing machine. Now I’d like my daugher (23 yrs old) to learn to sew, especially on Singer, the brand I grew up with, the brand in my sewing class, and the brand I still LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!
I have access to several machines, Grandma has three and my mother has one(none of them mine). I would like to make or modify chihuahua clothing. WINNING these two machines would help in that dream. Thanks for this wonderful opportunity.
Love BRETT
My great grandmother started teaching me to sew when I was very, very young. We made clothes for my baby dolls. Years later, after she passed away, I found her sewing machine – a 1940′s built into a table model Singer – sitting on my grandmother’s back porch with its table being eaten by termites. I rescued it, but not the table. Meanwhile, I bought myself a Shark machine, and used it and loved it for a good long time. But, alas, it’s starting to have more and more troubles and because it’s not one of the More Respected Brands my local sewing machine repair place won’t touch the thing. I’ve been in the market for a new machine for a while now, but would love the chance to win one.
Oh do I need these!!!! I got a sewing machine for my college graduation but it recently broke and I don’t have the money to fix it yet. I think I’m going through crafting withdrawals.
My mom has let me borrow my grandma’s old sewing machine. It is an antique that you have to pump with your foot. It still works, but I definitely miss my old broken Singer. And I’ve always wanted a serger!! I make elaborate Halloween costumes every year and this year I have a new baby to make a costume for. I will definitely need new machines to dress up my little one!! 
One of my earliest memories of my Grandma is sitting on her lap while she sewed. She had an old singer in her dining room that fit into a tabletop. I think it was avocado green! She was AMAZING!! She sewed all my Mom’s formalwear for high school and college, and even sewed my Mom’s six bridesmaid dresses for her wedding (also dressed for her two flower girls!!). Can you imagine?! She made me a beautiful red and white coat for Christmas when I was about 18 months (see it here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lelah/3251575281/in/set-72157622181369029 ) I wish I had a pic of the bridesmaid’s dresses online, it was 1974, so there were very 70s and pretty ridiculous (blue and white gingham, floor length, all perfectly done). But anyway, thankfully she taught my Mom because I was always 6″ taller than everyone, and my Mom had to sew all my dresses when I was little, too. She would add 3″ to the bodice and 3″ to the hem. I took lessons in high school after we had moved away, and eventually did buy myself a cheap $99 hunk of junk that I TRY to make work… but it’s truly a piece of crap and I’d love to win this set and keep the family tradition of dressmaking alive. I have a gorgeous 2 month old daughter that I hope to sew for, and I still have the red and white coat that I hope to dress her in when she is bigger. My family is everything to me, and so are our traditions. Sewing and crafting in general is one of them, and this would help keep our family’s tradition alive! Thanks, Brett, Can’t wait to read the book!!!
My mom taught me to cross-stitch when I was little and I can manage sewing on a button or stitching together a hole in my sock, but that’s about as far as my sewing skills go. I’ve been curious to learn how to sew for quite some time, but a machine just hasn’t been in my budget. I remember my mom making clothes for my sister and I all the time when we were kids. Every spring we’d go to the fabric store and pick out our fabrics, which was particularly fun when jams were in style. (Remember those? Oh, what were we thinking?!? For those of you too young to remember jams: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jams )
When my grandmother passed away a few years ago, I inherited some great old fabric (think 1970′s stripes) and snaps as well as some vintage shirt patterns (same era). I would love to learn to make these, but there’s no way I’m about to attempt such a thing by hand. I had intended to ask my girlfriend to help me out with this since she has a sewing machine, but she broke up with me about 8 weeks ago so I don’t imagine that will be happening. Which also means I find myself with much more time on my hands for learning new things like sewing. So, yeah. I think a sewing machine (and possibly a serger – whatever that does) could help me out with this.
I did turn an old sweater into a pillow once, but then the cat peed on it. Guess he didn’t like it. I suppose I’m lucky he didn’t decide to pee on me when I was wearing that sweater.
This is an awesome give away! My 18 year old daughter and I are currently learning to sew together. I love your show Knit and Crochet Now! I have learned so much from you already. I will definately have to check out your sewing advice. Good luck with the new book!
My mother is a fantastic seamstress. She made everything from my school book covers when I was a kid to my sister’s wedding gown. I took a sewing class when I was in the 4-H club when I was little, but I never really understood anything about it. Now that I’m older, I see the value in sewing. Everything from clothing to small gifts are important and can become heirloom projects. I would love to learn to sew in order to make things for my son and also have another artform in my crafty arsenal. I have been crocheting since I was eight years old and would love to somehow combine the two- maybe sewing curtains and adding crocheted embellishments? Your book looks like it has a lot of wonderful ideas in it and I’m looking forward to reading it.
Can’t wait to see your book! Projects look great.
My husband and I inherited from his grandmother, a sewing machine and cabinet combo. What makes this especially cool is the discovery of the original manual and a sewing workbook! In Grandmother’s own hand, are her notes and swatches where she practiced the exercises presented in the workbook.
My mom gave me a featherweight a few years ago and I’ve been sewing ever since. Napkins, placemats, tote bags, baby blankets, etc. As a full-time graphic designer, sewing has become the perfect balance of creativity when I’m at home. I love taking a break from the computer to make something with my hands!
A dream come true is all I can say! Thank you for the opportunity to win such a wonderful prize!
My mom never really learned how to sew but could make a patch out of an old pair of jeans and make that patch stay on pair of my dad’s torn jeans. I grew up in “the middle of nowhere” and we didn’t really have spare money to throw around. Somewhere in my tweens she said she felt it was important I learn how to sew and I really should learn to sew from someone who knew what they were doing so she signed me up to take lessons from a local (20 miles away) fabric store. There was another girl there at the same time as me and randomly we were put at 2 different machines. Hers had all sorts of bells and whistles while mine was pretty much a basic machine. I would go there every week for instruction and to work on my wrap skirt project. At the end I had made a skirt (that I loved wearing), had learned enough to be able to make projects on my own, and we purchased the machine on which I learned to sew. Looking back, I’m not sure how my parents afforded the lessons let alone helped me buy the sewing machine. I went on to make more projects and clothes on my own and still do today. (I even was able to make a customized dress, combining 2 entirely different patterns. I liked the top of one and the bottom of the other so decided to take my favorite parts of each and make them into one. It was an awesome dress!) That machine is still the same one I use today. It sometimes has its troubles but we get by. For years I’ve dreamed of having a serger. A new sewing machine and serger would be beyond a dream come true!
I learned to sew when I was 17 in the “Basic Clothing” class that my high school offered, which was taught by Sister Mary Margaret Ann. I drove that poor woman nuts. Despite being a bit prickly and persnickety, she was a great teacher and taught me all the sewing skills I needed, all of which I still use today. The classroom was magical… table after table of sewing machines, huge fabric-cutting tables, plus two much-coveted sergers! I think of Sister Mary Margaret Ann and that classroom almost every time I sew.
Hi Brett!
Congrats on your book. I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy and learn a new thing or two.
I learned to sew on my mother’s sewing machine. It was a singer model from the early 80s that weighed a ton! She’d let me create small items with her leftover fabric scraps. I remember one time trying to make a purse out of a pinkish mauve fabric that had little white dots that she used to cover a bench cushion. I was only six years old, but I attempted to hand sew a bow I made out of the fabric onto the front of my purse. I didn’t use enough thread in my needle, so it was an impossible task to finish.
Thank you for the giveaway!
Oh wow…do I want one of those!
I remember that my grandmother was always sewing something on a machine that looked like it came out of the 17th Century. It was an old black Singer machine that was bolted into a sewing cabinet and then stowed away when it wasn’t in use. That machine could sew through anything! I sewed a little on that machine with my grandmother until we moved away from her (she used to live next door to us) in the late 60s. I don’t know what happened to the machine, though. My grandmother sewed until she died a few years ago at the age of 89. Thanks for allowing me to remember this moment with your contest. Sure hope I win….hope, hope, hope.
My mom used to sew, and I have fond memories of her stitching quilts for us. Unfortunately, I didn’t really think to ask her to teach me how until after she was gone from us. Thanks for the chance to win!
When I was a kid I was allergic to just about all fabric except cotton so my mom sewed a lot of my clothes. She was in a wheelchair and the machine had a knee bar instead of a foot pedal to make it easier for her to use. I loved to watch her sew. She even made my doll clothes (sometimes they matched mine). When she passed away the machine went to my niece. I’m sure she will take good care of it. I now have my sister’s hand me down machine and it smells horrible when it gets warm so I seldom turn it on. She swore she had it cleaned before she gave it to me but wow…the smell! (Skunk-like) A new machine would be so awesome! I’d actually feel like sewing
)
This is an amazing giveaway!
I bought my sewing machine with money my grandparents gave me for receiving my iron ring (this is the ring Canadian engineers wear on the little finger of their working hand). My best friend’s mom is an amazing sewer and she helped me pick out my first machine.
My grandmother has the oldest sewing machine, with a foot pedal that’s attached to a desk. When I finally got the honor to use, my sewing skills were definitely lacking, which proceeded to me breaking the needle. I’ve never touched that sewing machine again, but my grandmother still keeps it around away from the inexperienced. Hopefully winning this sewing machine will redeem me!
Wow, what an amazing giveaway!
I just recently started sewing more intensely, I made the first clothes for myself! Before that I always only made kid clothes for friends or other small projects, for fear of wasting a lot of fabric
Well, I now feel more confident and the usual tasks with the sewing machines have become a routine.
I mostyl sew with the machine of my mother, it’s a wonderful one, and she served me really well. But I might be leaving soon, getting a place a bit more seperate from my parents, so I will need my own sewing machine! And I will need to stop borrowing them from my mother or friends, I’m already known as the sewing machine borrower
Laura
Those look awesome! My sewing story starts with my miserable attempt to make a denim bag when I was 15. Growing up, my mom always told me how she made her own clothes when she was growing up because they didn’t make petite sizes back then. It was always inspiring but I didn’t seem to have the knack for it like she does. My demin bag was miserable. I sort of gave up after that and had Mom do my hemming, pillows, and any other sewing project I could think of. Until recently! I discovered that my roommate had an old Brother sewing machine for beginners in storage and I convinced her to dig it out. After conquering a couple pairs of pants, a shirt alteration, two pillow covers and a ruffle pillow sham set (I copied a set I wanted from Urban Outfitters with some old white sheets – so much cheaper!), I was so proud. Still a bit amateur but so fun!
Thanks for this great opportunity. I would love to learn to sew. When I was a little girl, I watched my grandma sew on her singer machine with a foot pedal. There wasn’t anything she couldn’t make.
Wow, this is a great giveaway. Thank you! Just discovered your awesome blog via Design Sponge. Congratulations on your book!
I have a lovely old stenciled Singer from the 1940s which goes backward and forward and a sort of temperamental 20-year-old machine that drives me nuts. I learned to sew on my mom 1960s turquoise Singer, which she bought with her last paycheck before the birth of her first child. It is still going strong, and she will never part with it. I sew all the time, and I would LOVE to have a serger and a machine that will makes buttonholes!
I own my mother’s sewing machine and it weighs a TON! It’s an old (and I do mean old- it’s older than me!) Husqvarna beast that clogs every time I try more than a simple stitch on a thing piece of cotton. Not that I’m a great sewer or anything (I’m sooooo beginner), but I’d like a machine that works.
Thanks!
Hey Gal,
I’m excited about the book, as well!
My mother taught me how to sew back in the day. She actually took fashion design classes at the local community college and would use me as her model as she was pinning shirts. Throughout my school years, my mom and I would plan out my Halloween costumes, and make shirts/dresses/skirts based on fancy stuff I had seen at the mall, but couldn’t afford at the time. Everything we made was so special!
Unfortunately, the sewing machine that had lasted us so long, kicked the bucket last year while I was making my Halloween costume. I freaked out when I couldn’t repair it and had to get rid of it (along with the holographic Minnie Mouse stickers I had decorated it with).
My mom now has arthritis and doesn’t have the dexterity she once used to; however, I hope for us to start sewing again soon and this giveaway would be an awesome way to jump start it.
Thank you for the giveaway!
My grandmother had her own mother’s Singer, it wasn’t even electrical! She made entire wardrobes with that machine, I remember her spreading her Burda magazine patterns on her huge dining room table and tracing what she needed out of the jumble of lines… it seemed impossible to do for me at the time. But now I’m the one making clothes, pillows and curtains with my own machine… which is trustworthy but pretty basic; it’s not keeping up with my skills anymore and I could really use an upgrade!
When I was little, my mother would often take out her sewing machine and sew on the dining room table (repairing clothes or making Halloween costumes, etc) while I played underneath her feet. She stored it in the coat closet because with 7 kids running around, there was never a way to keep it out permanently. It was an old 70s cream colored fabric and metal cover and the machine inside was green with a little green foot to activate the machine. I always watched my mother’s foot going up and down, up and down, slowly starting it and then pressing down a little more and a little more until she hit her groove. I always wanted to look inside the box at all the little bobbins and threads and parts that went to the machine. I’d often ask to sew a line though being that young I understand why my mother said no, though eventually I got to help feed the fabric along. I fondly recall those memories, and now, with a brand new child of my own, I would love to be able to sew costumes and repair toys and clothes she can’t part with just yet, like my mother did for me. I have a long way to go sewing wise as I’ve been intimidated by it as I got older, but now that I have a teacher, I just seem to need a machine to allow me to learn and take off with it.
Oh it would be awesome to win this. my only sewing mach is a 1942 singer, with poor tension control and no knit sewing capabilities!
My mom and I learned together how to sew. No one every really taught us, but we got so good that everyone in the family always came to us with their needs. Needless to say we have one sewing machine (handed down from my Grandma that never used it) and multiple projects, so we always fight over it! I’ve always dreamed of branching off from quilts and mending clothes to make my own from scratch! Making children clothes would be so great to do too!
I started sewing on a crappy $90 machine that I bought on a whim one day at Joann’s – I made a lot of mistakes on that machine, but it was so much fun that my husband upgraded me to a workhorse Janome! Your book looks amazing!
My dad bought a sewing machine as a gift for my mom. She was never that interested in learning how to sew, and my dad just knows the basics. I’d love to learn how to sew!
My very first sewing machine was Singer’s kids sewing machine, and man did I wear that thing out making clothes and furnishing for my dolls! I graduated to one of my Great Grandmother’s OLD machines, that wasn’t always reliable, but got the job done, the machine even had a knee bar instead of a pedal! Now I use my boyfriend’s mother’s old machine from the 60′s for the occassional project, althought I must admit I think he uses it more than me! Upgrading and having my own modern machine in my office/craft area would be an inspiration.
Mama just gave me her old Singer 403 Slant Machine. I’m it’s third owner. My mom worked in sewing factories for the majority of her life. My dad too. During the Viet Nam War, we would do “piecework” for extra money. What that meant my parents and siblings would cut out military patches from these big embroidered sheets from the factory. Mom also worked in a button making factory and she would also make lace trims and those flower ribbons in the factory as well. When I was born, Mom was working in another factory making clothes. She kept working through her pregnancy and after I was born. The owner even built me a small crib so I could stay beside her while she worked. I still find the sound of industrial machines to be soothing.
What an awesome giveaway!!!
I have wonderful childhood memories of my mom and grandma sewing halloween costumes and projects for the church bazaar. My grandma taught me the sewing basics through the 4H program. Now my mom is helping me sew a dress from a vintage pattern for my Mad Men themed 30th birthday party. It has been so awesome to spend evenings sewing with my mom and grandma and hearing them tell stories about my great-grandmas peddle sewing machine that only went forward (no reverse). I have a basic sewing machine that my mom gave me a while back, but I would love to start tackling more serious projects
I got my first sewing machine on Freecycle. I live in a small town so having a Singer showing up on Freecycle was quite a treat. I did a 40min “road trip” with some friends to pick it up. I had just done a sewing course so I was super excited! It was an old model with no functioning light bulb and very basic but that was all I wanted so I would not feel too overwhelmed about sewing. I still have and use that machine! I am too scared to upgrade it since I have done such cute little crafts with it.
My mom bought me my first sewing machine from Sears; it was a Kenmore. My first sewing lesson with her consisted of making tea towels. I then carted my new sewing machine back to college with me and decided my FIRST sewing-alone project would be a slip cover for an upholstered arm chair my roomie and I found by the side of the road. ABSOLUTELY CRAZY! But… after many, many phone calls to my mom, I got it done. I believe that chair and slipcover still lives on in my old roomie’s parent’s beach house! Thanks for the giveaway!
My mother was one of 8 children and learned from her mother how to sew. Then she became a clothing and textiles major. All my childhood she would sew, curtains, Halloween costumes, romper clothes and then she kind of quit. I’ve tried learning on her old (OLD) machine but every time I do I make a mess of thread. I’ve wanted to go out and buy a machine but haven’t had the guts.
My grandmother used to have a sewing machine with a foot pedal, but not just any old “press to stop, press to start” kind. You needed to move your foot up and down constantly to make the wheel turn (almost like a hybrid spinning wheel cum sewing machine lol). She taught all her granddaughters the basics of sewing on that machine. It was a little too advanced for me though…as I was so busy thinking about the foot part, I couldn’t do anything with all that fabric.
Flash forward to today…I have a machine that belonged to my partner’s mother. She took great care of it, and still had all the manuals that originally came with it. Thank goodness for that, as I have referred to them many times! It is the kind that is built into a table, so it’s a little difficult to move around as needed. It would be great to be able to move your workspace around, as sometimes happens for those of us with multi-purpose rooms in our living spaces.
I am really intrigued by the title of your new book, Brett, as the most difficult part of sewing for me is the whole straight line business. I won’t make window treatments or anything else requiring a visible seam. I’m anxious to read it as I really hope that it will help me with that.
Thank you for offering such a terrific giveaway!
~Jenny
Oh, Brett, you are so wonderful! I could really use a new machine as my little Brother is getting worn out from all my quilting. I always loved to sew and used to mess around on my mother’s fancy electronic Singer (it was considered fancy for the 80s). I’m lucky she was patient with me and didn’t get mad when I caused giant tangled messes. My mother used to make clothes for me, and while I didn’t appreciate it back then, I think it would be really cool to be able to do that for myself now.
Thank you so much for this opportunity! I love your blog and still try to catch you on Knit and Crochet Today on PBS!
I grew up mostly at my Grandparent’s house. My Grandmother had an innate sewing ability that was absolutely astounding to me. We would work on doll clothes together and she would make them come to life. She had a 60′s Singer that made the prettiest, tightest little stitches and she was so speedy loading that monster! I have to say that she was so good, made everything look SO easy that I never learned much from her, sadly. It wasn’t until years later that my Mom – who HAD actually learned from Grandma – redid her 1962 wedding dress for my wedding that I really started paying attention. My Mom even has HER Grandmother’s foot pedal sewing machine with it’s polished wood cabinet and perfect little drawers, it sits in her bedroom. Since then, my Mom bought me my little starter machine and I can successfully “sew a straight line”
. Since finding out that my husband and I are expecting, I’ve been attempting to sew a baby quilt. This is the most ambitious project I’ve taken on, and realize that a serger would the most rad addition to my arsenal – NOT TO mention a more advanced machine that could even embroider my baby’s name onto his quilt! Now, if only my Mom will come to visit long enough to teach me how to use it! Good luck everyone! And congratulations on the release of your new book!
I was given a B-E-A-utiful 1941 Singer Sewing machine! I had such high hopes of restoring it… until I realized how expensive that would be! For the moment, it sits in my closet and taunts me. The restoration of such a beauty is a pricey expense for a 23 year old newly-wed… but one day! Until that day, I work on my quilts at my aunts house. She’s very generous
My mom sewed us our clothes while we were in elementary school, and she sewed my high school grad dress. It was the hit of the grad.
I began sewing in High School. I first learned to sew in Home Ec. I sew for the art of it. My mom and I now design and sew quilts, hand bags, skirts, running gear, and anything else I come upon. My mom has an embroidery machine as well, so most of our items have something embroidered on it.
We gift or donate most of our products to silent auctions or for baby gifts/showers. People are amazed at our skill. (I’m a lawyer by day, and sewing crafter by night and weekend)
My mom taught me to sew when I was seven, since then, I have never not had access to a sewing machine. About ten years ago I inherited my grandmother’s ancient and incredibly heavy Singer – I brought it in a suitcase (along with a table I’d taken apart and a case of beer – this was before weight limits on international flights I guess) to the United Kingdom. I was scared to use it at first since it was so precious to me, but have since come to realise that that thing is indestructible, with all of it’s metal gears. It also sews like butter. I don’t know how to better describe it. It’s sooo smooth. One issue though – it only goes in one direction. Forward! (So I will have to buy your book)
I got my sewing machine when I was in high school. Then I took some home ec sewing classes, when they still had home ec in high school, also worked for a few months in a fabric store. Then, alas, life started happening and my machine ended up neglected for about 20 years. It has just seen the light of day as I renew my love affair with fabric. I have several friends who want to learn and I want to teach them, side by side machines would be an awesome way to get started!
I have a sewing machine that my mother-in-law gave me and I learned how to sew in high school but I have no clue how to work this one that she gave me.
In the past I’ve ATTEMPTED to use an ancient sewing machine from my Gramma (who was an amazing seamstress), but it seems to have disappeared from my mom’s house in recent years. So, we got a cheap on on Craigslist a few months ago. My husband, a mechanical engineer, has had better luck with it than I have. I have hope, though, to be able to sew one day!
My mom is a seamstress, so I was surrounded by sewing machines my whole life. I learned how to sew not on a new electric style, but on an antique peddle Singer. My mom had me start out by “sewing” paper with no thread; I could hold the hole filled paper against the window to see my designs!
Whenever my mom worked on a sewing project when I was little, I would have my own project, sewing buttons onto old dish towels. Then, when I was 6, I spent my first week away from home at my grandparents’ house where my grandmother and I made me a head to toe outfit. That really started my love affair with sewing. Since then, I have felt the need to sew for myself but also the need to share my passion with others. Now, my sister and 3 of my friends are sewing because I convinced them to try it. I am excited about your book because I hope it will help inspire the sewing bug in some of my friends who are a little less confident.
My current sewing machine is on (permanent) loan from my mom. When I was in high school, she upgraded to a much-deserved sewing machine… and now I have it. I volunteered to take the original sewing machine she received as a wedding gift, but she kindly said “You always seemed to have trouble with that one.” (and I did! I could never get the darn bobbin loaded right!) So I inherited the new one and I always feel a twinge of guilt about it, a new sewing machine would be divine, so I could return my mom’s!
My sewing machine was my mother’s hand-me-down after I got married and wanted to attempt making some baby quilts for friends. It’s turned an interesting shade of yellowed-ivory, but it never lets me down. My mom used it to make clothes for 4 of her children, costumes, curtains, quilts and so much more. I always have to refer to the manual when swapping out the bobbin, but every time I use it I feel a sense of nostalgia.
My first interaction with a sewing machine took place at a summer day camp when I was 9. I didn’t learn that much from it expect how to thread the machine. Mostly, we learned to sew by hand. But it got me interested. My grandma had one so I went over her house to practice my stitches. My grandma use to make clothes for my mom, aunts, and uncle. My mom still talks about how she made her a vest and matching gauchos (it was the early 80s) that my mom loved. Being that I was a kid with creative ADD, I got into something else after that and didn’t really sew much. Also I took one sewing class in high school, but didn’t really take interest in it.
The past few years, I’ve gotten into making things again. Last Halloween, I made some components of my costume by hand and it was so satisfying. I hope to make more costumes and just regular clothes in the future!
Like a lot of commenters, my mom taught me to sew when I was in middle school. With her help I made a few awesome projects in the late 80s/early 90s like a sundress, some Halloween costumes, and a pair of rad fluorescent green shorts (which I paired with slouchy fluorescent orange socks, obviously). When I left for college I didn’t have my own machine so I stopped sewing until just a few years ago. Cue garage sale, $25 1974 Singer with no instruction manual. Spool pin is missing, so I used a knitting needle. I’ve since upgraded to my aunt’s Singer which she left to me when she got really sick. I have never owned a serger and have always always wanted one ever since I got back into sewing. I am really looking forward to your new book!
Looking forward to your new book! And desperate for a serger!!
My mother is a sewer, made my Halloween costumes, prom dresses, curtains, etc. I have her old sewing machine and we fight more than we are successful. I haven’t had the guts to research and buy a new one.
I wanted to major in fibers in college. My family didn’t understand the concept and I eventually became a graphic designer — but much of my inspiration and free time are from sewing. The first time I used a sewing machine was so I could machine embroider elements I eventually scanned in for the first website I ever put together.
(As I typed that I got the urge to re-create it. Now possibly my next personal project.)
I learned to sew with my Babci (Polish for Grandma). I would go to her house on the weekends and sleepover and we’d have giant sewing events. We’d lock ourselves up in her sewing room with a beautiful Singer sewing machine and serger, the big table, and so many drawers filled with different fabrics that I called it “the store” and sew all day. When we emerged, covered in a variety random strings and bits of scraps, my Dziadzai (Polish for grandpa) would have treats for us: a cherry-cola ice cream float and kiss on the head for me and handmade cocktail and kiss for my Babci. I look back fondly on those days.
OH MY GOD… if you feel like Oprah I feel just like one of her audience members – am I about to pee or orgasm?!!!
Too personal? Apologies but my heart truly does flutter at the prospect of these two beauties you’re showcasing above. My mom sewed her entire life, went to school for apparel design and has worked for many theaters, brides and people needing amazing creations or heinous alterations. And there has never been one person who wasn’t thrilled with the work my mom did. She’s a crazy perfectionist and it makes her sewing masterful. I remember going to dress rehearsals for plays she costumed when I was a kid and she’d whisper to me what went into each piece – how one dress was designed to tear away when another character stepped on it, how one woman had a very small chest and needed to be busty for the roll so the elaborate cleavage enhancers that she designed and sewed into a top, the man’s suit that had to be one piece so that he could have a complete costume change in 30 seconds… I remember watching her completely take apart a $20K wedding dress and rebuild it so that it would fit the bride like a glove, re-handbeading the parts of the dress that had been affected by the alterations… and, or course, it was perfect.
Anyhow, I have also sewn on and off over the ages, though I love it I’m much less professional than my mom. I have her first sewing machine (an incredible olive green 50lb Kenmore) that she passed on to me after I moved out of the house and couldn’t make use of her Singer anymore… I love the machine and it has been good and true but I can’t even express what this duo in your giveaway would mean to me… I’ve been doing a lot of work lately, creating pillows to sell, cushions and upholstery for our home, baby blankets and crafts for friends, creatures for my little boy… and the limitations of my Kenmore become increasingly frustrating as I push it to do more and more.
Okay, I beg and I plead but I know it comes down to the random generator so I throw my wishes and hopes out into the abyss and hope for the best!
Thank you for such an incredible giveaway and congratulations on the book!!!!
My mom had a very old sewing machine that never received much love. Therefore, the tension was always off, the threader was rough around the edges, etc. I tried so hard to enjoy sewing but the machine made it impossible! Eventually, I bought my own, and the difference was beyond night and day — it wasn’t even a very good sewing machine! But, it worked properly, and that’s all that mattered. This is a wonderful giveaway, thank you so much for the opportunity!
I started sewing with my mom’s trusty old Bernina years ago. She’d had it forever and taught me to use it. She also had a newer machine, so when I showed a continued interest in sewing and quilting, the old Bernina became mine.
It was a wonderful machine, sturdy and heavy and strong. It never broke. It had only straight and zig-zag stitches on it, but that’s all a beginner really needs.
After a year, I needed an upgrade and bought a newer machine with more stitch options on it. The biggest difference I noticed when I got my new machine was how much lighter it was. It was so lightweight, that when I sew on the highest speed, it shakes! It’s served me well over the last year and a half, but nothing will ever beat the sturdiness of that old Bernina.
Last fall, my younger sister showed an interest in joining mom and I on our sewing days. On her first day, we gave her the Bernina! I bet that machine is in our family for generations to come.
I decided to make 5 looks (7 pieces) for a student fashion show at my university. The collection was entirely mine and I was the only one working on it. I didn’t have a sewing machine and barely remembered how to sew from my beginners sewing class 4 years prior. The sewing machine I used was borrowed (living on a college student budget isn’t very kind to young artists or designers), a Brothers sewing machine, very old, and… IN JAPANESE. At the end of the day, you can play around with a machine and figure out how it works, but that takes time. I didn’t have time. Nor did I ever entirely know how to work the thing… If only I had a sewing machine (in english).
Hi there, I really hope that this giveaway is available for people outside the US – I live in South Africa and am in need of a sewing machine and have been pricing for a while now but still saving up the cash! Anyway my sewing machine story is that at the moment I don’t have one but between my mom, sister and myself we all share my gran’s 1970′s singer (YES it still works!) It is a lovely retro little portable machine which I love but alas it is not mine… my mom inherited it and is not keen to pass it my way! So for now we all share the same one and have to phone around to borrow it from each other – luckily we all live within a small area! So I would absolutely love to win this prize and then I could continue my gran’s legacy of creating beautiful and original clothes for myself, my daughter and her dolls!
I found a handheld sewing machine at a yardsale recently. I’ve learned to make pillow cases and simple blankets with it. I would love to take it further and learn to sew clothes. A sewing machine would be great! I’ve wanted to make my fashion design sketches a reality for years now but lack the proper equipment. I hope to open an e shop and sell my designs.
I want to learn how to sew so badly, and this would be a great help towards that goal!
I bought a sewing machine in 1986 and did a little with it. I’m looking forward to retiring and want to get back to sewing/quilting. It would be great to upgrade!
I have been dreaming of an upgrade from my granmother’s hand-me-down machine! I dream of sewing poufs and pillows, teepees and tents, skirts and shirts, buntings and bears for my almost 2 year old daughter! I am excited at the abundance of DIY tutorials available on so many blogs lately, and have been itching to try, but I am not excited at the thought of using my ancient machine & all it’s crazy old interchangeable parts!
I still have my mother’s sewing machine from when she was learning to sew in the 60′s. It must weigh 2000 pounds – too heavy to move around! I’d love a new one!
I’m pretty much a novice sewer, but I do have my own machine. I bought a Necchi at one of those sales they used to have at local hotels/convention centers, way back in 1984. It still works, but definitely is lacking in any special functions. I’ve always thought that I’d sew more if I had a more up-to-date machine. (And if I had more time!!)
When I was a little girl, all I wanted was a sewing machine … so for Christmas Santa brought me one of those jr. sized kids’ machines. It sucked. Couldn’t sew a thing without jamming the whole machine. I never did get a “big girl” sewing machine, but it’s still one of my dreams to learn to sew!
My wife lost her grandmother’s singer in Nashville’s terrible flood last year, I would be wonderful for her to get a new one!
I’ve been sewing for fun ever since I can remember. My mother would find sewing machines from thrift stores, so there was always one in the closet for me to steal off into my room to start practicing my form. Eventually when I moved out of the house, my mother gave me one of her old machines. I’ve been using it for 8 years now. It’s a great machine. It’s helped me make bags, curtains, halloween costumes, and converting clothes to feed my passion for fashion. A newer machine would greatly fuel my passion, and help my creativity grow!
Congrats on your book, Brett! I can’t wait to get my hands on it!
I’m in the process of learning to sew by hand and would love a machine for larger projects that are currently out of my reach. I haven’t used a machine since I made a patchwork pillow in Home Ec class in 7th grade (all straight lines – holla!), but I would love to learn how to make clothing that’s tailored to my body, instead of just buying or thrifting things off-the-rack and spending a fortune at the tailor.
i started sewing just a few months ago and absolutely fell in love. i’ve been eyeing a vintage singer sewing table in the windows of a thrift store but this new model would really help facilitate my new love
Sarah
Thanks for the giveaway! I learned a few things on my mom’s White sewing machine, and then someone gave her a 1980s Singer with pink and purple designs on the top. She gave it to me and I used that in high school and college, but it bit the dust a few years ago.
This last year, I got my mom the Best Gift Ever. She has wanted a vintage treadle Singer sewing machine for YEARS. As in, ever since they left the one they had in Germany. Every time a vintage machine is mentioned, or at a yard/estate sale, we stop, and for some reason or another, the machines fail to impress.
I had the good fortune to meet Elaine last fall, who collects and repairs vintage sewing machines. She mentioned that she was looking to unload a few of them (to good homes) and I may have mentioned that Mom has always wanted a vintage treadle Singer. Elaine said she had just the one, and let me know that she would get back to me with pictures.
Elaine sent pictures, stats, and a price, and I was a little lost. It looked really, really good, but I wasn’t sure if it was exactly right. So, I blew the surprise and let Mom know that I was going to make this sewing machine happen for her, if it’s the right one. I just didn’t know enough about a) sewing machines and b) what she was looking for, specifically, to make this decision with confidence. Mom loved it, so I set things in motion.
Here’s the tough part. The machine was north of Seattle, and for those of you playing the home game, I live in Silicon Valley. 13 1/2 hours each direction, by car (according to Mapquest). You betcha that this puppy can’t be shipped.
“It’s ok, Mom,” I said, “It’s totally worth it. Merry Christmas!”
In a fit of shock, enthusiasm, and perhaps a little self-pity, I posted to Facebook that I might be taking an impromtu road trip Seattle-ward to see a lady about a vintage Singer. A friend of mine (through my BFF Miss Kalendar) generously offered to do the pickup for me. It turns out that she was *already* going to be driving up and back to Seattle, and she didn’t mind being one of Santa’s non-Unionized elves.
She arranged the pickup details with Elaine, and we made plans for me to pick up the machine from her place (in Santa Rosa) the following Wednesday.
It was perfect.
Mom had seen the pictures, and it’s even more beautiful in person. The gasp of delight as we walked through the door with the cabinet and the machine was amazing. (For the record, historically when Mom has gasped, it’s Not a Good Thing.)
Thanks to Elaine the Singer Fairy and Delightful Lila, I managed to make this last year’s the best Christmas ever for Mom. The best gifts are the ones that require Ocean’s 11 type planning and precision, don’t you think?
Great opportunity to win two great machines! What a generous giveaway. I’d love to expand my sewing skills beyond my highschool home-ec class!
My mother and I have always lusted after sewing machines and the possibilities of creative projects. I love my Singer sewing machine that I bought a few years ago off qvc or hsn, I can’t remember. It took me a year to finally start sewing on it after amassing numerous yards of random fabric and dress patterns…none of which I have attempted, but that’s another story. But I have used it quite a bit on home sewing, especially around the holidays! With all the use I’ve put it through the face plate on the bobbin is broken and now must be popped off with a straight pin…but I do really love singer and this giveaway sounds great!!!
Wow — what an amazing giveaway!
I have a older sewing machine that my mom picked up from a warehouse sale. It has been fine for small projects, but I want to try making quilts, and my little machine doesn’t handle them very well.
I first became enthralled with the idea of sewing in my mid teens, and was fortunate enough to be gifted my neighbour’s ye olde sewing machine from the prehistoric era! … i made a tablecloth… a cushion cover…. curtains… all of which had the most awful, squint higgeldy zig zag stitched hems… in black thread no less! my mother was so upset by the sudden influx of badly tailored soft furnishings that she hid the sewing machine from me (in the garbage i suspect!) and I’ve never seen it again…sniff
i’d love to re-expose her to the trauma of my sewing!
I just found your blog today! Pretty perfect timing!
I love to sew and have been sewing since my mama put me in my first quilting class when I was twelve. My sister and I used to take sewing classes at a little mom and pop store when we were in high school and always wished we could take their serger home with us!
Best of luck to you with your new book, and thank you for hosting such a generous giveaway!
Hi Brett!
Congratulations on your book!!
My sewing story is….like many of the others, I too learned to sew at a young age. Once I was enrolled in a private school with a dress code (no uniforms)…but dresses only and the fabulous fashion of the 80′s (oh yes…molly ringwold sewing her prom dress to new order in pretty and pink) that is when my sewing obsession REALLY overtook my life! I was too short and too picky to like any of the dresses that I saw in the malls when my mom and i went shopping. My mom decided that I should start making my own, which I found I loved to do! My teenage personality really got a chance to sing through my clothing….semi awkward and embarrassing to look at some of my creations as an adult now…but hey…it was the 80′s…almost anything was allowed!
Currently I have my own handbag line..BUT i it is now been 3 years that I have been living in NYC, and I do not have my sewing machine out here! Needless to say I am dying to start sewing again!
It would be an amazing stroke of luck to win a new machine!! The ‘ol trusty machine, sleeping in my san diego storage unit, is actually about ready to die…..and I really need to SEW.
Very best,
heather
My sewing machine story: My grandmother has been a quilter for many, many years, and used to make our whole family quilts for the holidays. I always was so impressed by how complicated and beautiful her quilts were, and how she could accomplish so much in such little. When I was 19 she bought me a sewing machine and she spent a week with me teaching me how to sew. I grew up in a different state than her and she was always little harder on me than she was with my other cousins who grew up around her, so her teaching me how to sew brought us a lot closer together. I still sleep with one of her quilts on my bed and hope that one day I’ll be a sewing genius like her.
What a generous and delightful giveaway! I wish everyone good luck … and especially myself ;–)
My mom had an old sewing machine that I used when I was younger. There was almost always something wrong with it and it took me years to realize that sewing doesn’t have to be that hard. And on a machine like the one above, sewing would be so nice and SERGING!
My sewing machine story is that my aunt’s sewing machine is broken but as it’s also a table I use it to study in my room, anyhow I always manage to loosen the bottom and hurt my feet and I really wan’t to learn how to sew because tailors are sooo expensive where I live!
I learned to sew from my grandmother when I was little. Lately I have been thinking about how much fun I had with her and coming up with new projects to put together!
I have been wanting a sewing machine for some time now just haven’t gotten around to getting it this sewing machine duo would be a fantastic to own!
What a great giveaway and congrats on the book! My sewing machine memory would have to be sewing in my high school home-ec lab during the summer for 4-H. I started sewing at age 10 in 4-H and I have the best memories of sitting in that hot room sewing with my mom and my fellow 4-Hers. Haven’t stopped sewing since then!
Brett! I love your book! We got an advance copy at the store I work at and I immediately dove in to make the chiffon shirt (made mine out of Anna Maria Horner Voile from her new collection). I love french seams and using them in this simple shirt was brilliant! Can’t wait to whip up another fast project!
When I was little I used to help save my mom from eye strain by threading Grandma’s ancient but beautiful old Singer. It was probably from the 1930s – gorgeous back enamel with gold curlicues. Yes, it was electric. I can still thread it in my sleep, but now I’m the one taking off my glasses and squinting to get the thread through the needle. Grandma gave that machine to my sister and later gave me my Great Aunt’s almost-as-old (but not quite as pretty) machine that I still use today. It’s so old it makes Betty Draper’s 1960s sewing machine on Mad Men look modern. I still use it. I love it, but it does have its limits.
Like Grandma’s old machine, mine doesn’t do zigzags, button holes or anything that requires sideways stitching, but it does go backwards and I do have a box of attachments with no directions. My mom died when I was little, and my aunt tried teaching me to sew with patterns. It was fun and exciting, but with a machine that only does straight stitches, I had to use my aunt’s fancy machine for some of the clothes we made. I’ve since given up on patterns in favor of piecing quilt blocks, making pillows, curtains and just about anything that doesn’t need special stitches, buttonholes or anything else my old workhorse can’t do.
I inherited my mom’s sewing machine about a year ago when she finally upgraded … this machine has seen a lot of stitches. I regret that I haven’t used it much… in part I am nervous that I’ll ruin it! So, a new machine… that would be a dream. And I can think of about a billion uses for a serger. Great giveaway!
My sewing machine story: My grandma taught me how to sew as a little girl. She was amazing with the sewing machine, and her workhorse of a Kenmore came to stay at our house for when she’d visit. I’m not sure what happened to that machine, but I think of her often when I’m sewing on my dinky little machine and wish I could be as great a seamstress as she was! Would love to develop my skills with these awesome machines!
I had expressed my longing to learn how to sew to my brother, who told his Stepmom.. She works at a thrift store and lo and behold! A couple of days later she had bought a 10+ year old Singer machine for me. For the Fall semester I signed up for a class and learned how to sew with a similarly old Bernina and also discovered the serger, it was then that I first attempted to use my own machine. I also bought a sewing table that I am going to paint that came with a beautiful minty green Singer probably from the 50′s: also at a thrift store. I have yet to own a serger, I simply cannot afford it and many projects are unfinished because of this. They cancelled my sewing class at my college for the coming semester so I am SOL unless I win this giveaway by a miracle!
What can you say about a friend that has followed you thru life -helping you with that creative urge- barbie’s new skirt, crisp white curtains for your first bedroom (no sharing!), that new dress you walked in for graduation, curtains- crib skirt and baby blanket- to welcome your most precious gift into the world, matching sundresses for the “girls” that still bring joy in family photos, mother and daughter moments making a pillow
for a loved teacher, flags for the marching band, bedding and decore for a first apartment, a traveling companion to college to help make the ones you love a home away from home…….. My singer featherweight was a gift in “62″ to a 10 year old from a woman who gave up on sewing . . . just think of all she missed. Thank you for encouraging me think back and enjoy.
My sewing machine story: I’m still sewing on the machine I learned on when I was 6 years old. It’s my mom’s original Kenmore, and it’s older than I am– and I’ll be turning 30 on Saturday!
My Mom had a great sewing machine that she never used. My Dad (a depression kid) used it to patch his boxers, eww. My sisters and I taught ourselves and each other to sew on that machine. Mom gave it away after we had moved out. She didn’t realize I didn’t have a machine and would have loved it!
Can’t wait to see your book! Thanks for the giveaway!
Hi Brett! I have been watching you on PBS for years and following your blog for a while as well, though I admit that my favorite post is the Jello mold one…not even sewing related! (side note – I really like the new format!)
I have an old White sewing machine that has been fine but it doesn’t handle knits well. With an 18 month old and more kids to come some day, I want to be able to make quick, comfy baby clothes using my old t-shirts and sleepwear whenever possible (love upcycling!) and lots of those involve knits, so having a serger would be lovely. Replacing my old machine can’t hurt either!
I am ordering your book right now and can’t wait to try making the nesting bowls…I am going to modify your directions a little and make a giant one for toy storage. Be well!
My mom bought a sewing machine when I was about 10 years old. I was so curious about it, I took it apart. I’m not sure it worked anymore. It’s too bad I thwarted any of my mom’s dreams to sew her own clothes. She was too busy with work, anyway.
I bought my own sewing machine a few years ago from an old sew and vac shop. I have not taken it apart … much.
Congrats on the new book!
My mum has a machine that she’s had since before I was born. It’s made her wedding dress. She made all mine, my sisters and our dolls matching outfits on it. It’s made 2 prom dresses, altered one lot of bridesmaids dresses in a night before wedding crisis and made four beautiful ones in less stressful circumstances! this summer when I get home it will be used to teach my ten year old niece to sew too! I can’t wait!!
Good luck with the book!
I am not a seamstress by any means. It is on my list of things to do, but I haven’t quite made it there yet. I absolutely love all things vintage and old. My Grammy had a few very old sewing machines that she would help me use when I was a little girl. One time we made the cutest doll blanket for my play crib and doll at her house. But some of my fondest memories were spent at the sewing machine that didn’t even work. In her bedroom, she has a pedal operated machine. I would spend hours on the floor in front of it pushing the pedal and watching it spin. I was entranced by this beautiful relic of days now past. I loved to pretend that I was making something beautiful or that I could see my Grammy and her mother and sisters sitting there making wonderful dresses and such. To this day, my favorite sewing machine is still that old pedal operated treasure that no longer works.
Please enter me in the contest!
When I was 9 years old, my mom bought me a Singer sewing machine for my birthday. Her friends said she was crazy to buy me a real one and not a toy, but it turned out to be a good investment.
I sewed some doll clothes, and then forgot about it for a while. Then I wanted a pair of shorts, and mom said to sew them. I did. And I earned money babysitting, bought material, patterns and notions and made all my own clothing during high school and beyond. I even bought most of my shoes. Mom only bought me winter coats, so she actually saved money on the deal.
Now I’m 67, on Social Security, and could never afford two such wonderful machines, so I’m really thankful for this chance at them.
My grandma is a world-class tailor and somehow the art was lost on my own mother. However, I grew up learning to sew from my grandma, whether it was on her dinky yet faithful old machine at home, or the high-tech electronic machines she worked with at the tailor shop. Now that I am 25, I am dying to get back into my family’s lost art of sewing! I recently purchased a used machine (graduate students don’t make very much money…) and recently found out it is broken. Tangles and tangles of thread and an unchangeable stitch selection. I would like so very much to have this new wonderful machine! I am already dreaming of the projects I will create for my home, friends, and family.
My sewing machine was given to me by my mother-in-law while I was pregnant with my first son. She is an avid seamstress and I’ve always been intimidated by her skills. She even made my bridesmaids dresses!! Anyway, since she was upgrading to a better sewing machine, she asked me if I wanted it and if I wanted to learn how to sew. I jumped at the opportunity! And the rest is history… it’s been almost 3 years since that day. I would LOVE to own this combo, though… I don’t have a serger and it would be awesome to add to my sewing room.
I actually learned to sew in my 7th and 8th grade home ec class! At first I wasn’t so interested in it. But years later when I sat down in front of a sewing machine, all that I had learned then came back to me luckily!
My current sewing machine that I use is an old Kenmore from the 1980′s that I had found almost brand new in our garage!
I emigrated from Poland to Canada with my husband and a 4,5 year old daughter, years ago. My husband went to school to learn English , I had to go to start working without knowing the language. It had not been easy and we had financial struggle, I had always like nice cloths but no money to bay it. I obtained a sowing machine, learned how to use it and with the help of sowing patterns started to dress myself and my daughter. It was not easy to translate the instructions and then learn how to by myself, I was young, determined and happy. After few years I bought Singer machine and it was the happiest time, I love it so much. Over 20 years I have been using it and it works very well still.
Upgrading the model of Singer would be a dream come to live.
Congrats on your new book!
I’ve seen my mom use her very antiquated sewing machine in her room from time to time. It’s rusted now, but still usable, although it is really loud and I’m scared that it doesn’t have any finger protection. It just gives me the shivers and I used another sewing machine that someone threw out of their house that my dad picked up. It jammed on me one day and hasn’t been the same since. Sending my chances in for the grand prize. That’d be so sweet.
Congrats on your new book! I’ve been toying with the idea of making curtains for my new place but feel like my existing machine isn’t quite up to par. Now I leave it up to the random number generator. Do I spend a lot of time with my beautiful new sewing machine/serger to make 12 sets of curtains to cover giant windows in my loft or do I embrace the bare window aesthetic? Only time will tell.
When I first started to sew, in my early 20′s, my mother loaned me her precious machine. She bought it when I was a kid (1970′s) and it was a top of the line, computerized Singer. Fancy stitches, the whole 9 yards (no pun intended!). Once I realized I enjoyed sewing and wanted a machine of my own I bought a very basic Singer from Sears. That was over 25 years ago and I still have it though it is a little temperamental when it comes to reverse stitching! I made clothes for myself and my then newlywed husband and later for our little girl. I have made slip covers, curtains, Halloween costumes and quilts on that machine. I’ve never had a surger but refurbished one a friend was getting rid of and gave it to my Mom for Christmas one year, as she still sews. In this past year my 22 year old daughter has taken up the craft and I hope to work on some projects with her.
I went thrifting one day and found a really nice vintage sewing machine. I don’t own a car so I couldn’t just buy the machine so I asked if it could be put on hold for me while I went to find a means of transporting the beauty home, but I was told, no. I went ahead to find a ride anyway, hoping it’d still be there when I came back. But to my shock and horror, when I came back 10 mins later, the sewing machine was gone. I was so sad and till this day I go thrifting looking for an affordable machine, since I’ve always wanted to learn to sew.
Oh wow!! What an awesome contest. I love sewing and I’ve always wanted a serger. I have a Husqvarna sewing machine that my grandmother gave me. She gave it to me many years ago. It is one that she bought in Germany while they lived there. It finally quit working on me a couple of months ago. Because of what it is, I can’t get parts to fix it. I would love to win this. My daughter is rather upset I can’t make her doll clothes or her sun dresses anymore. Although I do knit and crochet her stuff, she is rather partial to the sewn doll clothes. Thanks for an awesome contest!
Wow, what a great giveaway! And your book looks great. My first sewing experience was on my mom’s old machine. It was built in to a table and you used your knee instead of a foot pedal. And my first project was… hair scrunchies!! It was the 80s after all. I was pretty excited to be able to make my own ever so stylish accessories out of whatever colour and print fabric I could find.
I got my own sewing machine one Christmas, but I learned on my mom’s machine which she’s had for decades. I would love to learn how to use a serger!
I first tried my hand at sewing in middle school home economics. Sadly, my mom had to help me finish my projects which helped her (I mean me) get an A. Last year, at 33, I decided it was time to start learning all over again. My parents gave me a Singer Simple for Christmas and I’ve been trying to relearn how to sew all over again. I want to be able to whip up curtains or pillow covers like my grandma and sew costumes for my daughter like my mom did for my sister and me!
Oh what a joy winning a sewing machine would be, I have a very old singer that was almost an antique when I got it. I can only sew straight lines, so nothing fancy for me.
I did look it up on the internet they say it’s vintage. ha!
It’s a singer 306K, the one in our garage is a trundle foot. not any better.
It was Christmas. I was fourteen and naturally broke. But it seemed all my friends we’re giving out these great gifts that their parents funded them to buy. I never really got any of those gifts because, let’s face it; At fourteen, girls are mean and don’t want to give if they’re not going to get.
My grandma had been sewing for years and had unsuccessfully tried to teach me on her old singer. I would get frustrated after an hour and give up. My dreams of becoming a fashion designer seemed far off.
Needless to say, she had given me a sewing machine for my birthday. I’m sorry to say it gathered dust. But when the holidays came around I had the idea that I would sew each of my friends a cute little stuffed animal. Low cost, cute and original… And easy, right?
Not so easy at all. I tried and tried and probably forced it too much because not long after I started sewing the machine was getting really hot. I heard a pop and it started to smoke. I had killed the engine on the little guy.
I felt so guilty that I had ruined my grandmother’s thoughtful gift– and even more ashamed that I would have to go to school with no presents.
I haven’t touched a machine since, as silly as it sounds. I enjoy embroidery a little too much and find that if anything needs repairing I can do it manually. Now that I’m moving into my own home I was thinking of getting a machine, but they’re a bit out of my price range and still make me a little nervous.
Hi, Brett! Congratulations on the new book, it looks beautiful!
My mom taught me the basics of sewing on an old black and gold Singer sewing machine, the same one she taught my four sisters on before me. It worked surprisingly well for a machine that was at least three times as old as I was! Something like eight years later I, then an aspiring clothing designer, received a new SInger for my sixteenth birthday. Today I’m a writer, but I still own both Singers. The black and gold machine is beautiful to look at (and would still work if I wanted to use it). The other fifteen year old machine, with only the simplest of features, has aided many creative ventures!
What an excellent giveaway!
I fell into sewing when I was given a vintage Singer 416 Zigzag machine. It’s housed in it’s own table and amazing. I piddled in sewing a little bit with it, but sadly it broke about a year after I was given it (almost 4 years ago). So I went out and bought another Singer sewing machine. This machine is basic but it has sewed quite a few bags, quilts, pillow covers, and napkins. I would love to win this! I want to get into apparel sewing more and this combo would be great for that!
My mom still has the sewing machine she learned to sew on and although I spent time trying to master it, I think that machine needs her special touch.
Oooh. This is too good not to give it a shot -
My grandmother sewed like crazy. The joke is that she was incredibly fast but not very good at it! She was good enough to teach me the basics when I was a kid, though, and when I was 10 or so I got a Kenmore that I had and used up until about four years ago. I was pregnant with my first son and starting to make him some clothes when it gave up the ghost. We chucked that machine – which I regret doing, now that I’ve researched sewing machines more than I had at the time – it probably could have been repaired – and I got a fairly bottom-of-the-barrel machine because I needed *something* to sew on! Here I am four years later, and having just given birth to my second son, using the same lousy machine. It’s sufficiently wussy that even with only moderate use, and mostly on knits (my older son refuses to wear anything other than “cozy pants” for the most part), the needle’s off-center now and half the stitches have gone cuckoo on me. And just try to put a walking foot on the thing – it gets very upset about that. And this is after just having it serviced!
So – a new sewing machine – and a SERGER!!! – would be incredibly, incredibly welcome. I’m sewing tons of clothes for my two kids now, especially since I’ve finally found a few fabric sources that let me do so and actually save money, even over Target-type prices, and having a machine that wasn’t so rickety and half-busted would be so fantastic. Let alone a serger…!
The fingers…they are crossed!!
Hello there! I just got linked to you from Design Sponge =) I would love love love to win this sewing machine!! My first attempt at sewing (outside of home ec class from decades ago) involved needle, thread, fabric, and some very tired fingers. I love making things by hand, but after my go at making cushion covers by hand, I think I’m ready to take on a sewing machine! Here’s some photos of my hand-sewing project. http://lingismyname.blogspot.com/2011/04/hang-sewing.html While it was a success, a sewing machine could’ve saved me a million hours and saved me from several needle pricks! Sigh.
Oooooh, I’d love to win this! I am a mostly self taught sewer. I don’t really use patterns and such, I love creating things from my own brain or trying (and modifying) online tutorials. Now that I am expecting my first baby I am so looking forward to trying my hand at all the fun baby things and cute clothes I can sew.
I was destined to be a sewer before I was even born.
My grandmother moved here from China after she met my grandfather many many years ago and along with them, brought their frugal ways. She sewed as much as she could to save money, but also because she loved it.
Her talents with a sewing machine rubbed off on my mother who created her own stylish pieces and homewares before it was the cool thing to do. I, being the only girl in my family, was an easy and willing-for-a-few-years target for her creations.
By the time I hit middle school though, I would ask my mom to sew an actual clothing label into my clothing (Esprit was always my favorite, gotta love the 80s & 90s!)–as if anyone would even know it was there! My mom is blessed with a wonderful eye for style though so more often than not, I would receive more compliments on my home-made clothing than on the store bought, run-of-the-mill items.
I have since inherited my grandmother’s old Singer machine–the lovely antique kind that flips out of its own little table as well as my mom’s first Singer machine. I am tempted by the new shiny models, but am too sentimental to ever part with the sweat, tears and love that were thrown into these old machines.
I hope one day to have a daughter of my own that can carry on this wonderful tradition.
I got my first sewing machine when I was 15. It was $300 a HUGE splurge for my frugal family. I had heard stories about how my mom sewed all her own clothes in high school. And about how her sewing teacher could look at Vogue magazine and make a pattern for that exact outfit that would fit my mom like a glove. Needless to say, my hopes were set high.
I took my sewing class, made a few things that fit. Once the class was over the sewing machine went into the closet. Fast forward 8 years I drag my sewing machine from Honolulu, Hi all the way to NYC where I was enrolled at Parsons. My sewing machine hates me. I got it serviced learned how to use it. It barley got me through my first year. I ended up not finishing the program at Parsons (for a variety of reasons). However, the whole time I thought my struggle with the machine was me and my lack of ability and incompetence to use anything mechanical. One day (a few years later) on a whim, I bought a used sewing machine off craigslist and now I sew all the time! I’m glad that I never gave up and that 13 years later from that first encounter I am finally loving the craft
I learned to sew on my grandmother’s treadle sewing machine. It was a beautiful machine with all of the little drawers in the cabinet, but unfortunately, she sold it many years ago. I would love to have it now.
My grandmother was a fierce sewer; in fact she did it for a living to support herself once my grandfather died and her kids were grown and out of the house. My grandmother spoke no English, and as a super Americanized girl I couldn’t communicate very well with her, but she would show me she liked me by making me tons of scrunchies in every fabric remnant she could get her hands on (this was the 80′s!). My mom knows how to sew on a machine too, but as a “modern woman” I used to scoff at any sort of homemaker skills. My mom used to sew my costumes together for school plays and Halloween, and they were always sewn with love, even if it wasn’t perfect.
Now, with my own home and my own urges to create things to show people I like them, I’ve decided to take up machine sewing too, and have signed up for classes, but it would be much better if i could practice at home too!
I got married very young (17) right out of high school in 1968 and my “fiance” gave me a Singer Featherweight sewing machine for a high school graduation present. I had the machine for over 35 years and sewed baby quilts, clothes for my 2 daughters and in 1985 a co-operative Alaskan peace Quilt which I ended up taking to Russia ( to present as a token of people-to-people peacemaking (this was right before the “cold war” ended) from Alaskans to the people in Irkutsk, Russia. I finally sold that beloved machine a few years ago–I finally gave in and bought a more modern singer. I would love to win either of these machines–then I could pass on my machine to one of my daughters….
Greetings! I’ve watched all of your great tutorials, thank you so much! I have always sewn things by hand. My mom was never much for sewing, crafting, etc. but, somehow I got the bug. I had no lessons and didn’t have a clue technically. As I would look through magazines, I was confinced I could at least try my hand at curtains and throw pillows.
My grandmother died several years back from Leukemia and left me her old sewing leaf table with the old singer inside. I couldn’t get it to work for me and was so awkward and heavy that I gave up. I will always keep that old table though (even though my husband says it doesn’t match anything in our house =). I’m obsessed with DIY’s and design blogs. My mother-in-law is pretty good and I have started using her sewing machine some over the past few years. I’ve done a lot of crafting but, could really use this combo for fun projects I have saved to my favorites and am just waiting to attempt. I’ll have to get your book if I win and learn the basics to start off! Good luck with the new book!! Thank you!
Holy moley! Congrats on your book and thanks for the opportunity to win these gorgeous machines. My sewing machine story involves a few different machines. When I was a kid my Mom had a sewing machine. I can only remember her busting it out for some super fly Halloween costumes (red Crayola crayon, Pippi Longstocking, Jasmine). Costume creation was always a little stressful for my Mom but her results were very impressive.
When I was in 8th grad Home and Careers class we had to sew some super fugly sweaters. They were horrendous and I decided that I didn’t like sewing. Not one bit. Nor did I like the Home and Careers teacher. Boooo to her!
Fast forward to my Freshman year in college – I was in the theater dept and wanted a work study job. I got one in the costume shop and learned to sew using an ancient industrial Singer. Boy was that thing scary at first! I learned that I did, in fact, like sewing. Especially when it didn’t involve huge blocks of polyester. Working in the shop taught me a lot about sewing and patterns and I had the opportunity to use a serger!!! They are just about the best things on the planet, if you ask me.
By my senior year of college I’d stolen my Mom’s old Singer. That machine has travelled with me from one apartment to the next and is still going strong. One tuneup in 30 years is a pretty awesome track record.
So, I’ve grown up in a household of women who know how to sew. My grandmother made clothing for my mom, aunties, and uncles. I never had a store-bought halloween costume. My mom would always drag me to the fabric store for hours (torture as a little kid) in August to pick out my costume from the giant books of patterns. The same goes for my cousins. In fact, all of my cousins have quilts that were made specifically for us, and we still use them.
Even to this day, I can send my mom a link to a dress or jacket or pants that I see online that I like, and in two weeks, she’ll send one to me that’s almost identical to the product, and it fits me, well. 
However, in this land of sewing, I was never allowed to sew or touch the machines. My job, for 18 years, was to layout the fabric on the floor, and then lay the paper pattern out on top. I wasn’t even allowed to pin the paper to the fabric!
So I was never interested, until going to college and seeing the fashion students sew away. And I realized, through all the years, even though I was never allowed to touch the machines, I still understood what was happening, and how the fabric would be cut/sewn to become a flowing gown.
So, last year, I asked my mom if I could borrow her sewing machine. She hadn’t sewn in at least 5 years. And she said of course. She even went as far as to show me how to sew after bringing it up to me while visiting on holiday.
So I started sewing, and I loved it. I whipped out little bags, skirts, and quilts. But my mom got jealous, and wanted her kick-ass machine back. So the last time she came up to snuck it in the taxi on her way airport. That sneak! So now, I’m machine-less, and would love the chance to practice more.
Thanks!
Oh, I’d really love to win this! I’m saving my pennies, but it’s taking a while. My sewing story. I learned the very very basics in middle school in a home ec class. Now I’m learning how to quilt from my mother in law. I have a plethora of patterns I want to try out, but I want a new sewing machine. and a ruffle foot! The current machine I’m using is the one my mother used when we were kids. I love it and all, but I think I’d be happier and able to do more with a newer machine. Thanks for the giveaway!!
Dear Brett –
I am so excited to have a sewing site to retreat to. I am inspired to start new projects.
I grew up with a mom that enjoyed sewing dresses and outfits for me. She enjoyed every last drop of the singer power of two great machines. The latter machine is in retirement at the moment because I have acquired the desire of sewing. I think I was a little too rough on it. I originally went to school for interior design, but the school I attended was full of all sorts of creativity. I was surrounded by manual foot – pedal sewing machines. I loved creating my interior projects in the same room as the fashion students. I have since been engaging my creativity into altering my own clothing. I have found ways to create interior decor with sewing as well. I so much enjoy making just about anything and if I do not know how to originally create something, I keep trying, and find a way to complete the projects. I do dream of a studio of machines to create and also to teach to pass on the joy of sewing to others. I have taught children the basics and *(Right now, I have a request from my sister-in-law, Sara, who desires to have a sewing machine of her own one day so that she can learn how to sew as well. That is why I was ecstatic to see this give away. The timing could not be better!) Sara has been inspired. The love of sewing is being passed along in the family. <3
My babysitter growing up was more like my grandmother. And she had two huge sewing machines in her bedroom. She was a supervisor at a textile plant and bought two of the machines when it closed. I would make me the most beautiful clothes and blankets. She taught me how to sew by hand but has never had time to teach me to sew with a machine. But she gave me all her books. I never had space for a sewing machine until friday when I bought my first house. I would love to win one of these machines so I could begin sewing and hopefully be half as talented as she is.
Wow. Just, wow. I still use the Kenmore my mother used to teach me how to sew. It was the beige plain Jane my dad got her for their first Christmas together and the first thing I made was an insulated potholder, with ‘G’ for ‘Grandma’ embroidered with the zig-zag stitch. My mom sewed my clothes for the first few years and I sewed and quilted my child’s first-year quilt on it, as well.
this is amazing! i can’t wait to read the book. i’ve been trying to get a sewing machine myself. i used to sew years and years ago but i’ve been sewing by hand for the last 15 years. this sure would be just thing to get me back in the game.
I started sewing after a bad breakup. One of my aunts can sew anything, so I got her to teach me how to quilt after my breakup. That’s how it all started. It took a lot of quilts, but I finally got over it
Now I also sew simple things like curtains, aprons, and skirts too. I’ve never had a serger, but I would love to learn how to use one, and my sewing machine is in bad shape after being knocked over a couple of times by my overly excited dogs!
great givaway!
my parents still have my grandmother’s beautiful antique sewing machine and my mother still uses it once in a while! i remember when i was little, it was attached to the kitchen table for extra table space(with the machine faced down of course) and all of us grandchildren arguing as to who was going to sit there for lunch or dinner, so we could play with the pedal
i have a hand-me-down simple 70′s singer, which i love but would love an upgrade and a serger!
Holy moly, would I LOVE that serger. My mum taught me how to sew on her Singer from the 70′s. The family joke is that she borrowed the money to buy it from my dad (before they were married) and 32 years of marriage later, she hasn’t paid him back! Then a family friend was kind enough to give me her old sewing machine when I was in in college – a 70′s Kenmore in extremely era-appropriate avocado green. My husband gave me my current machine, a brand new Kenmore, for Christmas a few years ago. At first I resisted it’s new-fangled-ness, but now I love it!
I first used a sewing machine in middle school in a sewing class and made, among other items I have can’t recall, a potholder that my mom uses to this very day. In college I received a very basic sewing machine that has plagued with me its finicky nature to the point I can’t even bring myself to try to use it anymore. My mother is an accomplished seamstress and I would love to have the proper equipment to learn on with her help. With my own little girl now nearly 1 1/2 years old I want to be able to make things for her, her dolls, and for our home.
woot!! this is amazing!
my sewing machine was a present when I was in grade 12 from my mom. it lasted awhile and then she gave me her old one when she got a new one. neither of them have been the greatest, but mostly i piece quilts on it so i can go over the seams a bunch of times and no one’s the wiser because it is all hidden inside.
i’d love to be able to start sewing things where it’s ok if you see what the sewing looks like!!
Kate
Oh man, come on singer! LOL at the “Oprah voice”! I was thinking yesterday that I need a sewing machine but no mullah to get it right now and low and behold, I come across this! Consider this my official entry. Thanks!
My sewing interests wax and wane, having started sewing as a requirement for Home Ed back in the 70′s, to having to re-teach myself when I was pregnant with my daughter – now 21. I’m only a short 4′ 10″ and back in 1989 when I was expecting her, there were few, if no options for petite pregnant women. So, I made my own with the cheapest machine I could find.
After my daughter was born, I found a new love for the craft and bought what was then, a really good machine. After years of use and disuse, I’m in desperate need of an updated wizard. Maybe a new toy will spur on a new interest in sewing again??
My love for sewing comes from the typical source: My mother and grandmother. When I was a kid, my mom sewed on a Singer she borrowed from a friend whenever she had something to make; which usually meant Halloween costumes and school projects. I remember standing on the dining room table while she hemmed my beautiful white first communion dress that I was so proud to wear on that special day. We certainly didn’t have tons of money, hence the borrowed machine and the need to make a communion dress instead of buying one, but I learned the lesson well: anything made with your own hands is more valuable than something bought in a store.
My Granny lives in Ireland and is an avid quilter; at 86 she is still making gorgeous quilts for all her grandchildren (there are 19 of us, so she has her work cut out for her!) My Grandad bought her her machine as a birthday present years ago, she told me on a recent trip back to Ireland. It, too, is a Singer, a big heavy green one that she loves. She still does the quilting and the binding by hand, though, and her stitches are enviably fine and even. When I made my first quilt last year, I did the quilting on my plain, bare bones Singer machine which I bought in college to make, you guessed it, a Halloween costume! This machine serves me fine, but I would love to learn to use a serger. Maybe I also should start sewing by hand if I want to ever get as good as Granny Betty, but really, who has the time these days??
Thanks so much for the chance to win! It has been fun reading through everyone’s stories! Brett, I love your style, keep on doin’ what you’re doin’!
Congratulations!
Not wanting to spend much money before I could actually sew, I purchased a Kenmore Mini-Ultra. It is baby blue–it looks like a toy, but it is mean. A friend who sews has one, so how bad could it be? I have wanted to tear my hair out every time I’ve used it, that’s how bad! After taking a class that had Berninas, I realized that some machines are worth the expense,. but I have not been able to afford one. Those babies practically sew by themselves. The teacher of the class used a serger to secure the bottoms of the tote bags we made–those things are magic!
When a freshman in college, I caught wind that mom and dad were giving both my sister and I a sewing machine for Christmas. I was bummed because I wanted a stereo! I let mom know that (ungrateful), but she still gave me the sewing machine, a Singer Stylist. LOVE that machine. Newly married I learned to use it and haven’t looked back! Thanks for the chance to win.
My Mum had an awesome in-the-cabinet Singer that ruled the back room in our house. She made me all sorts of clothes when I was growing up. Now I have my own machine, but it’s always breaking down. And when Mum updated her machine, she gave the beloved Singer to my sister-in-law. Grrrr…
My mom taught me to sew when I was just a young girl. She’s had her machine since it was given to her as a wedding present, and has been sewing since she was a child herself. Three years ago she gave me my own machine, which I love, but which only does straight and zigzag stitches. Something like this machine and the serger would take my sewing to the next level!
I am a 60 year old mother of two (grown) girls. My mom made all of my clothes including eyelet lace panties and trimmed socks! When I had 2 girls of my own the sewing started with bedspreads and curtains for their rooms to matching (and then not) English smocked dresses on my inexpensive Nechi. Finally after being a stay at home mom for seven years I went back to being a kindergarten teacher and bought myself a Kenmore floor display model computerized machine and my husband bought me a serger from a factory sale. Our life of girls and sewing clothes and prom dresses continued until they finished college.
Dust gathered on the machines and fabric stash as we traveled and gardened. Weddings and new home decor for the girls brought it all out again.
Somewhere along the line I took a nap and woke up to find both girls married and myself the grandmother of 5 granddaughters. Of course there have been doll clothes and blankets and dresses and costumes. my now 20 plus year old Ken more and bottom of the line serger are tired and more than a little worn
how fun! i am the only girl in the family without a sewing machine. fortunately there are moms and sisters and grandmas to borrow from but i would treasure my own! i have lots of fabrics i’ve collected that are sitting and waiting to become new creations… thanks for this opportunity!
I have been trying to teach myself how to sew for years. I’ve made pillows for every one of my family members, skirts for myself, some terrible bags, and I’ve even hemmed some things for my mom and for me. Your book sounds fantastic! As soon as I realized that sewing in a straight line would simplify my projects, I know I became a better, more confident sewer. I hope your book helps me (I’m planning to buy it this weekend) and many many others that same feeling of confidence and inspiration! Thank you for the chance to win these great machines – the serger especially could expand my sewing arsenal and abilities ten-fold – at least! THANKS! (And congrats on your new book!)
My mom’s avocado green steel Morse is sitting in my living room. Not my craft room, since it is too heavy for me to move. The motor stopped in the middle of hemming curtains and I had to run to Sears to get a replacement.
My mom has had the same sewing machine my whole life and I would be so sad if she ever let it go. With minimal servicing that baby has sewed up 30 years worth of great things, from Barbie clothes to my grad dress – and it’s a Singer!
I grew up watching my mom sew, and she taught my sister and I how to sew too. I don’t have a machine of my own, but I’d love to have one for all the projects in my head. Right now I sew by hand, so a machine would be a big help!
I’ve been surrounded by sewing machines all my life. My grandmother and her sisters were raised by a tailor and they too took on the trait, and I grew up wearing dresses my mother made for me. I bought my own sewing machine when I was in college, no longer living at home, and wanted to make my own curtains for my first apartment. and, frankly, my new home felt empty without a machine in it.
-Angela
my mom had an old hand-me-down machine while i was growing up, and i used that a little bit growing up. i lived at home for a while between college and grad school and that old machine had really had it, so we went to get it repaired but the salesperson told us it would be cheaper just to buy a new machine. we did, and then i took it with me when i moved out. it’s a really basic baby lock, and i actually like it a lot. i think it cost less than $100. i keep wanting to get a nicer machine, but if it’s not broken…
I “won” a sewing machine from eBay that was sold out of a “professional” eBay drop-off store. My FIRST and only sewing machine. The product was listed as well-kept and good quality. After receiving the product, I noticed the smell! It appears to have been in a FLOOD or SOMETHING because the smell is awful! They won’t refund my money so I am out that and I still have no way to sew all the wonderful clothes I am dreaming of
I also won knitting needles but luckily I was able to wash those and get the smell out!
I’ve been sewing since I was a kid but the past 2-3 years I’ve really gotten into it. I love my machine but desperately want a serger too!! I have a beautiful vintage aqua blue machine that is just stunning, but sadly I need a couple of parts replaced to get it going again… one day!
Love the round bowl video on designsponge! Can’t wait to see the lucky winner of those machines!
)
Congratulations on the new book! I purchased a refubrished mechnical machine a few years ago to get me back into sewing. I want to upgrade to a computerized machine and serger to sew some active wear and undergarments. I saw these machines demonstrated on HSN and thought they were great, but a little low on funds at the moment to purchase them. I have to say that my grandmother and mother didn’t sew, and the only thing I’ve every sewn as a child was a skirt in my 7th grade Home Ec class. I’m dreaming to making some floor poufs for my apartment as I love sitting on the floor, but it’s little hard and a little harder to get up.
I have my Mom’s old machine in my living room as a piece of furniture. It is an old black Singer treadle machine. I can remember her spending days sewing covers for all the cushions of our Early American furniture with it. I was fascinated by the fact that she could do that. I have tried to sew. I bought a beginner machine in the seventies after I married. I used it to mend clothes. I did manage to make an outfit for my son’s first Easter by taking a sewing lab at out technical college where there was ready help. I also made a few Halloween costumes, but those didn’t have to look good. Pattern directions stump me. I don’t understand what they are telling me to do. I think I could probably sew a straight line, so I have hope of making something with the help of your book. A new machine wouldn’t hurt, either! Thanks for the giveaway.
I have a New Home machine I bought in 1992 – it is very basic, but I have used it to make some simple things in the past. I would love to win this dream machine <3
I started sewing when I was little. My mother had a Sears Kenmore sewing machine with the cabinet (the sewing machine would drop down into a “cradle” and then you’d fold up the table to become the top of the cabinet. We used that machine for years (I even refinished the cabinet at one point).
Years later when I moved out on my own, my partner gave me a Husqvarna Viking sewing machine (around 1983). What an improvement over the 1950ish Kenmore! I took a serger class around 1985 and bought one. These were considered high tech at the time and have proved to be very reliable. Not too many bells and whistles, just reliable machines (can’t say as much for the seamstress however!).
I’m so interested in your book and will definitely pick up a copy. It should bring me back to sewing as I’ve been away from it far too long. And thank you for the opportunity to enter a contest too! Great inspiration!!
My Mom had a serger and regular sewing machine, so I grew up with them and knew all their idiosyncrasies. Since adulthood, I’ve gone through three sewing machines. I use them for everything — tailoring clothes, sewing pillow cases, making costumes. Recently I found a very old singer in the garbage that runs by foot petal. We’re still refurbishing it into working order.
Wow, I have nothing earth shattering to say except I love to sew and my machine is at least 35 years old. Sure could use a new one
Thanks for the chance to possibly make that happen.
I havent sewed in more than 20 years… and I simply need to fall in love with sewing again, because my head is always stuffed with arty sewing-projects I’d love to throw myself into.
Except….. my present sewing-machine is so cheap, and soooo bad…, and it ruins everything and takes all the fun out of sewing. Cant afford a new one though.
I’ll keep all my fingers crossed for these ones.
Thank you for the opportunity.
Eva, Denmark
My mom got me an old retro singer with shiny gold detailing from Craigslist. It’s currently in the shop getting tuned up, but as soon as it’s out, I’m raring to go on projects. I’m going to take a quilting class and will hopefully do some household decor and clothing projects soon as I’m just learning at the whole sewing thing.
My grandma quilts, my mom sewed her business suits, and my sister learned growing up. My independent streak didn’t discover my (lack of) sewing skills until I made my first duvet cover (never to start small or entirely simple).
As a design student now, and an accomplished knitter, my construction and vision are great, but my sewing skills need to catch up. Will definitely be getting your book to help guide me along with some new projects!
My sewing machine is a tiny Sewing Magic machine that only makes straight stitches. Winning a machine like this would be like upgrading from a golf cart to a Corvette! I got the little machine for my nirthday a few years ago, and it has already produced some loves throw pillows, but I’d like to advance to even bigger projects!
What a great contest! My mother taught me to sew when I was young and I can’t thank her enough for that skill. She bought me a basic sewing machine when I bought my first home. It is such a great tool to have. Whenever I see something I like my first instict is, “oh, I can make that!” And I can thank my mom for that! I don’t have much room in my town home so converted my office closet into a sewing station. Once I’m done with my projects, I tuck my chair under the desk and close the doors. Keeps everything nice and tidy!
I want to make curtains! Just like Sarah makes on Sarah’s House. We bought our first house last year, and I still can’t find any curtains that I like! Maybe I’m just picky?
Wow…I just stumbled across your blog from “feedbiz”. Love love love it. amg sewing. Although I am quite crafty the whole sewing thing scares me…honestly scares me!!! LOL I would love to learn and I just watched your video and I think (I said think) I could make those bowls. But of course I would have to win as I don’t have a sewing machine:) I am a scrapbooker and have been telling all my friends there are so MANY cool things to do with scrapbooking that involves lots of sewing. So on that note THANK you for the chance. Your blog is awesome. AND congrats on that new book!!!
My sewing experience is basically non-existent. That said, my wife is extremely crafty and sews and knits quite a few things. For some reason I have an irresistible urge to get things off the street and refurbish them. Over the years I’ve found a couple of sewing machines. One was a 1940′s Singer and the other a small dressmaker’s machine. Both were in very bad mechanical condition and thus my wife was unable to use them. I later sold them at a yard sale. Bottom line- I’m handy but clueless about sewing machines in general. I would love to get a new machine for my wife.
I learned to sew from my mother. She used to make clothes for my sister and me when we were little. When we were in Vietnam my mother had a Singer sewing machine with foot paddle. My sister became a sucessful dressmaker in her late teen and early twenty, and had used the same sewing machine until my family left Vietnam in 1990. I’ve continued enjoying sewing until now. When I’m stressed out, I sew to relax. I made all of curtains, decorative pillows, bedspreads, etc. in my home. Three years ago my sister-in-law asked me to make a quilt for my niece. Her husband (my husband’s brother) passed away when my niece was 4 years old, so she wanted her daughter to have something made from her father’s clothes that had been boxed in storage after his death. I transfered several daughter-and-father pictures onto white fabric and incorporate the father’s clothes into the quilt. It came out beautifully and brought tear to everyone’s eyes when it was presented at my niece’s 16th birthday party. Thanks for the contest.
Sewing and Brooklyn are both strongly linked to my mom – a woman who deserves confetti thrown into the air when she enters a room. My mom is originally from Brooklyn and moved to the bustling metropolis, Tucson, AZ when her parents loaded up the family car and headed west in hopes of having a simpler, more successful life. I grew up in Tucson and moved to New York 6 years ago to pursue teaching in urban communities and have helped to start a new school in Brooklyn – in the same public school space in which my mom’s aunt went to middle school so many years ago! The term “full circle” is very appropriate! As for sewing, my mom hand-made all of my halloween costumes from the time I was a little yellow crayon until I was a more sophisticated princess riding a horse (and also gave every fiber of herself to my brother and me in countless other ways.) I can still picture sitting on the couch, a solid 8 months before halloween, watching my mom work away on all of the fabrics we had picked out for each year’s costume. As a crafty adult, living in my mom’s birthplace, I have a strong desire to learn to sew. Perhaps this little contest is a lucky way of making this happen!
I inherited my sewing machine from my mom. It is a Sears Kenmore Model 148.14220. The tension doesn’t stay adjusted, I constantly have to deal with nasty snarley knots on the bottom side. It used to have a box of attachments & tools, but those disappeared many years ago. I long for a machine that has all the parts, accessories & the instruction manual that I can call my own.
I got my first sewing machine as a tip. No kidding. I was in my first year of college and waitressing at the Waffle House and one of my truck driver customers, “Lee” came in for his random but always late evening cup of coffee before he hit the road for a long drive. I had mentioned how I was applying for the Fashion Design program at school and how nervous I was b/c I wasn’t really good at sewing and didn’t have a sewing machine.
So he gave me his.
He learned how to sew b/c he was a bachelor and had to learn how to fix his own clothes. It was also relaxing for him. I believe his sister have it to him but he was on the road so much and didn’t use it… so he gave it to me.
It served me through all 4 years of undergrad and right after college it broke down. I just haven’t had the heart to get rid of it. My best friend has let me borrow her industrial machine for the last 3 years but she’s getting married and will be taking it with her to New York in three months.
With a busy photography business I want to turn to sewing again to relieve some stress and just find pleasure in something not tied to money.
Hello. I came to your site from Design Sponge. My current Brother sewing machine’s working fine, but I would LOVE the Singer sewing machine and THE SERGER!!
I have been sewing almost 40 years since my pre-teen days, firstly with my mom’s old-fashioned machine with the leather rope (?) on the left side of it and the foot pedal/plate at the bottom to move the needle. (My mom still has it though it is not working anymore.) Then, onto a electric sewing machine that she owned for years, then another electric, but higher-quality machine which she still uses once in a while in her sixties. Now I own a Brother machine myself, which I like a lot. Does a good job. However, sewing with a serger has been one of my crafty dreams. Thanks!
I learned to sew on my great grandmothers sewing machine, I had to operate it by hand. I taught myself sewing Barbie clothes. Then graduated to my own clothes. I don’t know how may times I went to church and my clothes started to fall apart. My mom finally got me a new machine but that was 1973. Now I finally have a decent machine, but I let a neighbor use it and now the timing is off. I really need a new machine and I promise I won’t let anyone use it.
I started sewing on my Mom’s 1980s Kenmore. When I left home, she gave me the 1950′s Featherweight Singer that she learned on as a child (and probably one of her aunts as well). When I entered the exciting world of the zig-zag stitch last year, my mother gave me a new Kenmore as a birthday present. I’m just starting to get into knits so a serger would be wonderful!
I purchased my first sewing machine, a huge, green metal singer with a sewing table that it folded down into, from an auction in my small town when I was about 11 years old. I think I got it for around $50, and it probably weighs 50 lbs! The auction was being held by our elderly neighbor, Bernice, whom I was friends with and visited almost every day. I still have the machine, and it’s been through all 4 of my younger sisters learning how to sew. My favorite thing to do when I first got it was to change out the cams and figure out the pattern each cam made the machine stitch!
I first started sewing in a home economics class in high school. As I was sewing, I guess I got my finger a little too close to the needle and it went through the fleshy part of my finger. That did not discourage me though. I didn’t do any sewing after high school and college. About 15 years later, my husband bought me a sewing machine for my birthday and I have loved making clothing for little girls and boys ever since.
I bought a brand new sewing machine in college, almost 10 years ago. It is a Husqvarna-Viking Oscar. I loved it! Such a work horse….until one day, my daughter decided to push the reverse button in and it broke! My machine is stuck in reverse (yes, I still use it, just limited to what I can make..lol…)!! I was given an old White from the 60′s/70′s by my husband’s grandmother, but she hadn’t used it for a long time. After cleaning it up and figuring out what needs replaced, it’s just just a little too expensive for me to renovate…so this is me throwing my hat into the ring, with lots of hope of winning…LOL…
Wowzers!!!
I learned to sew in Home-Ec 17 years ago; I wasn’t superb at it but I didn’t find my teacher very helpful, either. She would only pay attention to the people who were doing *really* well or *really* badly! (But I digress.) All through highschool, I used my mum’s sewing machine – made bellbottoms out of a pair of jeans, turned another into my favorite skirt (12 years later I still have it!), made cute little purses – until they moved away, and now and then I will go and use my sister-in-law’s, but mostly for mending ripped seams and such.
I always ooooh and ahhhh over all the fabulous projects that can be made with a sewing machine, especially upcycling used clothes into new and fabulous things, like a patchwork blanket out of denim jeans, or daddy’s t-shirt turned little girl’s nightie. LOVE! Would love to make things that incorporate fabric and crochet or knit elements, such as an apron top with a crocheted yoke.
I would love a chance a chance to win! My maternal grandmother was a seamstress for a duchess in England before she came the the U.S. of A. in 1919. She taught my mother and my two aunts to sew, and I learned how to knit and crochet from her. Mom made many of her own clothes for years, and many of mine and my three siblings clothes as we grew. My younger sister picked up her sewing skills from Mom, and is actually willing to try and teach me! This would be a great gift for her (which I can borrow)!
Great Giveaway!!! When I was little my granny let me mend old blankets by hand and I loved it ans as I got older I wanted to use a sewing machine so my mother found an ancient portable machine that she taught me some basic stitching on, I LOVED it! When I got in high school I took home ec. just so I could learn more sewing and I made myself a dress and won an award for it, i was hooked. I love to sew, and though my machine isn’t terrible it isn’t fantastic either. My little sister is wanting to learn to sew now and as I try and teach her some basics it would be so much fun to pass my machine on to her if I had a new one to replace it.
I was just thinking today that I needed to get me a serger. I have been zigzagging and hemming way too much these days and a serger would just save me time and energy.
thanks!
I love to sew. Sewing is therapeutic to me. Since childhood I have seen my Mom sewing beautiful dresses for me using her sewing machine to wear on parties and get together. Gives me a sense of pride that I am wearing something made at home my by mom. I want to do the same and learn to sew perfectly, so that my kids will also develop that sense of love for sewing.
THIS is so exciting!! What I could do with this prize!!! The sewing machine I have now is very, very old. It is so old that I usually just sew everything by hand. But oh! I would finally be able to make the quilt out of my son’s old blue jeans that I’ve been wanting to make for so long. To win these Singer Machines would be a dream!
congratulations on your book, I would love to win a sewing machine!
I bought my last sewing machine for 30$ at the flea market. Over the years we struggled and argued, but finally got along well together.
Last summer, my mom promised me her brand new, but now unnecessary to her, sewing machine, so I gave my old one away to a girl in a class I was teaching. After one project, my new one will only go in a straight line and refuses to zigzag or move her needle. There is no manual for it (never was, never will be) and I am hankering after my cranky but trusty old metal one. but I am not one to take sewing machines from nine year old girls, so I ‘m on the lookout for another new/old one at the thrift shop.
As a good swiss girl I learned to sew in school.
I would love to win! Please:)
I would love to win this as I am newbie sewer sewing on a 30+ year old machine
This would make things so much easier to learn and to create:-)
Thank you for this wonderful opportunity
Kellie
I’m currently struggling with a fabulous old kenmore 117-95 rotary, the kind that folds down into a table… I picked it up for free in my neighborhood and am limping towards making it functional! I think at this point as soon as I work out my crazy tension problems, I will be good to go… but man, wouldn’t it be nice to sew on a real-live modern machine for once! (my previous machines were a hopeless Kenmore from Goodwill and an old electric Singer from the 20′s which doesn’t reverse and has no tension knob!)
My mom used to sew most outfits for my sister and me when we were little (growing up in Eastern Germany, you just couldn’t get much of anything nice to wear, so people made things themselves). A couple of days agoe, she altered a summer dress to be a skirt, and it’s reminded me once again that I need to join the sewing club. I think this giveaway is a sign (fingers crossed)!! I’m that person who has had the same curtains, throw pillows, table cloths etc. for years, because perpetually “in the near future,” I know will purchase a sewing machine and create all kinds of amazing sewing wonders around my house. Except this never actually happens, but I dare not purchase the items new, because, well, that’s where the denial of this whole situation comes in. Though I’ve mentally marked this Christmas as the day my sewing life will start, it would be wonderful to begin this adventure 6 months ahead — then I could even MAKE Christmas gifts for people!
Sewing is one of those things I did on and off as a kid whenever I decided I wanted my mom to teach me. In the last couple of years, I’ve scored a machine off of freecycle and a hand-me-down from a friend who was getting a brand-new viking machine. They’re both old singers, but they both have major issues, and any time I try to use them I end up frustrated. I *really* want to learn how to sew, though, and I feel like with the right machine, it would be possible. I’m an avid knitter, and I know that what type of needles and yarn you use can make a huge difference, and something tells me the right machine can make a huge difference too.
When my grandmother passed away, it was time to start going through her house. I was asked if I would like the sewing machine. It was in a nice plastic portable box, and I was happy to have such a new machine… or so I thought. About a year later, I was at a church rummage sale an bought the “Reader’s Digest Guide to Sewing”. I finally opened up the case, expecting to see a nice new sewing machine, like the one my Grandma had bought for my mother, and was quite surprised. This was not my grandma’s sewing machine. It was my Grandpa’s – the marine who knew how to sew curtains, and darn socks. My grandpa, who was still alive but in a nursing home was delighted to hear that I was learning to sew using his old machine. Along with my Reader’s Digest book and a class at the local community college, I’ve got the basic ropes under my belt. I’ve not attempted more complex projects like making clothes or sewing buttonholes, but one step at a time! I’m still learning, but I love how far “knowing the basics” can take you, and how limitless the possibilities are once you have some experience and confidence under your belt!
Hi!!!
Well, my sewing machine relationship started when I was just a little toddler and my grandma used to put me on her lap and show me all the parts of the industrial Juki she had! The oil was my favorite part, so cool! With time she allowed me to sew clothes for my barbies and later on, even finish some straight lines on the hem for the clothes she used to make!
I moved to United States in 2004 and as soon as we could my husband and I bought a industrial sewing machine and now I can show my son the parts, the bobbins, the oil and everything that made such a difference in my life as well.
We had an old fashioned pedal sewing machine at our country house that my mother actually used and she swears it worked great!
One time, as she was making curtains, the electricity went off, and she only realized it much later as the machine, being pedal driven kept on going! We were watching her and wondered when she would clue in!
The machine is still in th family. It was left to me by my grandmother, but is residing with my sister who is much more antique oriented than me at the moment.
I would LOVE to win these machine. I once made a slip-cover for my couch and need to make a new one!
Hi! Look like a great book! I’m already planning on making the round nesting bowls after watching your tutorial video!
My sewing machine story would have to be about the machine I started sewing on. My mum bought a Toyota 30 as her first sewing machine when she was about my age. On it she made her first pair of curtains when her and my dad got a house together, clothes for me and my brother and dolls clothes for my dolls. When I was young I loved sewing things by hand and crafting at school. When I got the chance I studied textiles at school and made my first bag for which I got a top grade. Of course I sewed it on my mum’s machine! Before leaving for college I sewed my own duvet covers out of hand dyed fabric and each summer I would craft the things I wanted or needed. When I moved into my first proper house share Mum passed the sewing machine to me. I am still using the same machine and hope that one day I will make some curtains for my first house and clothes for my own children. My toyota 30 may be old and heavy but it is well loved!
My grandmother machine pass to my mom, and I always saw her sewing and creating doll dresses and clothes for us. Now I’m learning how to sew, with the help of her, and I really hope I can be as creative as my nonna.
I hope I can win =)
I sew on my momma’s Super Elna from the 70s–I LOVE it. I sew for my nieces, my friends and my family. I am finally to the point that I not only want a serger, but NEED a serger. It would be so nice when doing clothes and bags. My husband is still in school, so money is tight. Homemade Christmas gifts are a must in my house
Can’t wait to get your book for some new gift ideas!!
Cheers!
Brooke
I started learning to sew when I joined the local 4-H club in the second grade. That first year, my fair project was a pillow, the next year a skirt that I wore for Easter, and every year after that I made my Easter dress. I competed in local, state, and even national sewing competitions. Even though I’ve been sewing almost 30 years, I’m definitely still learning every day! The sewing machine I learned on was my mother’s old Necchi from the 60s. When I graduated high school and went away to college, my parent’s graduation present to me was a 70s Kenmore. I love both of these machines, but have a constant longing for a new one of my very own!!
I prayed and begged and saved for my first machine. I remember seeing my grandmother’s creations and just being in awe of the fact that she made CLOTHES with her hands. Once I got my machine there were many ill fated attempts but finally, suddenly, I knew how to use the thing! I made curtains, table clothes, and anything else that was not complicated. Still working on garments but I love creating beautiful things for my home.
My aunts were hoarding twins. They did not live together just had the same tendencies. Aunt Karen dies and Aunt Sharon along with my mom clean out Aunt Karen’s house. Aunt Sharon takes sewing machine (even though she doesn’t sew) and she told me she had it. I asked her for it and my mom TOOK it. This was around 11 years ago. So to this day I have no sewing machine and at the moment have a ‘scarf’ project pinned up and ready for a straight stitch. Alright already, I have projects going on and don’t want to ask friends every time I need a stitch or two. That is my bitch for the day, have a good one.
I have an old Bernina my mom gave me. My mom taught me to sew and she still teaches me the tricks up her sleeve. She used to sew things for our home and for us to wear – those things were always a delight! When I was young I faithfully entered my sewing projects at the 4-H fair. My mom never discouraged my creativity, even if the results were less than attractive. Now that I am a mother, I am thrilled to have the sewing skills she taught me so I can do the same for my family. My Bernina is trustworthy but old and I would especially appreciate a serger!
I just started sewing and it is sooooo addicting! I am so happy that I came across your website
I have a 2 1/2 yr old daughter and a 10 mth old son. So I have mostly been sewing summer dresses and bibs. I have started to make dresses and shirts to fit my “post-baby body” and would loooove a sewing machine upgrade and I’m DYING for a serger! Good luck with your book 
My grandmother was a seamstress and my grandfather was a tailor, so sewing is in my blood. I LOVE to sew and have owned many USED machines. Now, my youngest daughter and I design clothes and repurpose old clothes. I only have one machine and my serger, while well used, has given up the ghost – it refuses to serge another stitch. It would be so wonderful to have a brand new sewing machine and serger so that we could sew together! I just read a review on your new book today. It looks beautiful and the website is great!
Hi Brett, this is my first time on your site! I don’t know how to sew. I’ve always wanted to learn, I even had my husband buy me a sewing machine two years ago. It’s still in the box because I just don’t know where to start. I will be ordering your book as soon as I can and hopefully it will help me out.
My grandmother taught me to sew when I was a little girl. Over time I lost my skill but I always kept the wonderful things that she taught me close to my heart. Recently, a dear friend of mine has ignited my passion to start sewing again. I’m looking forward to diving into your book for inspiration! These machines are beautiful… I would love to play around with them! Thanks for the lovely giveaways
my grandmother was a very skilled, accomplished seamstress who made great Barbie clothes for our dolls…my mom took classes and wanted to sew clothes for my sister and i…what i remember is her bent over the machine in complete and utter frustration…….she was great at many other crafts and projects, but sewing was an abomination for her! we still tease her about those tense evenings at the ol’ Singer!
I was never much interested in sewing as a child – my two early efforts included pushing down the pedal of mum’s Husqvarna while my brother held his finger under the needle (just to see what happened), and making a basic apron at school – which I still have, but I can see the wonky stitching (back then, I was definitely NOT’sewing in a straight line’).
No, I didn’t start sewing until after my grandmother died and I inherited her old machine. Now she was a sewer. She made me so much that I never appreciated until now – every little dress for every occasion (even my debutante ball and school formal dresses). Even then, the old thing sat in my cupboard for years until I had daughters of my own.
My girls are now 2-and-1/2 and 8 months old and I’m really enjoying teaching myself to sew for them – little dresses, pants, pyjamas, winter coats and more. Nanna’s machine has its issues (every now and then you have to hit it with the back of a pair of scissors to unstick the wheel at the side), but it’s been a good hobby machine for the last couple of years.
What an awesome giveaway! I am using my mom’s old avocado green sears kenmore machine.
A serger would rock.my.world.
Mum taught me on her old Singer, which was built into the sewing table & still running strong. We started with buttons by hand, then pillows w/ lace edging, then I attempted to make my own shirts with drawstring sleeves (so i could tie bows). This was around the time I had learned to tie bows in shoelaces, thus the enthusiasm. Motivation to continue ebbed & flowed during middle & high school. In college my roomate was a fashion design major, & her work totally inspired me. Then upon getting married I wanted to make household items b/c sweetie-face really liked things I made by hand (as do I). Now we have 2 babes so time to sew is more scarce, but projects & fabric stashes are stacking up high & calling my name!
This is a great giveaway, so thank you for the chance to win it.
My Mom was quite crafty with her sewing machine when she was growing up….as the oldest of 7 kids she learned early on to make her own clothes so she could have something new and cute even when money was tight. She gave me rudimentary sewing lessons when I was about 12, then set me loose with her old Singer. Initially, I sewed basic projects, pillows and other straight line projects (your book will be amazing). After several years of the absolute basics, I wanted to move on to heavier fabrics…..end of sewing machine harmony! While stitching a patch on some jeans I broke the needle and ultimately the machine……dead Singer! 15+ years later I’ve broken another machine and gotten better about what I run through the one I currently have (on loan from my Mom)!
My mama had the coolest machine ever. It was this gawdy mustardy yellow color and it lived inside a cabinet. When you opened the cabinet lid, the machine would rise up and lock in place. It also had a knee instead of a foot pedal. It was soooooo difficult for me to learn to sew on it because I bounce my knee constantly… lol. I loved that machine and was sorry to see it go. My grandpere had given it to her when she was a young girl and it lasted until just a few years ago.
Thanks for offering this contest! I’m a new sewer and have to borrow my mother-in-law’s machine – I hope I win!
Jenn in GR, MI
My grandmother sewed until the day she died on a foot powered Singer. I learned to sew on that same machine and have never been able to make an electric machine do the same things in the same way.
What a great giveaway, congrats on the book!
My mom got me a sewing machine about 7 years or so ago. It’s the most basic of basic Singer sewing machines. It has a straight stitch and a zig zag stitch and that’s it! But I’ve made a ton of projects with it and learned so much! I can’t wait to get a newer model though, would love to win these 2! Thanks for the chance.
I learned how to sew on a Singer – my mom’s Singer Zigzag Stylist, which she bought with money given to her by fellow teachers right before she had me…..So that machine, which I still sew on when I visit my mom, is as old as I am….36.
Now I sew on an inexpensive Kenmore that I bought before I got back into sewing a few years ago. When I want to serge something, I have to plan a trip to my friend’s apartment to use her serger, so I would love to have one of my own!
Your book looks amazing! I can only sew straight lines so it is perfect for me. Thank you for the giveaway!
thank you for this great giveaway!
i sew on a hello kitty sewing machine, made for children because the speed is slow and steady. i’d love to upgrade to big-girl machines now, since i’ve mastered (i think!) the sewing in a straight line
so excited to tackle bigger projects and dreams! thanks again!
My mom is one of those amazing homemakers who can sew, cook… you name it. She’s awesome. She’s had one sewing machine my entire life, and she has put it to excellent use making us clothes when we were little, making tablecloths, curtains, etc. I would love to be industrious like this in my home, but alas, no sewing machine of my own. Maybe someday! This is my first time to your site (routed here by design sponge) and I’ll definitely be bacK!
I have been dreaming of new patterns to create with every spare second I find and would LOVE to own a sewing machine and serger like this! I’m only just learning how to sew and am using my mom’s old sewing machine. It’s a trooper but I worry it may not last much longer. It’s beginning to rattle with each stitch. But I won’t complain because I am truly grateful to have it! I would be soooo delighted to win this giveaway. Off I go to watch your DIY clip on Design Sponge.
My sewing memories come mostly from my grandmother; she constantly sewed dresses for my sister and I even until we were in high school. Last fall when I was pregnant with my daughter I stayed for three weeks with my aunt, for whom quilting is a passion and her full time hobby now that she’s retired. She taught me to quilt and I made my very first quilt from scratch for my baby girl to use. I am dying to have a sewing machine of my own now but I’m overwhelmed by the choices and can’t really afford one anyway. Winning these machines would be a dream come true- I’m already imagining thousands of possibilities! Thank you so much
I’m new here. I learned to sew from my Mom and in home Ec and my Mom had a free-arm sewing machine. I used to sew some, but was never very god at it–I was a Tomboy. I did make myself some dresses and a bathing suit, which I loved, and when my kids were small, I made overalls, nightgowns, dresses, and lots of little stuffed animals for them. (None of them were that great, but they were serviceable.) One time, when we were having a big Christmas party, I put my sewing machine downstairs in order to make room for the party–and the power went out and we had a big flood and the sewing machine was ruined.
I’ve been wishing for another, as well as wishing I knew how to sew–better. My mother-in-law wants me to sew up some sheets for her–seems easy enough. But neither of us has a functional machine.
(and CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW BOOK!!!)
i am so pre-ordering that book! also, have my fingers crossed on the giveaway. thanks!
Unfortunately, I don’t have a sewing machine. I simply can’t afford one. I’m a student, work a lot, and I can just manage everything to make ends meets.
A few months ago I discoverd how many cool things there are possible with fabric and a sewing machine. It would be awsome to win one!
My mother taught me to sew on a black beauty Singer sewing machine. My grandmother taught me to sew by hand. My church’s guild taught me to quilt. I am teaching my grand daughter. It is the neverending story and it is a great tale.
Yay for the giveaway and your new book! I have an old Singer that was my Grandma’s. When she died, I got it. I use it mostly for sewing on paper – upcycled paper sewn onto greeting cards. I have also used it for some fabric sewing projects – mostly throw pillow covers. (I think I learned how to sew on a zipper from your tutorial.) I’ve always wanted a serger, and a new and improved Singer would be a dream since the one I have now seems to be coming up with some issues.
I have a soft spot in my heart for troll dolls.
When my mom was a kid she had a troll doll collection and would sew them little funny outfits. She kept her collection and their handmade wardrobes and gave them to me. I adored them when I was little and added my own quirky, and not quite as skillfully made, pieces to the collection. Even though I’m way beyond my years of playing with them I still love that I have them and I love how strange they are. I hope I get the opportunity to share them with my daughter and enjoy crafting new vests and skirts for them with her.
I learnt how to sew in 6th grade home-ec class, then in high school I took over my mom’s mint green Singer that chewed up bobbin thread every 100 stitches. I made patchwork dresses from scrap quilting fabric from my grandmother and sold them in the parking lots at Grateful Dead and Phish shows. It is extremely difficult and embarrassing for me to admit this to you and will refused to have my face photographed with the winning machines.
My mom never had the chance to teach me to sew … she died when I was 24, and up until that point, I never had any interest in sewing. But now, 14 years later, something changed. I wondered why she was always drawn to making her own clothes, and what was the allure of stitching fabric, winding bobbins and cutting out patterns. So I enrolled in a sewing class seven months ago, and I haven’t stopped going to classes. But for me, it’s even more than sewing, it’s about meeting the memory of my mom every week, amongst bolts of fabric and spools of thread. I reconnect with the memories that I have of my childhood, and I’ve discovered my own love for sewing. The only catch? I have a junky machine. I’d sure love an upgrade!
I am still using my grandmothers sewing machine. It runs great except for the small hitch that the screw to change the foot was broken when we lent it to a friend of the family. Any time I need to sew in a zipper or a button I have to take my project up to my mom’s house. I don’t think that I will ever part with my grandmother’s machine but it would be nice to finish a project without a trip in the car.
I learned to sew from my Grandma, who is sadly not with us anymore. My first project with the sewing machine was to make me a top and a ra-ra skirt. The skirt still lives on in many family photos – it was my favourite outfit for at least a year and really gave me the sewing bug! I have never had a serger, but would love one, and my sewing machine is worse for wear after being dropped during a move across states. I’d love to win your prize! Congrats on the book – I’ll have to look out for it in Oz.
i’ve got my mom’s old husqvarna sewing machine that she had for years. it broke and my husband fixed it once and now it is not back stitching. it’s a huge bummer. i love to make quilts and clothes and toys for my kids, which i want the serger for. i’ve been having sewing withdrawal because i haven’t been able to sew in the last couple of weeks. would love to win this!! great giveaway!!! thanks!!
Hi Brett! I am so excited about your new book! My story is that I bought a sewing machine over 20 years ago, made 1 quilt and a few other small things, but I had so much trouble with the quilt that I got really frustrated with sewing. It has stayed in my basement all this time and I have been waiting for the day I could pull it out again and use it. When I found out your book was being released, I knew I had to have it so I could rescue my sewing machine. I ordered it a few days before the release and I can’t wait until it gets here!
My first sewing experience for me was when I was in 8th grade. I took a home ec. Class and of corse that is where I was first introduced to it. The first thing We learned to sew by hand in that class was in fact a straight line! I cannot remember the actual amount of times my teacher had me re-do this straight line before her patience was exhausted with me that she willingly accepted a semi straight more crooked line instead. Haha, I still laugh at my first experience of sewing and I think maybe that is why I havent got into until recently.
For me the idea of becomer a sewer just happened at the beginning of this year when my husband and I moved into our first house! My eyes have been open to curtains, duvet covers, cushions, even the possiblity of sewing my own rug out of scrap material! And now with a baby on the way (our first) so many other wonderful things!
I would def. Use this sewing machine to add that specoal creative touch to our home. And who knows maybe I will even be able to actual sew a straight line!
My mom’s sewing machine hates me. And I mean it really HATES me. Whenever I try to use it the bobbin thread tangles or the needle breaks or something inside starts making a weird crunching noise. [Then as soon as my mom touches it, it runs perfectly.] So I never really nurtured the love for sewing that my Home Ec. classes gave me. Until this past Christmas, when I asked my parents for a sewing machine. I was about to get married and move 600 miles away, and I just thought that having my own sewing machine would be nice. Now, I’ve successfully made several tote bags, three pillows, a stuffed animal/pillow, some aprons, curtains for all our windows, and I’m working on a patchwork denim blanket… And there’s no end in sight.
i have bee sewing all my life . . . when i was in highschool i wanted to take wood and metal shop instead of home economics . . . teacher told me i would have to prove my sewing skills . . and i did . . . i made a western shirt with indian chief heads embroidered on the yoke, fringe and piping along with snaps . . . . i was so not into making aprons . . . . impressed her and made it into shop class. . . . this was in 1980 when metal and wood working was unheard of for girls . . . . i still sewed at home . . . even used to make my own bras, panties, and bathing suits . . . would love to win this fantastic giveaway!
I remember when I was little taking sewing lessons from a neighbor and loving it! I have always been so envious of women like you that make it look sew easy.(did you see what I did there? ha) When I saw your book title “Sewing in a straight line” I thought I need that book, that is the most basic step and I cant seem to master it.
I started sewing on my Grandmother’s 1930 Singer. Basically sewing scraps together, making silly useless pieces. Soon, I wanted to make something for me to wear. My mother decided it was time for me to learn how to use a pattern. I believe my first finished piece was a simple skirt. Since then, it took off from there. I used my mother’s Kenmore from the 80s. I used it until I moved to my first home with my husband this year. I was given my aunt’s Futura II. I’m trying to learn it, but I think there may be something wrong with it. I love sewing and I’ve very sad I don’t have something to sew whatever I want at my disposal. So, for now, I’m surviving by learning how to knit.
I saw your book on design*sponge and it really attracted my attention. I don’t know anything about sewing but starting to become very interested recently. Hope this giveaway will be a start for me!
I learned to sew in Home Economics in 8th grade. Since then, I have not touched a sewing machine. I love to design though, so I hand sew things and occasionally ask my mom to help me on her sewing machine! I’d love to learn to do so on my own though…
I used to have my mom’s old Singer from Sears. She had gotten it as a wedding gift in 1978. Bu then she took it back! No fair!
I have my mum’s Singer Featherweight that I think grandma gave her in high school (mid 1950s).. it’s one of the special models where the bobbin thread winds around and around and gets caught. I still sew on it occasionally, when it works it’s a beautiful machine for simple straight stitches. That I have the case and the manual mean a lot to me.
A few years ago I bought a Singer Tradition (2240?). Despite the plastic body, I’ve found that It’s a work horse of a machine. It has sewn many miles of simple curtains for my home but I seem to have inherited the bobbin curse and am constantly fiddling with it.
I am drawn to knit fabrics (possibly because I am a knitter) and I dream of a serger.
Your book has given me encouragement (from the title and bits I’ve seen online, a request for a copy of it is in my wish list) that all my rectangle practice (those curtains) was for good.
I learned to sew because my mom worked in a Chinatown sweatshop. She tried to make sure we all had white collar careers. After giving up my career as a lawyer, I fell in love with quilting. Without a sewing machine, it took a long time. Eventually, my aunt loaned me her old Singer and things progressed faster. I still enjoy sewing and would love to win any of your prizes.
Betty
Cute book! It is now on my birthday list
Thank you for making realistic projects accessible to me! It is hard to find time to craft when I have 2 jobs and a wedding to plan. I hope tackle many more sewing projects this Autumn!!
I could really use a new sewing machine and I would die for the serger!
My sewing machine is my Grandmother’s. Sadly it has seen better days when she use to sew but it is the only thing I was received when my Grandfather passed away and we were forced to put my Grandmother in a nursing home. With 5 kids and 8 grandchildren I feel lucky to sew on her machine.
My mother has a beautiful old singer treadle sewing machine, which I’m not sure was ever used. I used to love sitting by it and playing with the pedal, just trying to see how fast I could make it run. I love sewing, but I haven’t had as much time lately. I think that I need to find more time!
I got my first sewing machine from my wonderful mum on my 19th birthday. I had just moved out on my own, money was in short supply and my mum thought it would be the perfect gift. However, as a silly 19 year old I really didn’t appreciate it. I remember thinking “what am i going to do with this?!?!”. But over the years it gradually came out more and more often, mending my favorite skirt or shirt, sewing old sheets into pillow cases and now I realize just how wonderful a gift it really was. It saved me so much money over the years and helped shape me into a person that really appreciates re-using materials and home made things. And now that I’m a “grown up” and just bought my first house, that same sewing machine now sits proudly on it’s desk in our spare room, always set up and ready to go
To be honest – I have never owned a sewing maching, but have always wanted one! I love getting crafty at home, and buying vinatge clothes over new – and getting one has been on my to buy list for a very long time..
I hand sew small repairs when I can, and take other things to a great little alterations place near my place when I can’t, but would love to have the freedom to start doing it myself. I love experimenting with colours and fabrics, and have quite a stash of them sitting in waiting for a machine to turn them in to something!
Growing up I had a very un-domestic focussed mother, but we did have an ancient ornamental singer machine in our hallway – the actual reality of sewing was greatly missed!
Rhianon
I got married one year and two days ago. In the craziness of eloping, buying a house, and embarking on a new adventure, I haven’t been able to afford a sewing machine. I taught myself to sew on my mother’s old Kenmore from Sears and haven’t looked back since. Living on a tight budget means making the most of my time and my stash of fabric. But lo and behold, I don’t have a machine so my stash sadly sits and rests and waits until it can live up to its fabric potential. A sewing machine (and serger!) would mean as much to me as my husband. He’s been wanting and hoping to gift me my very own machine but, alas, paying bills has gotten in the way. *fingers crossed*
I would reallllly like a new sewing machine so that i can sew my pant pockets back together. At the moment i have to keep my work keys tucked into my undies because if i put them in my pockets they fall down my leg. Its very stressful and very against oc health and safety.
I am desperate.
I first learned to sew on an old sewing machine my great grandmother gave to my mom, a very old sewing machine it was built into its own desk and it didn’t have a foot press it had a lever under the table that you pressed with your knee. I got my first sewing machine last year a singer not long after that my grandma got me a singer at a yard sale it’s mostly metal and was made in 1971 it’s very heavy right now it needs work though.
I have never used a sewing machine, but I have dreamed of being able to for years. Just the thought of being able to make my own pillowcases, curtains, skirts, dresses — anything — makes me weak in the knees. It’s one of the skills I envy most in people.
Wow! Congrats on the book and thanks to DS for featuring your site- I can already tell it’s will be on my daily roll.
I don’t know how to sew and I’m so very intimtated by the machines.
My father is the sewer in our family. He has a machine that he bought back in 1960. With it, he has created wonderful memories for my sister and I.
On our drive/move to Alaska in 1986 he sewed up sleeping bags for us. Mine was pink with teddy bears and my sisters blue with rockinghorses. I’m in my thirties and still have mine- I can’t believe I used to fit in it!
Driving to Alaska in October with two small children, car camping all the way because we could not afford hotels, those bags fired up our imaginations and led to endless adventure tales of “Sir Beary the Pirate/Astronaut and his brave steed Princess”. I look forward to sharing my bag and tales with my future spawn.
Wow. What a giveaway.
When I was little, my mom had a table set up in the master bedroom where she kept her machines. The backs faced each other. I loved to get on her Singer Touch-Tronic sewing machine and play with all the stitches while she whirred away at projects on the serger. I loved being able to look through the arm and see we were both sewing. In my early 20s I lived with my grandma and used her antique machine from the 60s. It had the big table it sat in, and using something that several generations sewed on was a thrill. Now I’m getting back in to sewing and am dying to be as good as the seamstresses in my family. I would love to be able to get my sewing room complete – and relearn how to use a serger. You never know how much you need it until you don’t have one!
My mom and grandmom used to have this old sewing machine, you know the heavy iron ones with the pedal that goes back and forth? When I was itty bitty, I would ride on the pedal pretending it was an amusement park ride!
Ooohh.. Those are awesome. Imagine what i can i do with those!!
When I turned 30, I had my little girl, Milla. I taught myself to knit, crochet, and sew. I got my first sewing machine from my mother as my birthday present & I’ve been sewing away ever since!
My Mom taught me how to sew was I was about 15. I tried my hardest to be patient with it but found it really really challenging! None-the-less, my dear mother gave me the sewing machine she used while living in Thailand and Libya in her 20s. It was such an amazing gift and I loved making the simple things that I knew how to on it for many years. Sadly, the machine was lost in a move about 10 years ago.
Since I was never a huge sewer I didn’t replace it right away. I realize now, that the bug never got out of my system. I bought a used Kenmore machine for $80 two years ago and have been sewing my little heart out on it ever since. In my 30s now, I kick myself for not sticking with the sewing at an earlier age, but realize all things come in due time. I absolutely love sewing now. There is nothing like sewing a dress or shirt that you or someone you love can wear. It’s amazing. I even have a crazy dream of opening a little shop someday.
If I were to get a nice machine and serger, it would be like a dream come true. I make a lot of clothing and I must admit it is hard to do on the used machine. If they happened into my life, they couldn’t come to a better place
.
Congrats on the book!
My dad is actually the one who got me sewing, though my mom also did play a part in it. My dad use to do upholstery so I would watch (I wasn’t really allowed to help) I loved seeing how furniture could change. I sometimes got lucky and could help take the old stuff fabric apart and help choose a new fabric. It was always nice to be the model in the pictures afterward, I was like 5 so it was cool at the time. Hoping to win I would love a Serger, I already have so many projects in my head.
I remember my mom always sewing at our kitchen table with her Kenmore sewing machine, which she still has & uses
but she gave me my very sewing machine, a Singer from Costco, since she had to move away for work and could no longer hem or alter my clothes for me and I’ve been hooked ever since!
I remember Grandma “teaching” me to sew when I was a quiet-spirited 4-year old, who preferred helping her with the garden over playing with others my age. She taught me again a few years ago when I was a senior in high school and wanted to make my own clothes. Now, I’m sewing machine-less after leaving for college. Having my own machine would be great for the ideas swimming in my head.
My first major purchase was a sewing machine! I worked as a waitress for a summer to buy my first Singer sewing machine.
AHH A SERGER! i learned to sew on my grandma’s machines, working on my 4-H projects at her dining room table (while watching either HGTV or an all-day America’s Next Top Model marathon with her) and it was so fun. when i left for college a few years ago, she gave me one of the two machines i learned to sew on, my great-grandma’s. it’s at least as old as my grandma is and i loooove it.
When I was in preschool I got my first sewing maching – it was 100% plastic and parts were clear so I could watch the parts moving. My grandma helped me make my 1st project ever with it – a pillow shaped like a butterfly. Many years later, I got my mom’s hand-me down, which is about the same age as me. Just recently I handed that one down to my sister & bought a new one. But compared to the 35 year old sturdy, metal Kenmore, the new lightweight, plastic, modern one feels like my preschool toy.
My husband taught me to sew! When I was pregnant with our first baby we were college students and broke! That didn’t deter me from trying to fix up the cutest nursery I possibly could. So on a shoestring budget I got to work. I borrowed my mother in law’s vintage Singer sewing machine from the 60′s. Man was that sucker heavy! I set to work trying to sew some cute curtains for my baby’s room, but I couldn’t get the gosh darn thing to work. Out of fustration and a hormone induced state of self pity, I burst into tears. My poor sweet husband lugged the massive machine to a fabric store where a nice old lady gave him a quick sewing lesson. He came home and with a big grin on his face, showed me how to use the machine. The curtains still hang in my two year old’s room!
My great aunt gave my mother an old machine she got from her neighbor in the late 70s. It was pretty low tech, but my mom and I put some miles on that baby. She made clothes and bed linens for my Skipper doll, and some really cute dresses for me. When scrunchies were in, I made hundreds from remnants, thinking I’d sell them at the farmers market, but never did. I a couple of laundry bags full of them and wore them all the time, but eventually gave them to goodwill when I cut my hair. As cringe-worthy as they may be now, I thought they were truly adorable at the time.
My first sewing machine was a My Little Pony model in the 80s. It didn’t work well but I loved the little pink pony on it so much I refused to let my parents trade it out for a better one! In college my parents bought me a new Singer and that’s what I’m still using 10 years later. It works great but I wouldn’t mind an upgrade either
. Thanks for the chance to win such awesome prizes!!
My mom gave me my first sewing machine in high school, a classic singer. I used it to make model clothes, a shower curtain, and most recently, baby clothes! 2 years ago I visited the singer building in Manhattan, such a lovely building.
My Dad’s friend used to teach a community computing class to the elderly. One woman came in and sat down for the first time in front of a computer. She picked up the mouse and popped it down on the floor to use it like a sewing machine pedal.
Those machines look lovely!
Oh my. What a prize! I would LOVE to win this!
OK, so my mom can sew. She *can*, but I would not say she likes to, or that she is relaxed or confident about it. Despite (or perhaps because of?) this, she was SURE I needed to learn how to sew as a child/teen. There were a few attempts, much foot-dragging on both our parts, and nary a finished product. But I got the basic idea.
Fast forward 15 years and I have taught myself to knit, embroider, crochet, etc. Sewing is the next frontier, I decide, and a friend helps me score a machine for $40 at a tag sale. Still using it, but it is minimal to say the least. Despite a million on-line tutorials, I have never been able to successfully sew jersey on it, so the serger is something I PINE for. Fingers crossed!
Dream Prize!!
I’ve loved all crafts since I was very young, including sewing. Unfortunately, I have never had my own sewing machine, but I have always borrowed my grandmothers and now I’m lucky enough to have one at work that I sneak home time to time
. This prize would be amazing!! I think the worst thing I ever made was a pair of leopard print pj’s in a class I once took. They are awful…but I still wear them…
What a wonderful giveaway! I’m currently in the process of learning to sew (which is going to be a long process, I’m afraid), using a cheap sewing machine I bought on a whim. I recently decided to reupholster my boyfriend’s old, stained, stinky chair that he refuses to get rid of, and thought, ‘Oh, I can sew this up without a problem!’ I have yet to get to the point of sewing the fabric, however, my practice runs have not been very successful. I certainly have a newfound appreciation for the art of sewing!
Wow! Gorgeous!
My mom got her old Kenmore sewing machine before she even got my dad. She called it Kenny, and Kenny was stubborn to say the least. Every so often she would haul it out to hem a pair of pants or slap together a Hallowe’en costume, and from elsewhere in the house we could hear her: “Come on, Kenny, you can do it! Don’t give up! Do it for me?” That machine served her, if not well, until her kids were mostly grown. Not bad, Kenny. Not bad.
I first “learned” to sew in Home Ec–it didn’t really stick with me (use it or lose it, I always say)!! Thirty years later I decide I want to take up sewing. I went to a Singer repair shop and picked up a used machine for $50. The next day I got laid off from my job and moved back to Nashville and in with my sister. A year later we moved to the country about an hour south of Nashville. I found a quilt shop and took quilting classes which I very much enjoyed. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy using my old $50 sewing machine. Never could sew a straight line with the darn thing!! I would dearly love an opportunity to upgrade to a new machine and a serger!!??,,,be still my heart!!! Thank you for the chance to win this fabulous pair!!!
Thanks for inviting me into your new home (on the Web)!
What a great giveaway! I haven’t sewn in forever, and whoever wins this will be incredibly lucky. Thanks, and enjoy your book tour!
Your book looks fantastic! I’ll definitely be picking up a copy—I love to sew, but anything beyond a straight line is usually intimidating
My great aunt Peggy had a sewing room when I was growing up, and it was like wonderland to me. The color! The fabric! The possibilities!! I adored her, and wanted to be able to create things like she did. About 10 years ago she gave me her singer serger. It’s an old but awesome machine that has helped me in creating countless costumes for the stage as wardrobe mistress for a wonderful ballet company. It sits in my sewing room, and I think of her often. My own nieces recently completed projects with me using the serger, and it was a great feeling. I’d like a new serger (and need a new machine) to share the workload, and allow my favorite machine to keep kicking. I love your site, thanks for this opportunity!
My sewing-machine story is as yet non-existent. I don’t own a sewing machine, but I’d love to have one, because I keep buying these gorgeous fabrics on my travels and want to do something with them…
Case in point: when I was back-packing in South-East Asia, I bought a ton of fabric, ranging from pure silk (Burma) to cotton/silk mixes with stunning hand-woven patterns (Laos). I paid a tailor in Thailand a small fortune to turn all these fabrics into clothes. What I didn’t realise at the time was that I had lost quite a bit of weight during my travels and that I’d put it all back on as soon as I got home. Long story short — I grew out of most of my tailor-made clothes within months of returning home, and they’ve been sitting in a closet unused ever since — a terrible shame, as the fabrics are still every bit as gorgeous as they were when I bought them. I’d love to do something with them — turn them into cushions, bags, wall art, whatever will do them justice. I’ve been working my way towards buying a sewing machine, but if I could get one for free, so much the better.
Either way, I’ll be ordering your book!
My favorite sewing machine story is the time I managed to sew the shirt I was wearing to the costume I was supposed to be sewing in my theatre department’s costume shop in college. I was gently switched to hand sewing after that. Congratulations on your book’s publication! That is exciting and very cool!
So I MIGHT have made my husband lug a VERY heavy ancient sewing machine across several states, several times. I also have MIGHT not have used said sewing machine but a couple of times. Whoops!
SO Excited about this giveaway! I’m actually in the market for a new sewing machine AND a serger. However, on my poor student with a new baby budget- I’m on the 1 year plan to get one or the other!
My current sewing machine is a Brother circa 1995 that I got via marriage. My husband and I have been together for 10 years (although only 7 of them were married) and he actually taught me how to sew. Our first project was curtains for our tiny, damp apartment. They were made out of the ugliest print ever (I believe it was “fishing” themed- complete with bass, bobbers and fish hooks) but I was really excited about them. Especially because they matched the sheets on our bed (did I mention my husband was studying fish at the time- explaining somewhat my temporary insanity when it came to picking out prints). It is out of order now due to some issue with the bobbin and threading problems and since I have a new baby I am in sewing over drive!
My Aunt Mauralis introduced me to a dear friend of hers named “Betsy”. Betsy had a slinder build and she lived in a brown ugly cabinet she was a sewing machine. My Aunt and I spent many summer hours sewing for the women in her church and I would crawl on the floor picking up loose thread that had been clipped throughout the day. My Aunt would loving talk to Betsy, thanking her each day for doing the best job that she could do without complaning. I asked Aunt Mauralis once why she didn’t get a new machine and my Aunt held her hand over both sides of the machine and said with a twinkle in her eyes; we would never talk that way in front of Betsy again. My Aunt died of cancer and Betsy was put to bed too…how, I loved My Aunt Mauralis and her introducing Betsy to me and the love of giving, sharing and loving through crafts.
This Singer was purchased for me in 1963 by my mom from the Singer store as a “repossessed” model. It replaced the Singer converted knee-pedal model that I learned on. For many years, I was troubled to have a machine that someone else had to forfeit. I’m over that now and can only say that I’ve had many years of great service from my old pal. Now my son enjoys it, too.
My first attempt at sewing was on my mom’s old machine. I don’t even know what kind it was. The thing I remember most was I constantly did battle with the tension. I got so frustrated I gave up on sewing for a very long time. When I had my children in the eighties I really wanted to sew for them. I bought the cheapest machine I could find and read the manuel and started sewing. I only sewed a few things and put my machine away. Seven years ago my first grandchild was born. I got out my machine (the same one) and began sewing again. This time I’m really getting into it. My machine doesn’t do anything fancy, but it has worked well, and helped me establish a love for sewing.
I have been sewing since I could reach the foot pedal of my mom’s Bernina. My first (of my very own) sewing machine was a brother that I used through high school and college. My dear husband bought me a beautiful vintage Viking as a birthday present (and I adore her) but I am afraid that the old girl may not be reliable enough to be my only machine.
My mom is a fabulous sewer. I used to use her old grandmothers iron machine that was so big it was pretty much a desk. My mom bought me a small Janome machine a couple of years ago. I can’t sew anything on it because the needle and bobbin don’t want to work together well. It always gets gummed up. I would love these machines!
My grandmother bought me my first sewing machine when I was pregnant with my first child. I had this great idea that I would be sewing lots of clothes for him. I purchased several patterns and as I began pulling them out realized that my brain was not made to interpret them! I just couldn’t figure it out! My son is now almost 7 and within the last few months I’ve discovered PDF sewing patterns, with lots of photographs for “see it do it’s” like me! So now I’m completely addicted to sewing for my two girls, I’ve yet to sew anything for my poor son that got the machine for in the first place. And more than anything I’m now dieing to have a serger! I know everyone says it’s not necessary, but I REALLY think it is! And to have all those stitches on one sewing machine…. I would be in sewers heaven.
wow what a great giveaway! Congrats on your book. I don’t really have a sewing machine story….I’ve been hoarding pretty fabrics, waiting for the right machine to come along.
I learned to hand sew at around 12 (love it), the machine always unnerved me but when I was expecting my 1st baby and could not get the decor I wanted for her room I decided to make it. So my dear mom taught me on her machine. By baby #2 I bought my own Singer. I’m still learning but thats part of the fun
Thanks for such a fabulous giveaway!!!
Hi! I’d love to win these. Thanks for sharing your talents. I’m a huge fan
I had a pretty lousy machine until my mom called and asked if I’d like a vintage (1970) Singer with a small sewing cabinet that her neighbor was tossing. Her neighbor’s mother had it in the basement and it was hardly used and had all the extra pieces. It’s not fancy, but I like that- with no digital parts, I can usually figure out what is wrong with it, even if I can’t solve every problem. What makes it special is that it is nearly identical to my mom’s machine, and my aunt’s machine. If I ever have trouble, I have two people I can call to troubleshoot!
Very excited about your new book!
I always said that I would never get into sewing. My mom and grandmother were very good quilters, but I just didn’t think it was for me. I enjoyed choosing colors and patterns, but it would take my mother months to put together a quilt- and that was just the top layer! She still had to quilt it after that. I didn’t think I had the patience required to be a sewer. My mom gave me a sewing machine years ago as a gift, but it collected dust as my husband and I moved several times between states and built our family (we have 4 children). Now that we have settled (I think
into a rhythm, I have found some time to create. It has been a joy to bring the house to life with color as I have sewn curtains and made other small projects on the machine. Though my machine is dated, I am so thankful that I kept it through all those moves.
I started sewing on my Mom’s machine as a little girl, I designed outfits for my Barbies using her scraps. That was at least 20 years ago! I now sew almost all of my daughters clothes and most recently clothes for me. I only have a VERY basic but sturdy Janome and desperately need a serger to have more success with knits. Winning this would be a dream as buying these would be impossible with my budget. Thanks so much for this awesome give away and I can’t wait to see your book!
When I was a kid we had to hand crank the wheel on my mother’s old sewing machine while she sewed. What she could have done with this machine! New to sewing and using your book to get started off right. I absolutely love every project in it so will start with the easiest one and continue from there.
What a great blog! I grew up with sewing (my mom sewed all of me and my brother’s clothes as children) and my oldest son (who is
has just gotten bit by the sewing bug! We’ve just been hand stitching all his projects so far (stuffies, clothes for his stuffies) but I know he is ready to start using a sewing maching…It’s been hard to find a sewing class in our city that is inclusive for boys (most of them are for girls to sew skirts/purses) so having our own sewing machine would really be helpful in starting his new love for making things by himself..thanks for listening!
My friends had Easy Bake Ovens. I was jealous of them. I had a kid’s sewing machine. It had a tiny little pedal that you could push with a hand or a foot. All of my friends were jealous. I would sew blankets for my dolls or cute patches for my clothes while my mom patched my dad’s work jeans.
Eventually, I leaned to use a full size machine, and made the dress I wore for my high school graduation photos. My parents and I made a bet that if I got a full scholarship, they would buy me a new car. Amazingly, I did end up gettingna full ride, but they couldn’t afford a car. Our compromise: theynbought me my own sewing machine for college. I still have it.
I took a few sewing classes as a child. So did my boyfriend, adorably. Since then, I have only transformed a pair of pants into breakaway stripper pants for a play. It might be time to…hem something?
I’ve taken my first steps into the sewing world on my mom’s 30+ year old machine. It was some promotional item she got at the same time my parents bought their newlywed cookware. It actually says “cordon bleu” on it. It’s blue and kinda pretty … but a “promotional” item non the less.
And it went kaput! Just last week. And now that I have the sewing bug, I had to go shopping! I just brought home my new Janome Sewist 500. It think I shall call her Naomi …
Naomi the “Juh-no-mee”.
But I’ll still take the Singers if you’re inclined to give them to me…
My first machine was a 1970s Singer that my dad bought for me at a thrift store, I learned how to sew with it and it gave me great lessons until the belt on the machine busted. I have been been borrowing sewing machines ever since and would love to have my own!
Wow!! What a great prize!! I am currently in need of a new sewing machine, as mine has recently broken and I have so many projects waiting!!
A surger has been on my wishlist for such a long time, it would be so amazing to win!! Thanks for the opportunity!!
My first “sewing machine” was one of those As Seen On TV handhelds that my husband (then boyfriend) thought i would like since i couldn’t afford a real one. It lasted 30 seconds, but i didnt have the heart to tell him for a ciuple months. No it is a standing joke and we can both laugh at it. A few years ago, my mother-in-law was kind enough to give me her old sewing machine. It weighs at least a ton and is a beautiful avocado green, but it works and it was free. An upgrade to something made in this century would be ideal. I dream of a digital screen and embroidery options….
Early in my relationship with my husband, I met his wonderful grandmother, Doris. As we got to know each other, it came out that I was crafty and – at the time – just learning to sew. I mentioned how someday I’d love to have a serger and she exclaimed, “OH! I am so sorry to hear that!” I was a bit confused, but then she explained that she had just recently sold her serger – that was in brand new condition – in a garage sale for something like $15. We had a good laugh and a sigh that I’d missed the window to inherit it by > < this much.
I learned to sew on a machine when I was 7 on my grandmother’s Singer. When I was 19 I put $100 down on layaway for my very own Singer and when I told my boyfriend he marched me back down to the store and demanded they cancel the contract. I was heartbroken and realized he was not the one for me. The first thing I did after getting my own place was to go back to the sewing machine store and put my dream machine back on layaway. I soon left for Japan to teach English and when I visited Canada a few months later I paid the remaining $800 and took my Singer back to Japan with me. I’ve enjoyed over 20 years of sewing with that machine but it’s time to pass her on to my daughter. Hard to believe I paid that much (even now!) and it doesn’t even have the ability to drop the feed dogs!
we always an old-fashioned sewing table around, but not sewing machine! my mom did her mending by hand, and needlework was her crafting hobby of choice. when i bought myself a sewing machine a few years ago, i went to sears and got a kenmore because i figured that’s what my dad would do if he was buying a saw or a washing machine. it’s mostly plastic, but it works. then i got an old workhorse of a husqvarna viking on craigslist. it cost some money to fix up, and it’s kind of annoying to thread, but it makes some lovely decorative stitches. neither of my machines makes me want to tackle things like buttonholes or serious knits though. 21st century machines would be amazing!
My mom had one of those old black Singer sewing machines that was a table at first glance, but flip the top around and it became a sewing table with the machine attached. The matching stool’s top also came off to show great supply storage. I still think about getting it from here and restoring it. I have no sewing machine and am in sore need of one!
I just saw the post done on you for Design*Sponge!
I learned to sew in junior high school in the home economics class. After that, I would only “tailor” my own tee shirts by sewing down the sides to bring them in a little for a better fit. I would try to sew on my mom’s old clunker of a machine, but it always seemed to get stuck and I gave up.
I didn’t touch another machine until I graduated from University, and as a gift, my parents bought me my first sewing machine! I began sewing…thanks to Amy Butler’s In Stitches book- it was such a helpful step by step guide on each pattern, and I made my first duffle/laundry bag…and then a body pillow…and then a duvet…and a yoga mat bag..and then a baby quit, baby bag and baby crib bumpers (when my husband and I had our first daughter), and the list goes on!
I feel like sewing, and most crafts of the like, were falling out of our generations hands, but now a new wave of interest is sweeping through! It’s exciting, and I can’t wait to teach my daughter one day.
so exciting! these machines are fantastic!
my sewing story: I grew up wearing jumpers and cute dresses my mother made for me. For my college graduation, I got a Hello Kitty sewing machine. ( can you say awesome?!) since then, my mom has passed down her bernina.
I taught myself to sew last summer on the machine that was a Christmas gift for my mom when she was twelve (forty-one years ago).
I’ve been wanting to learn how to sew something more complicated than a pillow for ages. I have a 60′s avocado green machine that my aunt’s mother gave me…it’s hard to tell whether I’m doing something wrong or the machine, but things never have gone smoothly with the old beast. Time for an upgrade!
These look awesome!!!
When I was a child my grandmother bought me a little sewing machine for children, which I used to entertain myself for hours with sewing clothes for our two family cats. One of the cats was very obliging and sat in the doll stroller with whatever dress I had sewn for her that day, while the other cat (who was a big fatso) would burst at the seams in whatever garment I made for him! I would love to start sewing again now that we have our first home (curtains, pillows, clothes, quilts, etc.) but have not had the funds to purchase a machine.
Sewing machines are prized possessions in my household. Growing up, my family lived for over five years in West Africa. And yes, of all the important things to desire for life in the jungle, my mother insisted on “hand-carrying” her sewing machine on the numerous flights from Atlanta, Georgia to Lagos, Nigeria. Nearly twenty five years later, I followed suit when I moved to Northeastern Thailand. Mom gave me a Singer right before I left home. The airport security officials were quite perplexed as they studied my baggage via the x-ray machines. But we made it to the Land of Smiles and I quickly honed in my sewing skills on gorgeous silks and beautiful “ikat” fabrics, years before they became so popular.
my story is, i was wwanting to start my own bag line for messengers so i went out and bought a classic singer (the pedal powered type) thinking hey this must be the simplest machine to work? Wrong wrong wrong.. but to my prefail after numerous attempts at any type of sewing and countless hours plus help from my grams i learned that machine like a pro (not really) but i became well enough to make my bags!!! now i sell them locally!!! maybe this could be a nice upgrade for me..
I am totally intimidated by the sewing machine! I recently took an upholstery class and had to try and remember how to use one. I hadn’t used one since middle school! But I quickly learned the ease of the sewing machine. I love doing upholstery work and a sewing machine would be the start for a new studio space!
Your book looks so great! Get it- so/sew great? Bad puns abound!
My sewing story: Since birth, my mother has sewn me everything from annual Christmas stockings to dresses to match with my little sister. Growing up and living in Japan, she worked for a fashion designer- including making outfits for the royal family. Today in the U.S., she still sews tablecloths and fancy pillows, and along the way passed that enthusiasm onto me. Though I haven’t nearly reached her skill level, I still like to work with her old Singer sewing machine for the occasional small project (including a disastrous drape of a dress made for a 6th grade group sewing project, but I digress). Now that I’m a poor college student, I haven’t been able to get a sewing machine for my apartment, but I’d love to be able to make things in my spare time to decorate as I need, or rather want. I’m actually now attempting to sew the pouf featured on Design*Sponge, because goodness knows I need cute decorations! It would be lovely to have a sewing machine while in school, and the Singer Perfect Finish combo sounds like just the right fit!
I bought my first sewing machine shortly after I got married. I knew the basics, but still had to call Mom for some help. Over the last 11 years I have slowly been learning more and more. Starting with simple pillow covers and curtains to more recently clothes for my three girls. I have recently purchased a great book that is helping me teach my kids how to sew. It’s been a lot of fun! Having a new sewing machine with so many options would be fantastic!! The one I have now just does the very basics.
i started sewing in jr. high on my mom’s singer 401A. when i got married, my dad told my husband the best investment he’d ever make was to buy me a sewing machine. after about a month of searching, i found a used 401A just like my moms, and we bought it! it has sewn many kids clothes, curtains, tablecloths, pillows, chair cushions, bridesmaids dresses–even a wedding gown–and most of my own clothes. i’m still sewing on that machine and just found another at the thrift store for my recently-married daughter. maybe it’s time for a new one…
Well, this would be awesome to win! My sewing machine is about 20 years old – it’s not working as it should, and it would be so nice to have a new one. And I’ve never had a serger. My Grandma, Mom, and I all have/had Singers. If I won I’d definitely be doing a happy dance!
Thanks for the chance!
never had a serger but I’ve had a singer. I would love to win these, I can work on my sofa cover.
Thanks for this giveaway! I am a “once a year sewer” but would love to sew on a regular basis. Every October I dust off my machine to make my daughter’s Halloween costume. I know just the basics and feel like I am faking it half the time since I am essentially self-taught. Maybe I should start a sewing club? Anyway, perhaps a new machine would inspire me to tackle some projects I have only dreamed of and use the piles of beautiful fabric I have stowed away.
Hey Brett! What an awsome idea to host such a tour for your book. it looks great by the way.
My first encounter with a sewing machine was at the age of 8, when I came home from a trip to a craft store with a friend’s mother with a “sew-a-bear-package”. I needed my moms help to make it work because she (understandably) wouldn’t let me touch the machine. She still has the machine and I’m stil happy with that teddy bear.
Getting a sewing machine and a corresponding serger has been on my list since then…
Your book looks amazing and I can’t wait to get it!
I didn’t start sewing until my 30′s – despite the fact that my mom is an excellent sewer. She sewed our clothes and items for our home. We had very little money and so sewing was a necessity. But I wanted to wear clothes that other kids bought at the store, and I was really annoyed that my dresses matched our curtains and pillows. So I banished any notions of sewing myself until I realized just how amazing it is to make things for your family and your home. My mom and I now compare sewing projects – and wouldn’t it be great to do those on a new machine!
I love a good contest! My very first sewing machine was a Singer treadle when I was 10. I have had several machines since then, but I am looking for something small enough to take traveling. These fit the bill.
What a great giveaway! I had been wanting to learn how to sew for the longest time, but was too intimidated to try. No one in my family sews. About a year ago, I ended up with new coworker, who is an experienced seamstress, and who kept encouraging me to take that first step to learn how to sew.
I finally signed up for a sewing class at Joann’s, and that helped a lot with getting me over that fear of sewing. My coworker gave me an old (about 30 years old) sewing machine to practice on, but it was missing a lot of parts, and did not have a manual, and I could not find one online, even after days of searching. I couldn’t afford to buy another sewing machine yet, so I was so disappointed.
On my birthday last December, I decided to treat myself to a sewing machine, a new Kenmore electronic model, that happened to be on sale, and I’ve been in love ever since! I’ve been longing for a machine that can monogram though, so I can sew a set of matching monogrammed Christmas stockings for my husband and kids and I. That Singer machine would be perfect!
Wow. I remember my mother sewing fantastic clothes for me (and my barbies) when I was a kid, and a reaaaally old sewing machine that worked like a charm. With the years I’ve only grown more and more passionate about sewing my own things, and I am finally looking to buy my own sewing machine. This giveaway just made my day, even if the chances of winning are slim, but hey, you can’t win if you don’t try so… Thank you for an amazing blog and an amazing giveaway!
My Sewing Machine Story.
As of now, I have had rare and few direct encounters with a sewing machine, and how dearly do i wish to have one! I have always loved creating anything really! As of now, I have advanced to sewing things by hand. But I would look on at my grandma (we call her Mommy) at her sewing machine and the lovely thought of using one myself roots itself in my heart. I have so many great ideas, but not the practice or tools to make them come to life. So for me, my sewing story is just beginning, with a dream and a desire. Maybe winning this contest will be the next chapter.
AHHH!!! Best giveaway EVER!
I got my current machine for my 18th birthday, but the machine I learned on initially was old as dirt and twice as unruly. I may not know that much about sewing lingo or technique, but I have the troubleshooting section of that manual MEMORIZED!
I am currently a theater student in college and costuming is my concentration. Sergers always make life better and I would love to add one to my arsenal!
Jill
The book looks amazing, and I love the new blog. My story: I took a few weeks of home ec in junior high, and sewed everything I could. Letter shaped pillows, bathrobes, sweaters, etc. I always had an issue with the needle jamming into the bobbin area. Twenty years later, on ANY sewing machine, I still have the same problem. Does that stop me from trying? No way! I’m just not an expert. Wish I was.
I quit 4-H in 5th grade because I couldn’t thread the machine. I remember the day vivdly. I avoided high school home ec by playing in the marching band. Today, I have a garage sale find for a machine and I salivate over fabric and keep a looong blogroll of crafty sites. I can’t get enough of it! Thanks for the opportunity to win such a fabulous prize!
Hi Brett, it’s great to meet you on the Design*Sponge stop for your Blog Tour.
My sewing machine story: Years ago, when I was going off to college, my parents gave me a double present because my Dad said, “Every girl should go off to college with a typewriter and a sewing machine.” With the typewriter I eventually became a journalist and then worked in the worlds of politics, government, and nonprofits. With the sewing machine, a Singer Genie, I managed to become so proficient a sewer that I could afford a Vogue/designer wardrobe while traversing the low-paying fields of journalism, and then … politics, government, and nonprofits.
It has now been years since I even opened my little, yet clever Singer Genie. Even back then, it was beginning to disintegrate. Recently, I’ve had the urge to start sewing again. And, sew in straight lines. So, it would be heavenly to have a new Singer.
And, how fortunate that the theme of your book is … sewing in straight lines. I’ve bookmarked and traversed your site. Contest win, lose or draw, I am already a winner.
Thanks, and
Cheers,
Jill
My mom can really sew. She used to make her own clothes, curtains, bedspreads, pillows, christmas stockings, and many other things. When I was a kid I she stopped sewing so much and I always found sewing a little intimidating. I learned the basics on her old Elna machine but never really did much. She put her machine away but it was always in the back of my mind that I wanted to start sewing. I never really got around to it. I have always loved creating and been interested in art. Sadly, much like sewing, I did little to develop my artistic abilities. I didn’t have the courage to go after my dreams. I thought I had to do something practical with my life, and while I liked art I didn’t know if anything I made would be “good enough.” How stupid! I finally wised up and knew that the only way to be happy is to go after your dreams. I changed my major to art and dove into using many new mediums. I now do ink drawings, painting, sculpture, metal work, paper cutting, embroidery, printing, felting, and more. I use blowtorches and saws so now I am pretty fearless; a little old sewing machine is nothing to fear. My true passion is fiber arts. I used my mom’s old machine this last semester in a project I am very proud of. I am so happy I found what I truly love to do and have finally allowed myself to do it.
Noelle – what you’re doing sounds awesome! Always follow your dreams! :O)
My first sewing machine was a Christmas presents from my parents. I had to share it with my sisters, but we had so much fun with our little sewing projects. Best present ever!
Congrats on your new book. Can’t wait to see it!
The book looks fabulous! I’m looking forward to my own copy! Best of luck to you and all of your fans. Happy Sewing!
My mum had an old Singer treadle sewing machine – it was beautiful! She used to sew dresses for herself and me – sometimes matching! How twee!! :O) Then she sold it and got a more modern Singer – it had no soul. I always wished I had taken the old machine but had no where to keep it. I wonder what happened to it.
Then in later years I did an Art & design degree specialising in textiles. I bought a fairly basic Bernina which is still going strong over 20 years later! Oh the happy times I can remember sewing straight through my finger – I used to do ‘free’ sewing where you remove the guard designed to prevent just such a thing happening!
Thank you for the opportunity to win such lovely prizes!
Thanks so much for hosting this awesome giveaway. My sewing machine is like 10 years old, and on its last legs, this prize package would be AMAZING and sooooo much appreciated!
Oh wow I am drooling over the possibility I could win one.
I started sewing when I was 15.It was a requirement in my 9th grade year.I made a TON of quilts for everyone I could think of.I now have 5 little girls and I have started trying to teach myself to sew little things here and there as well as teach my 11 year old daughter to also sew simple things.Hopefully her and I can grow to learn new things as she gets older.
Then we can teach the rest of the girls also.It would be a great memory and talent for them to pass down to their own children
Chanel Beeman Laney
I use to know how to sew when I was in High School. I have not sewn in years but have been thinking about getting back into. I would love to be able to make things such as decorative throw pillows (some are so expensive to purchase). I would love to make these for myself and for others as gifts!! I hope to win this so that I can start my throw pillow business.. lol (:
Wow! I just got a Singet Brilliance which I love! But a serger would be really something. thanks for the giveaway and all the tutorials!
Thank you for giving me the chance to win this sewing machine. I have been saving up for a while to buy a new sewing machine because currently trying out new ways to make a little extra income to help pay all my babys medical bills off. And because the bills havent stop coming and wont stop coming till she better if i could win this machine then that means a whole lot to me. the saving money can pay medical bills and the machine can help get a little business going. Thank you and God bless.
My mom has always had my grandmothers sewing machine that stays the the desk/table it came with. It is very unique and i love old time furniture. But my mom keeps the sewing machine at my house since she has no were to put it and its very special to me since i never met my grandmother. My grandmother died 5 years before i was born from breast cancer and i always heard great stories about her so i guess thats why i like the sewing machine so much because it was something that was hers. But i have only use a sewing machine twice, when i worked some years back at a factory we had to sew the ends the seat belt once we cut it but it was on a patern design so all you had to do was mash the pedal and the sewing machin did the rest. And i have never used my grandmothers sewing machin which i have thought about it but im not even sure if it still works.
Yes, I find sewing machines more intimidating than rotary saws, yet I still want to try to learn!
I started sewing on an old old Singer machine. In grade school, I used to sew paper skirts for my dolls. My Grandfather saw me and purchased a Featherweight Singer for me that I still have today.
Congratulations on your new book, new couch with matching kitty and your fun blog. I’ve already watched your zippered pillow video and, though a sewing novice, I am now getting the feeling that it’s something I might really be able to do!
My grandmother sewed wonderful patchwork quilts which we now treasure using an old Singer treadle machine. I didn’t think I possessed that particular gene and have always been intimidated by the idea of sewing until relatively recently. Now that I’m retired from work, I’ve discovered again how much fun crafting and creating things can be. Thanks to your video, I’ve decided that I will no longer let zippers scare me. I shall give the zippered pillow project a try and see where it leads me. It should be a pretty fun journey no matter how it turns out.
Wishing you great success and happiness in all your pursuits.
I have always wanted to be the creative type but never did anything about it i just carried on being a plain jane. But then i saw a old Jones sewing machine for sale for £20 so i grabbed it a couple of weeks ago.
Unfortunatly it does not work and its in for repairs, but not looking hopeful. But i am so excited about what i can start making i have a 2 year old son who i want to start making things for
and a house i want to make a home but we are on a budget so i am not letting that get in my way.
I had been wanting a sewing machine and my mom had a Brother machine that she only used a few times and she said I could have it. My mother made me play outfits and PJ’s when I was little and I have a 1 and 3 year old girls and dreamed of making stuff for them too. I got the machine and brought it home. It was sitting in my Dining Room in the original box and I mentioned to my 3 year old that maybe we could practice by making some doll clothes another time. As I was getting my infants bottle to go downstairs my 3 year old went to the box with the sewing machine and pushed it over to the stairs wanting to make doll clothes right then and pushed it down the stairs. I had a sewing machine for 3 days and never even got to use it before it was broken.
oh my god!there are so many comments here…anyway!i am from greece and i am new here!i don’t even know if i can actually participate!my grandpa used to hold a small fabric shop where they used to sell fabrics and fabric crafts in a small village in north greece.when he closed the store he made it a playground for his grandchildren:)we have spended a lot of childhood moments pretending that we were making dresses to raise “our daughters and sons”(our younger cousins)there were two old sewing machins that i was to young to prevent my grandma of selling them:(
that’s the story.i know it’s not that much of the interest but for me it is full of sweet moments and laughter!
I started sewing on my mum’s 1970s era Bernina. A full metal beast of a machine. For my 21st birthday (in 2006), mum said she wanted to buy me a machine. Because the budget was limited I scoured the classifieds in the paper, and rang an old lady who was selling her machine. When we got there, it turned out to be the exact same late 70s model as my mum’s, right down to the bright red plastic carry case! It was meant to be.
So. Aside from 6 months of home ec, I’ve only ever sewn on one model of sewing machine in my entire life.
(I’m entering because I have my eye on the serger…).
I’m from Australia and i remember using my mother’s sewing machine when i was little and from the moment i use to watch my mum do her sewing i knew i would love it and i picked it up straight away.
My sewing machine now is a little one that can do the basics that i need.
But my passion for sewing machine have been around for a very long time.
Thank you for the wonderful giveaway going on here and Good Luck to everyone who enters.
Honestly I don’t really remember my sewing machine purchase. All I know is that my wonderful aunt bought it for me when I was about Tween age. I didn’t do much with it at all until recently (I’m 23 right now). It’s been my creative outlet and sanctuary from the harsh realities of the real world. I have turned to my machine in the midst of unemployment and constant self-doubt and punishment. But when I’m sewing or quilting, I’m in my revere. It’s my escape and my hero.
Wow to win this would be amazing, thanks for the chance! xoxo
As a little girl my uncle and dad owned a small sewing factory. I would go in and sit with the workers and they would teach me to sew on their big blue sewing machines (The amount of places for hide and seek were also a huge part of the fun). It was just a great place for my first sewing memories and we still keep in touch even though the factory has closed. Sewing really can bring people together.
I would say my sewing machine story is somewhat a little gruesome and at the same time sweet…it is an old version of Singer machine that my late grandma use to sew her patchwork blankies using fabric scraps that she get from my mom (my mom is a seamstress) So one day I sneaked to her machine and was touching the machine here and there and at the same time my left forefinger was right underneath the needle. You know the old machine that you need to get it moving with your feet….and I accidentally had it moving the the needle went straight through into my finger….I did not cry and I braved on to get the needle out….and seek her help to nurse my throbbing finger. From then on, I get lessons from my mom or grandma how to use it and sew things….
where to start, new machine, no one to give me instructions, should not be difficult, reading the instructions, turn on the machine and push the pedal! simple. it was in the early days, until the machine began to chew the lines, the tissue jammed in the machine, had to cut all that bunch of lines, clean the coils and did exactly the same! only later realized that the line was too wide … now before i begin some work i always read post on blogs to help understand
ana *
My mom taught me to sew when I got really sick as a young child and had to stay home from school for about three months. I’ve gotten much better since then and have graduated from sewing pillows to sewing bags and sometimes even dresses.
My grandmother had a Singer 401 and I wanted it so badly. My sister got the machine and she does not even sew. Well, I was out thrift store hopping and found a similar machine. I love that machine. I now have a Pfaff and a Juki, but I will always hold on to my Singer. It is the only one that will sew jeans.
My grandmother was sewed professionaly, however I was too little to learn at the time. Sadly, when she passed I was away from home on a vacation (somewhere far east..) and did not think I should ask for her beautiful heavy metal Singer machine I have admired. The old machine was dumped, and I still think about it (and my grandmother of course) frequently. I wish to sew, and now, more than ever because there are so many things I wish to sew my little baby boy. I have started learning in a center in our community, however I wish to keep the legacy and to own a Singer.
I am retired now and have a lot more time to sew. My Viking is at least 25 years old. I also have a Singer Featherweight that is great for quilting and traveling. I would love to have a serger in my hands!
Hey Brett,
). When I got older I started sewing more difficult things like clothes. Every now an then my mother helped me, if I had problems or freaked out because nothing wanted to work 
I started sewing when I was a little girl at the age of 7 or 8. My grandmother gave me instructions. The first thing I ever sewed were the curtains for my grandmothers gardenhouse. Just a few stitches of course, but I was as proud as I had made all of it! Since then I wanted to learn more and started sewing pillows and little things like a cape for my carneval costume (I was a vampire
But after the years I developed my sewing skills. At my 21 birthday I got the best birthday present of my entire life: My grandmother’s sewing machine! It’s an old Veritas from the DDR, but it still works nicely. Sometimes the old lady has starting problems or wants to devour the yarn, but I love this thing! It’s one of the machines, that have a table around them, so you can store a lot of sewing tools in it. But I am afraid she won’t live for much longer, cause she starts to get a few deseases like the lower thread always rips, when I start sewing, even though everything is adjusted the right way. Maybe I should thing about getting a new one, even though I will alway love that lady!
Greetings from Germany, I adore your blog!
The only sewing machine I’ve ever used is an ancient Singer. My father brought it home when the school he worked at replaced them with never versions, but it still runs, even though this was in the eighties. My mother made me twirly skirts on it. Personally, I keep fighting with it, but I keep telling myself it’s just because there’s no longer an instruction manual.
Hello! New to the site and I absolutely love it! Can’t believe I’ve never seen it before. Like a lot of folks, my mother taught me how to sew when I was younger. We moved around a lot, and one of the things I remember is that no matter what type of living situation we were in, we would always have a fresh pair of curtains for the bedroom windows. Sometimes it would be old sheets sew together because that’s all we had, but it immediately made any living situation “ours”. When I received a Singer for my 18th birthday, it was my mother’s way of telling me she knew I was ready to make my own home out in the world. Now in my mid-20s, the first thing I do when I move into a new space is figure out what curtains I’m going to make or redesign for my new windows.
Can’t wait to explore more of your site and begin all sorts of new sewing projects – hopefully with a new Singer and serger!
Just found your site through Design*Sponge and immediately added you to my RSS! My story is that I grew up being watched by my grandma after school and in the summers. I remember her always crafting and sewing and that’s where my love for all things handmade began. A few years ago she gave me her old metal Kenmore sewing machine and although it’s heavy and somewhat cumbersome to lug around, I love having it and it still works (almost) like new! No bells and whistles, perfect for sewing in straight lines!!
My first machine was a Singer. iLearned to sew in home economics class. my feminist self wonders why men did not take it;we learned some useful things. On the other hand, I wish that I had taken shop as well. My first project was a plaid suit . I took it with me to college. My latest project was a strip wall quilt for my son.
I have been sewing on a JCPenny 1980′s machine for several years now. I’m sort of afraid to venture on to a newer machine; having to re-learn all the bells and whistles intimidates me. BUT, I must say, the two machines you are giving away are enough to make me throw my machine out of the window and learn a new machine blind-folded! I would ABSOLUTELY LOVE to be the proud owner of those two babies!! Pick me, pick me, pick me!!!
My story? Not so good — I was always intimidated by my mom’s sewing machine, so now I hand stitch everything, which can make quilting a really challenging project. I’d love a sewing machine of my own to jump into the world of sewing whole hog!
I am so excited about the giveaway, also about your books and website:) I am the one that has never learned how to use a sewing machine. I have a strong desire to learn to sew. I see different projects that I would love to be able to do myself, but lack the know how:( I also have 5 girls that I can pass on the sewing skill too. My 14 year old asked for a sewing machine for her birthday and after getting a cheap one from walmart she really enjoyed sewing until it broke. We would Love Love the chance to win this awesome prize. Thank you for taking the time to set this up and giving us a chance.
Growing up my mom would sew us dresses with smocked aprons and yokes. My other sisters never really got into it but I’d hang around and watch what she was doing. Before she let me actually start sewing she’d pull out her old sewing machine and hand me a piece of paper and I’d “sew” dotted line designs into the paper because the needle would punch holes without any thread. The first real project I ever did with my mom was sewing a pair of patchwork shorts. I cut out squares of fabric from all her scraps and made these awful looking patchwork shorts. I was so proud of them. Their basement flooded once when I was in the middle of a dress, so while all the furniture was at odd angles and propped up funny and fans blowing everywhere, I carved out a little bit of space to plug in the sewing machine and kept sewing. I made all my prom dresses with my mom’s help. When I finally got a place of my own, I picked up this old old sears machine from a garage sale and it does straight lines pretty well. I need my mom to sew the zippers and button holes because this machine is missing some parts. She doesn’t mind and I still call her up with sewing questions. I would love to have a real nice machine where I can do my own button holes and zippers and be able to serge the edges to a clean finish.
I didn’t have access to a sewing machine as a kid, but I always wanted to learn to sew. So as a young married woman, I bought a cheap sewing machine and took some lessons. It wasn’t a good experience. I – and my instructor – spent much time wrestling with that wretched machine! It wasn’t easy, it wasn’t fun, and the sewing machine soon disappeared. But I’d love to try it again with a nice sewing machine. It’s never too late to learn, right?!
Congratulations on the book! It looks amazing!
Growing up I used to sew all the time with my Nona, and she always wanted to buy me a Singer featherweight, and always talked about how great they were, even though they were discontinued. Years later I was helping my Grandfather on the other side of the family, go through his attic and low and behold there was a Singer Featherweight hiding up there! So my sewing maching sort of came from both sides of the family, and I think about both my grandmothers when I use it.
Except that it’s broken right now and I can’t afford to get it fixed, winning this machine would mean the world to me!
My love for sewing started at a young age and I still love it! When I was about 9 I wanted to make doll clothes and there was an old Singer treddle machine in our basement furnace room that wasn’t working. I still recall the warmth of that room and the challenge of getting it threaded properly and finally finding the real problem which was simply that the belt had come off the gears. The sounds of that machine can never be duplicated but on my 13th birthday I got my first very own machine-a Singer 404. Time for an upgrade, I think.
I’ve known that I really need a sewing machine in my life for years. And one year when I was living in Manhattan I saw an ad for a Necchi non-computerized sewing machine for a great price. I went to the address on a high floor in an industrial building in the garment district and saw a whole bunch of women there, women who seemed to know a bit about sewing. If they were buying the machine, they hey why not me too? Years later my Necchi has only been used really to sew a few comforter covers, and some costumes for my kids, as it keeps needing servicing, and the closest place is a 45min drive away, yikes and we don’t have a car sooooooooo Brett, I could really really use these sewing machines to make lots of good things for my family and for others and to encourage my daughter and her friends to take up sewing!
My mom bought me a sewing machine when i was 13 and i used it sporadically for a couple of years. Now more than twenty years later I am coming back to sewing and need a new machine. Even though the old machine is broken my mom refuses to give it up.I could really use a new machine to start making crafts and clothes for my daughter.
I found a 1938 Singer sewing machine on Craig’s list that I bought about a year ago. It’s an amazingly sturdy machine and I wouldn’t give it up for the world, but I would dearly love to have a more modern sewing machine, capable of stretch stitch and zigzag, and all those other things that a modern machine can do. And a serger? I could see myself using that all the time, for things like knits and hemming. Now I do those things by hand, which is tedious at best. I’d love to win the pair and upgrade my sewing technology.
I bought my first sewing machine 15yrs ago right before I got married, but it went kaput last year just as I began teaching my 10 yr daughter how to sew. Even though I had it serviced, it’s never been the same and I haven’t had money to buy a new one. In the meantime, my daughter had saved enough to buy her first one last October and went to town sewing bags, fabric napkins, and stuffed monsters! She has sold some for raising money for Breast cancer, Christmas gifts etc. She’s done a wonderful job and I’m so proud of her skill but she could totally use a serger and a better machine to keep up with her talent and her business! Thank you for this giveaway.
https://www.facebook.com/shesmilescrafts
I sew all the time and think your book would be an added inspiration, which we all need daily. I just found your blog and am so happy*** happy *** happy***. I love to find people that sew, I feel we are a dieing breed.
My grandmother and mother are great sewers, but it seems that it isn’t so easy for me. I would love to be able to sew using a great machine!
My brother and I found this incredibly old table Singer (pedal-powered, non-electric — sorry I can’t be more specific, but think homestead) at an old abandoned homestead near our house. It weighed about a zillion pounds but we drug it home (my mom was unimpressed) and cleaned it up, with dreams of being able to use it. Instead, we became rather adept at sewing by hand… So, years later, I’m still crap on a machine but still dream of learning and creating lots of cute stuff.
I’ve tried to sew on and off my whole life…since I was a kid, never actually being as successful as I wanted. My husband of all people surprised me 8 years ago with used sewing machine…I’ve been chugging along with it ever since, but I know it’s on it’s last leg…thanks for the opportunity!
Hi Brett! I’m very excited to have found your blog – I’m always on the lookout for fun, creative, crafty ideas!
About 10 years ago (maybe for my 30th birthday?) my mother sold her old, big, clunky sewing machine & cabinet & bought me a ‘starter’ machine. I love it, but really need to upgrade now. And I REALLY need a serger! Oh my goodness…the things I could do…….
oooooh lala, brett!
this is my first visit to your blog, and what a fabulous little internet cranny it is!
i have always wanted to be one of those gals who could whip up a new pair of trousers from an old tablecloth or something, but this has been difficult, as i’ve never had a machine of my own. i grew up in the country, and was very involved in 4-H as a young girl. my mom and i participated in a mother-daughter sort of kitchen fashion show one year, and i sewed the sweetest baby blue check apron you have ever seen with my mom’s help. it is quite short and a bit too slim around the middle for me now, but i positively ache for my own machine so that i can get back in the saddle and start sewing away many more aprons and the like. cheers!
I’m new! Just saw you over at design sponge and it looked intriguing.
My grandmother has been a seamstress her entire life. I’ve been watching her alter and make garments forEVER, including two of the prom dresses my sister designed. I wanted to learn because it seemed like magic, but I was very very intimidated by the sewing machine. I would love to have her pass on the original cast-iron Singer with its original wooden worktop. She has had it since she was a little girl and brought it with her to the States when she came from St Lucia, which was an enormous expense. However, I will not have it decorating my house: It deserves to be used!. Ergo, I must learn.
my mom is an awesome sewer, but I’ve only realized the awesome potential of the home sewer in recent years.. I have managed a few successful projects (some even without my mom’s help) — including silk purses for all my bridesmaids last year (!) — and my mom has been so kind as to gift me her old machine, which i think is fair to call “vintage” at this point… while it works ok, and definitely has sentimental value, a brand-new-fancy machine AND serger could be just what i need to push me into high gear.
Either way, awesome site – have been following you on D*S for a couple years, so glad to hang out on your own space!!
When my mom was growing up, her mother always made clothes for her, her sister and 4 brothers (yes, they did have matching sailor outfits). Then when my mom was a teenager, she started to sew and made all of her outfits. When we were younger, my mom would make my clothes: easter outfits, play dresses, she even made my sweet sixteen dress. But I cut her off after that because it wasn’t “cool” anymore. But it is! It so is. I remember sewing little beanbags when I was younger, but I didn’t touch a sewing machine until about 3 years ago when I was pregnant and wanted to make a little mouse doll for the baby. I had a template from another blog I follow, got on the sewing machine at work, and went to town. When I was done all the kids that I worked with laughed at me. It was a very sad mouse, very Picasso-esque. So, I have been too intimidated to get back on the saddle. But here’s the thing, anything else I put my mind to, I can do really well. And I want to sew. I want to make dresses for my daughter (and for myself), and I want to be able to teach her how to sew when she’s older. Please Help me!
As a child, my grandmother made all of my dresses. I spent so many hours watching her sew ruffles and lace. Unfortunately, I have just began to actively sew in the past year on a little rinky-dink machine. I have tons of ideas and projects that I want to try for my 2 month old daughter. But I realize that I am very limited by the machine that I have. Hopefully luck will prevail.
Ohh! A serger!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would be in sewing heaven with a serger!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So generous to offer. Thank you
Wow! Great giveaway! I’ve been sewing since I was 7 with scraps & needle and thread to make doll clothes. I made my wedding dress on my Grandmothers treadle sewing machine. I sewed Automobile seats for 20 years, now I do the fun stuff for myself.
i Love to sew. My mom taught me the basics as a kid. When I got married, my husband’s nana gave me one of her sewing machines. I used that till it died. I am now using a borrowed machine. I really would love one of my own.
I taught myself how to sew last year! I bought a $20 machine that doesn’t work very well. I would love to win these so that I can further explore my new craft! Thanks for the opportunity!
I have two small children, and have so many wonderful ideas for toys to sew for them. It would be wonderful to have a sewing machine to inspire their imaginations!
Hi! I found your blog through Design Sponge. I am loving it. I have a sewing machine that was my grandmother’s from the 70′s. It doesn’t have a lot of capabilities, but it is made of metal and quite sturdy. I have made a few things on it. My mom made me take sewing lessons as a teen. I didn’t like it at the time, but since then I have come to like it. I would love to make a quilt some day. I actually use it to sew on paper more than fabric. I love to make cards and scrapbooks. The stitches add so much to a paper project. The machines you are giving away look wonderful. Thanks Brett!
My mother’s 1953 cabinet Singer occupies a corner of my bedroom in Philadelphia, PA as it did in my childhood bedroom in Nashville, TN. It’s a happy reminder of the clothes & curtains she made. I bought a portable Singer in a green plastic case from a friend in Memphis in the early 70s. I sold it to a colleague when I inherited Mom’s machine. Ordinary story, yes! but here’s the best part. A few summers ago, during another heat wave, I got myself out the door to go to a porch sale in my neighborhood. My intuition insisted on my going despite the terrible heat at nine a.m. When I got there, I found a Singer 221 Featherweight in its original case, all the accessories, in perfect condition for $20. I love it! It is so cute, sews perfectly & attachments work on both machines — as they were made within months of each other. When sewing, both are out with different color threads. Would love new sisters for them!
I started sewing when I was about 7 or 8. I was obsessed with pioneering, Little House on the Prairie, and I wanted to become self-sufficient and home crafty! My mother taught me a few basic stitches, gave me full access to her drawers of material, thread, needles, etc and sent me on my way. Now, I’ve started quilting. I’ve never owned my own machine, I do all my work by hand. But I would love to learn the technology so my projects don’t take quite as long!
The book looks great, many congrats, you should be very proud!!
I have been dreaming of owning a sewing machine for ever! My mother is the most amazing seamstress and knitter around I learned everything from her. I always remember watching her sew clothes for us and doll clothes for our dolls. I am sad to say that I never kept up with it, although now that I have my own baby I would love to make clothes for her and blankets etc. I just don’t have the money for a good sewing machine. I also took sewing classes in school and remember how fun it was to actually make a pair of pants that fit! the feeling of making something yourself is so rewarding!
I learned to sew dollclothes on my grandmothers machine. When I was in high school I worked and saved $50.00 to purchase a used Singer and used that workhorse of a machine sewing all my clothing in high school and college until my first year of marriage when my husband bought me my first new sewing machine, a Singer Futura. I sewed constantly on that machine for 25 years. WOW! I would love a new serger.
Your new book looks brilliant! Just what I need to relearn sewing techniques like, oh, sewing in a straight line which now eludes me : ( And while I have my mom’s 1951 Singer Featherweight, I sure would LOVE to win the dynamic duo and attachments. I am a newbie here and definitely am returning again and again.
I first learned to sew in a college class. My mom got me a machine when I graduated. It died a few years later. This taught me the value of buying a quality model. I purchased a new machine that woked great for many years – until I lost the bobbin case in a move! I am currently using an ancient model a friend gave me but I would love to give that to my 12 year old to learn on.
Ok, I’m not gonna lie – I DID just find this blog, but I am in LOVE!! This is just what I’ve been looking for – some inspiration for my own sewing projects! Feeling a little crafty now! And a new sewing machine and serger would be such a God send! I’m not really one to win things, but I can dream. : ) Here’s hoping!
I have my mom’s sewing machine right now and my goal for the summer is to create something useful (& pretty!) with it. I don’t have a lot of experience, but I’ve made a few projects. It’s just been a LONG time since I did them!
When I was younger, I wanted to be a fashion designer. I used to draw all kinds of silly designs. I got my first machine in high school. It belonged to my Aunt Nancy in the 60s – she passed away before I was born, but the machine kind of made me feel connected to her.
But I didn’t REALLY start sewing until I got to college. I was a theater major, and costuming class was a requirement. I was hooked! I got a brand new sewing machine for Christmas in my first semester, and had all kinds of time to sew my own hippie clothes and get creative with thrift store finds and old jeans.
It’s been 15 years, but I still have that “brand new” machine, and have recently gotten back into sewing. This time, it’s curtains, placemats, and seat cushions for my new apartment, but with a new machine and serger, I could get back into clothing (I definitely don’t have time to zig zag all my edges anymore!).
I’m so glad I found your blog today – I’ve added you to my Google Reader. And I’m ordering your book today – can’t wait to get it! Thanks for the inspiration.
My sewing machine story has been a wandering one. I started on my mom’s machine that was a simple one from Walmart. I don’t remember the brand. I made my first projects on it-all of them purses. But the machine had constant tension problems and I could never figure out how to keep the tension right. It would get thrown off for seemingly no reason. I had to fight with the machine every time I made something. Ughh. The next machine I used I borrowed from a friend who had been keeping it in her closet. She had picked up an old metal Singer at a garage sale but didn’t know how to use it. The machine still worked and once I got it set no more tension problems! Yay! I used that machine for about a year and we had fun together. I had to get creative using it because it didn’t always do what I wanted but at least I wasn’t fighting it. Then after I got married I bought myself a sewing machine a Brother machine that is computerized. Its a beginner machine-the nicest I could afford but I do love it. It can do some fancy things and came with a quilting setup which I love because I got into quilting after I bought it. We get along wonderfully and I am having fun learning new skills.
I have a complicated and convoluted love/hate relationship with sewing machines. My marvelous Mom had the foresight to send us to sewing classes, alas the instructor didn’t like to teach. I continued to pick up classes here and there; so, I at least became comfortable with my way around a sewing machine. Alas, the sewing machines of the world had different plans for me. I battle constantly with correct tension (hello??!?!? As if I don’t already have enough of it!), whether it’s on the old Pfaff I inherited or the second-hand Kenmore I acquired a couple of years ago. Then I read that dull needles could throw tension out of whack, so I changed the needle…EUREKA! It’s blogs like this that help me stick with sewing instead of consigning my machines to the scrap heap. It would be rrrrreally nice to have nifty new machines…especially a serger since I’ve never really had the chance to create with one.
I really don’t sew. I’ve always wanted to learn, but you need a machine to do that. With these machines I could start that process.
Hi Brett, I’m so inspired to get back into sewing since I found your blog! Growing up with a seamstress and a tailor for parents it was inevitable that I picked up the craft. Naturally my mom focused on her customers orders and I had to wait till she had the time to put together outfits for me, so I started sewing for myself. That way, I was able to get more creative with the styles I wanted. Her sewing machine at the time was an old metal singer with a sort of platform pedal that had to be pumped up and down in order for the machine to sew. I was so happy for the endless creative possibilities, working with that machine never bothered me. Who knows what my daughter will think about my Shark Euro-Pro when she grows up!
I grew up playing with my Mom’s fabric scraps, creating elaborate fashion creations for my lucky Barbies. My first pair of high heels were bought to strut in a Junior High fashion show where I sported the panel skirt and matching shawl that I created. My mom gave me my current machine 25 years ago while I was in college and I still miss a particular blouse I made from a Ralph Lauren pattern. Sigh.
Thanks for this fun contest/walk down memory lane!
My grandmother tried to show me how to sew on her singer when I was little–apparently my attention span wasn’t so good back then! I would love to give it another try!!
I’ve recently started making quilts, really simple ones. It would be great to be able to sew more complicated designs and these machines would help me do that.
I learned to sew on my mom’s awesome Singer when I was little, and now am lucky enough to be “borrowing” her lovely new-used Bernina – and I’m sure she’d be as happy as me if I somehow became the owner of my very own machine. I’ve never had a serger but my dreams are definitely filled with the magic that is easy knitwear sewing, for reals.
I use to sew with my moms old singer. Something was terribly wrong though. It would constantly break needles and shoot the ends in any wild direction. Protective eye wear required. More like being in shop class than home ec.
OH PICK ME! PICK ME! I NEEED THIS. I LOVE THIS. PICK ME!
There was a time in my life when I was desperately poor, and so the only way I could get a decent sewing machine after having mine go out of whack was to scour the thrift stores. It was far less expensive for me to buy a machine that might or might not work for less than 20 dollars rather than to pay 60 dollars to have one I currently owned to be professionally cleaned and adjusted. The machines I got were usually in good working order, and had the added advantage of having all metal gears inside. This practice stuck, and even after being in a much better place financially in my life, I will take a heavy used clunker over a new plastic monstrosity any day!
My sewing/crafting journey began at a very young age. I learned to sew when I was maybe 9 or 10. My mom signed me up for sewing classes at a local fabric shop. She often made dresses and clothes for me, some beautiful and others not so much. I fondest memory was when I was in 7th grade, our school was holding a Renaissance Festival, and somehow I was chosen to the be the Queen or Princess or something, so my mom made a beautiful navy dress with flowing sleeves and a gorgeous headpiece. I had never felt so beautiful – super cheesy I know. However after high school, I never got back into sewing but for the past 4 – 5 years I have been searching for a machine and dreaming of clothes and crafts I could make. I hope I win!
The first sewing machine I ever used was a working Cabbage Patch Kid one! I wish so bad I still had it – my mom sewed all my clothes when I was little, and I wanted to sew too – I remember making a corduroy business suit for my stuffed koala bear! So weird. I used my mom’s machine from the 80′s for a while until I lost the presser foot in a move, now I use a cheap one off Craigslist. I have inherited my grandmother’s antique machine from the early 1900′s, but don’t yet have a big enough space to put it. These machines you are giving away would be a dream come true.
Hi, it’s my first visit here and I just L-O-V-E it!
Not just the great giveaway, sure I’ll always come back.
Well, my sewing machine was bought by my grandma at ’70s. It’s a good Singer machine (like most of the olds) and had a gorgeous manual use that teach useful stuff. Unfortunately, my grandma couldn’t read and therefore did not enjoy the full potential of your machine, but still has sewn clothes for their 14 children!
Now that I have the machine, I use it to make small repairs, sew bags and even clothes.
I plan to sew professionally and win this Singer Perfect Finish Combo would be the ideal start.
Excuse my English, I hope that you’d understand my story
New to the blog! Introduced by Design Sponge. Lusting after a machine. I have been borrowing my Mom’s for the past few years. Quite excited about digging into your book. Thanks for all the great info!
I love your blog! My mom is excellent at sewing and tried to teach me as a child. Now that I’m older, I really want to learn again. Your blog has helped tremendously! Thank you!
I have been sewing for more years than I can count! My first sewing machine was my great grandmother’s treadle. It dates from the 1890′s. For many years it was my only machine. It forced me to learn finishing techniques since all it did was go forward. No zig zag, no buttonholer. I even made wool suits for my husband on this machine.
I am now working a a costume designer for a dance company. Both of those machine would be wonderful to take to the theater. The machine that the dance company owns is not wonderful. We do NOT get along.
All the best in your new digs in Brooklyn Brett! Thanks for the contest!!
I am fortunate to have my grandmother’s Singer treadle machine and my mother’s Singer portable, both in great working condition. They both weigh a cajillion pounds — the treadle machine has cast iron supports. Both Mom and Grandmother taught me how to sew, and I spent many happy hours making clothes for myself as I grew up. The machines are pretty limited in what they will produce, and my sewing is becoming more and more of a creative, relaxing endeavor now. These new machines would greatly expand my repertoire.
My mom handed me down her first sewing machine. She bought it with her first salary in the 60s. It was a Singer 720 and I have been using it since. It’s a great machine very advanced for the time. It even had elastic stitch at a time where knits were not so popular.
I treasure this machine like a baby. And I thank my mom every day for having inspired me and given me her old machine. BTW, her new one is also a singer. So I would love to continue the tradition
When I think of sewing my thoughts go directly to my grandmother. She always had her sewing machine out when I was a kid, always fixing someone’s hem or taking in a waistline. She helped me to make my prom dress and my aunt’s bridal party dresses. I always saw sewing as a skill or craft, but it wasn’t until this past Thanksgiving when i was visiting when i realized how it was truly an art. She showed me her sewing technique portfolio that she had to create in school- I was surprised how similar it was to the sketchbooks i made in school. It was after this that I felt a deeper connection with my grandma. I always wished I could live closer and learn how to sew and make patterns from her. I would love to have a sewing machine to practice and make something for her – to show her my appreciation and love.
so.. please please please pick me!
Just found your blog through nipperknits. I love the projects from your book!
What an awesome giveaway! As for my sewing machine memories, I can vividly remember my Mom sewing away at her machine for hours. It was the 70s and our house was ‘early American style’, meaning plenty o’ antiques – and also meaning that my Mom’s machine sat inside an antique sewing machine holder/stand! I used to love sitting at it and playing with the treddle (?) underneath.
My Mom used that machine to make all the curtains in our house and dress after dress for me and my 3 sisters. I also have fond memories of the clothes my sisters made for me (I was the youngest). I took my first sewing class through a summer program at the age of 12 and am sad to report, not much ‘stuck’. I’ve successfully made a couple pillow covers and roman shades for our house, but would love to try my hand at making my own clothes.
Disregard my last post. I didn’t mention my sewing machine story….
I learned to sew on my mom’s Singer Featherweight when I was about 11 years old. I made the usual doll clothes, then started making some of my own clothes. Then my mom got a a new machine, a fancy new Elna that used cams to make fancy stitches. I had some real fun finding creative uses for the stitches. Then came college, and I stopped sewing. as I didn’t have access to a machine. A few years after graduating and getting a job, I bought my first sewing machine – a Bernina 801 Sport. I think it was about $300 which was a lot at the time. That machine is still going strong! Many years later, my Mom’s Elna wore out and she replaced it with a computertized model. But the Featherweight still is working great and best of all – she gave it to me! I also grabbed my grandmother’s Singer treadle machine when she passed away. It cost a lot to have it shipped from AL to CA, but was worth every penny. It still stitches, nice even stitches.
What an incredable giveaway! Both my mother and grandmother were sewing advicates. So much so that my brother and I didn’t have store bought clothes until the first grade. My grandmother, though, was the ultimate seamstress. Her sewing room was amazing! Bolts of fabrics in the closet, her walls were lined with mini drawers holding bobbins, pins, threads in every color, anything and everything, and as a kid I loved exploring through the room finding silky ribbons and shiny buttons. Whenever I hear a sewing machine in action I’m instantly brought back to my grandmother’s overflowing sewing room, a room filled with projects and possibilities.
Your new book looks wonderful! My mum taught me to sew when I was just a kid, getting me to help her hand sew christmas decorations with my extremely large, uneven stitches. When I was about 10 I was taught to use the machine. She still has it – a cast iron Pfaff that weighs about 30 pounds and comes with it’s own plastic carrying case. That machine is extremely hardy – I remember jamming the bobbin almost every week, and every time we pried it out with needlenose pliers, and it remained unscathed. When I moved across the country for school, I wanted desperately to take the Pfaff with me, but alas. It is far too heavy to transport on an airplane. I bought a cheap machine to tide me over, but it’s just not the same. For one thing, it can’t handle thick fabrics or denim, and the bobbin case, the one time I jammed it, actually broke! I had to take the whole thing in for fixing and live without my machine for 3 weeks. It was a very hard time.
I just stumbled on this site and it’s amazing.
I actually learned to use a sewing machine in Home Ec (!) in middle school. My mom had an old Singer model packed in the basement that I used for a while after that. I stopped sewing in high school but my roommate got a beautiful Singer about a year ago and I quickly rediscovered my love of sewing.
My sewing story: I learned to sew when I was 10 years old. My mom putting me in sewing lessons. We had a very old Kenmore sewing machine, older than my parents 39 years of marriage. So old in fact, that it didn’t even do button holes properly. It was a matter of a lot of zig zag stitching and my mom always had to do them for me. I haven’t sewn anything in a while but I’m getting married in a month and I hope to sew for my new husband and home. This prize would really help me in that endeavour.
Congrats on the book!
Many memories of the two most amazing women in my life – my grandmother and mother – involve a sewing machine and so I’ve been thinking it is about time to find my own as we get ready to have a child of our own. As a small child, my grandmother would sit with me and push quilt blocks through the sewing machine, her hands on mine to keep the lines straight. I have always enjoyed opening her cedar chest with her during visits and reverently unfolding the stacked blankets being stored for family weddings, babies, or for the next shipment of baby blankets to an orphanage connected to her church. She is the most selfless woman I know, and her selflessness pours into the world through hours spent sewing each week.
My mom is not a quilter, but when I was growing up she applied her 4-H sewing skills to hemming and repairing our clothes and sewing us doll pillows and blankets. It seemed to me there was nothing she couldn’t fix. In addition to marveling at her, my sisters and I loved to play with the styrofoam blocks that held the sewing machine in its box. Laid flat, their holes, ridges and crevices made perfect “rooms” for our Fischer price people and their myriad adventures.
Though my own sewing skills are (so far) limited, I’d like my kids to grow up with experiences like mine that will give them patterned, cozy, lifelong memories.
I have a beautiful robin’s egg blue singer that belonged to my husband’s nana. it is a beautiful machine, and it was what i sewed on until one day i was heading down to the basement to do laundry – unfortunately, i had put the sewing machine on the basement stairs for some reason, and on my way down i slipped and fell into the machine, knocking it to the concrete basement floor and breaking it. i am still really sad about it. it was a wonderful connection to my husband’s nana, who has passed. also, sewing is a connection to my grandma (mom’s mom), who passed when i was 11. she sewed me and my dolls matching outfits, and taught me how to sew as well. i would love to be in her studio on the farm in new hampshire, sewing along with her.
My Mom taught me to sew when I was very young, probably around 1st or 2nd grade. She sewed all of her clothes and most of mine – this was back in the early 60′s. My dolls always had matching outfits/dresses, most often made by me with the fabric scraps. Thinking back, these earlier creations usually weren’t hemmed and had crude scissor-cut button holes, as the attachment that went on my Mom’s black Singer sewing machine was too complicated – sometimes for my mom, too
.
That black Singer was a work-horse. It had no reverse stitching (you flipped your project around to ‘back stitch’), no zig-zag to prevent raveling (at 8 or 9 I was sewing French seams), and was too heavy for me to flip up in the cabinet. I learned early on how to sew in a zipper and broke a few needles along the way. Finally in the early 80′s she bought another Singer. We were stylin’!!! Built in button-holer, zig-zag, and a few other decorative stitches – what more could you ask for! I still use it to this day. Wish my Mom was around to see what sewing machines do these days. Feed dogs drop, they embroider, and some even thread themselves! What more could you ask for?
While in my possession, that Singer has been thru 1 wedding dress, many a home decor project, 18 years of Halloween costumes, dozens of lap quilts for the elderly, countless rips and hems, and hundreds of Scout patches. Thank you Elias and Isaac!
BTW – Along with the Singer, I inherited fabric my Mom bought during the war (WWII that is) when she lived in Pensacola, FL where my Dad was stationed – she worked at Penney’s (back when they sold fabric). I haven’t found ANY project worthy of cutting into that folded stack of truly vintage fabrics.
My mom has always had a sewing room in our house. She made everything for my sister and I growing up. From Easter dresses to Halloween costumes. No matter how picky or stubborn about what we wanted, she always came through. I am always amazed by how my mom can tell me how much fabric I will need to do a project and then cut it out perfectly without a pattern!
Unfortunately, I haven’t quite got the same fabric thumb she has. I have two little ones at home and I try my best to make things on my sewing machine. My latest project was patching my son’s jeans, they actually turned out pretty good.
I am very intimidated when it come to sewing, I guess I need more practice. But no matter what, I always end up in my mom’s sewing room, looking at the newest project, fabrics and books that she has.
I learned to sew on my mom’s old Kenmore when I was little. The tension was always a little off, but that thing was a tank! I would spend hours creating mattresses and pillows for my Barbie’s. Eventually our babysitter taught me and my sisters how to sew hair scrunchies… We were hooked!
Congrats Brett!! The book looks amazing!
What a lovely contest! thanks…
I learned to sew the summer I was 9 years old between 3rd & 4th grade. I convinced the junior high home ec teacher to teach me sew in the summer school class she was offering. Well, basically I kept showing up and badgering her until she relented. The school had ancient black metal Singer cabinet machines just one step up from the foot treadle machines from the 40′s/50′s. I loved them. I still wish I could find one. This was the mid sixties so I made a Carnaby street hip-rider skirt, a wildly patterned a-line dress and lots of blouses. I continued sewing all the way through high school, stopped during college and switched to quilting in my 20s, switched to knitting in the early 80′s but am coming back to sewing again and am loving all the amazing fabrics that are so available now. I’d fer shure put the serger and the sewing machine to good use!
OOHHH! This is great, thanks for the opportunity! Look forward to reading your new book and trying out the projects. Thank you Brett!!
I started sewing by hand when I was about five years old. I guess I just picked it up from watching my Mom. She was too busy making clothes for her four daughters (lots of matching outfits, in typical 1950′s fashion!) to teach me to use her machine. So when I was about eight, my Grandma taught me to sew on her ancient Singer treadle machine. It was hard for a kid who could barely reach to treadle to coordinate the foot action and keep everything straight at the same time but I eventually mastered it and moved on to my Mom’s electric machine, which seemed like a breeze compared to Gram’s! Mom graciously let me use her machine for years despite the fact that I often left it in a big tangled mess of thread. My high school graduation gift from my parents was my own, brand-spankin’-new Singer Stylist! I’ve had it serviced often and to this day it’s been my one and only trusty machine. I taught my son to sew on it, I still love it and will treasure it always but perhaps it’s time for something a bit more updated…..
Congrats on the book! how cool is that? and so is your giveaway. I learned to sew on my moms Viking machine from the 1960a and still have that one and my own Viking I bought after college in 1981. lol They are great machines and still work well but I have dreams of updating! Thanks for the great giveaway.
Nice site! I look forward to digging in!
My sewing history:
None, at all, until I reluctantly accepted a new sewing machine for Christmas several years ago. Then it sat, unopened and judgmental, in the corner of my room for a whole year. I was terrified of it! Finally I got the courage to open it, read the manual & start testing it out with scrap fabric. Since then, I use it more & more, and try to remember that every time I screw something up, I get a little better.
I am so ready for an upgrade now. I’ve always wanted to try a serger too. I promise if I win it, I will start using it immediately!
WOW! Love sewing and yarning. I keep going over to my Mom’s or MIL’s and using their machines. This would be great!! I love making clothes for my little animal creations or linings for my bags. Once I get a machine there is a quilting class I would LOVE to take!! Thanks for the chance! Congrats on your new book!!
My mom put herself through school at a private (read: expensive) creative arts school in Detroit…Some of my earliest memories are playing in her sewing room and going through boxes of fabric samples as she sewed and quilted.
It would be so nice to be able to produce finished items more quickly & easily.
I’d love to continue the tradition, but hand sewing everything gets old!
As early as I can remember, the ladies of my family have embrased themselves in sewing. Both of my grandmothers were amazing seamstress(es).
While growing up, I always looked forward to my summer break, since I was able to spend a week with my Grandma (Anne), who showed me the fundamentals of cutting a pattern, buying material and even sewing a straight line. I must have been 6 years old when I sewed my first pillow with her. I was so proud.
Over a period of 15 years, I enjoyed the quality time I spent with my grandmothers. I also looked forward to attending the crafts shows throughout the year. I was always amazed by the different talents throughout the local community. To this day, I can close my eyes and see my Grandma Anne at her sewing table hand stitching a teddy bear for an up coming show.
When I entered into my twenties both of my grandmothers passed away from cancer. However, their memories live on every day.
About three years ago, I had a baby girl. Like most mothers, I wanted to doll her up in ruffles and hip appeal. However, since I was still young in my career, I was on a shoe string budget. Thus, I returned to my roots. I started to sew again. Thanks to my loving mother, I was able to use her sewing machine in her garage. However, over a period of time, my work was noticed by my fellow church members, which resulted in a small business on the side.
I currently enjoy sewing mommy and me dresses for my daughter. I love to hear her say in her high pick voice, “You making me a princess dress like you mommy?” To top it off, about 3 months ago, I received my grandmother’s old Bernina sewing machine. Every time I sit down to sew with my little girl, I see my self as a little girl watching my grandmother eagerly.
I look forward to the years to come with my daughter. I hope through sewing I will be able to build the same found memories with her like my grandmothers did with me.
I just put a request in for your book at my library… there’s a wait list for it! I would love to win these sweet machines; I have a sewing machine I received in junior high as a graduation gift… the opportunity to win a serger too is amazing! I love to buy clothing at thrift stores simply for the fabulous fabric… and then create EASY to make things (like yours!) from it.
Mary
A few years ago, I packed up all of my things, selling the bigger pieces of furniture that I couldn’t keep – Including my grandmother’s vintage sewing machine table and Singer. Fast-forward through a few months in Europe, a move to another state, a break-up that led me to yet another state… and I have finally moved home. Just the other day I was bringing out my “new” machine, wishing I still had that beautiful table to sew on.
Congratulations on your book! Such an amazing accomplishment! I just adore your blog and am so glad to have found it! =)
I LOVE to sew! I’ve been sewing since I was 7! My mom and grandmother have always shown me the joy of sewing. I vividly remember many hand made outfits for my sister and I! My mom had taught my 4-H sewing class when I was little and I was hooked from that point on! I would sew my own Barbie and doll clothes from scraps of mom’s fabric. My sewing projects slowly got more involved from there. Sewing clothes to blankets and craft projects etc. My machine was tucked away during college years then after marriage it was pulled out again….I sewed my daughter’s nursery bedding, many craft projects for friends and family and a lot of my daughter’s dresses too. I still sew a lot of house decor for our home. The funny part is that I’ve been sewing on the same sewing machine for 28 years! It is my grandmother’s sewing machine….a 1954 Singer 301! It is a gem and I’ve just learned to live with the separate attachments for EVERYTHING! It has been the “tank” of sewing machines!!! I always remember my grandmother telling me when she first gave it to me to be VERY careful to keep your fingers far away from the foot because she once sewed her finger…I think of that EVERY TIME I sew! It is just so amazing to think of what that machine has sewn for all those years!!!!
Although I am very connected to my sewing machine I do feel somewhat limited on what I’ve wanted to create because some of the stitch attachments are not working well. I’ve ALWAYS wanted to save up for a Serger….It has been something that has always been put on the back burner though. My three kids needs have always come first. It has been a goal of mine to pass my love of sewing down to my daughter. I would love for her to learn on a machine that she can grow up with and hopefully pass down to her children! Maybe my two sons would want to learn too??? Who knows! This would be a dream come true for sure! Thanks so much for offering it!
awesome giveaway! i think id die from shock if i won..anyway sewing machine related story- my great gram was an amazing crafty woman..she loved everything and had ever sort of notion known to man..i inherited her knitting needles which i love and most importantly her sewing machine that folds into its midcentury style wooden desky thing (im amazing at describing things) i never used it and now use the desk as a table top for my contemporary sewing machine…but i love the feeling that she is close by just under my current sewing project..
I was sewing a decorative pillow for my sister and hanging out with friends. Silly me, I had my sewing machine on the floor and was just about finished when I ran out of thread and with only 6 inches to go! So I changed the thread and while doing that, my knee landed on the pedal and I literally threaded my finger! I quickly ripped my hand away and the need broke in half, leaving my finger stitched and with half a needle poking through. My friends quickly took a photo and then took me to the emergency room where I became the joke of the night amongst the doctors and nurses because I had “injured and stitched myself up all in one fine swoop”. Because the thread had been sewn into my finger and wrapped around my bone, I needed to have the needle and thread surgically removed and 3 stitches! After a week or so, I hand stitched the final 6 inches of my sisters decorative pillow. She still has it 13 years later. It took me several years before I picked up the machine again and yes, I still sew on the floor.
My sewing story starts with my grandmother, Nonnie. She always made my Christmas and Easter dresses, including my First Communion dress (dotted Swiss). I remember dreading trying them on when they were pinned as they scratched. Her fingers were so nimble; she made clothes for my Barbies as well, fashioned from the Barbie booklets. Unfortunately, a cousin got her sewing machine (it was in a console, and her knee leaned against the bar which activated the machine), but I have a large wooden box with spools and spools of her thread, most of them quite old. She was truly a remarkable, self-taught seamstress.
I had a sewing class in high school which taught little and I retained even less. But my mom has always been a creative and she shines behind her sewing machine. I would watch her projects come to life especially around holidays and that is where I knew you didn’t have to accept the status quo. Store made costumes were bland in comparison to what my mother created and often times less expensive. I have always created sewing projects in sperts but now that I no longer live near my mom, I have found myself craving the time with my sewing machine. Note: Nothing of mine looks as good as my moms but you don’t get pride from a store apron.
I learned to sew on my mom’s Singer Featherweight beginning at around 12 years old. It was scary and sometimes frustrating, but I am so glad that I learned on that machine. I know I would not be as patient teaching my children to sew without the haunting memories of that machine.
Loved the design sponge tutorial video!
Hi there!
I saw an ad for your new book on Design Sponge and I giggled to myself because although I love to sew, I’m fairly new at it, and I always joke to my friends that I’m a Type A personality who can’t sew in a straight line.
My grandmother taught me to sew 2 summers ago. My mom is a great seamstress and I always wanted her to teach me, but she knew that my mima would be the one to do it. So one summer afternoon I told her I wanted to sew. I wanted to make a patchwork pillow (because patchwork is obviously the easiest way to start sewing…). I went to the fabric store, got what I needed, came home, and started working on it. There were plenty of tears borne out of frustration on my part, and I’m sure plenty of frustration on my mima’s part that she graciously cloaked with patience for her overly ambitious granddaughter. But, by the end of the day I had my own beautiful patchwork pillow and a continuing bond with my grandmother. Since then my mima has kept newspaper and magazine clippings to give me for inspiration, and she’s purchased several great sewing books for me. She also gave me her sister’s 1991 Necchi – an anvil of a machine which is what I’m still using today. She is definitely my biggest fan!
About 6 months after I met my fiance, his wonderful Grandfather passed away, but before he did he asked that his sewing machine be given to me. It was like he already knew that we were going to get married (which is happening, but 5 years after he gave me the machine!!!)
That machine has brought me huge amounts of joy, from rekindling my love for crafting, starting my upholstery apprenticeship, sewing everything for my wedding and now will hopefully help me transition to starting my own business! Even as I sit here at work I am dreaming about going home to that machine and making sweet crafting love to it. I would love to continue using it forever, but alas it just isnt cutting it as an upholstery machine. So if I had a new machine I could put this one aside and keep it for those special projects!
I am so glad I found this site. Congrats on the new book, cant wait to get one. My mother taught me to sew when I was 10. I remember sewing on the tracing paper with all sorts of shapes on them, trying to follow the lines. My grandmother had a treadle Singer. She would spend hours sewing quilts. Thank you for the chance to win this amazing machine. Stacie
My mom bought me my first sewing machine for my 30th birthday, my fiance was the first to use it. His mother taught him to sew (mandatory for a stay at home mom who wears a size XXS petit and has w/four boys and one girl). He taught me and so far I’ve made one of everything. I think my favorite so far is the quilting, no sizing required!! We’ve also incorporated our sewing machine into the wedding, hand sewn save the date cards and homemade bunting decor. Pretty sure that one machine has saved us over a thousand dollars in the past 3 years!
I took sewing classes with my mom as a kid and used her sewing machine while growing up. I looove to sew and it would be amazing to win this prize! I think I would never leave the sewing table if I had this.
My grandmother was an expert seamstress. She worked in a very upscale tailor shop. I loved hearing her talk about the beautiful wedding dresses she worked on. She did have one of those black machines. She passed on when I was 16, so I never got the chance to learn from her. I wish I had her machine today….
I learned to sew in Home Ec in Jr. High. One day I asked my teacher what was wrong with the jumper I was making……she turned to the class and said “Class. This is what you DON’T do.” Ahem. Eventually finished the jumper which I shortened to a blouse length. The first time I wore it, the stitches began to come out.
That was a very, very long time ago. On to the present. I’m in the process of making my first quilt. Put my machine away for a while (life kinda got in the way). Pulled it out again when I had a whole 2 days to myself, poof machine not working (2nd time in as many years.) Since I can’t get a new machine for a while, this giveaway is FANTASTIC. Thank you.
My mother taught me to sew when I was young and I will be forever grateful. I had so much fun helping her when I was too young to sew. I was always so careful picking up those little pins. Thanks for this amazing chance to win. I have always wanted a serger.
i have my mom’s old sewing machine. we used to pick a project to sew together each summer. but somehow i never really did much besides commission a homemade article of clothing. i would watch and hang out while she took care of the sewing. so, when i grew up and became interested in sewing for myself, she let me have her machine. it’s not super old and certainly gets the job done (i made 8 clutch purses for my bridesmaids on it!), but it has some frustrating quirks…
My mother always sewed me the most amazing costumes for Halloween–a blue fairy, princess Jasmine, Minnie Mouse…She gave away her sewing machine when I was around 12, and I’ve always regretted not learning. I love to knit, and I think it would be such fun to make something other than scarves and hats!
My sewing story!
I taught myself to sew spring 2010. I stumbled upon a sewing blog while I was looking for a crochet hat pattern. I started looking at the sewing tutorials and got super inspired. I realized I could never afford a machine so I looked on craigslist and found one for $40 and it actually worked…and I still use it and have taught myself all the basics with it. I would love to win a new machine to call my own!
http://www.mukweto.blogspot.com
That’s right, my grandmother had one of those old Singer sewing machines that folded down into a beautiful wood cabinet/table. She would spend hours on it making all sorts of things, from clothes to dolls. I wish I had an interest back then in sewing so she could have taught me how to sew. I’ve been crocheting for years and just learned how to knit about six months ago. I decided that my new passion is to make hand bags, clutches, etc. When I thought about hand sewing the lining into each bag it nearly made me give up the whole idea. But I happened to see someone giving away an old Singer online for free so I went and picked it up. I’m just in the early stages of learning how to sew, but since I’ve started I’ve had an explosion of inspiration on how to incorporate it into my crocheting and knitting. That’s a beautiful machine you’re giving away and I hope I’m lucky enough *fingers crossed* to win it! (P.S. I LOVE Knit & Crochet Today!)
My sewing story.
Growing up, my grandparents lived in an older ranch home. If you walked back through the hallway to the bedrooms, the laundry machines were on the left. Next to that was an expansive work table, that was re-covered annually with woodgrain contact paper. What was most amazing to me as a child is that the table opened up to allow my grandmother’s sewing machine to emerge. It was a secret world of sewing. Her seat fit underneath, behind a closed cabinet door, the door when opened was lined with spools of bobbins.
I loved it.
When we were young, my sister found a 1950s sewing machine in a barn on a property my parents owned. My dad dug it out for her and let her keep it. It was kinda smelly and very retro-looking, and it even came with its original instruction booklet! My sister taught herself how to use it, and though she always swore there was no trick to it, the machine would only ever work for her. She tried to teach me how to use it, but it simply wouldn’t work unless she was running it. I still don’t know how to work a sewing machine–but I want to learn, preferably on one that will work when I sit down at it! ^_^
I am so excited to find your website. What a great giveaway!
I learned to sew on my mom’s sewing machine though I never really had the patience to do too many projects. Now that I have a baby, I have been more motivated to try and sew more plus my inlaws gave me a sewing machine for christmas. I have made some pillows and burp cloths but I am definitely ready to try and tackle some more projects!
This is an exciting giveaway!!
My sewing machine story: I learned on my mother’s metal-bodied kenmore (NOT portable) that folded down into a desk. I loved that it operated via a lever you would push with your right leg, and to reverse direction you would press a cylindrical chrome button. It was a tank, and I believe I could thread it with eyes closed if you were to place one before me now. I liked the quiet focus my mom would display as she worked on floral flannel jammies for me or sewed on my brothers’ scout patches.
I have owned sewing machines since, and withthem, when things go wrong it is (all too) easy to blame the machine. But with mom’s kenmore, if you and the machine disagreed, you knew you were the one who did something wrong.
I am looking forward to the book.
First time to your blog, and I love it! Excited to find another awesome blog to read and more excited about the chance to win!! Show me that seerrrgeeerrrr!
When I was a kid I always sewed my dolls’ clothes by hand with the help of my mother who learned to sew with my grandmother that supported the family by making clothes.
I never had a sewing machine at home for several years ans always wanted one!
So when I turned 18 years old I won a sewing machine instead of a car! To explain better I must say that here in Brazil most people wins a car as present when they turn 18 (here you can only drive when you turn 18).
Now I’m 25 still have the sewing machine and don’t know how to sew right and still don’t own a car and haven’t learn how to drive! ;P
Well, my name is Rachel too and I am also new to your blog.
I knew how to sew as a child, when I sewed with my mom. She had a sewing table in the basement and we made little projects like books and jewelry cases. I remember an antique sewing machine (the kind built into the table, but I don’t think that’s the one we used).
In college, I found a sewing machine at a thrift store and bought it. I lugged it around with me for quite a while, but never used it. It’s probably because I didn’t even know how to thread it – without Mom there, no sewing got done. But I’m sure she’d be more than happy to help me re-learn.
I am a avid stitcher and knitter thanks to my mother’s patient instruction as a child. I am currently in the market for a serger (!) and have had dreams of owning one for oh-so-long.
Congratulations on your new book and thank you for your generosity!
My Grandmother refused to let me touch her electric Singer, but her old treadle machine was fair game. My mother drug it out of a closet & gave me her scrap fabric pieces & I started trying to sew doll clothes. I had no patterns, just winged it. It was so much fun, picking the perfect piece, trying to make it do what I wanted.
Congratulations on the new book—I love that sewing is coming back in a BIG way!
I bought my first sewing machine when I was about 11—a Singer school model. But I learned on my Mom’s machine by just inching along, turning the wheel by hand because I was afraid to use the pedal!
My grandmother’s Singer sewing machine now sits in my dining room. I’ve stuffed so many sewing odds and ends into the one drawer in the cabinet that I can’t open it anymore. And, next to the machine, I still have her sewing box, littered with zippers, bobbins, spools of thread, and buttons stored in old plastic pill bottles that bear my grandfather’s name.
The sewing machine sat in one of the two rooms on the second floor of her tiny house for my whole life. Years ago I took it home with me one Saturday, with her permission, and installed it in my own little apartment. She passed away last March, and the machine isn’t in working order these days. I like to think of her sitting there, working the lever with her knee, the clackity machine going loud as she made curtains, tablecloths, and clothes.
I grew up learning how to sewing from my Mother,she had an old 50′s Singer sewing machine,so when I was grown I got my own,which is old now.I would love a serger!! I had one many years ago, but it is no longer in use.
WOW what a fantastic set of prizes. Love the new site!
Lori
I don’t actually have a sewing machine story because I don’t (yet) own a sewing machine that works–I have this one that is massive and also a table (I use it as a table) with a giant iron looking foot rest thingy underneath and the sewing machine hangs upside down as long as you are using it as a table but then POW! there goes the sewing machine if you flip it over and behold you are staring at a sewing behemoth that doesn’t seem to work. But I digress.
My story that doesn’t (yet) involve a sewing machine is that I make giant fake taxidermy art (because an ex-girlfriend wouldn’t allow real taxidermy in the apartment–her mistake) so I sat down for several months and made a giant moose head with scraps of old fabric, cardboard, etc. I sewed it all by hand because I didn’t have a sewing machine and wouldn’t know how to use it anyways. But man, I bet it would have been SO much easier with a sewing machine. That’s where you come in, Brett, because I am going to embark on making a rhino soon and I think your sewing machine would be really exciting to use for that. I don’t know what a serger is, but I bet it would be handy too because you said it would be, and I trust you. I promise I will use it because I have friends who know how to sew and I bet if I ask really nicely they will teach me how.
What a very useful blog you have here! Lots of great ideas!
I tried to hem some jeans when I was young, and broke the needle. I thought I had ruined the entire sewing machine — I didn’t know you could change the needles! I finally let my daughter take the machine for her use (it’s only about 30 years old). I don’t have one at all now!
My mom taught me to hand-sew first. I made doll dresses. Then I got to use her White machine, which I still have. I’d LOVE to have an electronic machine and a serger. I also need that automatic buttonhole maker! Thanks for the contest Brett!
Well, to be honest, if I won this machine…I would give it to my mom. She has had the same sewing machine since I was born (and has turned out thousands of darling creations on it) and has wished for a serger for so long! Her latest project: making baptismal gowns for babies out of wedding dresses she finds at secondhand stores. I have timidly introduced myself to her machine, and have had enough success to want my own machine – we live 11 hours apart – but if we won, I would inherit her machine, and gladly gift yours to her.
My sewing machine story: I took two dressmaking classes last year and pretty much drooled over the Berninas that they have their – they are pure digital goodness. Unfortunately, completely out of my budget : ) As I was debating about what to do about getting a machine, my husband was doing some extra, pro-bono work for his boss, and mentioned to him that I was looking for a sewing machine. They had one in their closet that they never used, and now it is in my closet, though used : ).
Best of luck with the book!
My mother and grandmother were excellent seamstresses, as well as great at knitting, crochet, embroidery, you name it. I learned on my mom’s Singer and sewed a lot of my clothing when growing up because we were poor. My grandmother eventually gave me her Good Housekeeping (yes, that’s the name) sewing machine that was built into a cabinet. That mechanical war horse enabled me to sew clothing for me and my girls, make quilts for them, as well as mending and alterations. I’ve since gotten an embroidery/sewing machine but I’ve kept that old machine for sentimental reasons. I periodically set it up, run it through its paces, and oil it so that it will last. I would love to win this set!
I learned to sew from my mom and grandma when I was a young girl. When I was in college my mom took me to Sears and bought me a Kenmore sewing machine–one of the best and well-used gifts I’ve ever gotten!
Thanks for the opportunity to win this sewing machine and serger! Can’t wait till your book comes in at my local library!
Congratulations on the book! I’m a first time visitor- but will certainly be back! I don’t have a sewing machine but I really want one
I’m looking forward to reading your book and getting some (hand) sewing done!
I’m a new reader at your blog, discovered you through DesignSponge, and all I can say is, how did I not know about your blog sooner?!! Congratulations on your new book, and I will be visiting your blog regularly!
This is such an amazing giveaway, I’ve always wanted to have my own sewing machine, but I haven’t been able to afford one yet. My sewing story is about my mom. When she was growing up as a child in Vietnam, her family had a limited income and my mom usually had to wear hand-me-downs from her older sister. But when she got to high school, she decided that she wanted a more fashionable wardrobe, so she taught herself how to use her mother’s sewing machine. She would take clippings of outfits from French magazines and try to recreate the look from home. It took a lot of trial and error, and plenty of hard work, but she learned how to sew and made fabulous pieces. whenever I look at old photos of her wearing amazing dresses and skirts, I am simply in awe. My mom also made many dresses for me and my little sister when we were kids. i still hang onto them because they’re made with so much love and care
With seamstresses in my family I use to make pocket change ripping seams for my sister when I was a teen. Back then when it would have made the most sense to learn to sew, I didn’t have the interest, yet the older I get the more enthused I’ve become about working with pattern and material. I have fond memories of my mother’s sewing room, and still have treasured childhood projects made for my dolls. When I moved to my first home, my mother came and spent a weekend to help me make dining room curtains. I’ve ventured into a number of other mainly “straight line” projects since such as Christmas stockings, zipper pouches, and children’s bibs. I find myself increasingly inspired to make something of the gorgeous stockpile of vintage fabric I’ve accumulated over the years, yet I’m still without a sewing machine to call my own. As a book and collage artist, I have so many ideas for transforming paper and pages too with stitch patterns. Getting a machine to call my own would allow me to mastermind some great new projects for my home and my studio. Thank you-thank you for this opportunity to win!
My sewing machine is a very basic but good model that my grandmother gave me. On a recent trip to visit her, I was talking about how much I want to learn to sew and start making my own clothes and home goods. She got very excited and told me she wanted me to take a sewing machine home with me (she has several). She then told me to go into her fabric closet and pick out my favorites. It was so sweet to see her excitement that I am more determined than ever to become a proficient seamstress.
My great aunt taught me how to sew. I think partly because she wanted to keep my sister and I occupied while she did things around the house. I first used a machine in jr. high in a home economics class. I could not figure out how to use it having missed a day of class and struggled through the rest of the semester! Needless to say, I’ve wanted to re-learn everything I know about using sewing machines. I’ve been meaning to pick it up since I recently got married, but have been too intimidated. I’m sure if I had a new machine, I’d have no excuse
My memories are of the really old sewing machine my grandmother used when I was little. It had NO electricity! I used to watch her move her feet up and down on the treadle and just wonder how it worked! But she sure could sew on that machine. What wonderful awesome memories of her!
I remember sewing as a child on my mom’s old machine, I was forever ‘breaking it’. Now that I know a thing or two, I think I was probably just breaking threads, maybe a needle (?) & my mom would tell me it was broken in order to get me away from her machine! I must remember to ask her about that! lol
When I got engaged 7 yrs ago I registered for a sewing machine that two of my aunts got together & bought for me. It is a Kenmore & it works alright for me, although I would LOVE an upgrade. The last two years I have been learning to quilt so it is getting quite the workout these days! I sometimes venture into bag & clothing (easy skirts for children so far) & often think about how handy having a serger would be. This is an awesome giveaway, too bad there aren’t a truckload to give away
I have been sewing since I was in junior high but I still love the ideas in your book!! They are fresh and fun and now that I am a Mom of three I could use some quick things to sew up! I think the great bowls are the best and they would make a wonderful gift… Thanks for the great ideas!
Hi,
I’m still blinking my eyes … such a great giveaway!
And just what I need …
I’m currently taking sewing lessons, after the summer break I will start year 2. And yes, i learned what a great machine a serger is!
I now have a second hand old Singer which is doing great but needs a repair now and then, the accessories are few, etc. I would love to get some more out of my sewing machine, i can do it now!
Please pick me!
have a great day,
Carla
Please pick me!!
My mom tried to teach me how to sew. She sewed a lot, as it was less expensive and fun for her. Almost all my school pictures I’m wearing something she made. She even made me a bathing suit once (or tried to), as well as tried to make me a quilt (without sewing the layers together). I took a sewing class in 8th grade and made somewhat of an apron but learned pleats, button holes and hand hemming. I never really tried again as I didn’t feel I was very good. Since I have to wear skirts to work, I decided it would be easier to make them then spend hours in stores trying to find them or hours online. I started in April of this year (2011) and I love it. I could only afford a $90 Simple Singer and have been using that. I would love a better machine, and if I don’t win this, then one day I will get one. I’ve made about 12 skirts so far (I work 5 days a week so I need a few… and want a few more). I’ve also done one zipper bag, working on 2 quilt tops, finished 3 tops for me, and a few other items. I even got a hemming foot. I’m doing what I can with this machine.
sewing machine memories…my grandma had a beautiful one in one of those awesome wooden cabinets. You flipped up the machine and then flipped down the wooden piece that held it into place. I remember my mom making a ton of awesome halloween costumes on that thing. Which was sort of the only thing she ever really sewed!
I have sadly never had a lot of success sewing. I seem to always jam the machine or do something wrong, or break the thread. I would love to get good at sewing because i think i have an eye for patterns and fabric. I just can’t seem to figure out the complicated stuff that makes clothing really unique and stylish. Done basic things like put together a dog bed (with a zipper, no less, i was so impressed with myself on that one!) and whenever i move into a new place i usually end up making curtains because i can find much nicer fabric than the crappy curtains you can find at walmart.
My whole family sews…my Dad has one of those antique treddle Singer machines that he uses…quite impressively…my Mom has (had) a Singer from Sears that she sewed all my childhood clothes on (the machine now resides upstairs in my house, after she was gifted a fancy Pfaff machine that scares the bejebus outta her). I learned to sew in Home-Ec (7th grade) and took a class at a local community college (also while in 7th grade). In college, i ‘borrowed’ the dorm sewing machine and made loads of my own clothes. The machine was available to anyone who needed it – but no one else knew how to sew. (so sad). One Christmas my mom and i both received sergers, which was quite a surprise…and mine has seen lots of miles on it…and finally my husband bought me a Bernina for my birthday 10 years ago, which I am still using and will probably have to leave to someone in my will. Those machines never die…and it’s smart enough to drive my car, I’m pretty sure…
My Mother has my grandmothers singer from the 50′s that I grew up with. From my first Halloween costume, to my prom dress, that singer wurled and stitched away. It was temperamental, you had to hand rollover the engine every time you pressed the petal, but it always created such beautiful items with my Mom’s guidance. Some of my fondest childhood memories are me sitting on a step stool watching my mom create a masterpiece.
I have always had old junky sewing machines. I had one that I think I paid $5 for at a rummage sale, and I decided to go to work for a lady sewing dolls. Ack. After a few months, the gripper wasn’t even holding the fabric any more, and I had to quit the job.
my grandmother left me her old singer mounted in a rickety table. i had it for years and moved it from house to house but this year i finally decided to drag it out and try to use it. it’s heavy. the detachable part that makes the sewing surface the same width as the rest of the machine is missing. and i love it. i took a class and lugged it to the workroom each week to learn the basics. my dad made me a new part out of finely sanded wood. and now i can regularly be found spending friday nights with netflix and my sewing machine, making some pretty cool (if i do say so myself) pillow to sell around town.
My sewing machine was a 16th birthday present from my sister. I wanted a drill but looking back I was able to make so much more than I would have been able to with a drill. I’ve graduated to industrial machines at work but I still have my little Sears sewing machine at home that I pull out all the time.
My mom had an old sewing machine that was integrated into a sewing table. Do you remember those? I think she has a newer one now, but it doesn’t get much use these days. She used to make all of her own clothes in high school and college. I wish I had more knowledge and skill so that I could do just that.
What a wonderful idea to (finally) put a sewing machine and a serger together!
I grew up using a Singer machine. My mom taught me on an old metal version which is attached to it’s own wooden table. You know the kind that flips down and under itself to stow away? It’s such an antique now and I am sure it’s in need of a tune up. Though my mom and I have advanced onto other machines she still has the old table version as a wonderful conversation piece of history in her living room.
So excited to find your website. I’ve been sewing since I was about 8 years old and am now in my mid 50′s. I love it and started teaching girls to sew in my home a couple of years ago. I’ve started making aprons also and selling them. It is the greatest thing and now I have a granddaughter on the way… so I’ll be sewing lots for her. I’m looking forward to what I can glean from your website.
Oh and please enter me in your drawing for the machine and serger. Would LOVE to win! Thanks!
I bought my first sewing machine off of E-bay. I have done a few projects (mostly blankets). I would love these machines to expand the project I can do and be able to sew and create clothes and stuff for my girls. They love it when I make things for them.
i am currently the proud owner of two sewing machines… that don’t work. one is my grandmothers and one belonged to my husband’s grandmother. they’re both beautiful and built-in to exquisite wood tables, but just don’t quite work no matter how much repair i put into them. i’ve pulled off a few small projects on them, but looking to get a new machine that i can learn and pass on (in good working order) – i am about to become an aunt and would love to be able to spoil the little one rotten with homemade goodies!
I am using a simple Brother sewing machine that my mom bought for me my first Christmas living away from home. It’s been a good machine and I’d eventually love to get a serger and have the things I make look more finished.
Oh – this is such a wonderful giveaway. I first learned to sew on an old Singer treadle machine that was my grandmother’s. She had received it as a present when she was 13, and sewed on it with me for many years. I still have the machine in my garage – can’t bear to part with it, although we both moved on to electric machines many years before her death in 2000. I’m using my daughter’s machine right now – my old portable electric lasted a long time, but has gotten very cranky! My mother recently passed on her old serger to me when she got a new one a few years ago. I just can’t get the hang of threading it – and would love a new one! Thanks for the giveaway!
I tell everyone who is interested in sewing to get a new machine with a manual. Every time I use my machine after a long hiatus I can look at my manual and make no mistakes. I thank the sewing gods for it. Old machines are nice and pretty but I like knowing that I’m threading and caring for my machine correctly.
I am an avid knitter, but I have recently become evaluate with fabric. I am very excited to learn some sewing techniques and adore your blog. I haven’t been able to afford a good machine yet (two kids in day care…). This giveaway is amazing!
**enamored
(silly autocorrect!)
I taught myself to sew over 30 years ago – which is also when I purchased my one and only sewing machine, so I’m definitely due for an upgrade! Thanks for a wonderful giveaway!
I inherited my late mother-in-law’s machine and serger…however, when I finally got them out of storage, I found that the machine is missing all its presser feet and the serger is missing its power cord! So little by little I am buying replacement parts as I can afford them.
Oh my gosh! Great giveaway! I learned to sew in a home-ec class in high school and enjoyed it, didn’t sew for years until I came across an old machine at a thrift store and decided to try again. Unfortunately that machine never worked quite right but luckily my boyfriend’s mom was nice enough to give me her mother’s machine to get me started again!
Bravery was never an issue for me 35 years ago. No one told me I didn’t know how to sew. So, as a young bride, I bought a Singer. And I started to sew. I sewed matching nightgowns for my two sisters and mom for Christmas. One sister said she has a pin stuck in her neck in the middle of the night and knew where it came from. But they liked them.
Then I decided that I wanted a master bedroom that all matched. I had never had one in my life and thought this was as good a time as any. So I went out and bought 80 EIGHTY yards of pretty yellow and green flowered 54 inch fabric. The fabric lady was stunned when I asked for that much. It was 1.88 a yard so it wasn’t horribly expensive but still a shot in our wallet then so I knew I had to use every yard. I knew I could sew a semi straight line so how hard could this be? There were alot of mistakes and reworking done but I actually ended up with full length lined drapes for a corner window and two other windows. I had the guts to make a huge comforter with cotton batting and everything! I thought it was so pretty! I figured out how to make pillow shams so I made two big pillow shams. I then decided to make the dust ruffle – I had fabric left so I felt obligated. There were several yards left – less than 10 and I decided to hang onto that in case we moved and I would need to make curtains for new windows.
I can’t believe I did all that and invested so much into a horribly matching set for the bedroom! For heaven’s sake – everything matched!! It was crazy.
I made lots of things in those early years because my machine was great – and I could sew a straighter and straighter line. I kept that machine for 33 years. Several years ago it broke and I was foolish and gave it to my mother in law. I don’t know what she did with it but I couldn’t just ask for it back. So I went out and bought another sewing machine. That machine really did have something wrong with it because I could never figure out how to work it and so I bought another one a few years later. It’s still in the box since Christmas.
I’m scared to death to pull that machine out and try again! I want to make things so bad but I am scared I won’t be able to work this one either.
I have collected fabric over the years – hoping to sew again. I can imagine how crazy that sounds to have fabric older than your grown up kids waiting to be sewn into something lovely. I didn’t do the 80 yards again. But in the back of my mind I have hope that I’ll find another machine and be able to sew that one straight line – on a durable, long lasting machine that I gave away.
Can you help? Thanks!
My Mum bought me my first sewing machine when I was about 10 years old. It wasn’t electic, but a hand cranked varity. She bought it used for about 10 GBpounds. For all I know it could have been an antique. I loved it! I used to make all sorts of things for my toys and even a baby quilt. I think she got rid of my machine after I moved out to the States, but I find myself wishing I still had it. It would make a great conversation piece. I’ve become a bit more of a knitter in recent years, but I really want to get back into sewing again. I also think a serger would be a wonderful addition to a sewing machine. What beautifully finnished clothes it would produce!
My grandma gave my mom an old Singer. That was the first machine I sewed on. My mom eventually got a new machine that she never used. When I moved out I “borrowed” it and have never given it back. I get a lot more use out of it than my mom would! Of course, if I win I could give the machine back.
Wow! Great giveaway. I happened upon your tutorials on DesignSponge.com and have recently decided to get back into sewing again. This fall I will be signing up for beginners sewing class (it has been a long time!) in my neighbourhood for some basic sewing 101 lessons.
The timing of this giveaway is perfect! My grandmother knit, crocheted and sewed. She passed away before I got a solid (or any) grasp of any of these crafts, but I’ve since taught myself to knit. It’s my way of keeping my grandmother close to me, and I really enjoy it. I decided to learn to sew this summer and pulled out Nona’s old sewing machine to get tuned up. It was the same one that made my first communion dress, the “almost princess” dresses that she kept us in steady supply of and ball gowns for the barbies. Unfortunately, the guy at the sewing machine shop told me today that a gear is cracked inside and can’t be fixed. I’m a college kid who doesn’t have the money to spend right now on a sewing machine, but I would love to get my hands on one! Thanks!
Came across your video on Design Sponge. I’m ready to sew fabric bowls for everyone. I have been sewing for years. In high school I sewed all my own clothes and would splurge on Vogue patterns. Back then I had my mothers amazing old Singer machine. It was so fast and could sew through denim and leather, a must in the 70′s. I was just at my mom’s and she wanted us to go through her belongings naming what we wanted. The only thing I begged for was that old Singer.
My mom had a machine that was trusty, but not pretty. Then it broke. She also has an ancient nonworking beautiful one, that is a plant stand. I took a class in high school, and churned out an ugly skirt, and pants that didn’t fit. Now I have a teal Hello Kitty machine… its so basic, but makes me happy!
Congratulations on the book, Bret! That is incredibly exciting. BTW love your tips and projects for sewing on D*S, and I’d love to have the complete DVD set of you on the knitting show. You are their best asset!
I first sewed with my mom on her 60′s super heavy blue Singer that lived at the other end of the house, of course! Mom and my 8th grade home ec teacher taught me what I know. I sewed a circle skirt from a Simplicity pattern. I was too chicken to wear it to school, though. (peer pressure 8(). Then when I got married, I inherited my MIL’s (broken) brown Singer machine. When I started quilting in about 1990, I got the least expensive good machine I could find-a Singer! I’ve never sewn on a serger before or seen one in operation up close. I would use it EVERY DAY when I sew!! Soooooo exciting that I could win one. (oh please, oh please, oh please gods of the random number generator-please pick meeeeee.)
Thanks so much,
Betsy
I would love to have these sewing machines – I could sew a straight line (lol) and then some!!!
I follow you on Twitter – @tssk10
I like you on Facebook – Teresa Kwiatkowski
I subscribe to your RSS feed – tssk10(at)gmail(dot)com
My grandmother would always make us new pj’s every Christmas. So, I signed up for a sewing class which starts in a few weeks. My instructor and I decided that pj’s would be my first project. I am very excited to carry on the tradition that my grandmother started. I can’t wait to make pj’s for Christmas.
Thanks!
Jeanna
I’m super excited about this giveaway! I’m always borrowing/stealing my mother’s sewing machine so this would be pretty great for both of us.
I don’t sew very well, but I lust after sewing machines!
Congratulations on your new blog! I’ve been a fan of the old ‘craft room’ for ages now (even linking to it from my own blog). Now, I’ll have to go update my link! Your new ‘diggs’ look great, by the way! So excited about your giveaway! I could really use a new machine! How generous of you and your sponsor! Thanks for the opportunity to enter and for the continued great ideas/inspiration.
oops…nearly forgot to share my craft story…my earliest crafting memories began as far back as I can remember with a grandmother who made paper roses with us, would make us clothes that she (as a very talented seamstress) would make for us…painting…cooking…a very hands-on granny! I miss her every day. She (and now my Mother) suffered Alzheimer’s disease. I am so lucky to have known her when she could still share her talents with me. Today, crafting is my escape from the non-stop thought and care for my own Mother (now in a nursing home). Sometimes crafting is a catharsis that helps us through the roughest of times with joy and creation.
My mom gave me a sewing machine when I graduated from my high school graduation. Maybe some kids got cars or cash, but my gift was infinitely better. It’s still the machine I use today.
My mom taught me to sew on the machine her mom bought her when she was taught to sew. Mom made her own suits for work, which is great – she always looked unique. When I moved out of home mom bought me my own machine. At first I was very sloppy – to excited to plan and learn properly. But I’ve now got on with proper preparation and am working my way up to making my own suits too!
My great grandmother had a beautiful old treadle sewing machine with a wonderful old table. She kept it under the stairs in the hallway. It was beautiful!
I now use a more modern machine, but I think about how beautiful that machine was (and is).
My husband bought me a little cheapy machine for my birthday 2yrs ago. We weren’t sure if I was really going to ‘take’ to it, but I totally have! I’ve made tons of presents for my nieces, friends & family, and tons of home decor stuff. I would love to upgrade to a more sophisticated machine and a serger would just put e over the moon. I’ve had one on my wishlist ever since trying to sew with jersey on my sewing machine; it works…but not really.
I can’t even imagine how it would be to have these wonderful tools at my disposal! I learned to sew in high school home ec class back in the late 70′s. I made a brown pillow with a ruffled edge. (yuck). Then in the 80′s, as a young mother I got the itch to sew halloween costumes for my wee ones. So I went to Sears and bought a Kenmore 12 stitch machine. And made my kids look like little tigers and bunnies. The machine still works perfectly and has been a good basic machine, helping me with my crafts. Someday I will pass it down to my daughter.
My grandmother had one of these beautiful old readle sewing machines. Everytime when I visited I was admiring it and imagined the clothes she’d been sewing with this machine for her family of 14… I don’t even know if it still exists.
I have never really used a sewing machine,a but my grandma had one and I can remember when we tried to sew barbie clothes by hand she would whip them up for us on her machine. I would love to learn!
My father brought a few sewing machines home one day. They were payment for fixing one of my friend’s aunt’s (not really sure who any more?) computer. There were 2 or 3 sewing machines, and I don’t think that half of them worked or worked well. There was one though, in an split pea green travel case. An older singer, with a slight yellow tinge. The thought of sewing with a machine was totally fascinating to me, before this I sewed everything by hand (mostly ballet slippers and patches). I was about 14 and a freshman in high school. I claimed this machine early on, even to my father’s insistence this was his machine and I was only “borrowing” it. I still have my Singer Touch Tronic, and its still running. My father has stopped asking for the machine back, but still makes sure I have it every time he visits.
Wow. What an amazing giveaway! My sewing journey started when I was very little – but my mom gave away her beloved old Singer when I was in college. So I bought a cheap machine just after school and have been working with it ever since! Recently I upgraded to a Bernina and am still learning how to use it.
‘Santa’ gave me my very own sewing machine when I was eight years old. A tomboy, I promptly told my mom that Santa accidentally put my name on that gift and it was really meant for her. Needless to say, my parents convinced me that it was really left for me. I slowly taught myself how to use it, as much as could be self taught at 8 years old, sewing items like beanbags. Now, I LOVE to sew novice items for my daughter…and I’m still using that sewing machine. It’s been through countless military moves and jams in the bobbin area are just a part of sewing for me! How exciting it would be to have a new machine!! Maybe it would even inspire me to finally take a class I keep I keep talking about!!
I started to sew when I was about 12 yrs old. I started with Barbie clothes then rapidly progressed to sewing for myself. I am tall and this was the only way, back then, to get clothes that were long enough for me!
I’ve sewn everything from my wedding dress to home decor and most of my children clothes when they were little.
I still love to sew, but I don’t sew for myself as much anymore.
Thanks so much for such an exciting giveaway!
My mom taught me how to sew when I was 6 or 7. I remember the first thing I made really clearly… It was a pink checked flannel shirt, and I was more proud of that thing than pretty much anything else in my life (hey, it was the early 90′s)! I did it all on her old portable Singer, and continued to use and love that machine until I went to college. My mom got me a cheap machine for college, which I have been using since. I would LOVE a new machine, as not only do I use it for work, but I am starting to take up quilting and don’t know if my (well loved but well used) machine will quite be up to it!
I have been sewing since I was quite a little girl. I remember watching my older sister sew on my mother’s black Singer machine. It only sews straight and in one direction. I don’t really remember learning to sew, it was just something that we all did at home. I have three girls of my own now and they all sew. I have always wanted a serger and a new sewing machine would be awesome. The sewing machine I have is getting quite a workout this summer with my two younger daughters. This is a wonderful giveaway.
My grandmother, Baba Katarina, sewed on a old Singer treadle sewing machine. I watched her sew quilts on it. She taught me how to use it when I was quite young so I could make doll clothes. I went on to use electric machines in school and later my mother bought me a full featured machine that could do fancy stitches and all. But I always loved that original treadle machine and kept it all these years. It now resides with my daughter in a place of honor. And it still sews.
Oh my GOODNESS! I would LOVE to win a new sewing machine and serger! As a young girl, I used to sew small projects and skirts on my mom’s machine. I can remember going to the fabric store with her and listening to the employee cutting the fabric with those big sharp scissors. I loved the sound of it. When I married mom bought me my first little machine. I used it to sew curtains, skirts, projects, etc. Then it broke. Had it repaired. It broke again. No repair. Sad, I know. So years have gone by and I have this “ITCH” to sew again! This would be a wonderful way to start again. Thank you for such an awesome giveaway!
My first project was an apron, courtesy of my Girl Scout troop. It was made of yellow-and-white gingham, and had a pocket on the bib that we cross-stitched a red heart onto, using the gingham itself as a grid. A few of the moms brought in their machines, and we all learned how to thread and run one. Ironically, looking back, the material we used for that apron was so thin that it wouldn’t have been very functional in the kitchen!
I got my machine, a Singer Touch Tronic 2001 Memory Machine, about seven years ago. I was driving down the street with my mom and it was just sitting at the end of someone’s driveway on a sewing table, with a chair, looking like it was ready for someone to sit down and sew on it. I made my mom turn around and we went back and stopped. There was no sign asking for money but I went up to the door and checked that it was just free for the taking. The woman told me that it used to be her daughter’s but she no longer wanted it so I was more than welcome to it. Luckily we were in my mom’s SUV so we could load up everything including the furniture. The only thing missing was the power cord / foot pedal, which I was able to find at a local SewVac. There I found out that my machine was from 1978 and it was the first computer-controlled sewing machine. I found a copy of the manual online and I’ve just recently found all the original accessories for it online, including a bunch of special feet. Right after I found the feet, my machine broke. I paid to get it fixed, which took a while due to lack of parts, but it is missing a few functions now. I still love my old machine but a new one wouldn’t hurt either!
I started as a wee lad on my grandmother’s treadle, just playing around. In grade school, my mother insisted that my sisters and I learn how to sew. Then for a high school graduation gift, we all got a portable Singer sewing machine, (except for one sister who broke the tradition and insisted on a camera). I have a very old, used Singer now, but use my daughter’s when I need to (she has a fancy-pants electronic machine).
Wow! What an amazing giveaway.
My mom has had the same (ancient) sewing machine my whole life. When I was in college, she bought me my own sewing machine, but I’m still generally too scared of it to use it much. I took a “make friends with your sewing machine” class at a local fabric shop a year or two ago, which was lovely, but yep–I’m still a bit too scared to get the machine out and use it regularly. I always get flustered when something goes slightly wrong. I dream of having a sewing mentor to look over my shoulder and help me out until I figure the whole thing out!
My mom had a Singer electric that I learned on but my Aunt lived next door and she had an ancient Singer treadle sewing machine. My cousin would let me try to sew on the treadle now and them but I guess I am one of “those” who can’t walk and chew gum at the same time. I never got the hang of treadling and moving the fabric along! Thanks for the chance to enter your giveaway and congratulations on your new book!
Right now I’m learning to sew on a 60′s Slant-o-matic Singer. I love this thing! It was given to me by a co-worker who had it laying around his house for years. He was going to just toss it and remembered that I did “crafty stuff” (I’m mostly a knitter) so he asked me if I wanted it. So, now I’m learning to sew.
Both my Mom and Grandmother were avid sewers when I was a child. It wasn’t until I got marries and got a new sewing machine as a wedding present did I start to make clothes and use the machine. Now I use it mainly for quilting. It’s how I keep my sanity.
Growing up my Mom always had a Singer machine and although it wasn’t “fancy” it was a good old workhorse. She gave it to me when she got a new one and it was as heavy as a horse! It had a beautiful turquoise plate on the front and I wish I had it still.
My sewing machine was a Christmas gift from my dad a few years ago when I decided I wanted to start sewing again. I loved sewing with my grandma and my mother in-law sparked my interest again. Now I sew dresses for my girls. I love it!
I have used Singers all my life! My sewing machine and serger are both about to go ~ the serger is about 15 years old and the sewing machine is about 10. I use them both everyday. I would love to win!!!!
I started sewing way back when I would watch my grandmother who seemed like magic, making quilts and gowns curtains you name it she could make it. And she didnt always need a pattern. I always wanted to be a designer but never made it to college, as I just didnt have the money, got married young and decided being a Mom to my children was more important. So now I make may daughter clothes and make there beddings everytime they change their style… Do small alterations and some major ones for people. I would love to have a new machine to do what I enjoy but cant afford it
OH.WOW. I would truly ♥ to sew with a Singer machine. Grandma had one years ago. And I’ve never seen a Singer serger in action – would heart that, too!
Love your blog! Thanks for giving me a chance to win this combo. Good luck on your book tour.
looking forward to reading your blog and hope to learn from it- would love to win the contest i could use a new machine and serger!!
I havent sewn in years but would like to get back into it. I have a small dog that is begging to have some outfits made!
My sewing experience takes me back over 50 years. My grandmother use to make my mothers dresses by hand until she was able to afford a Singer machine, very basic of course. My mother bought a Singer when I was very small and made a lot of my clothes plus taught 4-H. I bought myself a basic Singer machine with my first bonus check at work. I now teach my grand daughters how to sew and one grand daughter is now selling her creations at art fairs. Singer machines are the best in my book. I haul my machine to Florida every winter so I can continue to be creative.
Creating things…that’s what it’s all about. Do it yourself and teach others to do the same. We’d be a happier world if we all used our creative talents for good. It’s sew interesting how many yearn to learn to sew now. Fabulous!
Singer was the machines in our Home Economics classes. I’ll never forget those valuable lessons from long, long ago. Thanks Singer!
My mom and I have been searching daily for a serger on Craigslist for months now, only to have them all snatched up before we get them. We’d love to win this set!
Oh how I’d love to have a serger!
My mom taught me some of the basics of sewing when I was a little girl. I’ve made some clothes, home decor projects, and quilts. My first sewing machine was a Singer!
I have a Singer 377. Its really old and heavy, but i love her, she only does basic stitches though, and i have been thinking of upgrading to a new machine, but i feel really guilty, like i would be cheating on my first sewing machine.
I bought her 2nd hand, and she was all battered and scratched, but i cleaned her up, and put some pretty pictures on her, and made a lovely cover from thrifted material! http://sewingbycandlelight.blogspot.com/2011/06/wohoooo.html (see pic here)
I started self taught myself to sew a couple of years ago, and found the wonderful sewing community through blogs, at the moment im completing a Garment Construction course that i am loving every minute of.
My Santa wishlist would be a new machine and also, a serger is on my unrealistic wishlist as the price is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyy beyond my purse
But will keep my fingers crossed for a glimmer of hope with your fantastic giveaway!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dreams may come true!
I grew up on Singer machines because it’s all my mother has ever owned. So naturally I too have followed in her footsteps. I love sewing and would do it everyday if I could. Some people have “retail therapy,” well mine is “sewing therapy.” Just to come home and settle down at the sewing machine and run a few stitches along fabric makes all my woes disappear. I have not a care in the world when I’m in my sewing zone.
The sewing machine I remember was one that done straight stitch only. I couldnt do any thing else on it. It was a singer.
My friend taught me to sew when my son was born. I wanted cute baby clothes for him, and I have loved sewing since then. Little did I know that when my bouncing bundle of joy turned 9, he would start begging me for a machine of his own. He designs his own quilts, and sews them up for family members. The truly tragic part….he has more accurate seams and straighter lines than I do! I would love to have this machine to give to him, so I can get MY machine back from his clutches! He has been asking to try his hand at serger quilts, but I have managed to avoid letting him get at mine up to this point.
I have too many stories to tell. I learned on my mom’s Kenmore cabinet sewing machine when I was about 10, I think. My mom didn’t sew, so I have no idea why she had the machine. I didn’t sew much as a kid after I took lessons, but after college I got heavily into costuming and medieval reenactment. I love being able to tell folks that I made something or have them say how wonderful my hubby looks.
My granny raised six of us grandchildren, along with her “change of life” baby, my uncle. He was her 7th child she raised. Granny raised all seven of us without running water, and had four of us in diapers. That was the late 50′s, so these were cloth diapers. She and pa-paw had a big farm and garden. I don’t know where the tiny woman got all her energy or how hard she had to push herself, but she got up before sunup every day. We had a big breakfast and big dinner every day. Of course we all helped on the farm. Granny could do anything whether it was milking cows or hunting. That was a great environment us. She would make time to get some sewing done on her very old Singer treadle sewing machine either early in the morning or late in the evening nearly every day. I loved to hear that hum as she sewed. Every time I see one of those I feel tears well up, as they are now as I type this. I was the only grandchild interested in sewing or quilting. I “got” to sit on the floor by Granny and thread the machine for her since she had trouble seeing the needle eye.
I am imagining all of the lovely things that I could make with those wonderful new Singe machines. I need to go through my patterns and my stash
After a terrible attempt to sew in Home Ec class my grandma taught me how to sew but it ended up being years before I really got to try again. I had an old family Remington when I got married but when the wire rotted away my hubby went out bought me a new machine. My skills are slowly improving thanks to great friends, great library books and great you tube videos! I can’t wait to pass these skills down to my girls! (and boy!)
Hi, I started sewing back when I was 10 years old, which is about 59 years ago, on a treadle sewing machine of my mothers and I haven’t stopped since. My mother and I use to go to town on Saturday to get the chicken feed, so that we could pick out the sacks that had the designs on it that we wanted clothes made out of. Yes, that is what my first clothes I remember making were made out of, chicken feed sacks. Oh my, they had flowers, patterns you wouldn’t believe. But alas, all those clothes made out of those sacks had to be starched and ironed, no permament press, etc. like we have today. Over the years I have made my prom dresses, my daughters prom dresses, wedding dresses, bridesmade dresses, my grandaugher’s wedding dress, clothes for all 5 kids and just about everything. Now I am into making rag quilts, rag purses, rag totes and complete nursery sets. A new machine and serger would fit right into what I do.
My mom taught me to sew when I was a kid. One time she told me to watch my fingers because she knew someone who sew through her finger. I remember that every time I sew. Now I try to teach others to sew and other crafts at my weekly craft night with some great friends. I’d love a new machine so I can teach others to sew too!
I have been sewing since the age of 7, and have the scar to prove it! When I was 7 years old, my grandma was out for a visit. I was hand embroidering while talking to my grandma. I got distracted and forgot where I put my needle. (I was sitting on the carpet in my living room.) I leaned back and put my hand on the carpet, and found that needle! It went into the palm of my hand and broke off! Ouch!!! The eye of the needle was inside my hand, but no one knew. About one month later, it started working it’s way out the back side of my hand. My Dad took me to the doctor, and it was removed (the needle was completely black). My Mom punished me by taking my sewing kit away for a year. It was cruel and unusual punishment! Lol! I still have the scar, 50 + years later…
When my mom was dying, one of the things she kept insisting that I do was to take her sewing machine back home with me. It is green Singer from the late 60s-early 70s, bought new in my childhood or perhaps received as a wedding gift, totally unfancy by today’s standards but a complete workhorse (and with its own lid/carrying case!). She made so many clothes for herself and me on that machine (I have a couple of her patterns and the dresses she made from them) that I can only imagine how many hours of use it has seen. I’m ashamed to admit that I need to put it in the shop for a tune-up.
My sewing story?
It was a dark and stormy night. I was six or seven. My Mom was at her sewing machine and I was up in bed supposedly sleeping. She was secretly making a new wardrobe for my Barbie as a Christmas present for me. I crept out of my room and peeked over the banister to see her sitting in the dark but for the light of her light blue-coloured Singer. She was a teacher who worked hard and took courses at night to improve her salary to support us. She grew and canned all of our vegetables. She threw fancy dinner parties. She did everything for my brother and me. She made yogurt in her spare time. I can so clearly recall at that young age wondering how on earth she had the energy to stay up late making miniature outfits for a plastic doll but most of all I wanted to learn to sew just like her.
I learned to sew by hand in Brownies. I learned to sew on a machine in junior high home economics. In high school I even made a few outfits – patternless and ill-fitting but what did I care? I was sewing. What I never learned was to make the time for sewing like my Mom did. Now I’m a teacher and I come home tired like she did but I do not sit up in the night to “indulge” my desire to sew. My mom even gave me the blue Singer once but I gave it back when she saw it covered in dust and dirty laundry during a visit…I could see that she hated to see it sitting unused.
Then, a couple of weeks ago, my friend’s four-year-old shared her Barbies with me. Her Mom had found some Barbie clothes at a garage sale. They were obviously made from the same pattern as the tiny disco-inspired clothes my mother had made. Another mother who MADE time to sew for her children had stitched them with care.
Today I am going to find my Barbie and sew her something fabulous even if the laundry and the dishes stay dirty…
I started sewing when I was about 13yrs old. My mom has an old Singer from the 70′s that I taught myself the sewing basics. The more I sewed, the better I got
I made my 1st purse out of my husbands acu Army uniform with that machine, and I just treasure that purse because its a little piece of him I can carry with me everyday. It means alot since he is half way around the world! I would love to win these machines! Im in serious need for an upgrade 
Thanks for the opportunity to win and congrats on your new book!
-Jennifer
I learned to sew when I was in elementary school. My mom sewed when she was younger, even winning the Make it Wool contest in high school! When I was in high school, she bought me my own machine, a brown Singer, just like hers. I didn’t sew for a few years, but I started back up when I got married. My mother-in-law was a seamstress and that is how she provided for her and my husband. She recently gave me her 1930s black Singer that she did all of her sewing on.
I know sew quite a bit for my son and also for the house.
This is an awesome givaway!
I have been sewing since I was a little girl. I now have two Etsy stores where I sell my wares. They are costumefaire and puttingonthedog. I was blessed with a wonderful old 50′s Singer that I found at a swap meet in Colorado for $20. It paid the bills when I moved back to Texas for a job that did not work out. I started making costumes for a lady who had a Ren faire booth. I recently gave that machine to a friend and I have a “school machine” Singer which I love. A serger and a machine with all of the bells and whistles would be loved at my house. They would be used every day to produce things “Made in America” with pride.
What an awesome giveaway! Thank you!
I first learned to use a machine when I was a little girl. My mother let me use her industrial machine to sew a dress for my barbie doll. It was so intimidating, trying to sew a little dress on such a big machine. She still has the machine. And it still intimidates me. LOL.
My grandmother used to work in a sewing factory in San Antonio TX many many years ago. She had one of those Black Iron sewing machines that come built in table. I remember she would sew these beautiful dresses and make curtains… I think that’s why I change out my curtains every season lol. I remember siting at the machine but I couldn’t reach the Iron peddle to sew so I would pretend lol. I told myself one day I would learn to sew something . She was never able teach me =(.
My mother bought a Singer 501 back in 1959 to sew a clown costume for my brother. This is the machine that I learned how to sew on. Girls used to be required to take home economics- I remember learning how to cut out a pattern and the many hours of taking seams in and out to make my first shift dress. Over the years I used this machine to do alterations, make wedding gowns and costumes for my children and grandchildren. Also even helping a friend repair the sails for his sailboat. I considered this machine to be one of my most valuable possessions.
I thought I needed an upgrade- purchased a lightweight portable when my job took me overseas. The new machine just never quite made it and I always found myself going back to the old standard.
I am a fiber artist, I create one of a kind art-to wear items. I dye the fabric (usually silk) and then construct clothing.
My 501 is now 52- I think maybe she is in menopause. She is tempermental and I never know how she might sew from day to day. My mechanic tells me that she is over the hill and I need to break down a buy a new machine. I do not have a serger- I know that this would be a valuable asset to my studio. Maybe it is time for an upgrade and then I will be able to soar as a designer. but the 501 will always have a place in the studio- they just don’t make them like that anymore (all steel)
I can”t wait to see your new book, congratulations on that. I learned to sew on my grandmothers treadle machine over 50 years ago and I still have the machine. I don’t use it anymore but it will always be precious to me. I purchased a Singer Genie machine in 1974 and I used that machine to sew most of my and my youngest daughters clothes. It actually died on me 2 years ago and I cried.. It was a part of so many memories and I felt like I had lost one of my best friends. I would love to win this new Singer combo and look forward to seeing more projects from you and the crafty quilting members..
My future story: I will win this prize, through my old cheap broken sewing machine out and my new crafts will be of a much higher quality. This will help me expand my starting business (sewing exclusive clothes for a new local shop in my country (Lithuania)) because now I can not complete my ideas just because of a bad equipment….
Of all the contests I have ever entered….this is the one to win!!
My grandma was a sewer who made clothing for her family and crocheted gifts for friends. I’ve always thought it’d be a great skill to have for repairing items, passing on to the next generation, and maybe saving some money–but never really learned anything more than hand sewing buttons even though I had some exposure to machine sewing. So about three years ago, I began teaching myself by making a dress for my daughter. I bought a $68 sewing machine from Target (not wanting to invest a lot of money in something I may or may not like) and began the adventure. Dress making has become sort of an Easter tradition for us and my daughter has also been learning. It’s been neat to learn together! Now that machine is sounding a little stressed and who wouldn’t want a Singer!! Thanks for the opportunity and congrats on the book!
Hi Brett,
Just happened upon your post on Facebook, I sure could use a new machine! I had learned sewing both from my mother-by hand, and at school home econ. class -machine. When my two girls were small I made all of their holiday dresses and Halloween costumes,either by hand or with my machine that my Aunt had given me when my husband divorced me, I no longer had time to do all that, and got out of the loop. Now that my girls are grown and out of the house, I want to get back into the sewing groove, especially if grandkids are soon to be ….but I can’t seem to get my old machine to work. Have been pricing machines but can’t quite afford one yet, it would be awesome to win a Singer, though! Thanks for the opportunity, have a nice day
Angela
I started sewing when I was in the 4th grade. I joined 4H and one of the areas was sewing. My babysitter taught me to sew on her machine. I made a shift with buttons down the back. I continued to sew using the machine of a friend for several years. My mom and day bought me a Singer 626 when I was in the eighth grade. I was taking home economics at the time, and the rest is history. I still have that machine plus a 6233 and a ce-250. I would really like to explore serging. Thanks for the opportunity.
I want this so much…come on random number generator! come to mama
either way I am so happy I found this blog…it has inspired me to go back to sewing and to get over my fear.
Here’s my story…
I always wanted to learn to sew, but never did. I was too busy being Daddy’s tomboy. Then I got a little machine to learn to sew backs on the pillows I cross-stitched. But I never learned how to use it. I was too busy cross-stitching so my parents bought it from me and gave it to my baby sister. Then a lot (really – decades) of time passed and I had a baby. And I still didn’t learn to sew.
And then both of my grandma’s died.
My mom got her mother’s machine and (being the incredible seamstress that she is) her mother-in-law’s as well. For mother’s day, we got my mom a new machine with bells and whistles. She asked me if I wanted Gram A’s machine in Grams O’s case. I said yes.
And I MADE time to learn to sew. It connected me to them. And I fell in love with making something. Something my child can wear, something she can cuddle, something she can be excited to see come together (she’s three; knowing Momma made it tickles and amazes her and fills me with unspeakable pride). I made us matching dresses and when people in church whisper: “I bet she made those!” I take it as a compliment (as it is meant).
But I don’t have a serger!
Hi this is my first visit to your site, but I am not a stranger to Singer. I learned to sew in grade school on a Treadle sewing machine. My current sewing machine is almost 30 years old and I am teaching my Granddaughter who is 6 yrs. to sew on it. Both of my daughters learned to sew on this same machine. It still works just not quite like new. Sure would be nice to have a sewing machine with all the bells and whistles. I don’t own a serger but I would love to have one.
My mom had an old machine given to her by an aunt. It had a large metal pedal that ran across the bottom of the machine. It was big enough for both feet! Although it was old, it still worked and I remember my mom actually sewing on it. She made rag quilts and pot holders. It was beautiful! I wish I had appreciated the beauty of it back then as I do now. It was given to my sister who has it displayed in her living room and I still love it.
When I was very young my granma let me sew some on her machine and it was fun. When I graduated high school, my other grandpa gave me my grandma’s sewing machine she used before she passed away. It intimidated me for a long time. I learned how to use it and now I have a newer sewing machine but I would LOVE to have a serger. I have been considering starting a sewing class for young girls (middle school age) but don’t have the money to purchase machines to teach more than one girl at a time. This prize would allow me to do that. So, wining would be AWESOME! Then I could pass on my love for sewing to other girls!
My mom sewed most of my sister and my clothes on her Singer. She also took a tailoring class to learn how to make my dad’s suits. He was an international coach and other people often asked him where he got the excellent suits. For Christmas 1976 she gave me the best present ever. It was a hope chest with kitchen goods (pots and pans) towels, linens and best of all my first ever Singer! It was green and weighed a ton! It had both straight and zig-zag and a setting for buttonholes. My mom said it was better than her old machine with different cams for different stitches. I started making my own clothes with it and even after all four children were born I made most of their things. Now I still make my own special things but have a new grandson to sew for. I’d love the new machines to expand my repertoire.
My mom got her Singer sewing machine around 1950 & started teaching me to sew when I was 10 yrs old. She bought me my own Singer in 1969. Mom passed away over 30 years ago, but I doubt she would have bought a new machine, that’s the way she was — nothing wrong with the old workhorse! I still have both machines and still use mine, even though the “old” one still runs just fine. (And I will keep it forever because of the memories.) I’ve been thinking of getting a new Singer so I can do all the “fancy” stuff instead of being limited to a zigzag stitch! I would be thrilled to have a new machine AND serger, wow! There’s nothing like the feeling of completing a sewing project (whether it’s clothes or crafts) and raking in the compliments!!!
I have always been fasinated by sewing . I took 6 years of Home Ec in Jr and Senior High school just for sewing. we never had a sewing machine at home then that I could get to work right. After I was married I bought a refurbished JCpenneys machine that has worked great now for about 35 years. Over the years i have made projects for my boys and a few home dec projects and gifts,but never had a whole lot of time to spend doing it and working a full time job. Recently i became disabled and have to much time. I have been trying to learn heirloom sewing . I have a beautiful new grandaughter. First little girl in my life and would love to be able to make all beautiful things for a little girl.My machined is really dated and unable to do alot of the stitches for these Have been looking for a new machine but most are over my budget on a fixed income . This would be a wonderful combo. I think i could make anything with them .
Congratulations on your new book! And what a wonderful giveaway. My machine is ready for retirement as it no longer does a straight stitch, but has decided to do an itsy bitsy zig zag stitch instead! And here sitting in my knitting studio, is my mother’s old (I mean really old!) Singer, complete with its wooden case. I think it’s time for a new machine!
I just started learning how to sew and have made some really cute things! It’s so addicting! This would be awesome to have!!!!
My mom gave up on teaching me to sew when I was younger after I ran my thumb through the machine 3 times. I have tried to pick it up on my own with limited success with different machines I have found at yard sales. Maybe having a brand new machine with instructions would make a difference.
I learned to sew on my grandmothers old green machine. I loved it! Now I have that same machine and it still works like a charm all these years later.
Congrats on the book!
It would be so awesome to win!!! Oh the things I could do……
The first thing I ever sewed was at age 9, a flattish pillow thing with some gorgeous organza ruffle made from remnants of a dress my mother had made me – aqua polyester knit. I still remember that the dress chafed a bit under the arms, but I loved the color so much I wore it anyway.
I have my grandmother’s Sears-purchased Singer sewing machine and could use an upgrade. I’ll give my friend Candy J. the serger if I win – so two people (at least) will be made splendidly happy by the prize.
I inherited my Grandmother’sSinger treadle machine. I remember what fun I had as a kid learning to sew on it. My dream is to own a longarm quilting machine. I’ve made several tops and would love to quilt them myself.
OH MY! All of my machines are down and I can’t afford to fix them! This prize would be an awesome win!
Wow! What a great prize.
I learned to sew on a Kenmore that my mom bought in the 1970′s to make a cheerleading unform for me. It isn’t fancy, just does a straight stitch and a zig zag. Would love to win something a little more modern!
Hi! My name is Camilla and I’m Italian: I’m new here and found you via facebook singer page… this is a WONDERFUL prize! I never win anything, but this time I must try!
My sewing machine story starts a few years ago. I’ve always been a creative person and I wanted to make whatever came to my mind since I was a kid: I built small puppet theaters out of paper bags, ghosts mobiles out of kleenex, I made paintings, bracelets, beads necklaces, doll clothes, candles, felt… well, I loved to keep my hands busy. So, about 6 years ago I decided I must have a sewing machine. I had to fight for it, because I didn’t have money to buy it and my parents thought this would distract me from study (they were right, but I’m much happier right now!). I spent every night talking about the one I was dreaming (a Singer 7422) with them and they were always saying NO.
I don’t remember why they decided to buy it, in the end. Maybe they where exausted. : )
Unfortunately right now that machine is broken. It went out of phase last summer and the person who had to repair it, broke it even more. It sews only straight and back. Not zigzag or other stitches… : (
Anyway, I spent most of my money in fabrics and patterns, hoping to find a new good sewing machine for my hobby time. Right now I’m making blankets and hats for my baby daughter… I hope she will get the crafty side from her mummy!
All through my youth, I wanted nothing to do with anything domestic, whatsoever. Nobody in my family sewed. I had to fight to get out of taking Home Ec. in middle school & to get into Industrial Arts class instead. I got all A’s in Industrial arts & mechanical drawing classes & was very proficient at making a work bench! Fast-forward 20+ years. I’m a Mom with a beautiful baby girl & all the other Moms are making the sweetest sundresses, pillowcase dresses & quilts. Somehow, a pink workbench just doesn’t cut it. Seemingly, out of nowhere, a desire to learn the art of sewing bubbled up & my husband dutifully went right out & bought me my first sewing machine, which I didn’t even know how to turn on. I enrolled in classes at local shops & eventually learned enough to make a closet full of sundresses! Today, I’m teaching this wonderful art to my 6 and 11-year-old daughters & have progressed to Halloween costumes & quilts! Who says old dogs can’t learn new tricks?
I grew up with three brothers, I being the only girl. My mom used to stay up late at night and make ALL of my clothes…shirts, shorts, dresses, my first coat was from the bottom of her long coat. She sometimes made my brothers shirts too. Once they became unhappy that she was spending so much time with me, fitting my clothes as she sewed,..(don’t think she had a pattern, she always talked about making clothes for her paper dolls.) As I grew older, she of course taught me how to sew, and I always felt that someday she would hand her Singer machine down to me, but she gave it to one of my sister-in-laws. (yes, it hurt) Anyway, my daughter got one from Santa when she was in junior high, and seemed to start out like my mom, without a pattern. She never really liked patterns, and jumped right in making quilts with no training. I get to use my daughters machine when she was not in the mood to sew, but when she is ready to sew, I can’t touch it. It is still the same today as then, and she is 23 and ready to marry in June. I told my husband that it is my turn for a sewing machine of my own…yet I’ve still not been able to afford one. I saw the Singer contest and my heart, well, my heart is “on hold.” What can I say to an opportunity like this, not just a Singer, but extra stuff that would make my heart sing like a Singer. Mom always bragged about her Singer, that it would hum along quietly with her as she too would sing. I would be able to make my own curtains and drapes….and maybe, just maybe some baby clothes for a grandchild or even a quilt. Thank you for this opportunity to make someone very happy.
I avoided sewing machines like the plague and stuck to hand sewing for the longest time because I’m a Klutz and figured I’d put my fingers through it. At some point I realized hand sewing was a bit impractical for anything other than mending and making dolls & puppets (as I did when I was a kid). Then I found a 1970-something Singer Starlet at the thrift store for $25. It has worked like a dream all these years and is now like my baby. Costuming, upholstery, clothing…. it’s allowed me to do amazing things – you name it! I <3 my Starlet!
p.s. I still don't hem though (hate).
My mom taught me to sew in elementary school. She used a sewing machine that was almost as old as she was, back then. Now, she uses the exact same machine! It’s getting on in years, though, and it doesn’t do so many things that modern machines can; things that would make sewing life so much easier for her. So if I win these, I will promptly send them to my mom.
H Barb,
Oh my gosh, that’s so exciting! I’ve never seen your site before, but I want to congratulate you on publishing your book all the same. Winning a serger and a new machine right now would be so amazing, I’m actually leaving my full time job so I can go to apparel design school full time, and I’ve just never been able to afford replacing my tired, shaky, run down old Shark Euro Pro, let alone getting a new serger! Thanks for this opportunity!
Hi, I could write you a book !! My Mom had her mothers foot pedal sewing machine, Her singer that she sew on and her Elna that she use for special stitches, and special outfits. She was a seamstress!! She worked in several fabric stores that the same man owned and she had more material at home that I got to choose from for my clothes!! I would come home from school and go thru my closet and tell Momma I don’t know what to wear to school tomorrow, or tell her about a dress i seen on a friend and I would have that dress on my door the next morning to wear!! I guess i was about 13 when she bought me a dress to wear for Christmas because she could not sew for awhile cause she was sick!! She made me pick it out. that was not easy!! nothing looked like what she made me!! When i graduated, my parents sent me to Kansas to stay with an uncle and aunt, and mom gave me every credit card she had and sent me to Houston to go shopping. I came back with a pair of sandals that i bought myself. My cousin went with me and i told her there is nothing there i want to buy!! My Mom taught me how to sew, when i took sewing in school. no one was allowed to bring what they made out of the room when class was over except me, My mom taught my teacher how to sew and if she could not answer my questions then i went to mom that night with what i was making and got my answers!! we had to do two different projects at home for that class. Mom made me make 4 dresses, 4 skirts and 1 blouse, and 4 shorts and 4 tank tops. All my hand!!!! I never touched a sewing machine. The second project was my wardrobe for the next school year. I had 3 months to do this. and she taught me to sew on her singer then her elna. I made 14 dresses!!!! When i married Mom bought me a Kenmore sewing machine. I have been married 42 years and it is still sewing!!!!! I want to do embrodery and quilting and my machine won’t do it and my fingers are not in shape to do it anymore. So i would love to win that singer sewing machine and serger!! It woud make my day!! I am home all day, can you imagine what i could do with that machine and serger if i had it!!! My mom woudl be smiling from Heaven!!!!
I have been around sewing all my life….grandmaw sewed for others on her Singer Treadle machine and then an electric one as well as for a living at a golf bag company. When I married my first Christmas gift from my husband was a Singer Sewing Machine from the local department store. I have been sewing on Singer and loving every minute of it for 50 some odd years….I still have that first machine!!! Can’t go wrong with anything that has Singer on it….
I inherited my love for sewing from my paternal grandmother. She made hundreds of pieced quilts though she never quilted them but tied them. She gave me a lot of her scraps and I am blessed to have one of her bow tie quilts. … My worst memory of a sewing machine is when I was a senior in high school we had a new shop come to Fort Wayne, kind of like a flea market/antique shop… well there was a beautiful treadle singer machine in the window and I went in and talked to the shop owner about if I could put it on layaway and pay for it when I could and he agreed. I was so excited. But even though I made monthly payments for several months I went back one day to get it and he had sold it to someone else. I felt so betrayed and very used.
Good morning Brett! So glad I stumbled onto your web page thru FB this AM. I to would LOVE a new machine. Who wouldn’t!! Right? I learned to see at my grand mothers knee, on a Singer pedal type machine in the 50′s. She made all my dresses, beautiful ones with lots of ruffles and wide sashes that tied in the back! All of my dolly’s had matching ones also. Later would come barbies doll clothes then matching shirts for my boyfriend and me in the late 60′s.Orange pasley ones. We wore them to school every Monday and Friday. When I was 13, I was allowed to sew by myself. My mom wouldn’t let me touch her new Singer Golden Touch and Sew, so I would use the old pedal one of Granny’s. She told me, ” Baby you can’t hurt this one.” Well I have been thru several of my own over the years and I would love to have a new one with all those bells and whistles!!THANKS!!
I had a Kenmore sewing machine that my parents bought me for a gift upon my high school graduation. I used that machine for years and years until my adult daughter bought me a new one (bless her heart). It is very basic but has served me well for several years now. I am way ready for an upgrade as I approach retirement with plans to sew up a storm!
Been sewing on a singer since I was 9 years old. It was a treddle maachine belonged to my Grandmother. My mother still has it she is 92. I am 2. The one I have now was given to me in 1992. I would love a new one I do a lot of sewing.
My mother taught me to sew at age 7 or 8. I took Singer sewing lessons, winning my own machine while in high school. Then I taught Singer sewing lessons. One of my students competed in San Francisco at the National Finals. Singer Company sponsored my National Merit scholarship to Oklahoma State University where I majored in Clothing, Textiles, and Merchandising. Now I enjoy sewing for my grandkids.
My very first sewing machine was an antique cast iron singer. It was a manual treadle machine! It weighted a ton, but once I figured out how to change the tension for different projects, It ran like a tank and never broke! It was originally my grandmothers machine, and my mom still owns it.
Now I own a Bernina Activa 220, which is the machine I learned on in my fashion program at Western Michigan University. It is a dream machine, but I would love to win this contest so that my friendly crafting group could have a learning machine and several people could sew together and learn together at our weekly crafting get togethers!
I love a singer sewing machine. Way back in the ’50′s I took sewing lessons at a Singer sewing center and have loved sewing ever since. I Would love to have a new sewing machine and serger. I want to be able to sew dresses for my granddaughters.
My grandmother and my mom made many of my clothes growing up. My mom even made my junior high prom dress. I can appreciate it more now than I did then. They never taught me how to sew, but an older lady friend gave me her heavy 1950′s machine and I’ve tried to teach myself. I would love a serger and to learn how to make blankets and quilts for others. I love other crafty things and can see how this would increase my joy 1000%!
Ooh, I have a nice sewing machine story!
Sewing has always been a part of my family on both sides. My mother’s wedding dress (along with the 4 bridesmaids’ & 2 Mother of the dresses) was made on Grandma’s 1960′s Singer. My favorite toy, growing up, was a giraffe Mom made on her Singer. It only got it’s body, ears, & mouth done because Mom told me, at 3 years old, that he was “MY Pal” before legs, horns,or eyes could be added. My 1st sewing project was a stuffed animal I made for a cousin on that machine. It was a little dog. (A fair 1st attempt, If I do say so myself.)
Due to a natural disaster, we lost mom’s wedding dress. However, I was lucky enough to be handed down Grandma’s machine along with a couple girl’s dresses that were made for my sisters and I. I still use Grandma’s sewing machine & have sewn several Halloween costumes, home accessories, doll clothes, scout badges & anything my daughter has comissioned me to do in her 11 years. Now I’m teaching my daughter how to sew & she is loving it. Next, is a doll’s cocktail dress my daughter saw in human scale & wants to duplicate.
Sewing has always been a part of our family & Grandma’s sewing machine has always been a part of it. With luck, I can to pass it onto my daughter one day and continue the legacy of sewing in our family.
Growing up, both of my grandmothers sewed. However, I never had any interest in it. Only late in life (after the birth of my first child) did I really try my hand at sewing (with a cheap little Singer) and discovered that I really enjoyed it (and I think I am fairly good at it too!) By this time, one grandmother had passed on, and my other lived 1000 miles away. By the time I moved back to my hometown, my other grandmother had died as well. Before she died, she requested that I get her sewing machine (as I was the only one who sewed). My grandfather, though, asked if my cousin could “borrow” it as her daughter wanted to learn how to sew. My cousin and I don’t get along, but I agreed thinking her child shouldn’t suffer and it was only temporary. However, that was five years ago and my grandfather now denies that my grandmother ever left it to me. It breaks my heart because not only was it a much nicer machine, but she wanted me to have it. While no machine could ever replace hers (no sentimental value obviously), I would love to have a nicer machine than I have now since I have gotten more and more into sewing and my little one is very limited.
Congratulations on your book!!! What a great giveaway!! Can you also give away skills/talent :0). I am amazed on the talent some people have. Wish to be on of them.
My frustration is with the serger, mine is over 20 years old and would love a new one that is easier to use, I would love to sew more but need more confidence, my great grandmother had a treadle machine with a shuttel bobbin and she crocheted,but it didn’t get passed down to my Grandmother or mother,they were busy working,just wish I had a sewing mentor.My hubby had a old Riccar macine and when I took it out to use it the stitch pattern cam cracked from dry rot so I ended up getting a used machine on Ebay, when it arrived half the attachments were missing so I had to order them.So it’s nice to have more than one machine
I learned how to sew from my mom on her old Singer 328. A few years ago when I was back home , I brought it out west when I returned so that the machine didn’t end up in a dumpster somewhere. I am not using iit right now but have lots of memories of sewing until 2am and my grandmother shouting, Debbie , go to bed! You make more mistakes when you are tired! Boy was she right lol!
Learned to sew as a child from my mother and now have many requests from others to teach them to sew. I am so happy as I was beginning to think sewing was a dying art. I am part of an artist/crafting community in the Steampunk movement. Would love to have these to donate to the center, so they can be used by the community- people who cannot afford their own machines or do not have space to store them.
My mom taught me to sew when I was very young on her Singer machine and I was making my own clothes by the time I was 13 on that same machine. Now I sew clothes from my Etsy shop for children and teach kids to sew. I love teaching kids to sew and love the feeling it gives me when they make their first garment. They are so excited to know that they made a skirt that they can wear and show to their friends.
I don’t have a serger, so I really could use one. I got my first sewing machine when I was 6 years old. A little red crank one. I started sewing in 4-H when I was 10 years old. We made potholders and other simple items. I took sewing classes in Home Ec. for 4 years in High School. Learned a lot there. Had a fabulous teacher. Made clothes for my daughter when she was little. Now I make quilts and purses and other items. Both my grandmothers made their own clothing from newspaper patterns which they designed. My cousin which is an avid sewer says I need a serger. I’m glad that I found this website. I will visit it often. Thanks.
When I was in the 6th grade, my dad had his first of four heart attacks. My mother, with her 8th grade education, had never worked outside our home. However, there was one major talent she had…SEWING. And so, with my dad recuperating from his heart attack, my mother started advertising, mostly by word-of-mouth, Sewing for the Public. She put a sign in front of our house and her “career” as one of the best seamstresses in our town began. She could sew, make money and still take care of her family from home. She could make anything: from wedding gowns, Azalea Trail Maids gowns, to men’s suits (yes I said suits), lined curtains, etc. I was so very proud of her but as a typical kid, I don’t think I ever told her. She taught me and my sisters how to sew. When I taught English at a private school in Georgia, I began teaching sewing too. The girls in my class loved it!
I have used other machines, but always come back to Singer. They are truly the best. My machine has been in the shop several times in the past 2 years. It is getting old, and I would love to have both a new machine and serger so badly. My husband wants to buy both for me, but with this economy, we just can’t do it right now. So, a new pair would be the best gift ever. I look forward to winning!!!!!
I am a die hard Singer lover. I saved up my money in high school and bought my very own machine. I learned to sew Barbie clothes on that thing. I had it for 26 years and when we moved the movers broke it. It was not repairable and the machines I have purchased to replace it, just not the same. Miss my old Singer but love the newer ones as well.
Would love to win a new one and a serger too. Oh my.
My mom taught me to sew on her featherweight when I was young. I sewed my Confirmation dress and my prom dress on it. I still have it. Now I tend to be a sewing machine addict. I just love the varieties and styles the companies have produced over the years. Any time someone has a sewing machine to get rid of they ask me if I am interested. Whether the machine is working or not, I usually say yes. I have or had treddle machines, featherweights, older machines, newer ones. I finally decided I had too many and sold some at garage sales and some I got fixed and donated to our local thrift store hoping someone that can’t afford a brand new one can enjoy the thrill of making something with them, like I do. I still collect them but try to restrain myself. And still donate when I can. I have a few that I use faithfully sewing the quilts that I make out of used clothing, usually from pants/jeans, that have become big hits as gifts for my friends and their families. The only new sewing machine I have owned was a Christmas present from my ex-husband 27 years ago which was a Montgomery Ward brand. It passed away about 15 years ago. I have never owned a new Singer or any kind of serger.
I grew up watching my mom sew and got my own machine as a Christmas gift when I was about 17 or 18. Although I don’t sew as much as I’d like to these days, I have a little girl and I’d LOVE to start sewing for her more!
I would so love to win this!! I feel like there is a Sewing Goddess inside of me just dying to be released! My Grandfather worked for Singer in their corporate offices. My Mother still has her old Singer machine in one of those pop up desks. I never have had my own machine until a couple of years ago when I was given a New Home Memory Craft 6000. I have sewed one blanket on it and now I can’t get it to work right. It would be nice to have a simpler machine to learn on. As a little girl I would sew little pillows and clothes for my dolls by hand. Just give me a needle and thread and I would do something with it! So, I guess you can say I’ve been self taught. I love to watch the Singer hour on HSN and see all the new machines and what they can do. I would like to be able to learn how to properly sew on a machine and maybe launch my own etsy shop!!
My mother always told me stories of her Bubbe sewing things for her. Since my mom never sewed I grew up dreaming of learning to sew. Last year I decided to take the plunge and got a simple machine. I got a Pixie Plus to start learning how to sew, what a mistake that was. It broke within 2 days and left me in tears. My husband surprised me with a full blown sewing machine that weekend and I’ve been sewing since and dreaming serger dreams.
I first learned to sew in 4H when I was young. I always have loved to create things. My mother bought my first sewing machine at age 10. It was a Necchi and I had it until I lost it in a house fire when I was 35 years old. That was a great machine. It was still being used and ran like a dream. I have never found a sewing machine I liked as much.
Would love to win this. Have been sewing forever. So great to have sewed for my children, now sewing for grandchildren. Hope they have as many great memories as I do.
My mum told me that when i was a little girl, i used to stand and watch her and my aunty sew pyjamas and bed linen for my siblings and i, she would make crib sheets and all sorts of soft furnishing, purely because she could not afford to buy those things and whenever she was given fabric she would make them. At the time i was mesmerised by the sound of the old singer machine they used and all the facinating things it could do, I recall going into my mothers bedroom and seeing this cream colored box with a handle on top and two latches on the bottom sides and being intruiged as to whether or not the machine that sounded like a train was living underneath it.
Then when i was around 10 i spent most of my leisure time using old clothes cuting them up and dressing my two younger sisters up like models and putting on fashion shows for the family, At this point i was confident with hand sewing techniques which i just seemed to grasp from watching my mother! it was when i was 13 that i had an opportunity to take a textiles class in school and i was introduced to the sewing machine again and instantly fell in love with it, we used a basic Singer machine at the time but i just loved how the fabric moved under the needle!
Then almost 3 years ago i decided to invest in a machine of my own (my first) and of course i got a singer Tradition machine and have been in love with singer machines and sewing ever since. My inspiration was definetly my mother and aunty who not only taught me what sewing is (through observation) but how to make ends meet in very poor economic circumstances, which was the best lesson of all
That is a great package. It would nd so helpful in my home. I love. to make stuff for my 4 kids
Growing up I always tried to sew. My Mom tried to teach me. Every single time she’d show me how to do something then move aside to let me try, I would touch the machine and it would break. Finally we just gave up. Fast forward to adulthood and one day I said why not. I went out and got myself a little Singer machine and went home. I sat and stared at it for hours trying to convince myself that it was new so it shouldn’t break. Finally I grabbed the thread and I have been sewing ever since. I’m now working on my second quilt and totally love sewing.
No great story. Just have an old kenmore sewing machine. lost my accessories box for it. Haven’t sewn in about 30 years Currently saving for a new machine. Would love to sew for my grandchildren and do some quilting. . I saw that your book “Sewing in a Straight Line” was out, went to my local Barnes and Noble, they hadn’t even unpacked your book yet. Got my copy and I can’t wait to try and make everything in it. I love, love, love it! Everything is simple but beautiful. The bowls are ingenious. I find it very helpful that you also talk about sewing tools in the book. Thank you for such a great book I can’t wait till I can get a sewing machine and start making the all the projects in your book. Everyone should buy this book, it’s terrific!
Thanks for the giveaway! For the first time in 46 years I do not have access to a working sewing machine! I could so use both!
I learned to sew at 4 years old sitting on top of several Sears Catalogs at the kitchen table on my grandmothers Singer, a small little black feather weight machine (my mom is still using that machine). I still have the first items I made, clothes for my doll, Gloria. The sewing machine that I have used since highschool gave me many years of wonderful service, it was a work horse and sadly they do not make the parts needed for repair any longer. Thanks again for the giveaway!!!
I love my sewing machine. It is really nothing fancy but it broke recently and when I took it in for repairs, the woman at the shop said “this is why it is an excellent idea to have a back-up machine!” I think she was just trying to get me to buy one of her machines but that doesn’t mean she was wrong!
I’ve never used a seger though and would love to try so this contest is great! If I win will have my back-up machine and a serger all in one shot! Thanks for the chance to win and I love you blog!
I learned to sew from my mom on an old Husqvarna Viking machine that was all metal and weighed probably 50 pounds. That thing was about as basic as you can get but it was a beast. It got my mom through her fashion design classes and me and two younger sisters through many years of 4-H fair projects. Since I left home 10 years ago I have wanted my own machine but have not bought one for one reason or another. I miss sewing a lot, and I cannot count the times I have refused to buy something because, “I could sew that for so much cheaper!”.
I just discovered your blog but am an instant fan. I am going out to buy your new book immediately, and then tell all my crafty sewing freinds to buy it too. This give away is one of the best I’ve ever seen for sewing lovers like me!!! Good luck with your blog tour and your book
What a wonderful prize to wish for! I have my Grandmothers Singer Treadle…..I have a little Singer from the 1940′s that is the same model as the one my Mother made all our clothes on, even prom dresses. I have the Singer that was a gift when my girls were small and I made their clothes….It is over 40 years old…What a joy to have a new machine to piece my quilts on, and make dresses for the Princess Granddaughter….and a serger….oh my ….Well, that’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it….Hope to get a copy of your book soon…. Thanks you for the opportunity to win this awesome prize….
I have been using my grandmothers 1960s Singer Futura ever since I took my first sewing class in college. I’ve used it to make countless pieces for gallery shows, decorate four apartments and my first home. However despite my best efforts the old girl has been more than put through her paces and I’m not sure if another trip to the repair shop will really be of much assistance. Either way I’ve loved it forever, but I def. need something I can actually sew on.
Congratulations on your new book! I’m so very excited to see what it entails- i’ll look for it on shelves! I’m a newbie in this area, so a how-to guide and some supplies are exactly what I need
I’m an interior design student so i’m very excited to learn and apply the skill to my (future) career. I’m so glad design sponge posted about your new book, i think your blog will prove to me helpful in my new adventures of sewing! I hope your tour goes smoothly, and I’ll check back on the blog for helpful tips and projects 
xoxo,
dana
Hi! My sewing story- I bought myself a machine when I was early married, from a thrift store, for nine dollars. It turns out that it is a wonderful machine, all metal bits and sturdy and strong, but I dind’t know that then.. I just knew it was heavy. It sat in a corner for several years…. waiting on me to get unintimidated. Finally one day I said- forget this. I want to learn to sew, I’m going to do it. And I took out that machine, and found some scrap fabric, and began. Now my friends come to me when they want to learn something… sometimes thing I don’t know how to do, but I figure it out and find tutorials, and we enjoy sewing together. It is one of the greatest gifts I’ve every given myself, that nine dollar sears kenmore sewing machine from Deseret Industries!
I got a sewing machine when I was about 13. I really really wanted one. My parents got it from a thrift store. since receiving it I have made two pillows and a few panels to surround a bunk bed so my kids could have a club house in their room. I think there is something wrong with the machine though cause I always have problems with it when i try to make something…this is why I haven’t made much. I plan to have my friend look at it who is an amazing seamstress. I love making things and would love to learn how to make my girls dresses and costumes. I am an aspiring seamstress.
Please save me from my pathetic lack of knowledge/skills! I don’t even know what a serger is! it looks magical! I am dying to learn to sew, i get all giddy thinking of the glorious things i could make! 400 different stitches?! Whaaa?!!! There’s more than one?! My mom, my grandma, my aunts, they all sew but i never learned. I also never learned to cook (My husband suffers daily. ask him about the time i couldn’t get water to boil. really.). Am I likely to hurt myself on these shiny new sewing tools? YES. would i be proud as hell to have a brand-new, blood stained duvet for my bed that i made myself? ABSOLUTELY. okay, rereading that, i realize that i sound a little creepy. but that’s just how much i would LOVE to have these fancy new toys and learn some sweet sewing skills.
I was a bored student who had no free time to spend with crafts and stuff. So i quit school (I was 16 years old and it was my last year at school here in Brazil), bought an old Singer 260 and learned how to sew. Now I’m 18 and opened a little craft’s shop in my neighbourhood.
Hope you can send the prize to Brazil! Or maybe I can send it to my cousin who lives in Chicago (if I get lucky, of course, hahaha).
Since we grew up without a lot of extra money in the household. Mom did what she could to make money go farther including mending our clothiers with her OLD Singer machine & making small items for us to use. My wife has her own old machine, plus a newer one that she uses. I like her older machine which is mounted into an old desk looking sewing table. It is in our computer room next to my desk, so I can see it (generally with one of our 2 kitties laying on top of it).
Hi I have a wonderful sewing story. I spent 2 weeks with my grandmother each year as a child. She was a seamstress and sold Avon to put food on her table. I remember her old Singer treadle machine that my uncle converted to a foot pedal. She designed clothes, sewed from patterns and did alterations. I was so proud of my grandmother. She was too busy to teach me but she game me scraps & let me use the machine a little. My mom also was an avid seamstress, making ALL of my clothes, church,school & play. I learned a little bit about sewing in school and taught myself the rest. I am teaching myself to quilt now. I have so many nice memories of the art of sewing.
I was the family Tomboy, never wanted to be domesticated, refused Home Economics in high school, left
4-H so I wouldn’t have to do the sewing project, rejected all attempts by my mother to teach me to sew, but I would work on her machine for her. My father could fix anything mechanical and I watched him fix the machine so I knew how, but use it to sew NO WAY! The old saw of “Never say Never” came back to slam me big time, after all my refusals to be domesticated I had a daughter and when she was about to start school I could not stand the clothes available to purchase. So one day I went to town and purchased a pattern and the incidentals needed to make the outfit, that night I was babysitting for a cousin who had her mothers new Singer, so when the kids went down for the night, I pulled out the pattern and fabric and cut out the dress. After reading the pattern guide I began to follow instructions and in two hours I had the dress done with only the hem to finish. I went home and since it was late I waited til morning to ask my Mother if she could show me the best hem stitch for a dress for my daughter. She was dumbfounded when she found I had made this dress on my own and on a strange sewing machine, she called everyone in the family and told them. From there on I began to sew all my daughters clothes through school, for homecoming, proms, and weddings. I also moved to a new city later after the kids were gone and began managing a Singer Sewing Dept. and my education of machines grew into the Embroidery machines. Sewing snuck up on me and pinned me down and I keep sewing for grand and great grand children. Love it!!!
I remember watching my grandmother sewing when I was under 7 years old. One christmas years ago my parents took her machine to get it repaired, but the person said it was beyond repair and that they were able to take some of the parts from my grandmothers machine and put it in a new body. So it is not exactly the same machine that I watched my grandmother use, but I love it. My dream is to own a serger and upgraded sewing machine to continue the sewing in my grandmother’s memory.
I started sewing when I was about 10 years old. My mother taught me but because I thought I could do anything after a couple of lessons I told her I had it figured out and from that point on I basically taught myself. I began sewing on a Singer and when I was 16 my mom bought me my own Singer. I continued sewing and when I got married at 19 the first Christmas present my husband bought me was a new Singer machine. I sewed on that machine for the next 30 plus years and still have the machine today. I didn’t sew during that period for several years but when my son informed us that twins were on the way I got inspired to begin sewing again. I started lookin for a more modern machine and of course bought a Singer again. I love it and started making lots of baby clothes. About a year later my daughter also had a set of boy girl twins so the sewing has continued to this day. With the help of an embroidery machine my daughter and I have recently opened a small web business so the sewing continues!
My mom used to sew all my clothes when I was little, and I hated it. She and my grandmother tried for years to get me to learn to sew, but I refused! In college I met some design-savvy friends and a switch in my brain flipped; I was hooked on sewing. My grandmother immediately bought me a cheap little Singer and I’ve been using it ever since!
I grew up on a farm where my mother taught my sister and then me to sew on older machines. Singer was a name well known in our household. I have a newer machine now, but still fondly remember those days.
What a giveaway! Thank you to you and Singer for offering this!
My sewing story is that I have a very old second hand Brother that I got from Craigslist and I could really use an update. I love sewing and creating things, and especially want to start using a serger. I’d love to start sewing clothes and diapers…These two machines would be such a blessing! Thanks again and good luck on your tour. I’m going to pick up your book
I have sewn on only a few machines, but I have sewn for more than 30 years. I started with a little Singer in my room, sewing skirts and dresses. I had a newer Singer for a time and took it with me from California to Montana-where I moved, newly married. I continued to sew clothing and learned to sew quilts and as I had children, I stitched clothing for them. I moved to Denmark for a few years, without a sewing machine. But you will never guess what I found at a thrift store! An old, black, hand crank Singer sewing machine. It worked. seriously, how could it not?Iol I sewed table runners, baby quilts and curtains while in DK with that baby. I am now back in the states and nursing the old Singer, but, she is having a hard time….would love the chance for a new one right about now.
I learn from my gram she had a threadle that gramps made electric and we would sew and I loved it and miss her I have taught my daughter to sew and see is a great seamstress
I grew up around sewing machines. My momma always made the cutest dresses for me, my grandma Betty made me my dolls. I would love to learn the skill to pass it on to my children. Handmade = happy
I taught myself to sew years ago on my mother’s machine because I needed a costume. The machine we have now is very old and has been repaired about as much as it can. A new machine would sure be nice so we can put this one to rest.
My sewing machine story involves a 1960′s Singer that was found hidden in the corner of a retirement home’s basement thrift store… My mom-in-law & I were visiting her parents one night at their retirement home. We went for a tour around the building since I’d never been there before. On that tour we stopped by the closed thrift store in the basement. There was all kinds of large furnature pieces in the hall outside the little store & we were looking around when we spotted an old sewing machine table. Inside the table was a well used 1960′s Singer Touch & Sew & I kinda fell in love. The drawers were packed full of supplies from the previous owner, the table’s finish worn off to bare wood where her arms laid to use the machine. We didn’t know if the machine even worked, but were sure someone had loved it very much. There was a note on the table to put an offer in a drop box to buy the machine. We did & then proptly figured we wouldn’t get it. Two weeks later I was squealing on the phone when my mom-in-law called & said I had a birthday present waiting to be picked up! It’s been 2 years & that sturdy little machine has served me well. It doesn’t have a bunch of fancy features, but I learned to sew on it & never looked back. I’d love to upgrade to a machine with a few more stitches & a few more abilities now that I’ve gotten my mom into sewing again after 20 years of absence. We’re working on our first quilt together & plotting lots of other projects in the process!
I have an old Singer sewing machine that my grandmother bought for my mother in the late 1970′s. I have grown very attached to this machine, which I lovingly sew doll clothes on. Since I do not have either of these two ladies in my life anymore, I am quite sentimentally attached to my machine, but I have been wanting a serger for the tasks that a regular machine cannot handle. This is a beautiful set!
straight lines are what I do best. love to crazy quilt, a bunch of straight lines really. title of your book makes me curious. cheers.
Oh my goodness this would be awesome. When i was a little girl my sister and I would sew( by hand) pillows and shirts and dresses for our Barbie’s out of the scrap material my mother had. I never really learned to actually sew on a sewing machine until a couple years ago I just bought a machine read the instructions to get started and just jumped right in. A little eager, I decided everyone would get christmas presents from me that year that were made by me. Well at least one person did, I managed to make my mother in law a photo /patchwork quilt; it is wonderful! Sometimes I wish i had it back but it was a huge process and a lot of learning; I’m still proud of it! Trial and error works wonders!!! I recently had my first child and I am going to attempt to make him some shoes as well as some clothing items. I am a little intimidated (I have never used patterns before, I free hand) but excited to learn and do this. I love craft projects; being able to use my imagination and be creative just makes me happy!
My sewing story: My Mother had a old machine (not sure of the brand) and sewed for me when I was young. In my early teens I also learned to sew on this machine. When I turned 16 I immediately got a job for the specific reason to buy myself a new machine. Not long after that in 1973 I bought a Singer Futura. It was a thrill to be sewing on this “futuristic” machine with the decorative cams. I made all my own clothes in high school and then went on to make clothes for my children. I still have the machine, sadly it is not working right now. I currently am excited to start machine quilting.
OMGosh! What a great prize!!! I have so many sewing stories, but really they all start with my grandmother. When we were kids, we would spend weeks at her house in the summer, and she would spend hours with me, showing me how to cook, can and sew. She would take me to the little mercentile and let me pick out a piece of fabric, and we would go home, and she would show me how to sew some piece of clothing from it. She would also show me pictures of my mother, in high school, with her sewing machine and the latest creation she made, and won a prize for. I would watch my mom sew, and she to would stand beside me as I figured out my way through patterns and mistakes I care not to mention. I remember in home economics class, I was so frustrated I was going to throw a garment away, and my mother took it out of the trash, and said stick to it, you’ll figure it out, just take a break.
Many years later, and all grown up with 4 children of my own, I have since acquired an old Singer machine. Well beyond it’s years, butrunning strong. It helps me with my grown purse making business, and quilting, mending and sewing projects. My grandmother passed away last Christmas, and although I miss her dearly, everytime I sit at a sewing machine I remember all those years she sat beside me, encouraging me to do my best. I have a love of sewing because of her, and my mom. I hope my daughters gain the same love as time goes on.
My mother taught me to sew on her Singer 400 slant needle. She used this machine to make matchy-match dress for me and my sisters when we were growing up. After I went to 8 years of Parochial school (uniforms), I was more than ready to make a whole new wardrobe for myself! She helped me pick out some fabulous woolen fabric from a local store (we lived in NH), and I was on my way, making pant suits (this was the 70′s after all), skirts, you name it.
When my daughter joined our family I pulled out the very same machine and made her Christmas dresses, and many Halloween costumes. Now I make ‘twirly ‘ skirts for my 5 year old niece.
The biggest thing I use this machine for is to create bags for my business, Three Bags Full. These are primarily box bags for knitters and travelers. It gives me so much pleasure to use this 50+ year old machine (all mechanical, no electronics, not even a zig zag!) to make my bags. Still, it would be awfully nice to have a newer machine (and serger! be still my heart!) to play with.
Thank you for this wonderful giveaway!
So my whole life my mom, grandma and aunt have been super crafty. I just wasn’t really growing up, sure my grandma tried to teach me to crochet and stuff but I wasn’t really into it, was it really cool then??? But then before I had my first son, my mom got me a sewing machine, I had seen all these cute homemade purses that I wanted to try and make. Well I started to make those, made cute things for my son, then I got addicted to embroidery, got an embroidery machine and well the rest is history. I sell stuff to family and friends and have a blast doing it!! I’m going to try and make a quilt next, watch out!!
I learned to sew on a My moms Singer treadle. My neighbor helped me one summer with a straight cap- sleeved blue calico cotton dress. I loved it and was so proud of it. I also fell in love with the rhythm of the treadle!!! Many years later through home economics classes and sewing for four daughters I have gone through a few machines. The first Singer I bought when I got married is the only one I don’t have. I sold it at a yard sale and it was going to be used in mission work. I now own two treadles and a portable 50 year Singer Anniversary portable model. My latest purchase was a Singer Quantum which is awesome! There’s always room at my house for a new sewing machine and serger!
I was given a very basic machine that’d been hanging out in a basement for a few years. I tried to learn how to use it, but no matter what I did, the needle kept snapping in half. To this day I don’t know if it was something I was doing wrong, or if the problem lay in the fact that it was an old, bottom-of-the-line sewing machine that had spent too many days hanging out in a musty basement.
I actually don’t know how to sew with a machine. My mom taught me a little bit of sewing by hand, and I learned a couple stitches from books and the Internet. My roommate in college was going to teach me how to use a machine when she decided to make kimonos for cosplay, but we kept procrastinating until it was just faster for her to do it on her own. Then my brother tried to teach me using my best friend’s machine since he learned how to use one in his home ec class, but he forgot how to do it. Recently my boyfriend has said he will teach me if he gets a machine.
I took a sewing class with my friend this past spring and LOVED IT!!!! My favorite part was using the serger. No one in my family sews, so for me it was a completely new experience. I bought a very basic SInger sewing machine for my class and would love to have something a little nicer, along with a serger. I try and sew something new every week. Mostly, I sew clothes for my 2 year old daughter. I have made her two dresses, some cloth pull-ups, cloth wipes, a shirt, a purse and have many more projects lined up. I also have a little boy on the way, due in September and would love to make him some cloth diapers and some cute outfits.
My grandma had a beautiful antique treadle machine in her bedroom that no one was allowed to touch because it was her mothers. When she moved into a nursing home I asked for it but was told it had already been gotten rid of. I was SO mad.
But I actually learned how to sew from my dad of all people. He repaired sewing machines and typewriters, etc in the 1960′s and knew how to use all of them very well. He also taught me how to type. My mom sewed all her own clothes in the 1960′s and 70′s. She even won 4-H and FFA awards for it, but by the time I came along she wasn’t into sewing anymore.
When I was very young my mom taught me a few basic stitches by hand so I could sew on lost buttons and fix small issues. She sewed a little on her 70′s model Kenmore that I remember buying at Sears when I was young. When I was 15 my mom passed away and my grandparents on my dad’s side moved in with us. My yiayia (grandmother) sewed a lot and she started teaching me little things on my mom’s machine. My grandparents, being of Greek descent, never believed in throwing anything out unless you have tried every means necessary to save the item. She sewed up holes and hems until you couldn’t save it any longer. Back in Greece in the 30′s and 40′s they made do with what they had or make it yourself so that was what she passed on to me. She taught me how to sew and how to create your own patterns out of paper bags and work from there. She hardly ever bought a pattern. When I was 18(1987) I moved out of my dad’s house and the thing I missed the most was that sewing machine. I didn’t have the room to take it with me to the new place. 4 1/2 years later(1992) my boyfriend and I moved into a house closer to my dad’s so I was then able to go over and sew with my yiayia. When she passed on in 2002 my dad gave the machine to me and it is still being used in my house of 19 years now. My then-boyfriend-now-husband and kids will be moving out to country for some quiet and so we can have a large sewing room on some acreage so my daughter and I can keep on sewing. We now have a 16-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son who are both learning how to sew as well on the same machine I learned how to sew on back in the 70′s. My daugther is wanting to be a fashion designer and would love to make Manga costumes and have her own line of clothing in stores. My son wants to make costumes that guys wear such as Star Wars characters, Zombie characters, etc. If I won this machine I would be teaching my daughter all she need to know to accomplish her clothing line. And it helps that I work part-time in a fabric store so I can get all the fabric I need at a discount, which is wonderful.
I am the co-owner of an urban mushroom farm in Seattle and I never knew how much sewing this would bring until we started at the farmers markets a few months ago. Table cloths, basket liners, backdrops, aprons… it’s been a blast, but my little 15 year old machine just can’t keep up! Winning these would be a dream come true, as I’ve never had the chance to use a serger. I’m starting to sew my own clothes as well as thrift-store refashions and I have a feeling a serger would open up new universes! I’m so happy to find your blog and am definitely adding you to those I “follow”!
As my sister, Alice, and I have been going through my mom’s house the past few months and packing everything up and dividing her belongings, one point of contention has been the sewing machine. It is an ancient brown singer that weighs about a ton but we both want it! My mom sewed all the curtains in our house when I was growing up and taught me to sew pillow cases. I specifically remember being really scared to push the fabric through after my mom telling me a time . Although they weren’t the most ambitious sewing projects both Alice I have come to sewing lately and really gotten into it. I’ve started a quilt and refashioning some clothes while she has been making pillow cases and curtains for her first apartment. So, while we have been remarkably agreeable (so unlike us) in dividing up everything from furniture to stereos, we both really need a sewing machine.
And, having used a serger some at school (I’m in grad school for ecology and we use a serger to fashion decomposition bags (if you are REALLY interested, here is a description):
http://research.eeescience.utoledo.edu/lees/research/SGCP/Methods/Exp/Decay.htm
and also getting some experience from my friend’s house who makes and sells clothes, I am really in awe of everything a serger can do and I’m full of awesome project ideas.
So, in conclusion, winning this sewing machine would do wonders for my relationship with my only sister. Although we are of course always there for each other, especially during hard times, it’s a lot of work keeping these relationships strong. Not having to argue over my mom’s sewing machine would certainly make it easier.
Eighth grade. I’m learning to sew in homec class–I choose an impossible denim jumper from the big gorgeous Simplicity catalog. My fabric had humongous flowers on denim–it was the seventies–and I used my mom’s fairly new, at the time, Singer sewing machine. It was built into a beautiful cabinet, and at 85 years old, she still sews with it. But back to my junior high sewing story…long story short…I broke a needle on my mom’s precious machine, she got mad, I quit sewing, I got an “F” on the project! However, at the end of the year I entered a drawing to win one of the two huge sewing pattern catalogs, and I won! Cut to me, at thirty years old, and I find that old catalog in Mom’s attic. So, I go out and buy my own Singer portable sewing machine, sit at my dining table for a week, and learn to sew. Happy.
I have been sewing since I was in high school. I asked for a sewing machine for graduation(1975). My parents said I would have to prove that I would use the machine. I sewed so much my senior year that mom got tired of me using her machine all the time. So much so that they gave me my graduation present(Singer Touch &Sew) in Feb of my senior yr. I am still using that same machine in 2011. I have sewed for my daughter,made lots of gifts etc and now I have a new granddaughter to sew for. My original machine still works great and has only had tuneups over the years but I wouldn’t mind having something a little more modern as well as a serger.
When I was a young bride and mother, my husband and I moved to Anchorage, Alaska. Although I’d learned to sew in high school, and later on my step-mom’s machine, where I bought my very first, new to me Singer Sewing 600 machine. I sewed everything from clothes, to curtains, to car seat covers on that machine.
Because it was an old machine, I thought a new one would be better. So, I sold that one and bought a brand new Kenmore. What a huge mistake that was, because that machine was poorly designed so that the feed dogs wouldn’t move the fabric forward.
That one was given away to someone who was a Kenmore fan and I found myself another Singer, but still wanted another Singer 600. It’s been over 20 years and I finally found not one, but 3 of these awesome machines and they sew as beautifully as that old machine I bought when I was 21.
Thanks for allowing me to share this story, not everyone is totally into sewing as I am and it’s very nice to know there are others who enjoy hearing these sorts of stories as much as I do.
Debbie…(O:
>
Wow, what a great give away! I started watching my mom sew at an early age and apparently was mesmerized by it and wanted to learn to do it too. When I was in Junior high I took home ec. and learned a few skills my mom hadn’t taught me but just 6 years ago I got a serger for Christmas from my wonderful husband. I was SO excited to really hon my sewing skills but didn’t have anyone to show me until about 3 years ago. A woman I attended church with is an amazing seamstress and took me and a couple others under her wing and showed us some skills. It has made sewing lots easier and the finish product much nicer. I still would love to learn so many things and plan to! Winning these machines would be great as I have 4 daughters I am passing my love of sewing onto!! Thanks for the chance to win!
Congratulations on your new book!
My sewing journey started with an old school sewing desk, used as a homework desk when i was in middle school. I loved working the foot pedal while I did homework. I sewed a few skirts in high school and didn’t really pick anything up until I moved to Brooklyn after college. I found really great bedspreads that I wanted to turn into curtains and since I didn’t have a machine, I stitched them all by hand. Then I met my now husband who had a sewing machine that his mother bought for really basic uses. I’ve been using this for the past 3 years and it’s been good for the pillows, curtains and random hole patching. I’m now working on about 1 project a week (bedskirt, duvet cover, dresses, tanks) and i’m looking forward to starting my first quilt soon! It’s really changed how i think about decorating our home (Oh, I can make that!) and I love applying my design skills to a new medium!
Hey Brett!
I love your blog! Thanks so much for the great giveaways you do. Ok, my sewing story: My position at work was deleted a week before my maternity leave was up. I started making baby wipe cloth cases and wanted to be able to make bibs and burp cloths to match. I had talked about wanting to get my grandmothers old Singer fixed. My husbands grandmother gave me her old Singer machine that was in a cabinet that looks like a table. She gave me a quick lesson on how to sew. So I started making bibs and burp cloths to sell at a local consignment store. My husbands other grandmother gave me another machine that she had bought at a yard sale. It is a Kenmore machine. She taught me how to use a pattern and helped me make my first little girl dress. YEA! I was so excited! My grandmother would be so proud because she use to sew all her children’s cloths. The Kenmore had more stitch options, like a wide zig-zag that I use on the seams, where the Singer only had various straight stitches. So I started making pillowcase dresses, peasant tops, and pants also to sell at the consignment store. Any extra money was greatly needed because I could not find a job. Then my Kenmore started breaking thread. My husband’s grandmother tried to fix it for me but said it was not fixable. So my sister is letting me borrow her machine for the mean time until I can save up for one. So I would love to be able to win this giveaway! Thanks again for your blog and giveaway opportunties.
Lyssa
I learned to sew when I was very young from my mother because I always wanted to make barbie clothes. Then my great aunt had a swimsuit company and I stayed with her over the summer when I was a teenager and I saw all the wonderful things she can make herself with all her commercial sewing machines, they looked scary to me at that time. So when I was 20 years old and living on my own I went and bought a singer sewing machine with my tax return and it still works great 11 years later. Now my aunt gave me her business of bathingsuit patterns and so many are retro styles but I can’t afford a serger to make them, so I have to sew the bathingsuits old school style.
My mother taught me to sew on a 1938 Featherweight…LOVED that machine!! Would sew anything from voile to canvas webbing. She allowed me to create troll clothes at a very young age using a simplicity troll clothes pattern, lots of felt, and the FW. Currently I am using a Davis Vertical Feed treadle from 1892. Brilliant walking foot machine, but not particularly portable!!
Amazing how this came out just after I was thinking 2 weeks ago how a surger or another sewing machine would have helped!
My story, I grew up with a mom who quilts, and uses an old cast iron Singer from the 70s. The kind that has a foot pedal but in order to reverse you have to actually turn a wheel on the side of the machine as there is no reverse on the machine itself. When I was young she showed me once how to sew together bits of fabric to make a log cabin block, which was then made into a mini quilt for one of my stuffed animals, a pound puppy knock off I named Freckles. Years later I got it into my head to make my own ren fair costume for my wedding. So online I went hunting for a good deal on a sewing machine. Of course I got a Singer, but it seems years later I got that one model that wasn’t as good as they normally are. More on that in a moment. So my first ever real sewing project I made a dress, which ended up with a crooked hem once I was wearing it with a hoop skirt! Oops? My next project was a few years later, my sewing machine gathered dust in it’s box where I had stored it. That time I made 2 bustle skirts for 2 different Steampunk outfits for my first ever trip to Dragon Con. I spent a week and a half and hours sewing to get them done in time. And then my sewing machine went back into it’s box to collect more dust for another 2 years.
A few months ago I was drafted into a night club event with a Wild West Steampunk theme as one of our Saloon Girl Dancers (The Brass Belles). Three of us spent over the course of a week and a half slaving away with my machine and one other machine sewing 4 Saloon Girl costumes, 4 can-can skirts, and 3 dresses. Halfway though the 2nd day of sewing more ruffles then you can imagine for the can-can skirts my machine started to sound like there was a mouse on a squeaky wheel running in it every time I pushed the pedal to make it go. So I oiled it, with no real improvement on the sound, but the skirts had to get done so I pushed on. About 2 hours later the machine seized up entirely! So there I was in a panic that we would never get all the ruffles sewn and not be able to finish our costumes in time! I started to oil the machine again, and again no improvement, the only way to get the wheel to turn was by flooring the pedal and then turning the knob by hand by sheer force. That is no way to try to sew! Not to mention if I kept at it the motor would burn out. I took a break hoping that maybe a rest was what the machine needed, but to no avail that didn’t help either. I then had to take the whole machine apart in order to oil the culprit pivot point! Finally there was success in getting the machine back in working order! I was so relieved that I did manage to get it working without having to take it into a shop and loose even more valuable sewing time. As it was, after a week and a half of sewing our brains out we were still doing last minute bits up until almost time for the show! But thankfully we managed to get it done, despite my machines locking up and deciding it liked to eat bobbin thread like crazy every hour or so. We must be crazy though as we have all agreed to do it all over again next February for a 20′s themed event. I’m hoping that for that event we will have one more machine at least available to work with as 2 machines for 3 people to use at once does not work overly well!
I am new to sewing and need all the help I can get! <3 Getting your book on pay day next month! <3 this blog. Thanks!
I have been wanting to learn how to sew for a few months and have been looking through various blogs and found yours today. I would LOVE to win a sewing machine to get started on my quest to fulfill all my crafty desires! Thank you! – L
I finally started sewing this year using my mom’s old Singer. Now that I have a little confidence I think a new machine would take my projects to the next level!
When I was 12, my mom took my sisters to disney on ice but I said I was too big to go to that, so my dad said- too big to go, then you’re old enough to learn to sew! We went to the store and got supplies. He taught me how to use the sewing machine that day. I bought three different patterns, and combined them all- the neck of one, the bottom of another and skirt of another (A Hot Pants dress/pant combo thing). I thought I was the hottest thing ever! (And was sent home from school when I wore it!) I started making my clothes- bolero’s and gaucho pants galore! Around my senior year, I stopped as it ‘wasn’t cool’ anymore, sadly.
i learned when i was little.. my sister gave me her first sewing machine. (i needed it to sew the napkins for my wedding). but the tension was all off and the only stitch it would do was zig zag. haha. so now she has given me her other back up sewing machine.. (she has a sewing business). however i don’t have much patience for when i sew. i can’t seem to stay in a straight line!!! ugh. drives me insane. haha. but i try and practice. and i think maybe i am slowly getting better… or not.. it’s hard to tell. haha. but i could use a working sewing machine! that does more than one stitch! :]
Oh…I would love these!
I learned to sew on my grandmothers treadle Singer machine, when I was about 6. She loved that machine and had bought another one for her desert cabin, in Landers, CA., so she wouldn’t be without one. She added an electric motor to the 1st one, and had it for many years. My cousin bought the desert cabin and as far as I know still has that Singer machine.
I miss my Grandmother for many reasons! And now that she is gone, one of my treasured items is her machine. I sat on the bed beside her many days as she made clothes, stuffed animals, quilts, and numerous other things. We were not a wealthy family with money. But creativity and love we have in abundance, because of her! That machine is cherished, along side my mother-in-law’s machine. Both ladies have had major impacts on my life that I will never be able to repay to them. I will be able to share the gift of creativity and craft to my children. While their machines don’t work so well, and I’m learning to fix them, they are great reminders that great love can come from something so simple.
So whoever wins, remember to share your creations!!
I don’t have a great story, but I did ask for a sewing machine when I graduated from college. My mum bought me a pink Brother and I think it’s adory. Then I got another for more industrial (camping and hiking equipemnt) projects and taught my boyfriend how to sew the basics. Now he takes in his own t-shirts on his own, he’s tall and skinny, and I think that’s super cool.
That’s all!
When I was 16 years old, my mom bought an inexpensive straight stitch Kenmore sewing machine from Sears. When she died, I kept the machine. I now own a pricey computerized machine. I must tell you, that old Kenmore outshines the new one by a mile with perfect straight stitches. I will be 75 years old on July 27 and that old machine keeps going as do I. Someday it will belong to my daughter. Hopefully not in the near future! That’s my true story and I’m sticking to it.
My mom would always sew things for us as kids, wacky Halloween costumes, comfy flannel pajamas, my prom dress. Well when I was around i’d saw 12 I asked her to show me how to sew as well. So for that Christmas I had her teach me and help me sew special throw pillows for everyone in our family for home made presents. Ever since that day I have been sewing up a storm, anything from costumes, to Renfaire garb, to party dresses. I now teach my friends how to sew even the most stubborn and antagonistic attitudes towards using a sewing machine I somehow manage to get them through their first projects and then let them take off and have fun.
I learned to sew from my mom and also in girl scouts. I have been sewing for years. I have always wanted to use a surger though. I never had the opportunity! This is an awesome give away.
My grandmother was a terrific seamstress! You worked & retired from a sewing factory. I have always been fascinated with fabric, notions, quilting, and the power & beauty of the sewing machines. Singer was the brand of my Mamaw’s sewing machine & I am drawn to them in hopes of allowing her passion to live on through me, her only granddaughter, for the Lord took her home almost 2 years ago! I miss her terribly! I once knew how to use the machines, but couldn’t afford one of my own so I own a ton of fabric with lots of ideas as to what I could do with it all, but no machine. I would love to win this so I could make my own mother a quilt the way her mother once did. Thank you for your time & God bless!
My mom has an old all metal Singer from the 70s that I learned to use in elementary school. It was great, only went forward & reverse with one basic zig-zag. I just recently decided that I should learn to sew (again) & bought myself a new modern Brother. It’s plastic, lightweight, & has 60 built in stitches. It would be nice if it lasts somewhere near as well as Mom’s Singer, but I doubt it will.
I was a little girl when I started to learn to sew. When I visited my great grandma’s house. Grandma had lots of scrap material and she let me cut out doll clothes and sew on her treadle sewing machine. I learned alot from her. Now my grandma is gone and I am a grandma. My little grand daughter wants to learn to sew. Having these machines would be nice to teach her to sew and learn on. I hope someday she will look back and remember me also and say I helped to teach her and her little sister to sew. I would also like to say that my grandma which is the daughter to my great grandma will be 100 yrs old this Sept., she has lots of stories about her mom and all the things that great grandma made and did! And so I hope that everone who want’s to learn to sew has a chance to do so, from a careing person like I did.
I’m ready for a new machine! Good luck with your book!
Although my great grandmother sewed for a living, I didn’t really learn from her (I guess I wasn’t interested, boy oh boy I wish I had been). I took Home Ec. in high school and learned basic sewing, embroidery, cooking, etc. I did spend my Easter break at the school getting help from the teacher’s assistant in redoing my skirt and blouse. I have improved through the years though.
I follow you on facebook and thanks so much for the contest!
My memories of sewing machines are the green Kenmore my mother loathes, but she still owns, probably because it weighs about a billion pounds and it’s too much hassle to lug it out of the bottom of the closet. Every bit of sewing was saved up until it was necessary to haul out the Kenmore and do all repairs and sewing at once. My own first sewing machine was a Sears model a friend left in her house when they moved a thousand miles away and, since the van was gone and they weren’t coming back, I took ownership. Only thing I ever sewed on it was a very wonky snowball quilt block and Christmas cards that involved sewing short pieces of ribbon down to form the shape of a tree.
I have just discovered your site and I LOVE it! I am so excited about your tutorials, to get your book, and to follow your blog!
I wish my grannie or my mom would have taught me to sew way back when, but my sewing history has been a slow, self-taught, and at times very tangled, one. My first project was with a hand-held sewing machine sewing an old towel into a messenger bag with a cargo pocket from an old pair of pants sewn onto the front as a front pocket. The machine broke on me towards the end of my bag and I was never able to use it again. At that point I began doing lots of projects, but all by hand. It took FOREVER! Finally, when I was in college my family all went in together and bought me a Brother sewing machine. I was so excited to use it, but then let my brother borrow it… I didn’t see it for another 4 years. I finally got it back a few months ago and immediately sat down and gave myself a refresher course. Now, we are moving states and it’s back in its box. Hopefully, once we’re settled again I’ll be able to do all the sewing I’ve ever dreamed of! I am thankful for my Brother Machine, but these machines would be an awesome reward for a lot of patience and frustration.
I’m 20 years old, and a self employed, self taught artist. I hope to become an avid seamstress, yet my machine’s thread feed is sub par, let alone the fact it’s old and really touchy. Art is my life, and sewing fascinates me, but unfortunately, is an expensive hobby, so i hope to eventually get a good machine
I love creating beautiful and rich projects, and hope to become a better artist for it.
I started sewing doll clothes when I was 5, garments at 11. The rest is history – I just love to sew. Nothing takes my mind off “things” like sewing does. Hours can go by without me even noticing the time.
Ohhhh myyyy…. I would love to win a sewing machine. I used to have one, but I lost it in a storage unit a couple years ago and haven’t been able to replace it. After a divorce & losing my house, my kids and I were homeless for quite some time. The furniture & things I did keep went into storage. I could only afford to pay for one unit. Needless to say, the unit with my sewing machine in it, had to go. We are back on our feet & have new furniture, however I haven’t been able to get a sewing machine, yet. Therefore, I now sew everything by hand and it takes forever. I used to make purses & satchels to sell. I would love to get back into doing that again. Anyway, this would be a dream come true to win one. Thank you for at least giving me the hope that I could possibly get one.
My mother shared her love of sewing with me at a very young age! Her Singer from the 1960′s just died. I would love to get her a new machine. There are so many to choose from. I love to sew!
I learned to sew on my Mom’s old Singer with cams for the deco stiches. When I got married she gave me the machine and talked my Dad into a new machine. When I finally met my MIL( after almost 2 yrs) she had an old trendle Singer with an attachment box(rare). Well I told her she could give me that one anytime. After 10 yrs of marriage she came to help us move into the house we built and showed up with the treadle Singer in the back of her truck. It has sat in my living room for 17 yrs know and sews a great seam. I had never tried it until after hurricane Katrina and it was wonderful to be able to fix drapes for friends without power.
My mother had her mothers old black singer with greek key decals in a burgundy portable case. I use the word portable loosely, as that machine was very heavy. I learned how to sew on that wonderful machine when my mom bought a new machine years later. I made my self clothes in high-school, and clothes for dolls that I had long since stopped playing with. When I went to Art school at university, that old singer went with me, sewing me dresses out of paper. Years later, I moved to the US from Canada and my mother sold that machine when she moved to a new home. I’m still sad about it. Since then I have acquired an old Singer treadle and a vintage Pfaff electric, but it doesn’t come close to that old work horse that I learned on so long ago.
I have an old Singer 1812 that I got for free. Someone posted on Craigslist trying to get rid of things, including an old sewing machine. They had put the stuff out in the alley behind their house. I told my boyfriend there were free records (which there were! the truth!) that he might want to take a peek at, and oh yeah, can you pick up the sewing machine for me if it’s still there? He drove over and the records were boring, but the machine is now mine! It still works!
I am an artist that has never dabbled in sewing beyond simple mending, although I constantly have visions of great textile sculpture projects I could be bringing to life…if only i knew how to use a sewing machine. Owning this set would open up an infinite number of creative doors for me!
Oh, I so want to learn to serge. I would love to win this machine! I don’t know what machine I learned to sew on, but I do remember the very nice neighbor who taught me the basics. The feeling of being 12 years old and realizing that if you can see it, you can make it!
I learned to sew almost 40 years ago and was quite good at it, but haven’t sewn anything in about 20 years – other than mending and heming. I thought your new book would be perfect to rejuvenate my my sewing skills. Last year I resurrected my dormant crocheting skills and I can’t stop.
I never technically learned how to sew but I dabbled it in when I was a little since my Mom had the industrial machines. She doesn’t sew anymore but her machines are way TOO LARGE for me to take. I live in a tiny apt. so these Singers would be perfect! Love your video on the 1 hour skirt. You make it look so simple!! Can’t wait to try. Thank you!!!
My mom taught me to sew when I was 6 years old and that started my love affair with fabric and sewing. She’s gone now, but I try to sew for a while each day and it makes me feel so good and so close to her.
I learned to sew when I was 8 or 9 on my mom’s old Singer. When I was around 12 my mom was tired of every time she went to use her machine I was using it – so she bought me my own Singer. I have sewn many year with that great machine and now 40 year later I am teaching my 7 year old grand-daughter to sew on that machine. I would love a new machine!!
As a child I have memories of my mom sewing and my grandmother. I gave it a try when I was around nine but I have to say I hated it. LOL. Jump to age 27, After I had my triplets, I decided I really wanted to sew for the girls because i just couldnt see spending all that money when I could make it myself. I started learning how to smock and then my love of sewing took off from there because well someone had to finish the dress after I was done smocking it:) I must say that I am addicted! It is my favorite hobby and my escape from the chaos in my life:) I would love to win this sewing machine and serger set!!!
I bought myself a machine several years ago, so I could finally teach myself to sew. It’s a Brother, not the most basic model but def. not fancy. I didn’t want to make too much of an investment, in case I didn’t end up loving sewing. But guess what? I ended up loving sewing. I’ve used the bejeezus out of that machine and I sure could use a new one with a little more chutzpah!
I got my Singer 7 years ago for my birthday when I was making quilts for all the new cousins in the family. I was sick of borrowing a machine, so I told my mother I wanted one. I love it, and I have recently decided to start calling my dining room “my studio” so I can justify leaving it out and at the ready at all times.
I learned to sew first by watching and then by sewing along with my mother (who is now 82 yrs. young) on her ELECTRIC Singer sewing machine. Mom learned to sew on a foot-operated paddle Singer when she was a girl. The electric Singer is still operational at mom’s house and it sits in a place of honor in her front room. There were seven kids in our family and mom used to sew all of our clothes. Ah, the memories!
I am a fan! Just bought 2 of your books on Amazon!!!!
During the 50s my mother inherited an old Singer from a neighbour, with this machine she sewed skirts and dresses for me, outfit for balls in the 60s. Meanwhile the Singer is standing in my sewing-room, it still works, but I prefer to sew my quilts with a modern Pfaff-machine or a Brother, but I love the old one reminding me of the past.
I learned to sew in Junior High. My mom had an old machine with a knee pedal, it had two speeds off and crazy fast. I’ve sewn a lot over the years, mostly window treatments, but am really getting into tailoring now.
I bought a pattern and fabric and sewed a dress by hand when I was 11; after that, my parents bought me a wonderful reconditioned Kenmore which I still have – it could use replacing though it still works! I have been sewing ever since, clothes and costumes for my long-grown children, household stuff, even a quilt! I am the pants-hemmer for a long list of friends and family!
What an amazing giveaway!!! So glad I stumbled upon your site! I remember as a very young girl, my aunt would sew clothes for all of her kids, and my siblings and me, too! She picked such pretty fabric, and I was the youngest girl, and got to wear all of the dresses she made for my older sister’s, too! She passed when I was only 6, but I got to wear her dresses until I was about 12! I taught myself to sew in high school, and now make a few things for myself, my daughter, and our home. I’ve been *dying* to make some sweater throws and quilts, refashioning old sweaters to do so, but I really need a serger for such a project!
I learned to sew on my moms old black singer way back in 1966. My mom would sew barefoot and that is how she taught me. To this day I have to sew barefoot.
I wish we still had that old singer but mom gave it to a friend in need.
Hello! My name is Anita and I have been dreaming of an opportunity like this for a while. Even with all of the comments, I hope for a shot :]
Both my Oma and Opa (grandparents) taught me to sew. He was a pattern designer, tailor and fitter and she was a lovely housewife! But only our family knew how amazing Oma was, she was the jack of all trades. She was my Opa’s right hand seamstress at home. From all the matching dresses my cousins and I wore to the Halloween costumes to repairing any type of clothing, they provided all of this talent, to give my life all of the amazing stories I have of them today. Although retired and elderly, luckily I still have the pleasure of they’re greatness! I LOVE SEWING and creating costumes, if only I had access to equipment! It has been too long for me and I have so many ideas flying through my creative head. I wish the statement wasn’t true about the “starving artist!” Using the regular sewing machine to the zickzack machine and hand sewing has been a blast for me. My friends would always wonder how I could spend so much time creating and sewing. I hope I can continue!! No words could really tell you how passionate I truly am about this! I could go on forever so thank you for this chance!!
Wow. I am the 745 commenter!
I come from Prague, Czech Republic, currently living in Brooklyn, NY.
My mom has a singer machine in Prague, gazillion yrs old. When I lived there I studied sewing in a high school, despite my refusal. Mom just thought it was important trade to know. Not art. Which is what I wanted to study.
One day, while doing sewing homework on my mom’s singer, I sew through my finger! I broke the needle and demonstrated to my mom how this is really not for me….
20 yrs later I am an artist, not a seamstress, but having little children, I am starting to miss what I have learned at school and make few things here and there on my constantly falling apart and jamming up Style-Mate. I need an upgrade and I’d love to win this machine! I am browsing daily sewing blogs with free tutorials and am drooling and envying those who have the means to saw such lovely projects.
Thank you for this offer. Your site is lovely and I love the design of your new book. The fabric bawls look fun to make!
I learned how to sew on my Mom’s old Singer. I remember the heavy yellow machine that always worked! I think I even dropped it once by accident when the cover clasps gave way to the weight. And it still worked! My Mom used the machine more than she liked. Much of the sewing she did was out of necessity for her nine children (I am the oldest). She dreaded Halloween because of so many costumes. She sewed two prom dresses for me in the early 90s. I got the sewing bug in High School, again, partly out of necessity. But I thought, if I want it, why not make it! Once I sewed myself a navy blue velvet dress…and it turned out nice enough to wear to the theater to see Phantom of the Opera with my Grandfather. I think she still has the same machine, and I am now 37 year old! I do not have my own machine right now. I tried to get a compact version once, also a Singer. But it did not last long…I could not figure out the tension, and then I gave it to a friend. I miss having a machine to sew. I have taken up knitting and I occasionally hand stitch small projects. But having my own sewing machine would be wonderful. And maybe my children (currently trying to conceive) will write their memories of their mother’s Singer 40 years from now.
This is an awesome opportunity, Thank you! Love your site, it’s so fresh, colorful and inspiring. I’m in Illinois, and we have had horribly hot weather so staying in and sewing is perfect. I learned to sew from my mom, she bought us identical sewing machines. She is no longer with us, so I passed her machine on to my brother’s wife, and still have my original as well. It definately doesn’t have all the bells and whistles as this one does, and is having some tension issues. But I’m too sentimental to want to part with it, makes me think of her and the patience she showed me in teaching me a life skill! I’m booking marking your site…Thanks again!
I inherited my first sewing machine in college from a boyfriend’s mother. It was demonically possessed and was stored–with trepidation—in a closet for a decade or so. After the birth of my son, my husband bought me a Kenmore for Mother’s Day. It’s a great little machine, but pretty basic and the tension doesn’t always cooperate. My daughter uses the machine now to make doll clothing. For Christmas two years ago, I asked for a new sewing machine, one that could handle knits. After much research (and budget concerns), I settled on a Janome. In a somewhat-comedic twist of faith, the sewing machine I received was defective. And the one after that. And the one after that. All seems fine, now, but every time I sit down to sew, I halfway expect the machine to freeze on me.
I’ve ordered your book and can’t wait to try out some new projects. Congratulations!
Oh my!! My mom taught me how to sew and I loved it. I made all my school clothes throughout high school.
I’m a nana now so I would love a new machine to sew for the 3 granddaughters.
I grew up with the humming of my mom’s sewing machine constantly in the air. She taught my friends and I how to make simple bean bag animals and vests for our ‘secret club’. I didn’t think much about sewing once I hit high school- it took taking a basic costume construction class for Theatre while at college to reawaken my love of my mom’s craft. After college, I dreamed of having my own sewing machine, but lacked the funds. I hunted on ebay until I found an old, unused Kenmore for $14. I pounced, and haven’t looked back since!
I’m really looking forward to your new book. I need all the help I can get.
My mother was an accomplished sewer and when we were little she made clothes for us. She stopped when she became a single mom of three and had no time for her creativity. I can remember going into her closet once in a while and sorting through her box of “unfinished symphonies”. A handful of pieces she never finished with pins still in the fabric. Her old warhorse Singer was only used for patching and repairs as I got older.
I’ve recently started sewing with the help of a friend. I was so intimidated by the sewing machine that I could hardly push the peddle to make it go. My first project was a fat quarter purse and now I’m hooked. My hope is to start making aprons I can then embroider. The machine I have now is good for making a straight line but that’s about it. A new one would be grand!
Singer sewing machines flood me with happy memories. My mother had a black one she bought in the 1950′s and it came in a small wooden cabinet. My brother still has it at his house and refuses to part with it. My mother taught me to use her machine and then I continued to learn sewing in home ec. classes. I made a lot of my clothes during high school and college and beyond. When I finally started earning a salary, I began to buy more clothes but the quality of home made, in my opinion, is still the best. I got my own Singer portable when I graduated from college and was able to pack it in the car and take it with me when I moved to California. I have since moved on to a machine with more bells and whistles, but nothing will ever beat the quality of my mother’s straight stitch machine that only went forward and backward.
What an amazing giveaway!!
My mother was a seamstress while I was growing up. She was so talented and used to make my clothes her friends’ wedding dresses. A few years ago, she had to sell her treasured industrial sewing machine to move across the country and has felt a little incomplete ever since. Now, she’s trying to teach me to sew on my own machine and I can see how much she wishes she had her’s back. If we lived closer, I would give mine to her, but this giveaway would be the perfect gift for her!
My boyfriend bought me my first sewing machine after i watched hours of Threadbanger and thought, “I can do that.” He was totally supportive and I have been sewing for about 3 years now, slowly improving my skills one project at a time. This is a great giveaway and if I won, I would have a GREAT reason to learn how to use a serger.
I learned to master my skills on a very basic Kenmore with two options – straight stitch or zigzag. I drooled over the fancy new machines that looked like they could do the whole project without human help and imagine what one could produce with such a huge array of stitches at your fingertips. Well after sewing to help my kids wardrobes and my home for over 30 years, I felt I had probably saved enough to buy something a little nicer and got a modest, used Brother with 20 stitch patterns. I was so excited, you cannot imagine what I was dreaming up! Truth be told, I am still defaulting to my Kenmore more often than not, simply because trying to set up the proper tensions to make the stitches look like they should on the Brother is such a daunting exercise that I can be done with the entire thing on the old machine before the new one is properly set up. I haven’t given up yet, I know it takes experience to master, but I have to wonder if I just should move up a little further in the chain to a nicer machine or master this. Never had so much frustration as my “dream” machine! Good old Kenmore. After writing this, I suppose I should get the Brother serviced to see if it is indeed the machine before I struggle longer, duh?!!
I have no sewing machine right now. The one I did have belonged to my mother, but unfortunately broke during a move across country! I would love to win these!
My mother had a sewing machine, a basic Singer, and around age 14, I started altering my clothes, going to thrift shops, and trying to design basic outfits — I was a wannabe punk in suburbia in the early 1990s, but in retrospect, my outfits were a mishmash of styles. I did goofy things like hand-dye terry cloth burgundy red and make a long fitted dress with a bright red exposed zipper down the back, zipping from top to bottom, so that I could adjust the length of the slit. My skills weren’t too great, but I had so much fun. Since these were the days before the internet, I made up instructions for myself as I went along– I had no idea of how to make patterns, so I made them out of newspaper from existing garments… During my sophomore year in high school, I sewed a new outfit for every day of the school year! After high school, I felt like I didn’t have enough time for such pursuits. But now…. I think I can make time (albeit not as much as back then). And I can learn skills and practice patience better than I could back then…
So, I haven’t sewn in around two decades now, and I have been itching to do so. This would be such a dream come true.
My mother taught me to sew when I was a little about 8.
In doing so, she taught me that i could do anything and ensured that I’d always have buttons on my shirts and pants just the right length.
My aunt is a quilter and taught me to sew when I was in middle school, but I’ve always found sewing machines to be a little intimidating. I have piles of projects in my head, and fabrics I’ve accumulated for them… I just need a machine and some extra confidence to get started!
i have been using a singer portable that my mom found for me at a yard sale…she eventually found another and uses it instead of having to start up the old industrial strength monster she used to work with. i forget the name of this particular model, but it’s a soft cream/yellow. the french version had a big daisy pattern on the front and it proudly boasts on the cover that the machine is “electronic.” and not in the way that the giveaway is electronic – it just uses electricity to run, that’s all. it’s been a great little machine, but it’s really showing its age and it’s limitations, especially on heavy fabrics (i’ve broken countless needles this past year alone). i need a new machine so i can slip cover my entire apartment in pleather and keep the dog hair from permanently attaching to everything i own!!!!!!!!!
My dad worked as a maintenance man in the apartment complex we lived in, and whenever people would move and leave stuff behind, my dad would come home loaded down with goodies. His pack-rat tendencies reinforced my bookworm tendencies (people throw out SOOOO many books) and eventually lead to my crack-levels of dependency on crafting. I remember when he brought home my first sewing machine. It was an old, off-brand model. One built into a wooden table. He huddled over it for hours, trying to figure out how to thread it, before finally hooting with glee when he figured it out. He taught me how to “sew in a straight line,” and a few days later, after hours of sewing old sheets into small squares, I went out to the library and checked out a Singer sewing book.
I had that same sewing machine for YEARS. Through high school and most of college. It finally died on me sophomore year of college. I was devastated – it was my first true love. So my fiance at the time, my second true love (he always appreciated when I said that) went out on black Friday and bought me a Brother machine from Wal-Mart. That might not seem like much to most people, but we were poor college students at the time, and $70 was a big wad of cash to us. That was enough to buy ramen and Sam’s Cola for a month!
I hugged him and my new machine, and instantly fell in love. It’s the sewing machine I have to this day! Partly because I can’t afford to replace it (it’s a very simple machine, but gets the job done), and partly because my fiancee passed away a few years ago, and I find it hard to part with gifts he bought me. One of these days I need to upgrade to a new machine, and when that day comes I know three little girls (my nieces) who are just about the right age to start learning how to sew.
i started sewing around Christmas of 2010 and i got my first and only singer sewing machine at that point in life. i love hand sewing but i also love using the sewing machine. i would love to win this giveaway because i never won before(: && im currently working on a lot of project that has to do with sewing and i really want to go to FIDM too <3
my mom sewed everything i wore from birth till around 1st grade although she continued to sew my halloween costume each year. my great aunt was a seamstress and made her own patterns so she passed that information onto my mom who is attempting to pass it on to me in random spurts. i used my moms sewing machine for a few projects before she got me my own singer. its the most basic model and has trouble sewing anything too thick which deters me from quilting on it but i sewed my great aunt a lap blanket when she came down with liver cancer and she used it until the day she died so i’ll always treasure the machine for that reason.
I don’t have a sewing machine of my own, but when I was a child, I used to try to sew things whenever my mom or grandmother left their machines turned on and unattended (which wasn’t often). I would sew pieces of scrap fabric together, which was pretty harmless, but I turned the knobs recklessly and messed up all of their settings. To keep me in check, my mom would tell me the story about the lady in her quilt group who sewed through her finger with her sewing machine, got the needle stuck/broken, and had to go to the hospital. Her cautionary tale worked pretty well–I’m afraid of running over my finger, to this day!
I just found your website through CRAFT. It’s lovely! I’ve favorited it and will be back to try the skirt tutorial!!
My sewing machine story? After graduating from college, I desperately needed a hobby to keep me sane while I worked part time at Old Navy and applied for graduate school. I decided to pick up sewing, since I had always been inspired by some favored bloggers. It’s been an exciting learning experience since then.
Thanks so much for such a generous giveaway!
My grandmother was a sewing machine, badum-tish! She sewed all of my mother’s groovy ‘60s mini-dresses on an old cream-colored Singer that weighed a ton. My mother inherited this monstrous machine, weaving curse words into every stitch (she doesn’t enjoy sewing, though she’s very skilled) of many dance costumes and Halloween outfits. Unfortunately, that machine ended up in a garage sale; so when I was bitten by the sewing bug, I began researching machines and ended up with a tidy list that I could test drive at my local sewing shop. My boyfriend, however, beat me to the punch and surprised me on my 30th birthday with a children’s Hello Kitty sewing machine (Janome). It wasn’t the machine that I would have chosen, but it was such a sweet gift and I’ve learned a lot with under Ms. Kitty’s tutelage. I am certainly ready to graduate to a full-sized sewing machine and this contest sounds like a great opportunity!
I learned machine sewing on my mom’s machine, which I monopolized soon after she purchased it. That could be one of the reasons why my parents gave me my very first sewing machine in celebration of my college graduation. I moved away from sewing several years ago when everything I wanted to sew would have been much easier and more professional-looking if I could have used a serger. In other words, I would LOVE to have a serger!
Hi, Brett! Congratulations on the book! I have been sewing for a long time using my grandmother’s old Singer Sonata that was made in Brazil. It is a heck of a workhorse, but I don’t think it will last until my daughter is ready to learn. I’ve also been crafting for most of my life (over 30 years) since I could pick up my mom’s knitting needle.
My mom was never good at showing me how to make clothing on the sewing machine, so when we moved back to Michigan, I taught myself how to work with patterns and alter as needed. I find sewing one of the most rewarding and useful things I could do with my life.
Thank you for offering this opportunity to bring the Singer to my daughter…it is such a generous gift to give to those who find crafting as fulfilling as you do.
I learned to sew on my mother’s Singer sewing machine that she had inherited from her mother. Neither of us are certain exactly how old this machine is, but it’s from at least the 50s if not earlier. That thing could power through multiple layers of denim just as easily as it would slide through chiffon. Even after graduating from college and getting married, I would take my project to my mother’s house if it needed sewing.
About six years into my marriage, my paternal grandmother decided to get a new sewing machine and give me her old one (circa mid-1970s). Sadly, this was one of the Singers made after the decline. It has all sorts of pretty stitches, but the tension is completely wonky. My sewing machine mechanic/repairman/dad can’t get it to keep tension. It works great for about five to ten minutes, and then you have to fight with it again.
Luckily for me, my husband and I went to our local flea market a couple of years later. I found an “old-fashioned” machine in its original cabinet for $35!! Nothing but straight stitch (you have to physically turn the fabric for a backward stitch, even), but it works! I finally figured out how to determine the year the machine was made, and it turns out that it was made the year I was born – 1972! In Scotland! I’d love to know how it got to Mississippi.
I still want a machine that will actually stitch backwards (without my physically turning the fabric) and has more than one stitch. I’d also love a serger. My husband has a wrestling promotion, and he’s pretty sure we could turn a nice profit making gear for the wrestlers.
With an adorable niece to make projects for, I’d love a Singer and serger! She’s growing fast, so clothes, stuffed toys, and wall art are all on my list…My boyfriend bought me a small Brother machine last Christmas and I’ve been whipping up little projects since. I’d love to graduate to the next level.
I have a Brother I bought at wal-mart when I was pregnant wit my first son. I spent $109 on it which at the time was a big splurge for us. It has been very good to me. I have made the boys a few things, but have mostly stuck to blankets and quilts that I never seem to finish. Now I am keeping a little girl a few days a week and have been working on a few things for her. It is so fun! Her mom is very low on funds and her dad is dead so it has been nice to make her some cute dresses. My machine is slowly starting to fade and I have been thinking about what to get next. Maybe this will be it!
Just found you and cannot wait to read your book! thanks for the opportunity to win those awesome machines!
My memory is a pretty recent one, but very dear to my heart. Last year, while prepping for our wedding, my mom took time to make pendants and table cloths for us. I cut out the shapes and she put it all together. Although the work wasn’t too complicated, I had sooo much fun working with her. I planned my wedding from afar, so I didn’t get much wedding-bonding time with her – this was much needed! The funny thing is, on the day of the wedding, the pendants didn’t even make it out of the box. They were beautiful, but no matter – they got used at our reception later on in the month.
Hi, Brett! Awesome contest, by the way!
My story starts with my Grandmas Mary and Thelma. Thelma had an old treadle Singer (which I recently restored) made at the turn of the century. I remember when I was little that she used it to make curtains and clothing. Now that I am older (and have grandkids myself), I wonder at the fact that my female ancestors have handed down the crafting gene to me. I love it!
My mother had seven kids and she always made our clothing. I think I was a teenager before I got my first store bought clothing that was not a hand-me-down. I remember her constantly repairing the clothing of our family. When my mother retired, she helped out the local DHS by teaching the single mothers to craft and sew. Once I moved back to the area, she gave me a machine. It no longer works well. I could certainly use a new one.
I owned a Singer for most of the 80s and 90s, but when I moved from Oklahoma to Michigan I could no longer use it. It was sad to give it up because my daughter learned to sew on it. I had depended on it grestly to supplement my income. It was quite useful.
While I have no patience for patterned work, but I do sew to create traditional patchwork fashions for my granddaughter to play in. I have even made stuffed animals to sell at craft fairs. And I love quilting too! I am proud that I can pass on this type of tradition to my daughter and her daughter. It is a skill that everyone should develop.
I remember watching my mother sit at her old sewing machine that my daddy had put a electric motor on sewing in the living room. The windows and doors would be open and she would humming as she sewed clothes for one of her eight children. She made beautiful clothes for us. I grew up to work in a sewing plant for about 35 years so I do know how to sew. Since I retired I have taken quilting lesson and would love to have these beautiful machines to practice what I have learned. I would like to make childrens quilts to donate to hospitals for their small patients who have a major illness like ST. Judes hospital. So maybe my dreams will come true and I can make these quilts. Thank you!
My great grandmother, my grandmother, my mother and I are different women, growing up and living in different times and spaces (village Nepal, city Nepal, India, and America). Yet we have thousands of threads that link us to each other. The following illustrates one such thread: sewing.
Roses are red
And Violets are blue
She bought a Singer
For sew: was all she knew
Roses are Red
And Violets are Blue
She stored the ‘chine
Chose work instead to pursue
Roses are red
And Violets are blue
She went to college
And bid the Singer adieu
Violets can be red
And Roses can be blue,
She’s getting a Ph.D
But she wants to sew too!
Wow…… Just amazing!!! The set is incredible.
I really want this sewing machine because I want to further my skills.
while i was growing up,my dad worked as a tailor and I would watch him fix other people’s clothes.
i recently became interested in his job recently and took classes to see how it was like hands on.
i hope to use the sewing machine to further my ambition in becoming a fashion designer
plllllease pick mee!!! these would be the best evvver :]
I decided to teach myself how to sew when I was living in Boston in 1975. I saved and saved to buy a sewing machine – one with a button hole gizmo that made perfect buttonholes when you placed a button into it and attached it in place of the presser foot. It was a wonderful machine that I still have and always use for buttonholes. Every time I take it in for servicing, the guys in the shop always comment on how old and outdated it is and how they could hook me up with a sleek new machine for only $XXX. And I have purchased other machines in the 35+ years since then but I still love my old machine and use it often. It is like an old friend: it has bumps and bruises and may not be as flashy as newer acquaintances, but it is comfortable, reliable and when it dies one day, will be sorely missed.
I started sewing when I was like 6-7 years old, just by hand. I didn’t get into machine sewing until I was a teenager and the machine was ancient and honestly a piece of junk. So we got a new machine which is honestly a piece of junk. I wish I had a newer one and a surger to boot because it would make my crafting so much easier and I could sell the baby things I make to make some extra cash.
My MIL gave me a serger for my birthday a couple of years ago. I didn’t even know what it was, boy have I loved it now. And what would I do with this lovely prize? Give it to my jealous twin sister
! Great contest. Thanks!
I learn to sew in the 8th grade in home-economics class about 36 years ago. I never got to finish my smock because we moved to a new school and I never got to get my stuff. My husband bought me my first Singer sewing machine about 15 years ago, it is still going strong. I bought a Singer embroidery machine/ sewing machine and gave my daughter my older machine. Now wish I would have kept it so I could sew while my embroidery machine is in use. Would love to have this combo. Thanks singer for making good quality machine that last throughout the generations.
It was 1973 and my Mother just bought a Sears Sewing Machine with the little cams…I remember the scotty dog cam and thinking….is she really going to get that on our dresses?? and….three months later she died of a brain tumor and rocked the world of six children between the ages of 12 and 21….I struggled at what I wanted to be and about the time I turned 36 (the age she was when she passed) I felt an urge to learn to sew….Mama still lives in me and for that I am so grateful. Thank you for the opportunity and congrats on your new book! Happy Sewing, Pamie G.
I started sewing when I was about 8-9 years old and learned from my mother. In middle school, during home economic class in sewing, I was bringing my own patterns and sewed an entire outfit in the 4 weeks that the other kids made a drawstring bag. I don’t get to sew very much these days, unless it is a costume for the kids or making repairs. My mom still has the Kenmore sewing machine that I learned on and it looks brand new.
My mother taught me how to sew on a Singer Treadmill machine. It was so hard for me I wanted to have nothing to do with sewing. Then I got married, had to boys, and money was tight so I bought a simple Singer machine and began sewing my own clothes and clothes for the boys. Then I quit sewing to go to work. After not sewing for 25 years, I bought the Singer Futura SES1000 and began making a firemen’s quilt for my grandson, and then got the logos from all the sports teams in Chicago and made a quilt for my other grandson going away to college. The Futura is great but difficult in sewing with bulk fabric because of the low throat. I could sure use these two machines and they would be in use all day. I am so happy with Singer.
I learned to sew when I was in high school using a vintage machine that belonged to my mother. I still have that machine, though it is neglected because I usually use my new machine.
I hope your new book does well! I always wanted to write a book myself, but I have a learning disability. I love sewing, my grandma was a seamstress and wanted me to take over her bussness and Iwas so young when she asked and didn’t relize what I was passing up. I now sew alot because i don’t work. I’ve always wanted a serger but never bought one because of the exspence, and I knew that i could alway use my regual sewing machine to sew the eadge and make it look just like it was done by a serger. I still would love one. it would save me so much time. well thats my story about sew and missing a great oppatunaty., but my gramma still loved me and showed me everything I know. I’m still learning and teaching others what I know. I believe we are all teachers and students in live at all times. I wish you the best and I’m praying that i can win so i can learn somthing new and after i do i can pass it on. thank much John
My sewing story has more than one influence in my life. Both my grandmothers, my mother and my aunt were and are fantastic seamstress. I have a whole lifetime of wonderful memories that I cherish of each one of these fantastic ladies sewing and making wonderful clothes, house funishings and displays. They all took time to teach me things about sewing and the love for it was implanted inside of my heart. I now am a mother/grandmother/aunt and would love to be able to do the same for one of my children, grandchildren and nieces. This would help me get motivated and start sharing the legacy that these wonderful woman began.
Alas, my sewing story doesn’t actually end with me learning to sew on a machine. One day my older sister finally decided to hand me down her old sewing machine, it was very exciting, I had so many projects in mind! The only thing standing between me and sewing glory was a dig through the attic the retrieve the machine, this is not an easy task, and after probably an hour of searching in ONE attic, I was informed that it was in the OTHER attic…cut forward to me actually finding it and hauling it out, no cords. That’s right, no cords, my sister had neglected to inform me that she had misplaced the cords years ago to this already old machine. For the time being, my sewing dreams were squashed. Until now, maybe. Great giveaway, thanks for the chance!
Hi Brett,
I just got back from vacation, and your book was here waiting for me! I can’t wait to make so many of your projects!
I got my sewing machine in my mid 20′s as a gift from my mom. I used it once or twice, but I wasn’t very good. A year ago I started sewing. I love making bags (you can never have enoug), but want to try other things. I love sewing and making things to give as gifts.
When I was little, my half-blind grandmother used to make play clothes for me from chicken feed sacks. It did not inspire me to take up sewing… and warped my fashion sense forever. My college roommate brought her sewing machine with her and could make anything… anything! For instance, she made her father a sports jacket for Father’s Day, monogrammed towels and sheets for Christmas gifts. Eventually, she helped me make a fashionable clothes for myself. I was hooked!
I asked for a sewing machine for Christmas and received a Sears portable which was only slightly lighter in weight than a Volkswagen, “portable” only because it wasn’t nailed to the floor. Since it’s older than my daughters, who now have kids of their own, it may be time to give the old timer emeritus status and bring in a new one. A serger, too?!? Holy moly!
I remember my Grama sewing in her dining room. She had an old singer sewing machine that you folded down into the table and then it had a part that folded back over to make like a table. I remember her telling us that it was the first elecgtric model that singer made. The “pedal” was on the side and you had to push it with your thigh. She died in 1996 and it still works!! I have a singer model machine, but would love to have another, since I have recently gotten interested in quilting.
Your book look great! Congrats
I got my first sewing machine for Christmas while in highschool. It was an un-cool gift to get but I loved it. I learned by trial and error. I now have a few sewing machines but my favorite one is my grandmothers old machine. It’s super heavy, called a “Ford de Luxe” and I never looses tension.
My mother was a sewer and she could sew anything. She always made do with what she had. And the finish project was always to the tee. She couldn’t afford alot of new material so she would recycle what she had. My grandmother had a singer trendle sewing machine that was suppose to be my mother needless to say my mother never gotten it. When I see pictures of the old singer trendle sewing machines I think of my mother, of what she had taught me the basic of hand sewing and however how old your machine is u can make the most beautiful quilts or anything you want.
wow! i would love to win this!
i used to use my mom’s sewing machine when i was younger. for christmas right before i got married, my parents gifted me with a new sewing machine, so i could hem pants, and sew curtains, and all of the other wifely duties they knew i would be taking on
i would love to win this machines! especially the serger! i have been wanting one for a long time!!!
This is my story and I am sticking to it. LOL
My mother was 15 and my dad was 32 when they got married. My dad was the youngest of 7 so I had aunts that were old enough to be my grandmother. I grew up in Tennessee with 4 brothers. We were as poor as church mice so we made everything. My mother showed me many things. I spent many days with one aunt that I still hold very highly. I remember in the later days that I would thread all of her needles for her because she couldn’t see very well. I lost my parents in 1977 when I was 23. I have sewed on many different sewing machines. In fact, I still have my mothers’ Touch and Sew and it sews like a dream. Really it is funny that my husband says that it is crazy that I don’t like to shop for clothes. I have it instilled in my mind that I can make that. I sewed until the kids came along and space and time became an issue. After two of my girls fled the nest, I decided to get back into sewing. I am living outside of New Orleans and went through Katrina. After all that mess, I bought a Singer Futura C-350 Embroidery machine. I then proceeded to go though 7 eye surgeries which handicapped me a tad. I ended up with DSEAK in both eyes. This is a partial corneal transplant. The left eye is called Jeff, he was 45 and the right eye is called Elizabeth, she was 55. I retired after 26 years with Chevron. I stayed out of work for a year and now I work for Hancock Fabric. My mother would be so proud. To say that I look like a mini Hancock Fabric at my house is an understatement. I am on the inside and see all the deals and I am taking advantage of it. My husband says I am a hoarder. So now I am ready to take off. I didn’t have any grandchildren and now I have 4 under the age of 4 and another one on the way. I want to spend time with them and show them how to do the things I know how to do. It is kind of funny that I haven’t sewed for decades but I am able to answer and help customers out. I can even do minor machine repair. We offer classes and I encourage customers to take advantage of the classes. The instructor noticed that there are more people signing up and is thankful. She told me to keep it up. I pay attention to the customer and talk to them like they are my best friend. I like the classes for the kids too. They come out with amazing things they are making. I would so love to win these machines and have sewing sessions with my daughters and my grandchildren.
Tour book looks incredible!!
My mom had this ancient sewing machine that weighed a TON! I had to clear a path to get it out of the closet so I could drag it out to the middle of the room where she would wield her magic and make my brother an I Halloween costumes and…. well… that was about it. The machine broke sometime while I was in Kindergarten. Still, I always thought of my enterprising mother and how she did so many things around the house when most people would nowadays call a professional or buy a replacement. Alas, the sewing machine never got a replacement and she never could quite fix it. I’m not sure what happened to it, probably the curb.
Like my mom I’ve been trying to DIY my life more and more. Sewing is the latest hurdle I’m looking to attempt and your book came up in my “HELP!” searches. Thanks!
I got my great grandmother’s sewing machine and I have not used it yet because I got myself a starter machine so I can learn the basics. I think of my Maia (what everyone called her) all the time and I think of that heavy heavy machine that weighed more than her! I can’t wait to buy your book and learn more.
I learned to sew on my mom’s mint-green Kenmore. She’s had it since high school in the 1970s, naturally. It weighs a ton!
I learned how to sew on my grandmother’s singer treadle machine some of my fondest memories was watching her make quilts on it sewing machines have came a long way in the past 35+ years I’ve loved sewing off and on since I was a teenager I haven’t made a quilt yet but I’ve started on some blocks hope to finish one shortly it would be awesome to win these singer products.
Wow the book looks great!
The give away perhaps even better!
What a nice giveaway! Can’t wait for the book.
Commenting on this post for my darling wife. Good luck beautiful!
In 1968, I spent days working on a tailored vest made out of cut-up blue jeans, for my husband-to-be. I had an old blue sewing machine bought for $2 at a garage sale, and I sat at my kitchen table and painstakingly nursed the needle through the tough layers of denim. I’ve never made anything nicer! My husband and I are now grandparents, and he still talks about that vest and how much he loved it (hippies, anyone??). I’ve had a succession of used machines, and never found the money for a serger. But I won’t beg.
All the best! Sally
My mom taught me to sew, sort of, when we made my prom dress. It turned out just ok.
I was raised in the country, straddling two worlds – computers on the one hand and farming and rural life on the other. I remember riding my horse through this tiny rural community in northeast Texas, with my dog trotting by my side and my guitar slung across my back. I was 8 years old. It was about this time I was taught to sew, knit and crochet, by my mother and her friends. Aside from the practicality of self-sufficiency and making do, I remember this experience being my first real introduction to design. Color, form, harmony, rhythm. Patterns were presented as guides only – emphasis was squarely on originality, strength of expression and beauty. I will be forever grateful to the women in my family, especially my mother, for giving me this great gift when I was young enough for the experience to be baked into my soul for all my days. Textile arts are a long unbroken line connecting all of us through the ages, as designers, as creators. I am thankful.
My great grandmother, grandmother and mother had singers. I remember watching my great grandmother sew on her machine. My mother has it now and is getting it working again. I have the xl400 and LOVE it! My mother taught me to sew and I still love to sew. I hope I win so I can teach my daughter to sew!
Wow….I am in the Baltimore area and I wish they would bring back crochet today!!! I enjoy your demos…and now I find out you sew too!!! Love the machine and serger and would love to win and gift it to my great-niece who is showing a desire to learn home sewing.
Thanks!!!
Cindy
I need this combo. My mom and I purchased a Singer Serger about ten years ago. When we got the courage to use it, we couldn’t find the manual. We sat for one hour with a generic serger book and learned how to use the machine. We are now ready to move forward only to discover that the hem foot we need for our machine is no longer made. We were sad. We were having so much mother and daughter time as this was new adventure for us both. To imagine my mother starting with a treddle machine to now a computer one, and learning a serger!
I inherited my grandma’s sewing machine; when it quit working I inherited the sewing machine of my sewing memories: my mom’s Viking. Now that it has gone to the happy hunting grounds I have a Pfaff that I wish I got to use much more often than I do right now!
Like an idiot, I forgot to tell my MACHINE story! So here it is: I sewed by hand for most of my childhood. I had learned to use my mom’s machine but she was very very protective so I didn’t get much time on it. however, when my first child was born, I was 21 years old, and received a cheap Brother as a present. At that time (1987) there were still no nice baby clothes – no cotton clothes, nothing beautiful, especially for newborns. It was still all those ugly flame-retardant, yello, pink or blue, made-out-of-synthetics, and I hated all of them. I never bought a single item – I sewed all my son’s clothes on that machine. I used cloth diapers so I sewed diaper covers, all-cotton shirts, pants, jackets. I crocheted caps and booties, everything he wore until he was 2 was hand-made by me.
When my daughter was born in 1990, everything had changed – these boutiques had opened up everywhere with adorable children’s clothes everywhere, but I still couldn’t find fabrics that were anywhere near as cool as what I could buy, but I tried the best I could, copied my favorite designs for my daughter. i had a serger (also a cheap Brother 4-thread), and loved it. It was destroyed during a cross-country move. I told myself I didn’t have time anyway – I had 2 babies under 4 and another on the way, plus I was singing and playing full-tme in a touring rock band. I gave it up for awhile.
Fast-forward to 2003. My kids are in high school, I’m a high school graphic design and computer programmng teacher, and I am bitten again. I discovered an ancient Eisenhower green Kenmore (so heavy! One stitch!) at a pawn shop. I brought it home, turned it on, and fell in love. It purred like a big cat. No plastic-shaky like the $99 Brother, just pure perfect machine. Only one stitch, but boy were they perfect stitches! I started machine quilting, and haven’t stopped since. I had forgotten how much love goes into the things we make with our hands. I’ll never forget again.
In 7 days my daughter will come to visit me in Brooklyn, home from college at the University of New Mexico. My little brother is having his first baby – a girl, in late October. My daughter Stella is a sculptor, in metal and fabric, an artist to the core. She and I will sit together, drink coffee, talk, and sew and knit together new things for a new baby, a quilt, a baby blanket, a cap, some booties, diaper covers, and another generation will be sewn together with the threads of our lives.
truth is no one in my family sews god knows my mom can only sew in a button so my desire didnt come from seeing them do it, im only 20 years old, and i started sewing BY HAND when i was about 10 or 11, im a really crafty girl, so my dream was to get a sewing machine. my adored mother bought me for my birthday over almost 3 years ago my very first sewing machine and i love it, i find sewing very therapeutic and by being an architecture student, i need alot of that.
My mom has an old Singer that I learned to sew on. She taught me a bit and I also have memories of taking a sewing class when I was about nine and making a pillow and some article of clothing out of LIberty and Laura Ashley fabrics. Years later I taught myself to use more of its features and how to read patterns. I recently purchased a Bernina because of an amazing promotion my local dealer offered. I’m hoping that the investment in the machine will finally push me to accomplish my dream of making a lot of my own clothes. I would love to own a serger as well. I think it would help tremendously in achieving my goal.
I learned the basics from my grandmother with her magical machine that folded down into its table. My mother also taught me on her mid-60s Royal – that thing is still going strong at almost 50 years old. I bought a basic Kenmore when I got married 20 years ago and made many things with it. My machine isn’t lasting as well but I want to teach my daughter now. She has a good eye of her own and I want her to be empowered by her own skills.
Began sewing sitting on my moms knee, I steered while she ran the pedal on a Singer 401. Come to find out the machine was created the same year I was born which technically makes it an antique today. I still sew on one. It’s he best machine EVER!
I started sewing on an old school singer that had absolutely no frills. I’ve made bags and skirts just free styling and just finished my first project using a pattern. I love being able to create my own things and would love to have some new instruments to use.
First thing I would utilize would be button holes!
When I was younger, I really wanted to learn how to sew. However, my mom didn’t have enough money to pay for sewing lessons for me. Luckily enough, a customer at the salon she worked at who taught sewing lessons who had heard about us. My mom and this lovely woman worked out a deal: I’d get two lessons a week in exchange for free haircuts and hair dying. I ended up having lessons for 6 years and some of my fondest memories. I’m so thankful that my mom was able to find a way to provide me a way to get my lessons, and I’d love to get a sewing machine. I haven’t sewn in years (since I used Doris’s machine), but I’ve been wanting one for a long time.
Thanks for your fabulous blog!
My mother has always had a sewing machine in the house. I remember I used to love playing with it but would get into trouble. The one I remember she had was a 1970s model Singer. I loved playing with the dials. She’s had three or four since then, but she told me that Singer was the best she has ever had, and she had it nearly thirty years until it finally was done.
First one i ever had was an heavy duty Singer model. It was okay, but now I am looking at upgrading….
After learning to sew by sewing an elf cloak by hand for Halloween, I got my first sewing machine, which is the one I’m still using.
I remember the first time I saw a sewing machine…I was having a nap at granma’s home…and I couldn’t sleep because of a strange noise…I got off the bed and went to that little room my grandma used to spend hours…and there it was….a rare machine that impressed me so much! it is …yes it’s because I have it on my own …(though my mom wanted to throw it…because it’s just an old sewing machine….oh that insensitive people!!) a big singer old machine…it was inside a big table with drawers…with time that horrible noise that didn’t let me sleep…transformed in music for my ears…I was…we’ll I’m in love with that sewing machine…it has a privileged place in my sewing room…next to the window…receiving sun…every single day
My grandma gave me a super old brother sewing cabinet. The kind that flip over into the cabinet to look like a piece of furniture. Every single time she came to my house, I would ask “Grandma, can you fix my tension?” I had no idea how to adjust it. She would always look annoyed with me, tell me to leave the tension alone and then go and fix it for me. After she did that, I could sew on ANYTHING and EVERYTHING. Besides my fear of tension, that machine was incredible. I have been a Brother Lover ever since!
What a fabulous give away!!
I current machine is a Singer 31-15… shes an oldie but a goodie.
I love the tag on the machine that says Patented USA Feb 21, 1899. The guy I purchased the machine from told me he thought it was originally from the 40′s and was used in outerwear factories and probably came out of midtown somewhere. Which just fascinates me to think this machine could have made something my grandparents wore.
The machine is a beast and still runs great, but its really only good for heavy duty fabric and leather, and i would love to have a machine that could sew lighter weight fabrics once and a while, And having reverse would be nice too!
Oh. My. Word. This would be ah-mazing! I don’t have a machine, and always have to borrow or hand stitch when I need to sew, and the crafter in me is dying without a sewing machine!!
Hi Brett,
I am writing this for my wife. She has no idea that I’m writing this. 1. She just absolutely loves your tv programs. She watches every episode. So keep up the excellent job.
I would also like to enter this contest for my wife as well if at all possible. My wife just LOVES to sew every night. And I mean every night. She had an Aunt that had taught her so very much about sewing. Together her Aunt & my wife would make all sorts of things for people in nursing homes. Together they would pick a different nursing home each Christmas and donate all the lap quilts that they had made to the people that were there that had no family left so they would get a gift for Christmas. I can’t begin to tell you the smiles, hugs, and tears of them to receive those lap quilts that her Aunt and my wife had made for them. Then they had heard of an organization that was in need of sewers to help make hats for the cancer patients. Together they had made several 100 hats for those patients. Then there was the time when I brought home a newspaper and she had found an article about a benefit that was being held for a very young lady, that had a 2 year old little girl, that was dieing from breast cancer. My wife read in the paper that they were going to hold a silent auction at the benefit, to try to help with the hospital bills that were mounting on this young girl’s husband. So my wife made the most beautiful quilt to donate to this benefit to put in their silent auction. My wife’s quilt brought them over $300.00. My wife was so happy to be able to help these people. Later we had found out that the young lady had passed away about 3 weeks after that benefit. we also found out that she was buried with the quilt that my wife had made. My wife also has donated hats, mittens, and some bean bags to some of the elementary schools for she was at school picking up one of our kids that was sick and she went to the office to get her and found this little girl crying because her hands were so cold for she had forgot her mittens at home that morning. My wife felt really bad for the child so she decided to make hats and mittens to donate at some schools so if another child forgot their mittens or hats the school could give them a free set to keep. My wife and her Aunt also sews every day of the year, together they have made just 1000′s of items to donate to all different areas where things were needed. As time went on my wife would come up with excellent ideas to make, like the walker bag so people using a walker would be able to carry things in a bag hung on their walkers. And would sew their names on the inside of the bags so nursing homes would know whose bag was whose after they washed them. Then all of a sudden the unthinkable had happened, my wife’s, 86 years old Aunt, had passed away. My wife was just devastated. When it came time to settle her estate I bought my wife what was her Aunt’s sewing machine and her aunt’s surger. With a couple sewing cabinets, which one of the cabinets was originally my wife’s mother’s sewing cabinet that this Aunt had bought from my wife’s mother’s estate when she passed away. Any way my wife has been sewing different things to donate to like nursing homes, for benefits, schools, youth groups, pretty much anything that she can find to donate to. My wife just loves to sew each and every nite. Rite up until first her surger went down. I took it to a couple repair shops and was told the same thing by both places. The cost to fix it would be over the amount it would cost to just get her a new one. So then I started to look for another one for her. And she was getting by ok with just using her sewing machine. Til all of a sudden everything just went out on the sewing machine, no power no nothing, she was trying to finish sewing a prayer quilt that she was making for a terminally ill cancer patient, so every care giver and visitor could sign and write little prayers on it. Which is another one of my wife’s ideas to make and donate. So I packed up the sewing machine and took that in to see about getting it repaired for her and guess what? My wife literally wore that machine out. So now my wife has just tons of fabric and all sort of trims to put onto items, but no machines to help her get them done quicker. In the mean time I have been trying so hard to save up money to surprise my wife with a brand new sewing machine and a brand new surger to replace what she no longer has to use. But with my work changing insurance that don’t cover any of my wife’s prescriptions, and gas prices that went up so high that I am unable to afford the machines that my wife could put to such good use and be helping so very many people. My wife has been trying to hand sew everything to donate to all these different places since both her machines have been gone, for she is so worried that someone will be going without a Christmas gift this year. Or someone will be needing that prayer quilt to hold and wrap up in, to make them feel better. Or the little child that needs a stuffed animal to snuggle with and get that special smile when they see their stuffed animal to snuggle with. The little children that forget there hat and mittens at home when it’s so cold out.. I pray so hard at night to God to please show me the way on how I can save money somewhere to purchase the machines that my wife is so very much in need of. Please say some prayers for us. Thank you for your time reading such a long comment. God Bless You.
Sincerely, Gerald Lauer
Gorgeous Giveaway
Well, I have to start from an early beginning.
A few days before I got my tailors degree and fashion diploma I saw a Bernina 217 standing all alone in the hallway with no company whatsoever.
“Whats up with that machine?” i asked a teacher.
“Oh, well. This one is kinda old. We have better ones” my teacher replied.
“So what are ya gonna do with it?”
“Well, it’s not decided yet. We will put it down in the cellar or throw it away. (Blabbing continues about how bad in shape that machine actually is. It’s still good for sewing though, but not good enough for school.. etc..)
“Is there a possibillity for me to take it with me?” (I hoped more for a yes, than I thought was possible. But, no one died in asking, right?)
“Hm, well sure. Why not. Let me clear it up with the responsible teacher first”
And.. three days later that beauty was MINE!
And the best part was: It was for free! XD
Unfortunately this Bernina 217 was rather slow, weak and had difficulties in starting up. The stitching was bad, too. But heck, I didn’t know where the problem came from, so I started sewing.
With time, it became worse and I decided to get her a new motor.
3 days ago I went downtown (motor-shopping) and got myself a shiny new OcelMoretti. Happy me!
That’s when I found out, that the stitching is somehow influenced by a good or bad (or old and weak) electric motor.
Now, this old, rusty, 50year old thing works like in it’s best time of life and runs like hell!
I really had luck with this one and I wouldn’t give it up for the world.
After all, it was meant for me
Psssst: Check out how I built in my new motor (Blogupdate this weekend!)
~~~~~~~
http://www.pairsofscissors.blogspot.com
http://www.laguepiere.blogspot.com
This is my first visit to your blog (came via Kristin Nicholas), and looks like I’ll be back soon! My very first sewing story is one I still cringe to think of … my mother was teaching me to sew using HER grandmother’s treadle machine. She told me to always wait for her to help since the machine was so heavy and awkward to open, but one day when she went back to answer the telephone as we were on on way in to sew (and I just KNEW she’d be on forever!), I tried to open the machine myself and CRACK! The whole base cracked because I didn’t know to lift the machine at the same time I lifted the lid…. It still sits in my mother’s basement 50 years later. (I guess my mother finally forgave me – she gave me an electric Singer for a wedding gift)
My mother tried to teach me to sew..I accomplished an outfit…but hate to say that was the last item I sewed by machine…I usually go with hand sewing…she was left handed and I am not….Her machine was the type that sat inside a cabinet and had to be lifted out to use…I had my own sewing machine when I was younger, but it did not get much use…I then found one on HSN more for a beginner and I hate to say it, it is not out of the box…I have been getting the itch to try and make something such as something quilted now that I have some squares fro a swap I did and from seeing the 1 hour skirt…I would like to make one for my daughter for work, so it would have to be longer…Thank you for the contest
Perpaps if I had a nice sewing machine, I could sew better??? lol Thank you for this over-the-top opportunity!
My daughter just turned 14 and is showing more and more interest in handmades and sewing. I would love to be able to give her a sewing machine and save the serger for myself, which I have been dying to try!
WoW! What a give-a-way! I love sewing! but have never had as nice a machine as that or serger! My grandmother, who I adored, taught me to love handwork and sewing. She was a meticulous sewer and I catch myself now remembering how she taught me to do certain things just a certain way. She has been gone now 18 years but when I sew, its like she is there with me.
I would love to win! Good luck to everyone
My mother, when I was an adult, bought an old Singer “slant-needle” with a carry handle on top for me. It sat for years in a wooden Haffenreffer Beer box because I was afraid of it. I couldn’t figure out how the up and down top needle and the rotary under needle managed to lock a stitch. The day came when I wanted to make something, a larger, white eyelet hat for my baby girl who had outgrown the newborn size. I carried my machine to a local woman who had worked for Mighty Mac in Gloucester; she helped me to become familiar with the mechanics of my old machine which, basically, sews forwards and backwards, and that’s been good enough for me. I can sew a more or less straight line and turn a right-angle corner. From time to time, I have produced a Halloween costume or a doll outfit, but most of my (reluctant) sewing is by hand. I am a knitter and, like many knitters, I love the knitting and hate the sewing together. Several years ago, someone emailed me a little video showing how the stitches interlock, I understood the process — for about 5 seconds! This giveaway is fantastic. Whoever wins will be a very lucky person — of course, I hope it’s me!
This is fantastic and your book looks wonderful. I’m putting it on my “must get” list! What a wonderful giveaway. Someone will be very lucky!
I started my sewing life when I was around 5 years old. I was the youngest(at the time) of 6, I started darning my own socks. Self taught for the most part, my mom taught me how to tie a knot is as much as she taught me. She had me watch her do it and then I would just copy what she did. My grandmother was a quilter, all hand sewn. (She could not afford a machine.) As I grew I would repair whatever I could and at 14 had my first home-ec sewing class. My teacher was very impressed with what I could, read patterns right away and understood them. I had never seen one before and was suprised myself. That is when the “sewing bug” hit me, I know have been sewing for over 30 years and love it. I have collected lots of older models since, most work, but some are just very interesting and make great decor for my studio. I would love to have a more modern machine set up to use, would make my sewing dreams come true. I love to make clothing, home decor and quilts, also like to make patterns for new things or tweek old ones. Hope this inspires someone to try sewing or maybe get back into it. It is a lost talent to the younger generations. Have a great day everyone.
Thanks for the inspiration! I have never used a sewing machine–I mostly hand-stitch–but “have been dreaming of the day when I’ll give it a whirl”.
I am just learning how to sew and it has been so much fun learning. Currently I am using my mother’s sewing machine or using one from the local fabric shop. I would love one of my own!!!
Hi! Saw this through Singer on facebook and had to check it out. And I will definitely be back! When I was growing up I always wanted to make things. I would see things in stores and think ‘I could make that’. That actually hasn’t changed. I love all things crafty and sewing is one of the top. I started sewing when I was around 12. My mom introduced me to sewing and taught me. The first thing I made was a tote bag. The second was another tote bag out of corderoy fabric, that actually broke the machine. I was still learning and didn’t know that different fabric may need a different needle. My mom and I went on the next machine together and I practiced some more. Mostly I did make tote bags. I bought my own sewing machine a few years ago and I love it. Now I make different style bags, pillows, and experimenting with clothing. I still call my mom when I need help, and i’m so glad she sewed and taught me, because now it’s one of my favorite things to do!
My Mom is an excellent seamstress and sewed all of our clothing when my sisters and I were growing up. After a disastrous home ec class in 7th grade (which I barely passed!!), I figured I definitely did NOT inherit the sewing gene from her. Fast forward over 30 years later and I received my aunt’s sewing machine when she was put into a nursing home… it has jump-started my new love affair with sewing! I can’t believe that after all these years I am trying sewing again, but I love it. I could so use a new machine and a serger.. well, that would just be icing on the cake! Can’t wait to get my hands on your new book…I learned how to insert zippers thanks to your tutorial on Design Sponge and couldn’t believe how easy it was! I am excited to try even more projects from your book.
So cool! I’m headed out to buy your book right now! only three at my closest Chapters!
I forgot the sewing machine story… my grandma taught me to sew and every summer sent me to Kids Can Sew classes. She can’t sew anymore and I also can’t ask her questions about sewing because she doesn’t remember much, but after about a 15 year sewing hiatus… I’m getting back in there! Her love of sewing that she cultivated in me so long ago is coming back!
I am so excited about your book. I have decided to give it to my daughter-in-law for Christmas. Here mother and I gave her a sewing machine for Christmas one year and she has not even gotten it out of the box. (She did ask for it!) I think your book will give her the push she needs to learn how to sew. She will see that it doesn’t have to be complicated. (I’m a quilter and made my son and her a wedding quilt with pieced and appliqued nose gays on it. I’m sure she thinks she has to start out the same way!) I have been sewing for 45 years but she is still competitive. This is a fun event.
I used to sew for hours on my mothers old green machine when I was 13 – 16. I would make my own “clothes” without patterns.. they were very interesting!
My mother loved to sew. Growing up I was not allowed to touch my mother’s sewing machine (or her scissors). To rebel I refused to learn how to sew, concentrating on hand embroidery or crochet instead. Fast forward 30 years…I decide that I want to learn to sew so I could make a quilt. I’d had my mother’s machine (complete with cigarette burns on the cabinet!) in a back room for at least 10 years. For some reason I couldn’t let it go when she died.
I could sew a straight line so I took a quilting class, became one with my machine & the rest is history. I love to sew!
I have my mom’s old sewing machine. I’ve yet to have something come out how I expect and totally blame the machine. It’s capable of putting wrong sides together, stitching together parts that shouldn’t be and making squiggly lines when I want them to be straight. It has a mind of it’s own.
holy cow! amazing give a way! I used to sew with my gram all of the time – she has her sewing machine set up in her back room and we would make clothes for my dolls and then I stopped sewing for what seemed like forever. I have just started again and my gram is right there, showing me the basics and inspiring me. I would love a machine that I could learn some new tricks on to show her!
Thanks, Brett, for another exciting give-away!
I’m a real believer that as women (and a few men I know, too) we need to pass down our needle-work skills to the next generations, whether that be our children, grandchildren, or any favorite young buddy we are lucky to know. If I were to win such a generous gift as these two great machines, I would give them, along with a certificate for many hours of my time, to my daughter who is ready to start her own family. Then, hopefully, she would do the same. We live in such a buy cheap – throw away society, and we need to keep the joy of making beautiful and fun goods alive and well.
Well, my sewing machine story started way back when, with my great grandmothers ancient pedal operated Singer. My grandmother was always a fantastic seamstress, and handed her mothers machine down to my mother when she bought an update. I was always in awe of it since it came in it’s own table. I learned to use it when I was 8 and have been going at it ever since, updating a few times but always going back to the best.
My grandma gave me my sewing machine- not surprising since she taught me all i know about sewing! It’s a Kenmore and I’ve had it for years, it’s not fancy (just basic stitches, no computer tech or embroidery) but I love it, it’s treated me so well from sewing stuffed animals to making clothing and all of the other crazy abuse I’ve put it through. I’d love to be as great of a seamstress as my grandma was one day, but I’m still a novice. I’ve been dying for a serger to finally be able to put the finishing touches on my clothes, and the singer would definitely be an upgrade. I have my fingers crossed!!
I learned to sew on my grandfather’s Singer treadle machine when I was in junior high school. When I finally got the rhythm of the treadle ( after many bunched thread disasters) it was an incredible feeling of joy. My first year in college I bought my own sewing machine with money earned for school expenses (no more extra food at night). I made clothes of crazy colorful fabrics with mill end upholstery material bought at the ‘Rag Shop’. My parents moved during that year, and when I came home I was devastated that they had gotten rid of the treadle machine. To this day I still look to find one that is is working order. I can still see my grandfather hunched over that machine- a cherished memory of sharing and forming a special bond with him.
This giveaway would be perfect for my RV. Being retired my hubby and I love to travel. I miss my sewing. I started sewing when I was around 10. I spent time in the hospital being totally paralyzed and after it began to go away my mom gave me her scraps of fabric so I could sew them by hand. ( good excuse to exercise my fingers) from there I have sewed clothing, doll clothes, home decor and now love quilting! What a wonderful hobby to have. Thank you.
This is such an incredibly contest, I wish I had a cool story to go with it! Truth me told, my mother’s sewing machine was one she bought used at a garage sale 20 years ago, and when I pulled it out to give it a whirl, I found that it was broken past saving (or rather, it would’ve cost more to fix than to buy a new machine.) So, since I was a late bloomer and decided that I wanted to learn to sew just as I was getting ready to graduate from law school, I took a job waiting tables and all my tip money went into my “Sewing Machine Fund.” It took me five months (what can I say-cheap tippers + expensive textbooks = loooooong waits) but I finally saved enough and got my machine just in time to make my Halloween costume on it. And, miraculously, I managed to do it without sewing through one of my own fingers. But I love my machine and it makes all those night busing tables and serving drinks absolutely worth it.
My husband is the one who knows how to sew. He doesn’t do it often, but he knows how. So, we had this sewing machine sitting in our closet for 3 years, gathering dust and I decided I was going to teach myself how to use it. So, I dug it out, read the manual and went to the local fabric store to get some practice fabric. I practiced stitches…just rows and rows of stitches. I even bought a kids Sew and Stuff pillow kit because I figured that if a 5-year-old could do it, I could. Well…I can…except that darn circle pillow. Can’t for the life of me keep stitching in a circle…YET! But I’m gonna get it one of these days. So, right now it’s doll pillows and throw pillows and I just took a class where I learned how to make a bag. Bit by bit, I’m getting more confident and really enjoying it! I found you from Vickie Howell’s blog and your book Sewing in a Straight Line sounds right up my alley! Looking forward to getting it!
I would love to use this with my 10 yo daughter. I have wanted to learn to sew with her. She has taken sewing camps and made some really cute things, however I would love to do projects together. This sewing machine is just what we need!
My mother gave me my first machine at age twelve – which is somewhat ironic as she still can’t sew on a button.
At one point in it’s long life, I needed to keep a pair of vice grips attached to the front to adjust something, it’s been so long i no longer recall what exactly!
I currently have a very basic singer and a functional treadle machine; both are very adequate for my historic sewing needs, but as I am beginning to explore mixed media projects, machines with a few more “bells and whistles” would be fantastic.
My grandma bought me my first along with the all the accessories, notions, etc. It’s time for an upgrade though! What a fantastic giveaway.
I learned on an ancient black Singer that barely ran, then when I was about 12 or 13 I got a new little dinky machine, which worked so well! Away to college I left the machine, and now my mom uses it for making her quilts. A friend brought his machine over to “learn” to sew but we never got around to it. He left it there for a year or two, and after that I figured I had inherited it. Then the handle snapped off, it has lots of troubles and I would really love a new machine. And a serger! I could (and would) make anything!!
My dear friend Kristin Nicholas mentioned your new book on her blog, so here I am! Congratulations on your accomplishments!
My first sewing machine was my grandpa’s Singer Spartan. When Grandpa’s vision became too poor to sew, he gave me the Spartan as I headed off for college in 1982 (I had been sewing since 1970, using my mom’s old Kenmore). I used that Spartan for the next 24 years, for EVERYTHING. It only goes forward and backward. But I made the most amazing projects with it, mainly garments, including my wedding dress. In 2006, when I learned I was pregnant (rather late in life!), I decided to purchase a new Singer so I could sew baby things. I bought a base model Singer, which I use to this day. Having zig-zag stitch and the ability to make buttonholes is such a luxury. I’ve saved the Spartan for my little daughter as her first machine, which she will begin to learn on in a couple years.
Even so, I dream of a serger, and maybe a fancier Singer. I can’t afford to buy such things for myself, but maybe fortune will smile upon me in this giveaway. Thank you for the opportunity!
My nan taught me to sew when I was little on an old sewing machine that you had to crank. When I learnt it at school I was surprised that we had fancy electric ones with foot peddles! The first thing I made was a book bag then, for my project, I made a Mickey Mouse pillow which still sits on my bed. When a friend said I could have her old sewing machine because she didn’t use it, I was over the moon. I’ve been making home-made gifts, soft toys and I’m working my way up to clothes right now.
I am a California based designer with a small brand. I actually have no need for these, but I do have a sweetheart of a friend and designer, who DESPERATELY needs them. She’s 21 and starting her own line, and she’s just too darn broke to get a serger. So here I am thinking I will enter for her. Lets see if my good karma pays off
ok so I attempterd to enter the contest cause I love to quilt, sew and craft, but I don’t know if it took my entry cause there is nothing there to push to enter or anything else.
My mother hemmed and took in seams on my clothes on a Singer sewing machine when I was growing up. I had a lot of crazy sweatshirts with sewed on appliques. After she bought a new sewing machine, I asked her for the old Singer and have it in my apartment now in Brooklyn. I haven’t done much with it yet but I hope to learn how to sew on it. I love having it here! It has so much history.
Hi, I’m so excited about the giveaway! I began sewing by sitting on my foster mothers lap at her singer treadle sewing machine and making doll clothes. It was so neat being able to make clothes…then and now. Thanks for your blog and this opportunity to win both machines. Jeanne
I will never forget the sewing machine my mom had when I was a child. We would be watching TV and when she would sew the TV would get all staticky with lines on the screen, and the machine was so noisy. I also learned how to sew on that machine. It was a pearl green Singer. Mom wore it out.
I learned to sew in a home-ec class in high school (back in the 80′s) and loved it. I didn’t sew again until about 15 years later when I decided to re-teach myself again. I’ve been hooked ever since. I especially enjoy making gifts for others. Congrats on the new book… It’s already on my wish list.
I bought an old Viking Husqvarna when I was in college (for $250!) and used it off and on to make pillows (some giant pillows!) and help friends with halloween costumes. 10 years later it’s still going!
I now use that Husqvarna to sew my canvas tool rolls, and with my studio away from home, I miss having a sewing machine around. I want to sew curtains, and those round bowls you show, and quilts and have good lucky fun times at home!
“Way back then” the girls all took home ec. and the boys took wood shop. This was in Jr. High School. After successfully finishing a few projects at school, my mom put a Singer tablmodel (in cabinet) on lay-a-way for me and paid on it every month until it came home to me. I used it many years, sewing off and on until my girls were born. Then I sewed for them. I finally gave the old Singer to my mother-in-law for lots of “straight-line sewing”.
Winning this Singer Sewing Machine & Serger would be wonderful. My Grandma gave me my 1st Singer when I was in the 9th grade, which was 44 years ago. My Grandma taught me the basics, and I was off to learn more in Home Economics. I can remember completing a dress with sleeves, & an aline skirt with lining. The class was graded on the inside of the garments, as well as the outside. I later sewed for my own daughters. Matching outfits when they were small, to dresses for the Prom. And don’t forget the Barbie clothes… When Grandma passed, I was given her old Singer from the early 1900′s, with cabinet, notions, & treadle. I’ve never used it, but always think of her.<3
Maybe it's time for a new updated model, with a few more features. I still use the Blue Model # 348 , but would love another Singer.<3
Thank-you,
Karen
My first machine was my mother’s hand me down to me. It was an old “portable”. It was black with gold trim made out of steel. It had a wooden base and case. I loved it. I did get razzel dazeled by a new singer in the 70′s and traded it in for zig zag stitching and plastic. I have regretted the decision to this day. I should have kept both. I miss my mother’s indestructible and always reliable machine. I also miss my mom.
Wow! These certainly look like amazing crafty machines. My sewing story: Early days it was just me and mom. Things were tight as you can imagine, but when you’re young you don’t get it. Well, mom is crafty in her own way and often made her own clothes and things for the house. She ran off to live in NYC in her younger years and often had to upcycle garments to give them a twist. Years later it was me and mom and sewing! I’ll never forget looking forward to walking up to Levine’s fabric store and picking out a pattern and material. Once we got home we spread it all out on the floor and got to cutting. That evening we’d have a new addition to our wardrobe or home furnishings. I still have my calico cat pillow we made from a pile of scraps. Making has always been a part of my life. I went on to train for jewelry and metalsmithing, got into computers and then a career in product design. Now I yearn for the simple pleasure of going to the fabric store and making something wonderful. Thanks Mom!
Whoa, I am too excited even if I’m not the winner. This is a crafter’s dream!! I have an old Singer that keeps promising to die on me,so I have to beg each new project, “please Mr. Singer, let me do this one project and I will give you a break. I guess my breaks are not good enough because he will not allow be to do projects that include a lot of stitching. Oh oh oh and the Serger what I wouldn’t do for that. Of course if I won I would keep Mr. Singer as a backup and mentor to the new babies!!! August 12, 2011 can’t get here soon enough! Thanks for the opportunity!!!!
I haven’t had my sewing story yet- I’m a newbie with a borrowed machine! I would love to win this!
I will definately be picking up your book! I think I’ve tried every project you’ve put up on Design*Sponge and am looking forward to more. Thank-you!
I have an old Kenmore that I borrowed from my mum a few years ago. It is terrible. I have to be super cautious when I’m sewing to get the tension right or else it is all wonky and terrible. Then I decided to sew my own wedding dress. That went all right until it came to the zipper. The old zipper foot broke in two halfway through the one side and I cried. Thankfully there is a nice old Russian lady tailor who helped me out, but I think it might be time to upgrade the old machine. I will miss it.
My mother taught me to sew by hand, and took advantage of my tiny child sized stitches that her arthritic hands could not make. What I wasn’t allowed to do, however, was touch her space-age computerized metal parts Husqvarna machine. I was eventually given, much to my delight, a simple Singer machine of my own. I dream of updating it, though, and especially with a serger!!!
Congrats on the new book! It looks like some fun projects inside!
My story: I remember way back in the day (had to have been four years old), my mom brought out this big carrying case from the basement. I almost couldn’t believe my mom was carrying it! Anyway, she opened the top and lo-and-behold it was this huge metal sewing machine attached to the base of the case. Mom said “I want to show you something.” She brought out a couple silk scarves and showed me for the first time how to use the bobbin, how to stitch and even how to push the pedal! That was an exciting moment for me.
My Grandma owned a High sped universal PFAFF 130 sewing machine, she passed it on to her daughter (my aunt) who then passed it on to me. I love how antique the thing is and have it on display for now untill I get it fixed. I think it is beautiful and has so much charm. I love the story and meaning behind it as well and am glad my family has kept it all these years
Great giveaway, I found this great blog through Craftzine!
My story is just that of course I learned to sew with all the help from my mom. Both her and my Grandma are and were avid sewers and crafters. Which definitely runs in the family. When my grandma passed away 3 years ago I claimed her vintage sewing machine. Its a big clunky thing attached to a table, so its not the most practical thing for my apartment living, But every time I use it I think of my grandma and would never ever part with it. So I could definitely use a newer more portable sewing machine so I can get back to some regular sewing events.
I have a mid-80′s Necci that had been my grandmother’s. Other than sporadic but persistent tension issues, it seems to be a good basic machine, but it is also the “newest” machine I’ve ever used. I’d love to try out the new technology.
My mum trained as a seamstress, but never worked in the industry and never taught me how to sew. Ironically, it was my boyfriend who bought me my first sewing machine (a simple beginner one) and taught me the basics he knew from sewing kites as a kid. So far, my fabric stash is far more impressive than my sewing skills, but hopefully that will change one day.
I would love to get a copy of your new book! It looks wonderful. Best of luck on the promotional tour.
I started with hand sewing, until my husband bought me a 25 years old Pfuff sewing machine. A good friend tought me the basics, and it’s a love story since (-:
When I was sixteen, I asked my mom to buy me a sewing machine for Christmas because I was going to make my own clothes. My mother doubted I was ever going to make my own clothes but she bought me a sewing machine anyway. It was a basic, sturdy Brother machine that did zig zags and button holes. Mom was right. I never did sew my own clothes. But I DID sew quilts and pillows and duvets and tote bags and curtains, kid clothes, etc. I love sewing. She often commented that while she knew I wouldn’t make my own clothes, she wished she’d have known I was going to do so much “other” sewing because she would have gotten me a better machine. That machine is thirty years old now and still running like a charm. AND It’s finally getting its own room! Yay! The man who services it for me tells me how much he loves to work on it because it’s all metal … no plastic. I will never part with it but I would love a serger and a machine that does fancy stitching.
I was given my husband’s mother’s Sears portable sewing machine from probably the 1950′s or 60′s. I never knew my mother-in-law as she had passed before I met my husband. I was a non-sewer then but kept it through several moves ( it weighed a ton!) and eventually became a self taught basic sewer, through the help of books and the internet. Although I don’t use this old machine, it has represented inspiration for me helps me know a little about the woman that raised my husband.
Here’s my sewing story…. I took a few sewing classes with a friend of mine and made the cutest little twirl skirts and pillowcase dresses for my adorable daughter. I never thought that I would be capable of doing that! After that, I professed to myself that I would from that moment forward sew anything that I could, lunch boxes, socks, holes in my husbands shorts, drapes, etc… (I mean I am a crafty mama and an artist, it really keeps in line with my “image” that I should be sewing things!) So please pick me so that I keep up what I started! I want to sew everything! : )
Congrats Brett on your new book! Like Kristin, I also learned to sew in a home ec class in middle school. My grandmother was a sewer and had an old Singer in her apartment. Every time I visited, I would spend time playing with the metal foot pedal and pretending to sew a fabulous gown. In the past 2 years, I begun again to fall in love with sewing. How cool would it be to win this set to get me started! I’m also exploring sewing by hand because it feels so soothing to pass a needle and thread through fabric, over and over again. Thanks!
I started sewing when I was about 11 years old. I joined a sewing group which was hosted by a lovely elderly lady who wanted to teach the art of sewing to young children. We paided a one time fee of $3 to join, and gathered weekly at her home. It lasted through the summer. The amazing thing was, her sewing machine was an old treble sewing machine. It took a lot of cordination, but with her skills and patience, she had me sewing in no time at all. I remember that our first project was a simple long patchwork Maxi dress made from her scrap material. At the end of the summer we had a party with drinks and homemade cookies, and our mothers were invited as well. We all wore our quilted Maxi dresses. Our projects were judged, and I won first prize (being the all the money she collected from each girl at the start of the summer). I made a lot of friends that summer, and had a lot of fun. She changed my life by inspiring me to sewing, and I have been sewing every since. I also like to embroider, and have just started in machine embroidery. I am amazed at all the wonderful things you can make with these machines. I would love to win this embroidery machine and serger, it would open so many doors for me, and expand my love of sewing and embroidering.
I just realized that this is not an embroidery machine, my mistake, but even better, my old machine is not working, and I would enjoy owning a new sewing machine.
My mother had a sewing machine she got as a gift when she married my dad. When they moved, she asked me if I would be interested in keeping the machine. A senior in college, I had absolutely no doubt in my mind that I would never use it. However after college, living a life as a graduate student (i.e. having very little money to spend) I have started to make everything I can for my living space, and in fact have been enjoying the products of my labor very very much. But every time I hand sew (after which I consequently make mistakes… like fixing the quilt whilst on my bed and unknowingly sewing the quilt to the mattress!!) I call my mother and ask her if she “really” gave her sewing machine away (hoping in my head that she hadn’t and that she had been lying to me all these years..haha). But of course she has. And I keep dreaming of a sewing machine.
Mom was a seamstress in PR and made all our clothes growing up. Now as we ( there are 4 daughters in 1 DIL) she’s passing down the knowledge. Oh and add the 9 granddaughters. Her circa 1960′s singer is diehorse!! Machines all over but the singer sits beautifully in it’s cabinet. That would be a great combo for her to assist the children in learning. Great machines. Thanks.
My Mom’s sisters taught me to sew on their mother’s Singer treadle machine. Talk about a lesson in coordination! We sewed every summer and on holiday weekends. My parents gave me a Singer portable (in the pink wooden box) as a high school graduation gift. I sewed ‘for out’ all during college to pay for tuition and books. I continued to sew for all my friends and family, including my daughters. I was able to be a stay at home Mom and made prom dresses, bridal gowns and Mardi Gras costumes. During this time I acquired a brand new Singer machine as well as my mother in law’s old Singer and used both along with my original machine to keep sewing. I eventually purchased a total of three different Singer sergers which are still in use – two for me and one that was donated to a mission. My newest Singer purchase was a Quantum XL 1000 that I adore. All machines have served me well with little or no down time.
My ‘funny’: I made quite original prom dresses for daugher number 2 all during high school. She went off to college with me continuing to make special occasion dresses for her. Unfortunately, when she called for a dress for a military ball two weeks hence, I was very involved in a volunteer organization with 2 out of town meetings back to back. Daughter Jennifer was quite hysterical and even called her Dad to try to induce me to stay home and make her dress. She eventually made a special day trip home, we shopped for and found a suitable dress that I ‘altered’ – all within 24 hours – just so she wouldn’t look like everyone else. Spoiled? Yes. Appreciative of Mom’s abilities? Most definitely.
Oh, yes, the original Singer portable? Still being used here by nieces who are learning to sew the basic straight stitches, along with a few zig zags now and then.
Singer is the best!
My story is all to typical. Mom was a great seamstress, as a child and young adult I had zero interest in learning and now, here i am as a mature adult trying to figure it out on my own. Books like yours have turned into my go to source now that my family resources are no longer around, to laugh and share.
My Mom was a talented seamstress. She taught all of her four daughters to sew. As she would get a new sewing machine, she would hand down her old ones to each of her daughters. Of course, as luck would have it I got the machine with the most miles on it….and I happen to be the daughter who sews the most! My Mom would still be proud that I share her love of sewing. I can only imagine what I could do with some amazing new tools!
I come from a family of women who love to sew. I just inherited my grandmother’s “Martha” green Singer in a cabinet. It still sews the perfect straight line! Congratulations on your new book!
I’ve fallen in love with your blog! I came via Jenn Jarvis’ website, and am so glad I found you!
My sewing story started with a Mom-Who-Sewed. Growing up she made our Halloween costumes, doll clothes, curtains, chair cushion covers~pretty much everything and anything. Her Mom and Mother-in-Law were both sew-ers too, so she came by it naturally. She had a Singer back then, and I grew up believing it was the only kind of machine to have. Fast forward to me moving away from home (and to another state) and getting married~I got a sewing machine from a co-worker and promptly jammed it up. On one of her visits to see me my Mom brought me her Necchi machine, and showed me how to make a basic square quilt . After she passed away, I inherited her Elna Quilters Dream, as well as all of her fabric, books, tools, etc. I made a Pinwheel block quilt for a dear friend’s grandbabies with Elna, that my Mom taught me how to do during the last month of her life. I feel her presence with me every day, but never more strongly than when I am sewing.
She always wanted a serger but said she couldn’t afford it. Now, of course, I think I need one too, and thank you for the chance to win one.
My Mom taught me to sew. My best memory is learning to use her Singer sewing machine by reattaching the elastic to my underpants! Mom taught me to sew by hand and by machine. Her machine became my friend enabling me to make my first formal gown as a senior in high school. Although my youngest sister was the lucky recipient of that grand old machine, I have continued to sew. While I continue to make garments for myself, I am more inclined to sew bags, quilts, pillows and other handy and decorative items. I learned about your website and your contests through Kritin Nicholas’ blog. Loved your video on how to make a jello mold!
I just finished grad school and moved to the opposite side of the country for a job. With me came my mothers old singer that I know is at least 20 years old, possibly more. When I was little, my mother was quite the crafter, but arthritis in her hands combined with longer working hours left the sewing machine tucked away for years. I went away for college and started hand sewing costumes and bits of outfits. Then I lived with a working fiber artist for a year, who taught me about drafting my own patterns and tricks to use her sewing machine. My grad school of choice ended up being close to home, so I moved back in with the parents, got the sewing machine a tune-up and have been sewing as much as I can since then.
I learned to sew on my mother’s Kenmore sewing machine. It would race off when I pressed the foot control and then slow down. It was hard to have consistent stitches with the fast/slow rhythm, but I managed. My mom was a great teacher and I have enjoyed sewing for many years! Congratulations on your new book!
My grandma was a professional seamstress and I grew up watching her sew. My mom made a lot of mine and my siblings clothes when we were little. But, I didn’t get the sewing clothes gene. I made a few things when my girls were little, but didn’t really enjoy it. A few years ago I saw a TV show with Marie Osmond and she was showing how to make a rag quilt. I learned how to make them and have gone on to making rag quilt totes and purses and selling them online. I’ve had a sewing/embroidery machine for many years, but don’t really use the embroidery part. Too busy sewing purses!
Oh, and I have a Singer heavy duty machine that I use when I’m making things with denim or other heavy fabrics. Now, I try to sew everyday. To me, a day without sewing is not a good day. My mom and grandma passed away before I started to really get into sewing, so I hope they are smiling up in heaven knowing that I love to sew!
Hi
I really want to make a quilt out of my old clothes that I dont use, than i can practice sewing and I will make a quilt of memories using my old clothes.
My mom and I cant find the pedal to our sewing machine so the project has been on hold for more than a year now, would be great to pick up the tread again and finish it
I grew up in a family of sewers, knitters, crocheters, etc., but I wasn’t interested in it. Now that I’m older, I love doing all the crafty stuff I watched my mom and grandmothers and great-grandmother do when I was little! I have an inexpensive yet good sewing machine but would love to upgrade.
Wow! I’ve love to win these. I always wished to have a sewing machine, but then I knew I would need a serger too to really be able to sew real clothes. My first sewing machine memory is from China, where my mom had an ancient sewing machine, I don’t even know the brand, but it’s literally like a sold piece of iron. It had intricate gold patterns on the black lacquer body, and belts and loops that ran the needle up and down. You operate the machine by stepping on the peddle underneath, you can also turn the wheel manually to stitch really slowly.
Hope I win!!! yay!
I have been wanting to learn to sew for many years. So when I found an old Montgomery Ward sewing machine at, of all places, my local architectural salvage store I scooped it up right away. That was well over a year ago and I just got home from my very first sewing class! It turns out that there is only one person offering lessons in the whole city of New Orleans (one of the many lingering effects of Katrina). She was great and went through the basics of using a machine and looked over mine with me. We discovered that there are missing parts and it needs a really good cleaning before it will work again. So now I need to decide if I should invest in repairs or get a new one. This prize would solve my dilemma:)
Also I could get around to using the loads of vintage fabric I came across last week for literally pennies a yard!
I guess I come from a sewing family. My first memory or sewing was sitting at the antique peddle sewing machine of my great-grandmother’s, “sewing” holes into paper plates to make designs. At the time, my mother made most of my clothes, which were really quite amazing – dresses with hand embroidered embellishments and smocked jumpers. I am embarrassed to say that I was ashamed to be the poor kid with the homemade clothes. What an idiot I was! I learned to sew after my older sister – who sewed my entire wedding party’s dresses, including mine. Alas, I never achieved the skill either mom or sister attained and now my nieces now sew and are starting a little side business sewing men’s neck ties. I am trying to keep up! My favorite memory of a sewing machine was when our cat discovered the tread drawer of my mom’s console machine and decorated our entire living room with threads of all types, sewing thread, embroidery thread, tatting thread, etc . . . The sewing machine looked like a cocoon and the room was so entangled in thread that it took my mom 4 hours to cut through the thread. Needless to say, she battened down the thread drawer after that.
My mom was an avid sewer and quilter growing up, but we were not allowed to touch her beloved Bernina. So the summer after 6th grade my sister and I got a paper route for the purpose of buying a machine. It was a basic sport model, straight and zig-zag only. 20-some years later, i still have that Sport, and the beloved Bernina, since my sister long ago lost interest in sewing. Along with a huge pile of mom’s UFOs. But I don’t have a machine made any more recently than the late-80s.
My sewing machine story: my machine is an old Bernina from my great-aunt. It is a beautiful machine (I also was lucky to inherit numerous accessories, feet, etc.), but currently will only sew a straight stitch. No buttonholes, no zigzagging (I do not have a serger, so extra bummed about that), no applique….you know. And I am petrified to take it to a repair shop because I’m afraid it may cost a LOT to repair.
I am new to your site and have just spent way too much time reading about your new book, which I am going to try to get my hands on asap. Sewing in straight lines! I can do that!
I have used a Singer Sewing Machine for more than 50 years, creating things for my 4 girls and home and Motr Home we had, Would love to try a new machine and teach my 10 year old adopted granddaughter to use a machine in better working order than my older one, works well for me, but I lnow its habits. Thanks for your interest in your clients,
I’ve been looking all around etsy and more and more designers are coming up with great ideas with the sewing machine. I’ve always wanted one, but could never afford one. Even on craigslist, they’re $50 and above. My dream is to create my own cute clothes and share them with my friends. It would be great if i could win a sewing machine!
Brett – I’ve been watching you on older episodes of Knit and Crochet Today. Great show! Ohmygosh….sewing maching drama. I learned on my mother’s 70′s Singer, and have bought a couple vintage machines at garage sales because I wanted that heavy metal kind of machine for my own. Alas, none of them sewed well by the time I got them. Finally I bought myself brand new Singer machine for Christmas. It’s the lower end of the price scale at $150, but it’s an amazing machine. I sew almost every day now and I am teaching my 8-year-old daughter to love sewing as well.
Hi Brett! Congratulations on your new book. I learned to sew a long time ago in Manila, back when the nuns at my school regarded a girl’s education as incomplete if she didn’t learn how to cook, embroider, do needlepoint, do tatting (lace), learn how to create a paper pattern for a dress from your measurements, transfer it onto fabric, cut it up, sew it up, and then model it for her classmates! Inspite of all this, we had time for academics (it was a very tough school). So my mom bought a plain black Singer machine operated with a foot treadle. I made a plain yellow cotton/linen sheath dress and yes…modeled it for the class. We still have the machine, and actually that sheath is back in style! Maybe your book will inspire others to start sewing. All the best,
jo
the story of the moment for me and sewing machines is that I just can’t STAND to get rid of the Viking that is sitting in my closet… it doesn’t work! Neither does the Pfaff… So at the moment.. I’m not sewing anything. But I sure do want to! Oh and my mom just gave me her ancient serger… we’ll see if that will do anything for me, but I seem to remember that it doesn’t do much…. even if I CAN figure out how to get it threaded! Thanks folks!
I learned how to sew on my mom’s beast of a Singer that’s just about as old as I am. I used to sew random things when I was younger and now having an actual sewing room in my house has been wonderful for my costume making. I still use the Singer as the main, as my mom’s Husqui (as I like to call it for short) is a bit more confusing and also a whole lot more expensive to break. Even if it is a long arm which is awesome. Oh well.
No matter what, I <3 the old Singer and hopefully will get to take that when I move out. Even if the thread tension is getting screwy.
My grandmother had a Singer that was pedal driven. You had to pump your feet and watch your fingers at the same time. My new one is a table-top model without a dedicated table (as yet). But, it quilts, and dolls, and mends, and patches just fine thank you very much. But, I really wish I had Grandmama’s, I could use the workout.
I’ve just gotten the sewing bug and have been taking classes at a local sew shop. I’m hooked! I would love to be able to sew projects at home. Fingers crossed
Hi Brett!
I’m a college student living in Tallahassee Florida. I’ve been sewing, designing, and up-cycling for quite a while now and I’m very pleased to say that I’m a design major here at Florida State University. Essentially, what you do is exactly what I dream to do. I’m constantly sewing, crafting, decorating, and creating, all that I really need is a foot in the door. In the next few months I plan on opening up my own little business doing cheap alterations for college students and a serge machine would be such a great help! Congratulations on your book as well as your general popularity!! I’m very excited for you.
I hope one day I’ll get the chance to work with you!
my mother is a great sewer. she made all my dresses when i was a kid! and even when i couldn’t sew i always had an idea and my mother made it for me… well she still does. she even made my wedding dress, like we always do, i told her how i wanted it and she made it happen. sadly we don;t live close anymore so i decided to learn. So i bought me a sewing machine as soon as i moved away 3 years ago with the hope i can start sewing and it will all be easy (just like it was for my mom) but i was not able to even open the box! i had to move during these 3 years and never had the chance to start, till 2 months ago when all was perfect to start and i did. I got everything ready and opened my magic sewing machine and made me some shorts!! I had so much fun making them and was so proud of me and my shorts!!!! so i was exited to make the second thing…. but then bad luck stroke… my machine got broken and it even got the light build to explode… so i guess the only way to get me back on my good path of making all my ideas come to life is to win this one!!!!
I have been searching for my first machine as i now live 5 hours from my very crafty mother and grandmother who have always encouraged my interest in this area. This machine looks amazing and would allow me to stop relying on expensive clothes alterations as I always need to have things taken up! It would also allow me to get back into making my own clothes and lovely home bits which I loved doing when I was young. A whole new creative outlet would be open to me with this amazing prize, so I hope you will consider me!! Thanks for the chance!
I *almost* don’t want to enter this… because I am in LURVE with my trusty machine… It’s a hammertone green Husqvana from the 1960s, when my mum first bought it as a newly wed. Yes, it’s a bit of a clunker. Yes, it’s a bit rusty. No it doesn’t have any patterns except straight stitch and zig zag. But I so love that machine, I *almost* don’t want to part with it… Oh wait, I can still keep it can’t I? In fact, it could go on permanent display in my front room! Ok, I REALLY want to win this!! Please?
I’d love to win these machines. I love sewing and crafting. I’ve never had a serger and this combo looks terrific.
Hi! When I was still a student I was dying to learn how to sew and make my own clothes and accessories, so I looked in the market and I bought with my own money the cheapest machine to do my own things. Now, I know how to sew but I need a better one to make some clothes and toys for my newborn son! And having a serger? It would be wonderful!
My memory of sewing machines is my Mom sitting at her cast iron Singer. That was her love. She loved to sew for us girls (she had 4). It probably started with neccesity but she really learned to love it. She sewed all of my sisters wedding dresses. The only bad part of it was none of us really learned from her. She was SOOOO good at it that it was just easier for her to do it!! We are all kicking ourselves now that Mom is gone that we didn’t learn better from her!!!
I got my first sewing machine when I graduated from college. It was a tiny blue Sears machine that my mom got me as a gift. I thought it was the best sewing machine ever… but this year she replaced it with an old dingy Singer machine that was a leftover from the closing of a high school program. Little did I know what an upgrade it was! I can finally sew a straight line– i seriously thought it was just me…
I’m not sure I should enter this, as I don’t live in the US and I imagine the giveaway is limited to US residents. However!
My parents lived in the US and Canada in the 1960s-early 1970s, and one of the few things my mother brought back with her to India was her Singer 623 sewing machine. It was made in the US in those days (1969) and cost $269 I think. We still have the original invoice
My mom made many of our clothes (my sister’s and mine) on it. This was in the days that not too many nice clothes were available off the shelf, especially not western clothes. Nowadays the story is different.
I never learnt to use it myself all that well, and my mom hadn’t been using it that much, but when I said I wanted to learn to use it, she gave it to me and I took it with me across country. To tell the truth, it slightly intimidated me but I enrolled for classes and would come home every day to try my luck with basic stitches and fancy embroidery. But some part had broken and I never mastered it.
I had a baby in November 1999 and was quite determined that her quilts and first coverups should be stitched on that machine. Unfortunately, since some part was broken, we had to wait for a replacement to be brought from the US by a visiting cousin. I was in tears at the thought that I had been responsible for the breakdown and that my baby would be without grandma-stitched clothes. So we made the decision that we would have to get another machine. So we did, and my mother spent every day in the few weeks before the baby came making stuff. The Singer is still at home, shrink wrapped from one of the flights across country and my mother refuses to part with it. I have my own machine now and can often sew in a straight line. My favourite guinea pig, naturally, is my daughter, as now she is too small to refuse to wear what I make. And when I come out my yarn-induced trance to admit our climate is hot, I switch to cutting out and sewing clothes for her. So much faster than those hooks and needles!
I just found your blog. I will have to go look around. WOW what an amazing giveaway!!
ha ha I got excited. My first machine was a $60 walmart special. It used to run away any time I touched the foot pedal. I’m surprised I stuck with sewing.
My first sewing machine was a Singer one touch that I took from my big sister(yes, took). She had saved up her baby-sitting money to buy it, but I somehow felt that it really belonged to me. She’s bought other machines since then and has never let me near them.
My grandmother was a master needlecrafter and taught me some sewing on the machine. Growing up, I also watched my mom make great clothing, curtains, seat covers, etc. on her machine. I actually have my own lovely machine (a BabyLock Quilter’s Choice since I mostly do quilting). But my mom’s machine was recently destroyed when she had an oil leak in her house. If I won this, I would give it to her so she can again have access to a great sewing machine. Thanks for the giveaway.
I learned to sew as a little girl on my grandmother’s old foot pedal powered machine–making doll dresses and matching clothes for myself. Then I grew up, got busy, and didn’t sew a stitch for 15 years. Recently, I bought a beginner brother and have been having a great time getting reacquainted with sewing. I’m loving it!
I remember my mother’s machine…it was in a cabinet…and it would pop up when she opened it. It was black, cast iron and you had to push a wheel on the side to get it going. The ‘pedal’ was attached to the side of the cabinet and you used your knee to keep it moving. I wish she had kept that machine. =( Thanks for a chance to win!
Thank you for the chance to win such a great prize. I just love sewing and have always kept my old machine. I hope to pass them onto my children. I try and sew something every day.
Happy days.
Bev.xox
Wow, that is awesome. Thanks for the giveaway! My mom (and grandma, and a lot more aunts and uncles) used to work in a sewing factory and she owned one of those machines later on, but then she sold it because we moved to another house and there wasn’t enough room for it. She got a smaller one, but always complained that it was a lot slower and less useful than the factory type one. A few years ago, she got another one from my uncle, so she sews a lot more now. The smaller one got passed on to me, and I use it occasionally, when the mood strikes.
I love to sew costumes! I love Halloween and I also love steampunk and go to ren fairs. All of these need costumes and I love to make my own. I used to use my parents sewing machine to make these but now I have moved out of the area and no longer have a sewing machine to use. I would love to have a sewing machine again so that I can work on creating wonderful costumes again! Thank you for having this giveaway!
My Grandma used to have a little pink sewing box that she kept for me at her house. She started me off on hand stitching. Unfortunately, that’s about as far as I got, as she passed away before she could teach me anything on the sewing machine.
So as an adult, I splurged on a Singer and have tried to teach myself, but I’ve only gotten so far as making things like baby blankets, baby wipes, and nursing pads. I desperately want to learn how to use patterns and make other things. I’m dreaming of making some cute little dresses for my girls and some skirts for myself!
Sure hoping I win!
I always remember going to my aunt Mary’s house and spending time in her sewing room, wishing I could sew. I finally learned to sew last year, the same year Mary died. Knowing my love of her and sewing, she passed down her machine to me when she passed. I have a modern machine of my own, but I treasure the old Singer she’s given me. I’m still too scared to use it, so I just use it as a showpiece, always reminding me of her.
Ooh, wow! My starter sewing machine seems to have developed a life of its own – one of its favourite hobbies seems to be dropping stitches in the most awkward places – would help if i had an instruction book – so to win one of these would be amazing! Anyway. My sewing story: My granny taught me to sew on her old singer sewing machine. It was huge and heavy especially when dropped on your fingers, and you had to spin the wheel on the side to get it going. Anyway, she would do the stitching while I controlled the foot pedal (she has arthritis in her ankle, and my hand-eye coordination isn’t so great, so it worked well). We made large numbers of lavender bags, stockings for Christmas and even attempted curtains once (we got there in the end!). The singer finally broke a few years ago, and it would be great to win some shiny new machines for us to start some new projects on together. Thanks for a great prize draw!
I bought my first and very basic sewing machine about 7 or 8 years ago after taking my first sewing class. It was the cheapest model available with the least functions. I still don’t know how to use many of the functions. I have so much to learn. When I first started sewing I was a perfectionist, which is my nature. My instructor kept telling me to relax, that my cutting edge didn’t have to be perfectly straight nor did my sewing lines. It wasn’t that critical. I’d spend more time picking out miles of stitches just to restitch another crooked line. Finally I learned that she was right. It really wasn’t that critical. Nobody noticed that my sewing lines on my nightgown weren’t exactly perfect. After that breakthrough I had a lot more fun sewing. I don’t have a lot of time to sew, so my skills aren’t getting much better. But when I do have time, I enjoy it. If I win I will give the machine to my mom. Her’s has been a mess for years. We’ve tried to have it repaired on several occasions but it’s always wonky and breaking down. Thanks for the contest. I will definitely be checking out your blog regularly. Hopefully I’ll learn some new skills.
Wow! What a fabulous giveaway!
My sewing machine story….when I was 13, my dad brought my grandmas (his mothers) vintage Singer machine home as he thought I might be interested in it…He knew how much I loved, drawing, painting and making, and I suppose he thought maybe sewing might of interest to me too! I instantly fell in love with how the machine worked, the mechanics of it and how just by turning a handle I could actually make something!
Whizz forwards 10 years and here I am! I make clothing for myself and others, quilt and sell many of my creations at fairs and online….and I owe it all to my lovely Dad and Sally the Vintage Singer Machine!
My dad taught my how to sew from scratch (how cool is that?!) and I don’t know where I’d be without sewing in my life now
Charlotte x
My mother taught me how to sew on her old singer before I went away to summer camp for the first time. We made a pillow for me to sleep on while away.
Now I am expecting my own child and still sewing on that old machine! I have been making my own cloth diapers, which is a lot of work, but very satisfying!
My mom’s sewing machine is one of her greatest treasures. She bought it in the mid ’70s and it is still going strong! She made all her own and my older sisters’ clothes and she taught us all the very basics. (Confession: I STILL need help threading the thing.) I took sewing lessons when I was 8 or 9, but unfortunately, I’m not very skilled! I can sew pillowcases, and that’s about it. I have had a sewing machine on my wish list for quite sometime, but it’s not really within my budget. I have a whole list of Projects To Do Once I Have a Sewing Machine, and I can’t wait to get started! First off would be a quilt for my daughter’s bed, then curtains, then a new cover for our old banana chair . . . the list goes on.
What an amazing giveaway! This would be perfect since I’ve just recently starting making my own retro aprons!
I bought my first sewing machine in 1998 and have only started really sewing just 1 year ago. I am obsessed with all things fabric and sewing.
My machine story in a nutshell…6 years of successful home economics (sewing, cooking, embroidery) followed by beginning to make things at home on my mom’s old green Sears machine with the touchy foot pedal. Suddenly, while sewing a thin seam one Friday night, the machine goes over my finger. I stop, look at the needle in my finger, and yell for my mom to help. Luckily, she is a nurse, and just slides the needle out. No sewing machine since! Although I mend and sew by hand, I am ready (30 years later) to use a machine again. Maybe because hand sewing is so time consuming???
Thanks for the great give away!
My mom always sewed clothing for me from the time I was a little girl wearing frilly dresses to my high school graduation dress. To be honest, I never ever thought about learning to sew in all that time. Then one day last January I was sitting at home bored and I told my husband I was going to take up sewing. He laughed because he just couldn’t imagine it. To his shock and awe I purchased a little Singer machine from Sears the very next day. It’s actually been quite fun to learn to sew. I’ve made a few items of clothing (some successful, some not) and most recently, some nursing covers for my new arrival due in September.
I really want an upgrade, though I am scared of sergers….Here’s to hoping I can make my own little girl frilly dresses!
Oh wow, what a great prize! My sewing machine story is that I started sewing in 7th grade. I took lessons. Sometime that year my mom bought me a sewing machine. A Bicor something-or-other. A nice machine for its day, although not computerized. I don’t even have a needle-down position. But it is a little workhorse and gets the job done.
Bicor is picky though. None of that walmart brand thread crap for him. He has more expensive taste and prefers the pricier stuff.
I started sewing on my Mom’s White, which she got right after college. Now, I sew on my grandmother’s old White, which she got to upgrade from her 1940s Singer that always sat in the kitchen. She revered that Singer, and continued to use it for any straight stitch functions. I wanted to take it, too, but just don’t have the room. The White has more functions.
I don’t currently have a sewing machine story that’s why I need to win this one.
I’d like a sewing machine and serger (eventhough I don’t quite know what I’d do with the serger….).
I have no knowledge of how to sew, or operate a sewing machine, but I the other females in my family tree all seem to have that trait, save for me. It has always been an interest to me to understand how to make clothing, but of course I never could quite get the talent down. So, here I am, a year later, involved in a non-profit organization that comes together every two weeks to teach and learn together. Part of the learning is how to sew. The drawback is that we have no sewing machine. We’d love to have one to share amongst the members and learn the talent of sewing so that we can make for ourselves and those in the community around us as well. This is why I enter this contest. I enter not just for myself, but for all of my friends, and those of the community.
My mom learned to sew in the forties when she was a kid and used a pedal machine that had been her grandmother’s. Her mom gave it to her when she got married. When I was born in the seventies, she felt that she needed an upgrade and bought a Montgomery Ward machine, which is what I learned to sew on. When I had my first child in the nineties, she upgraded again and gave me that machine. My family is pretty slow to trade up I guess!
For years, I watched my (step) Mother’s sewing machine gather dust. I kept bugging her to teach me how to use it. But every day, there was a different excuse. I desperately wanted to know how to use it. I had already taught myself to sew by hand when I was nine, so I spent many hours nursing pricked fingers and trying to finish up even the smallest projects between all my homework and school.
Eventually, I left the house and got married. I knew my Mother in law had a sewing machine, so I once again asked if she would show me, but months passed, and years passed, and I still did not know. So, one day, I just pulled it out of storage, set it up, read a few tutorials online, watched a few videos, and even studied the mechanics of how a sewing machine works. Not only did I learn how to use it that night, but I even fixed the minor problems. I finished three projects that night. Three projects! They looked about ten times better than anything I had sewn by hand, and they were finished ten times faster.
I was on a high, I made all kinds of cute new things for my daughter, altered most of my husband’s wardrobe, etc. So, my mother in law let me use her machine. Yay, right?! No. No matter how many times it has been fixed,it keeps breaking in various ways. Not only that, but it is just old and doesn’t have the kind of features I desire. My sweet husband wants to buy me the sewing machine I want for our upcoming anniversary, but it would be great to win both of these machines!
I need an upgrade. This machine was great for me to learn on, but it does not turn out the quality I want.
Wow! What a giveaway! I am 56 yrs old. When I was a kid my Mom and Grandma sewed alot of our cloths, prom dresses, and even a maxi coat for me which I wore to tech school the fall after I graduated. Man, did that come in handy and it was very warm and I had to walk quite a few blocks to the school. I had a wonderful Home Ec teacher that taught us to sew. I was never the best but I got my own sewing machine when I graduated and believe it or not I still use it sometimes!
What a fantastic giveaway! I learned to sew on my grandma’s Singer 401 Slant-O-Matic. I wish I had it! Thanks for the giveaway!
My mom taught me to sew when I was 11, I think. I used her machine, her Pfaff, and she watched me like a hawk at first, so scared I would break her machine. She gave me an old one of her mother’s, a horrible machine that only sewed a straight line and zigzag. What a disappointment after that Pfaff! My mom bought me my own machine, a Janome, as a graduation present (gr12). Mom then bought me a serger as a university grad present. She definitely knew that I would love them and use them. I still have that first machine but don’t really use it. I have since upgraded to a better Janome.
I would love to win this! I am starting a home ec class at my school, and we have nothing! This would help a lot!
What a great giveaway!
Believe it or not, I failed home ec in Grade 8 because my mother refused to pay the $10 our teacher was charging for materials. She made it up to me by buying me my own machine in university, and shortly after, a serger too. While those machines are dear to my heart and have helped me learn to sew and make many many things, I dream of a new machine to suit the tiny business I have started.
Please have a look: http://www.etsy.com/shop/HughFielding
I remember I was three years old. I was sitting at the kitchenette watching my mom sew a doll for me on an old 1960′s singer. I remember watching in amazement as her hands worked quickly and rapidly as her foot held the speed. Recently, I took a sewing class and borrowed an old sewing machine from a drama teacher friend of mine. As I began making long skirts for my trip to Africa this summer, my mom revealed to me that many of my ancestors were tailors and seamstresses. Sewing is in my blood. I am constantly looking into patterns for clothing or decor for my house. Now if only I had the sewing machine to match!
I just recently bought a mid range Singer. I haven’t sewn on a machine since Home Ec in 8th grade! They don’t even have Home Ec anymore. lol. Anyways…I made a dress that I have no clue what happened to it but it didn’t turn out too bad. I would love to win this pair. If I do I will give my new bought Singer to my daughter and maybe she’ll get the craft bug making things for her girls!
My mom had a small repair shop, so we always had sewing machines in the house. She showed me how to sew on a commercial grade sewing machine that came in a cabinet and also had a foot treadle attachment. I hated using the foot treadle–so much work! My grandma showed me how to hand sew; we made 20 small drawstring bags in one sitting. That was the first time we hung out. Now, I love to sew. It’s my solace. I want to teach my daughter and son to sew next. Let’s continue the history!
I learned to sew by watching my nana who lived at home with us. I was the one who threaded the needle for her. Soon I was making small stuff, then I started watching her use patterns since she made all my clothes, that is until I got too big for my britches and decided I wanted “store bought clothes” like my friends. She continued to make me stuff, just not everything. When I announced my first pregnancy she bought flannel and hemmed 2 dozen diapers for me! I also got to watch her make baby layette items without “store bought” patterns; she was able to do it by folding the fabric in various ways. From her I learned to love sewing and I do mean learn. Through the years I’ve made many things, hated the construction part, but continued to do it for the immense pleasure and pride I got from seeing the finished items. Now I sew for my grandkids and one great-grandkid and I love it. Go figure……
I am “dreaming of the day” I get my hands on a sewing machine. Winning this would spark a whole new wonderful side to my world! I self taught myself how to sew by hand, so I can patch things up quite nicely. This would only bring me to the next level of actually creating more!
What a great opportunity. I would love to win these. I am still using my Grandmothers sewing machine and the bobbin winder broke about 5 years ago with the help of a then 7 year old little person who shall remain nameless. He has been forgiven but the winder is still broken.
wow, what a giveaway… ok, here’s my story. My grandma had a sewing machine, one of those old Singer with its own wooden table, (not electric of course…) then my mum got hers as a wedding present, one that has its own table too but it can even be packed away in itself! She still uses it. And I never had one until I wanted to learn how to use one 5 years ago. I started saving some money and a friend lent me hers, a Kenmore , which she inherited from her aunt and brought it all the was from Portland, OR to the west coast of Ireland. I learnt with this great machine (with a transformer for the electricity) and 4 years later I decided to buy my own one, a Brother Innovis 350SE.
I’d love to have a serger… and a second sewing machine is always useful, if one needs repair, you don’t have to stop sewing! thanks for the chance!
Both my grandmothers are/were dedicated knitters and crocheters — I wish I still had some of the sweaters and toys they sent me when I was a kid, which I definitely did not appreciate enough at the time! My mom did a little of both, but what I mostly remember is the sewing — in particular a Little Red Riding Hood cape with red pompom trim that I adored and wore on Halloween for years. (Also an unfortunate teal taffeta dress for a school musical… I guess that’s what happens when you let your sixth grader choose your fabric!) Fast forward a couple of decades — on a whim, I stopped at a craft store on my way home and picked up a crochet how-to book and some supplies. Now a sizeable piece of my apatment is covered with piles of yarn and works in progress. Aside from the satisfaction of making things, it’s also helped me feel a little more connected to these women, not all of whom are still around. I just recently took my first few sewing classs, and am planning on getting my own machine as soon as I have a table sturdy enough for it to sit on.
When I was 16, a bunch of my friends got cars for their birthdays – I happily got my sewing machine. I’m still using the same one today. It’s fairly simple but trustworthy and I’ve never used another one. I am, however, open to the idea and would love a serger so I don’t have to fake nice seams anymore!
I have two sewing machine stories…
The first is about the machine I learned to sew on. Being a child of the ’80s, I was a huuuuge fan of Cabbage Patch Dolls. Of course, I even had one of my own! But did you know that they also made a Cabbage Patch Kid sewing machine? My mom bought me one and I used it for a few years making my first projects.
The second is that my current machine broke two days ago… this would be the perfect time to win a new one!
My mom had a Ward’s sewing machine when i was in junior high. I bought a touch n sew when I graduated from high school. I inherited my Grandma’s White sewing machine when she passed away. Those 3 are gone, now. I have a hobby of looking at sewing machines online. I have 5 machines but none work well. I tend to look for them 2nd hand places. Would be nice to have one that works well!
I have an old Kenmore that I bought off of my aunt a couple of years ago. My first! She’s not a bad machine but is very basic. Buying a new machine (or serger) isn’t in the cards for me right now so winning would be fantabulous.
I learned to sew from my mom and grandma as a little girl. After an extended break, I have picked up sewing again since having a daughter of my own. As a stay-at-home mom, almost all of my nap times are devoted to sewing and I often sew late into the night. I have an old Singer that has been great so far, but is very basic and I am ready to do more advanced projects. I have never had a serger, but often drool over them in stores and online. I am planning on starting a small sewing business to help support my out-of-control fabric addiction, so a new sewing machine and serger would be amazing! I am looking forward to reading your book, it looks like a lot of fun. Thanks so much for the chance to win.
These are amazing and puts my little 7 year old $75 starter machine to shame. My first sewing machine experience was actually on my great-great-grandmother’s treadle machine (she refused to use an electric machine even in her 90s the 1980s). My mother helped me sew a blanket for my dolls- a 12″ nine patch square with flannel backing. Using that machine was probably a genius plan since the starting speed was slow so I didn’t catch my fingers.
i inherited my grandma’s sewing machine from my mom! it is older than I am and finally I havae all the dust out!
Seems impossible to get a new machine ~~ like this with all the entries. My mother taught me to sew but it was my inlaws who gave us the machine . A wedding gift. How cool is that?
I taught myself to sew… After several failed attempts by my mom to help me. We tried to learn together when i was a cranky teenager. Bless her heart! Now we joke about it and she is always thankful when I make her things. I’ve been using the same starter for 6 years and can only dream of saving up for a serger one day… Cheers to the new book and best of luck!
I just found your blog via design sponge! Yay, so excited to start following you!
I received an adorable Kenmore vintage “8 Stitch” for Christmas last year, and just a month ago finally relearned how to use it! I haven’t machine-sewn anything since making a little duffel bag (that I still use!) in Home Ec. in 8th grade. But I couldn’t resist all the pretty pictures on the craft blogs, so I’m diving into fabric again!
My sewing machine is a Bernina Bernette. When I was in college my Mom (who also sews on a Bernina) took me down to the local sewing machine/ vacuum shop (those places are always so random!) and bought me one for my birthday. Even though its a basic model, it has last a long time and been a pleasure to sew with. Thanks for the giveaway!
I’ve had to learn how to work a sewing machine on multiple occasions, but the only time it stuck was on one of those vintage Singer sewing machines. When I would work on projects at home, I would be so intimidated by the speed of the Kenmore vs the Singer that when getting my own machine I picked up a Sewing Pretty with Hello Kitty (slower speed). Now I can’t get it to go fast enough!
I’m 13 years old and I fantasize about making my own clothes and becoming a fashion designer or becoming the next Martha Stewert!! I absolutely love doing art and crafty things!!! I got a sewing machine a couple of years ago but not a very good one. So far I’ve made a few pillows, hats, and simple drawstring bags (etc.) but I haven’t been brave enough to try more difficult things. But I did some research and I found your book!!!! I just ordered it today on amazon.com after a week of telling my mom about how great some of the projects were and showing her the videos of the one hour skirt and the round bowls!!!! (my mom is very crafty too) I’m soooo excited for it to come in!!! I even saved my money to buy some supplies!!!! You really inspired me to start sewing more!!!
I Love your blog! It’s so far the only sewing blog I like. You keep it fun, and I think your cat is gorgeous! Thank you for the skirt video. I hadn’t made one in a while, so it refreshed my memory and I love it! I’m going to buy your book ASAP. And thanks for the awesome giveaways! It’s great how you make so many people happy.
When I was about 8, I played on my Great Aunt Grace’s treadle machine. I took sewing in 8th grade and have been sewing ever since.
Bought a sewing machine when I left home for university, and have been trying to make things ever since. Unfortunately I´m not too good at sewing straight lines
I will always have very fond memories of my first (and current) sewing machine – it was the most basic model available, and has served me well for the past three years. I’ve learnt how to make curtains, baby clothes, snugglies and two cot quilts using it – the quilts were definitely the straw that broke the camels back so to speak, as it is now protesting every time I use it! Time to move onwards and upwards I think!
I bought myself a sewing machine three years ago for Christmas. As a stay-at-home mom, I needed an outlet, and thought I could whip up for cute stuff for my girls. I was terrified of my machine, and didn’t even open the box until March. I took it out and promptly put it back in the box. I took the machine back to the store and tried to return it….but a lovely woman urged me to sign up for a free class. I did and I have been sewing ever since. I love making clothes for my daughters (5 and 3) and gifts for others. An upgraded machine would be so nice. Congrats on your book! It looks amazing.
My sewing machine story is that my mom has always had one – and now, I would love to haveonetoo and learn to sew like her! When I was little she made dresses for me and now that I have two little ones of my own, I want to do the same!
I’d love to have a new machine and serger! I have an inexpensive machine and the more I sew…the more I want a good one!
All I could say is boy, I would love to win this!
My mother, not an experienced sewer, made me the first Halloween costume I can recall. It was a cabbage patch doll cabbage… It must have had a thousand individual leaves. I don’t know if she knows how special it made me feel to have an amazing costume that no one else had at preschool. Now that I have my own little girl I’m trying to make special memories like my mom did! Her 1st costume was a “baby grand piano” completely hand stitched. This year she wants to be a “twinkle little star”; it would be great have a machine!
Hi there, great blog- I have only just stumbled across it but I know that I will be a regular visitor!
I am fairly new to sewing. My mom sewed a lot for us when I was a kid, but I never got into again until I had my own son. I am now on my second sewing machine, but I have never had a serger and I would love one. This is a great giveaway!
I found my moms sewing machine when I was around 10 I think. I started using scraps of fabric she had to make clothes for my and my sisters’ American Girl Dolls and our Barbies. Picked up sewing again once I left for collage and now I can’t get enough (: Just found your blog and love it…I’m your newest follower!
My mom had a sewing machine when I was little; she used it to make me beautiful dresses and Halloween costumes. When I had kids of my own I knew I needed to get a sewing machine, too. I got my first one about a year ago and I’m totally addicted, though I still haven’t braved the world of Halloween costumes and little girls’ dresses. Instead I’ve mostly been making bags and the occasional costume for my kids’ Sackboy dolls.
Jess
I’ve only been sewing since April. After I had my baby, my very dear friend showed me how to operate a sewing machine. Now I sew simple baby items (burp cloths, baby blankets, and nursing pillow covers) for that same friend–she owns her own baby shop. I’ve been adding new skills to my arsenal mainly through the help of online sewing tutorials. I love the feeling of accomplishment when I finish a new piece. This giveaway is fantastic! Found your site via Prudent Baby.
This book has a definite place on my bookshelf.
I can’t wait! “My” sewing machine actually belongs to my mother. We have a swap going on, based on who needs it at the time. With a new baby in the home, I have kept it hostage for the last year, practicing making baby dresses and blankets. It’s a nice machine, but I would love to have one of my own. I just think if I knew it was mine….I would feel more at ease sewing my straight lines. 
I’m a bit of a wobbly sewer. Lol. Thanks for the opportunity.
Love reading these sewing machine stories! What a great giveaway, my fingers are crossed. Here is my sewing machine story:
I used my mother’s old Singer machine until she bought me my own Singer for my 18th birthday. That summer I moved away to the big city and of course took my machine with me, and ended up working in a jeans store where I did alterations on the side for friends. I took my sewing machine for granted and was surprised to find out most other people didn’t have sewing machines. Weird. I never consulted the manual that machine, I just taught myself what to do and figured out how to use it along the way. That basic Singer sewing machine is still being used on an almost daily basis and shows no signs of giving up. A serger does sound lovely though!
Holy Amazing Giveaway Batman!
My mom… I mean Santa gave me a baby Singer for Christmas when I was 11 and I attempted many Beanie Baby Clothes and even a quilt (I didn’t get very far). I had no one to teach me though because both her and my grandmother don’t sew! (even though my great grandmother made ALL of my mom’s clothes all the way up to high school…) So I didn’t really learn much until 8th grade Home-Ec, but it was enough to get me addicted! All I had until about 4 years ago was that baby Singer so I didn’t start sewing again until recently, and now I even have my own Etsy shop, AuntKayKay!
My sewing story: I was given a gift card to Target as a “thank you” for extra work I was doing. I decided I was going to use that card to purchase my first sewing machine. I always wanted one but never wanted to spend the money on myself (we have 3 small children). The purchase was made 5 months ago and I am truly addicted. I am self taught and getting better everyday. Would love the opportunity to win big!
I have a new sewing machine I just got from my husband for mother’s day, so I would give this machine to my mom to replace hers. I am dying to have a serger though! I am just really getting into sewing and would love to learn anything I can.
Wow this giveaway is amazing!! My story goes back to last year. I was feeling crafty and decided to ask any of my friends if they had a sewing machine I could borrow. Someone gave me theirs… it’s ancient but it works.
I would die to win this giveaway haha! I don’t even have a sewing machine yet… hence why I would love to win this!
The last time I sewed I was in high school home ec, but now that I’m a new mom, I have big dreams of sewing cute little outfits, diaper covers and things for around the house. I love reading sewing and crafting blogs and wish I had the equipment to try my hand at it all.
I learned to sew in home ec in jr. high and remember sewing scraps, even tissues, together at home. My mom doesn’t sew, so I never got father than hand sewing. For our first Christmas 6 years ago, my hubby bought me a sewing machine and as hard as I tried, I couldn’t get it to sew! Cue a preggo induced bout of nesting last year and I finally figured it out so I could make a few things for her nursery. My poor little machine is in need of an update for sure..
Sewing was a common occurrence in my house growing up. My mom had an old singer. She made many dresses for us and tons of Halloween costumes. I’ve always wanted to learn and took a short course in middle school. But now that I’m grown, I feel I’m really ready to make the commitment and get a nice machine. I want to do for my kids what my mom did for me
So my mom sewed a lot when I was a kid. My grandma also sewed a lot. I didn’t start until 7th grade home ec class where I sewed a pair of boxer shorts. I used my mom’s sewing machine at home a lot. Then, I got my own for my birthday one year with a cover and everything. I use it all the time now. I would love to have a new machine though, mine is pretty basic. A serger would be totally awesome too. I love to sew now and make cute clothes for my daughter and baby gift sets for friends.
I first sewed in JR high school, we made tote bags. My grandmother was always a big sewer when I was growing up, but I didn’t really take to it until I got pregnant. I really got into sewing when I was expecting my twin boys. I got a hand-me-down Kenmore from my husband’s side of the family that died on my first project, making wash clothes. (It couldn’t even sew a zig zag down the edge of the terry cloth). So I hopped on the net and found my new machine, read up on it and fell in love. I got my Pfaff about 2.5 years ago and so far it has been a joy to sew with. I did take quite a long break from sewing when my boys were born, and now got back into it when I found out I am expecting a girl. It must be some sort of nesting thing with me.
A serger would be amazing to have!
My mother bought me my first sewing machine after I started making mophead bunnies my Aunt taught me how to make when I was eleven. I needed the machine to make the dresses and have been sewing ever since. I would love to get my daughter into sewing when she’s old enough! Mostly I would just love to own a serger
Wow what an awesome giveaway! My sewing machine story is that my mother-in-law is a really great seamstress and I mentioned I wanted to learn to sew so that Christmas she bought me my Singer. It was love instantly! Now she keeps insisting that it’s time to upgrade to a more expensive model since I sew so much!
My mom gave me my first sewing machine many years ago. I gave it a go making a little dress for my then 3-year-old daughter. In short, it turned out terrible and I wouldn’t let her wear it out of the house. I put the machine away for years. Then just a few years ago my interest was rekindled and I gave it another go. I love it so much (though I still stay away from clothing
). Now that my sewing interests have expanded to quilting, I’ve realized how limiting my current machine is. You can’t drop the feed dogs and it doesn’t even have a walking foot available. And I can’t help but think that clothing might be within my reach if only I had a serger. 
Let’s see….I bought my sewing machine about 7 yrs ago in attempt to learn how to hem pants( i’m only 5’0″ and hated paying to have everything taylored). I had no idea what I was doing and got super frustrated because I kept breaking needles and everything was coming out crazy. So I put it down and didn’t pick it back up for about 4 yrs when, for my birthday my husband bought me a gift certificate for a class to learn how to make a pair of pj pants. Well the rest is history. I’ve since had 2 little girls who I love to sew for, and am slowly learning to sew for myself. It has now become my daily catharsis and I love it!
I bought my first sewing machine (a $60 Brother) when I was pregnant because I wanted to learn to sew for my daughter. One year later I’m still using it, but now I want a serger too!
I love finding new online sewing sources! Thanks Jamie!
My mom sewed some while I was growing up but I never learned. In hopes of changing that, I bought an entry level sewing machine about a year ago. I wanted to make sure I would not only use it but love to sew before I invested any large amounts of money in a machine. Happy to report that I haven’t stopped sewing since I opened the box (almost literally). I would love to upgrade! I think my current machine will be great for teaching my daughter how to sew.
Congrads on the new book!
Nikki
My first sewing machine was a yard sale find in the 7th grade. It was so old and loud but it was great for learning the basics. I love sewing still and I enjoy teaching what I know to others. I don’t have a serger and would be so excited to get one! And my sewing machine is getting older too- this would be awesome!
I’ve never had a sewing machine, but I’ve always wanted one. And now that I have three babies, I have all sorts of great ideas! Thanks for the giveaway.
I would love to win this machine!
I used a sewing machine when I was a teenager at school, I have always wanted/dreamed of owning a sewing machine but could never afford one. It would be a dream to win this!!!
I’ve been through a few machines in my time, each with it’s own tension issues, but I am a crafting sewer and don’t do clothing. My first project was a home ec apron and then we moved on to skirts, I think it ruined clothing sewing for me for life! I love to make placemats, do some quilting, pillows, etc and to combine disciplines like painting and transfer with my projects.
Your book looks fantastic and very approachable! Best of luck.
This is an amazing giveaway! I have recently started following crafting blogs and read about you on Prudent Baby. I will bookmark this for sure and look forward to some more inspirations from fellow crafting moms. I am a beginner at sewing, but caught the bug after making, if I do say so myself, fantastic halloween costumes for my youngest two daughters. Just last week I made six coordinating outfits for my children and nieces and nephews, but unfortunately I am not sure how long my yard sale sewing machine is going to hold up. SO this would be amazing!
My sewing machine story isn’t that exciting… My boyfriend bought it for me for Christmas this past year because he knew that I wanted to start sewing
It’s nothing fancy, just a John Lewis cheapo one, but I thought it was really sweet that he would buy something so far out of his comfort zone/ knowledge area 
Anyways, congratulations on the book! I’m excited to check it out!
I learned to sew when I was about 8 years old. on my grandmothers old singer treddle machine. I made all my clothes for church and school mostly from feed sacks. ( wish i had some of those sacks now) I earned my living sewing in factories and making clothes for frieands. I am 73 years old still love to sew. i haave a singer machine stright stich. that I have had since 1992. sure would love to replace it with this new machine and serger. My serger is from 1984. still works but not as good as I would like. .
I do a lot of alterlation and tailoring of mens suits.
I use my Nana’s super-basic Singer sewing machine from the 60s-70s. It still works but has hardly any options at all. As I sew more and more I am really seeing a need for a better machine. I would love to win!
Sewing…. a tradition passed from generation to generation, stitch by stitch linking mother to daughter, holding families together one thread at a time…. this is what sewing has come to symbolize for me. I recently was given my grandmothers’ sewing table from the ’70s and a glorious box of cloth squares already cut and ready to be sewn into a quilt… I’m anticipating the time and tools to stitch this all together!!! To complete the intention my grandmother set decades ago:)
My mother and grandmothers all did a bit of sewing when I was little. I seem to be the only one carrying on the hobby, although my girls are interested in whatever I’m making (especially if it’s for them). My machine isn’t always the most reliable, and I’d love a fancier, newer machine. But the machine I haven’t used yet because I’m scared of it, is my husband’s grandmother’s old Singer. So, until I break through my fears, it’s being used as a small computer table in my sewing room.
I don’t think my story’s all that special! I had been knitting for a few years and decided I wanted to try my hand at sewing my own clothes. My parents bought a machine for my birthday, and I took a class to get myself started. Time’s been short the past couple of years, and I haven’t had as much of a chance to sew as I’d like. But, I love sewing and have been dreaming of a serger!
Fabulous! My story: I taught myself how to sew and crochet. I had seen that my new (at the time) sisters-in-law all made clothing and I wanted to. I bought a Singer and set about making clothes for myself and shirts for my husband. The first shirt I put the sleeves on so that they buttoned upside down. I’m a lefty and reversed the instructions. I still have to pay attention to directions for that. I no longer have a machine and would love to get back to sewing. Thanks!
My husband went sewing machine shopping with me about a year ago and boy am I glad he did! I don’t think I would have been able to justify buying a computerized fancy pants Jemome but the sales woman sold him on all the automated bells and whistles and I left the store with way more machine than I ever thought I would have
But oh, a serger…I dream at night of owning one of those!
my mom has had an Elna Carina for about 20 years and swears it is the best machine ever. this past january she bought me an Elna Air Electronic SU for my first sewing machine. so far it has been great and i cannot wait to continue learning more about sewing. i would LOVE to win a serger
I just love your video tutorials! They have helped out a sewing newbie like me…my grandmother and mother used to sew all our clothes growing up and they even made their own patterns! That’s who I aspire to be like and the singer giveaway would be awesome for that!
Wow!! What a dream-come-true it would be to win this package. I LOVE to sew. I make appliqued t-shirts, quilts, bags, clothes. But, I can’t rely on my sewing machine. It has a tendency to flake out on the tension and it likes to create random nests that I discover after I finish. Thank you for this giveaway.
I took a sports sewing class in 7th grade and that year for Christmas my parents bought me an inexpensive Brother machine. I loved it! I used it a lot. Then as I grew up in sat in my closet. Just before my baby girl was born this past April I pulled it out and started sewing things again. And I really picked it up. I sew everyday! The only problem is that it is broken, I still use it but I do lots of unpicking and redoing. It gets quite annoying!!
I had a jar that I was putting all my spare change in for a new machine, but we needed to use the money for bills. As a young mother with a husband who has full time work/school, there is no extra money for something like this. I would love to have this machine!! And I have ALWAYS dreamed of having a Serger. This would seriously be one of my dreams come true!
I recently learned to sew using my mothers ancient sewing machine that I LOVE! I still haven’t been able to buy myself a machine so I have borrowed one from my bff’s mom who had an extra. I have b een using it for about a month and I like it ok it is a white which is way different than a good ol machine! I am hoping to have my own soon since I will have to return this one next month. I have only sewn rag quilts and a dress so I am 100% novice and want something I can use to sew my baby girl tons of cute little girl dresses!
I wanted to make and sell handmade items, but had no sewing machine. Kept praying to God that He would provide, and He did!!! My mom got one and knew this was a passion of mine, so she has selflessly given it to me to borrow. I am teaching myself the in’s and out’s and would LOVE to have my own sewing machine and/or serger. For right now, I will keep working towards my goal with my wonderfully borrowed machine =)
My sewing machine story… I grew up in a house with a sewing machine. But it was never used!!! So I’m on a mission to figure out the whole sewing thing and share some skills with my girls! I dream daily of a serger.
Oh my goodness!!! I am having a hard time getting over the awesomeness of this giveaway. Good thing I have a baby who likes to pinch, because now I know it is real.
I asked for a sewing machine for Christmas a few years before I got married, and my mom got me my very first sewing machine. My mother was a home ec teacher and all-around Betty Crocker/Martha Stewart type, and this was rather intimidating, being the perfectionist I am, because I knew I would never live up to her skills. Therefore, I refused to participate in the crafty goodness while I lived at home. After being on my own for a few years, I realized I could knit, and got addicted. A few years after that, I wanted to give sewing a try again, and my mother happily obliged, giving me my Brother sewing machine. I still don’t know much about it, but recently I have been sewing up a storm — bumpers for my baby’s crib, pillowcase dresses, stuffed animals for my baby, and more. I want to learn more and become the mom who can whip up a costume overnight and can alter my daughter’s friends’ dresses for homecoming. <3
I have an old Singer machine that belonged to one of my greatAunts originally but doesn’t seem to work anymore. My Grandmas and Great-Grandmas were all quilters and I’d love to learn to carry on that family tradition once I have a functioning sewing machine again. Plus I want to learn to make my own clothes and I’ve heard servers are great for that!
Learning to sew in a straight line is harder than it seems… but here is my sewing machine story:
I learned to sew three years ago (I’m 28) when my bible fellowship teacher (aka Sunday school teacher) had me over to show me how to sew a purse. I was SEW intimidated by her sewing machine (haha get it!) as hers was AMAZING. She even let me ‘drive’ per say to sew the purse on her machine. I FELL IN LOVE. I’m not an amazingly creative person like some people… but I’m good at following directions, and great at researching patterns. This makes sewing the right craft for me! I didn’t have the money to buy a sewing machine (I’m a mother of four children which I had in five years) so my dad for a graduating college/birthday present bought me a brother from Walmart. Its had its ups and downs, and is EXTREMELY noisy… but its all mine and I use it almost every day. I recently became obsessed with pillow case dresses (I have three girls) and learned to use the triple stitch… HEAVEN! I am sure I’m not using the machine I have to its hill (as I stay on stitches 00, 01, and 02) and I’m terrified of the button attachment… I still love sewing… and am ‘sew’ excited to learn to sew more!
my grams never sewed and my mom sewed when i was young on an old sears machine, but when i wanted to start sewing, she got me a brother machine for my birthday. i love it, but it is a bit worn out and small!
Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh! I was lamenting the fact that I didn’t have a serger yesterday! What an awesome giveaway!
I remember visiting my grandmother when she was working in a factory sewing stuffed animals. I’ve always loved stuffed animals and it was thrilling for me to see all the animals stacked in boxes by the sewing machines. I also remember my mom sitting at her sewing machine, hemming my pants or patching a hole. I was fascinated by the mechanics of it all. I love and have tried all kinds of different crafts, but seem to get tired of doing them, but I never tire of sewing and designing or improving projects. My husband bought me my first sewing machine about 10 years ago and I have been sewing since.
I learned to sew in high school, but never really did it again. Until recently
I started staying home with my kiddies and my husband and I both quickly realized I reallllly needed something to do. One day we were out shopping (at Wal Mart I think? The only place I can think of with a grocery section) and we noticed that they had sewing machines on clearance for really cheap. I was expecting at the time and thought “I could make a baby blanket!”. So I brought it home and set it up, picked out some cute fat quarters…and then nothing happened. My daughter was born and oh…I really needed something else to do besides changing diapers and dealing with crying. So. I made the blanket. And then another for my oldest, another for the middle, one for me…then I got into this sewing frenzy and started making placemats, clothes for the baby, bags, toys, etc. I really don’t think I would have survived those first few months after baby #3 came along without my wonderful sewing machine. Best. Shopping. Ever. 
My mom taught me to sew when I was a tween and wanted to make new covers for one of those wooden-handled purses. Now we have her old super heavy machine that hides in the closet and takes forever to take out. A new one would be great!
My MIL bought me a sewing machine and I started sewing baby gifts. My toddler and my sewing machine met in a death match and the sewing machine lost, ending up in a million pieces
I have since replaced it, but would love to get a better one and a serger would be awesome!
I inherited my great aunt’s old Singer sewing machine when I was a teenager, but I never managed to learn how to use it. It hadn’t come with an instruction manual and I couldn’t figure out how to set the tensions correctly and the thread kept getting tangled and the machine would jam. It was hugely frustrating, especially to my 13 year old self, and eventually I set it aside and gave up. Years later, I went searching for it, with renewed zeal over the idea of learning to sew, but lo and behold it was gone! After doing a bit of detective work, I determined that it had been donated to the local Goodwill. I can only hope it went to a good home and has been well-loved and used by someone more experienced than myself.
I am a self taught sewer who started sewing almost two years ago. I started sewing because I had just had the most adorable little boy and wanted to give him everything. Unfortunately we were dirt poor so I opted to make him everything I could. Now don’t get me wrong, I love the sewing machine my sweet husband bought me, but It’s certainly not the nicest one out there. I love, Love, LOVE making clothes for my little guy (and now his little brother as well), bur it would definitely be much easier with a fancy-schmancy serger! Thank you so much for the chance to win this giveaway, it would be absolutely amazing to win! Thank you!
My sewing machine story is the time when I first used one at my local cys, I had made a quilt with the help of the instructor to enter the 4-H fair and though I didn’t win it was a great gift for my mom’s birthday. She still uses, or should I say her dog uses since it sleeps on it at the foot of her bed.
I know this is a random poll but I would really appreciate a new sewing machine, I have a brother vx-950 since it’s the only one my mother has and I’m just learning to sew while she’s used it since I was born.
I actually took sewing in high school. Now that I have two daughters I’ve been testing my old skills at making dresses and shorts for them using the sewing machine my mom bought before I was born. It’s from the seventies and sits in a sewing desk that makes the whole setup entirely too heavy. I’ve still got some practicing to do before the girls get old enough to care what the finished product looks like.
I have this wonderful old Singer machine that my aunt gave me as a hand me down. It’s the exact same model of the sewing machine my mom had. My grandma taught me to knit and sew at a pretty young age, and now that it’s summer and I’m not in the classroom, I’ve dragged it out and have been sewing like crazy! (one would say that I’ve turned into a sewing machine!… bad…) I’ve been working on a quilt that my great grandma started before she died (the summer I was born) and she did by hand, and I simply can’t make myself use the sewing machine on it since my great grandma started it by hand… anyway, I digress. I do love my sewing machine, but it’s old and hard to get parts for. I’m also finding that I really need a serger to expand my horizons, and bias tape only gets you so far…
Good luck, everyone!
I bought my first machine at 19. It didn’t get much use over the years but now is used almost daily. I’m doing my sewing on a cheap Brothe that is almost 25 years old and yellow ….instead of the white it originally was! But I’m not complaining since it still works!
Amazing giveaway! I started sewing as kid on a “play” sewing machine and haven’t stopped since. Although, I’ve owned some basic sewing machines throughout the years, I’ve never had a serger and would love love love to have one of my own!! Great site! Great projects! Thanks!
My sewing started when I was a little girl who tried to make things with her mom’s bernina. She still has it now, and it’s a really nice machine actually for being so old. Anyway, I always wanted to sew, but my Mom didn’t have much time to sew with me, so I tried making things myself which didn’t work out too well. It wasn’t until after I had my first child, my mom bought me a machine (she was concerned I had nothing to do…lol) and I learned then. I’ve improved greatly since then. I would love to win the serger especially and the sewing machine could be for my daughter. Thanks!
Everything I know about sewing I learned from my mom. She taught me how to sew as a kid on her old yellow Singer from the 70′s! And she kept that thing for YEARS, helping me with all kinds of projects (pillows, curtains, skirts, hemlines). She finally got a new Singer his past year, not because her old one broke, but just because she felt it was time for an update! And actually, it’s sitting in my house right now – she’s letting me borrow it to make curtains for my son’s nursery. Let the Singer sewing machine dynasty continue!
My first sewing machine was a Hello Kitty Janome from the Target clearance shelf. My mom called me from the store, all excited to buy one (because it was so cute), but she didn’t need it. So she wanted to buy it for me, for a birthday present. My birthday was months away, but I accepted, and it was a blessed friendship with me and Hello Kitty ever since!
I tried to learn to sew in Home Ec. and didn’t do too well. Later, later on in my late 40′s (now mid 50′s) I decided to try again and I’ve been trying for the past few years to catch up on everything I’ve missed. There was a lot of talent in my family in the sewing arena, but no one thought to teach me so I’m happy I decided to pick it back up on my own I love it so much.
My sewing story: My mom gave me her old sewing machine since she decided to stop. I used it do basic sewing (hemming pants) but my first major project was making a t-shirt quilt. I was thrilled since I have never been a crafty person and this was my first accomplishment. And now that I’m a new mom, I’m always out looking for other simple projects to make for my little one. The latest was a bathrobe made from a bath towel. =)
My first sewing machine was an old Singer. I loved that machine, but she began to make learning to sew more difficult as she aged. Now I have a simple machine that my daughter and I are both learning to sew on.
Congratulations on your new book.
Wow, amazing giveaway!
I have an ancient Singer that was my grandmother’s living in my kitchen. (Small house, no craft room.) It’s been retired, though, after refusing to even do a zig-zag stitch. I will probably never get rid of it for nostalgic reasons. But a good friend of mine bought a sewing machine then decided she hated sewing, so she said it could live at my house. I busted it out for the first time last weekend and it was a revelation. All this time I thought it was my fault I couldn’t sew a straight line, then I tried her machine and it was like magic! Straight lines! A light! More than 1 stitch! I am giddy with excitement.
Oh wow! This is exactly what I want
I started sewing when I was really little! My mom taught me everything I know! She had an old singer in the original sewing stand and it just kept going! 30 years later and she still has it, such a proven company! I have 5 young children and whenever I have a moment I think about sewing them up some great things, this would give me that opportunity! What an amazing giveaway! Thank you for the chance at winning!!
My mom taught me to sew when I was about 11. She still to this day uses her good ol’ Singer machine that she received when she went to college. I don’t know how many hundreds of miles of stitches that machine has sewn, but it’s still kickin’! She also invested in some old built-in industrial machines for her drapery business…they’ve always intimidated me because they are so fast, but I’m fascinated by the way they work and the beautiful sewing they do (my favorite is her blind hemmer!).
I’ve finally found more time in the last year or so to get more sewing in, and there is something just peaceful about me when I’m sitting in front of my sewing machine creating. Love it!
I am definitely still a beginning seamstress. My mother always made the most beautiful children’s clothes, and now she still does for her grandbabies. Until recently I have been intimidated at the idea of putting a garment together. Since having a baby of my own, though, sewing feels like something I SHOULD be doing. Learning to sew has been amazing, but I definitely have already learned that the right tools make it a lot more fun
I learned to sew with my Dad on my parents machine. Through college I just went home when I wanted to sew. Right after graduation I was getting married and moving away. So much time and energy was being put in to wedding planning that graduation fell to the side. I was so excited/humbled/blessed when my parents gave me my graduation present, my own sewing machine. I was so thrilled to have one to take with me on our newly-married-life adventure but even more so I was so touched that they took the time, energy, and money to make my graduation special.
When I got married a few years ago I decided to get one and I was going to make clothes. And well.. that just hasnt happened. I do dabble on it every now and then. I love it I just wish I understood my machine better.
I just came across your book last night online!
My mom sewed for us all growing up and now that I have a daughter of my own I decided to finally give it whirl. A friend of mine who sews let me borrow one of her machines and is teaching me! I tried to get my own machine for my birthday but ended having to return it because well…it didn’t sew great at all. This would be so amazing if I actually won! Thank you for the opportunity!
When I was growing up the only person I knew that could sew was my grandma. She could make anything, and it all looked professional. All of our Halloween costumes were made by her, dresses we wore in weddings, the local school had her make costumes for their plays. She loved it. Her house wasn’t big enough to have all of her sewing things out, so she set up shop in her garage. Even in the middle of winter in Wisconsin she’d be out there for hours and hours every day. She had several portable heaters in there and it was still cold. She didn’t care though. She was doing what she loved. Now that I sew I wish more than anything she was still around to see what I make.
I still have my first sewing machine, a W.T. Grant model (made by Brother) from 1968! It still runs great. I would love to add this new sewing machine and serger to my collection!
My mother had passed away when I was little so I was raised by my father. One Christmas my only present was a little battery operated, red metal sewing machine. It was one of my prized possessions and I kept it at my father’s lock & key shop where I spent most days. He died abruptly when I was 10 and I moved away, leaving my little machine behind. Years later, after I was married, my husband and I took a trip back to FL where I grew up and we stopped to see the key shop. The man who worked for my father had bought the business and was still there behind the counter. It was so wonderful to see him and we both had tears in our eyes when he went to a shelf and got down my little rusted machine and handed it to me. It meant so much to have it back and that he had kept it there for me all those years hoping I would come for it. I have been a sewing enthusiast all my life. …and it all started with that little red machine.
Love that Singer is making the machines in such great colors!! My daughter would be more inclined to sit down and learn on a pretty machine.
My first machine was a wonderful Singer Featherlight that my mom bought at a garage sale when I was 9. I still have and still use that machine.
My mother taught me the basics of sewing when I was a kid although I never really took off in the sewing dept until the last year or so. She died a few years ago and so I was so excited to pull out her old machine and whirr away. Makes me feel close to her somehow. =)
My grandmother taught my mom to sew. She was pretty good but she didn’t really enjoy it so she gave
My daughter is an avid sewing enthusiast! she has a two year old son that she creates beautiful toys and clothing for, most of it hand sewn. I would love to be able to surprise her with a sewing machine and serger. She would have so much fun creating things for her home, and her family!
My story with sewing machines is a love story. It started when, on summers, a friend of my mother was bringing hers at our holidays house. We expended hours sewing and making many other crafts, like dying fabrics, making paper, making pottery…Now I have a pretty simply sewing machine wich turned out to be too simple..Now I am dreaming on getting big with one of those beautiful ladies that you are giving away.
My mother’s uncle actually gave me one of his sewing machines (he has a few). He is very old now, but in his younger days he used to make patterns for Simplicity….how cool is that? The sewing machine he gave me is metal, heavy, and is attached by a spring to a little table. I think it needs a tuning or oiling or something because it makes a lot of noise…. But it does work. Thanks for the giveaway… I hope I win.
whoops forgot to leave my e-mail sabrinaferster@gmail.com
Sorry for the abrupt end to the comment above. My son decided I was done and it was time to submit! As I was saying…my grandmother taught my mom to sew and she was pretty good. They even made her wedding dress together. But my mom didn’t really enjoy it so she gave it up when I was young. I used to try to sew clothes for my barbie doll but I always ended up sewing them into their clothes and having to cut them out! I learned some sewing basics in girls scouts and later in Home Ec. The rest has been self taught, with a little help from my mom if I bug her. I still consider myself a learner but I’m getting better!
I would love a serger!! My sewing machine story: I learned to sew in the fourth grade for a 4-H project and I used my mom’s old, all metal singer sewing machine. That’s all I used my whole 4-H experience and when my mom finally upgraded to a nice new Janome machine when I went to college, I was so surprised at how light it was the first time I borrowed it. I was so used to lugging around that big metal behemoth.
I remember that my mom had a clunky Kenmore sewing machine with a green metal cover case. She still has it actually. She was a super busy single mom and didn’t really get a chance to teach us how to sew. Fast-forward a couple of decades, and now I have my own daughter. We were in an apartment for a while with no room to sew and bought our first house a year and a half ago. While that was all happening, by best friend made a few cute blankets and items for my daughter. When we got into the house and had more room, I finally had an interest in learning to sew and made it my 2010 resolution to do so. I bought my best friend’s Singer Simple from her for $80 and used Jenny Garland’s Nap Mat Tutorial as my first project to make a mat for my daughter’s MDO program. I was hooked from then on. Since then, I’ve purchases a better machine (not a Serger, of course) and haven’t looked back. It’s like I’ve always done this.
WOW! This is a huge giveaway and I’m so happy to find your website. My mother sewed through all my childhood, but I didn’t have interest until after college. I bought a second hand basic Kenmore that I have loved. I took a couple classes that taught me how to make time for sewing more than how to sew. Thank you to all the great bloggers out there and to my Mom and grandmothers for teaching me all the secrets. I am now so excited to move on and a serger is on my big “one day” wish list! Thank you again!
I have had 3 machines. The first one was my mom’s, I started using when I was 14, even my dad knew how to sew, so I had to get on the bandwagon.
Second one is a simple Kenmore for $70 bucks that I bought when I moved to the States. Has lasted me faithfully for 10 years now.
My last purchase was about 5 weeks ago, very exciting, vintage, 1924, singer treadle machine. I have lubed it up, bought a new belt and it works like a dream! It sits in my family room for all to see (actually I put it there, so I can watch my naughty kids while sewing) Love you singer!
I am new to your blog but I have to say I am already inspired so you have officially been bookmarked on my computer!! Congratulation on the new book, can’t wait to see what is inside. Well I am new again to sewing, my mom is the type to buy something and never use it. So I confiscated her sewer machine.! Lucky me, but I know it is old but it is has been a trooper for me and my desire to learn to sew again. And with so many blogs with so much inspiration I have a problem narrowing down what project I really want to do. But I have started small and have learned so many things already and every project gets better!! The serger I am very new to, I really don’t know what that does but if it makes my projects that more special or easier so that I can get more done in my short spurts of time, I AM IN. Thanks again!!
Oh, I would love these! I’m just starting to really sew again – well, more than just little projects here and there! I really want to make more clothes for myself and items for my home!
At thirty one, I bought a machine and took a class. At thirty three, I can manage small thing (straight lines are awesome!) and I am completely terrified of, but also obsessed with, sergers. I have an embarrassing stash of fabric and tools that I have been squirreling away, in anticipation of the day I learn how to operate my sewing machine without bending the needle, or get it serviced. I go through needles like pins, it’s terrible. But I have ambition! And with my youngest starting preschool, a little more free time (fingers crossed?). Help me get going!
this would be so awesome!!! I currently am borrowing my daughters sewing machine so I could really use this! She wants hers back, but I can’t bear to part with it because I am constantly inspired by people like you to make cool stuff! Thanks for your ideas!
My sewing machine story….well, I blogged about it here: http://sewingnovice.com/2011/01/07/starting-the-adventure/ and ended up with a Bernina 330. In short I had an old Kenmore from my mother-in-law. I got so frustrated with the machine that I had to get a new one. I just started sewing in January and am so glad I did and feel that the money I spent on my Bernina was completely worth it!
My mother in-law handed town her old Bernina to me when I was in college and I started teaching myself how to sew. I fell in love with it and have been sewing things for myself and friends/family ever since!
im into all sorts of crafts and it would be lovely to win this!!! never had one so it would be an amazing new experience!
i grew up watching my mother and my grandmother sewing i would always go into my moms room and sneak into her scrap pieces of fabric and make little bags and purses for my self i was about 11 when i turned 15 my grandma gave me her old sewing machine i was so excited my very own machine!! u used it a few times and then it broke it was pretty ancient and i have a little girl now and want a machine so i can make her cutsey little things and teach her how to sew
My mom was always very handy with her sewing machine. She made many hideous matching dresses for my sister and I growing up. Watching her is how I learned. Around 15 or so I started hanging around with a bunch of punk kids. We would put our jeans on inside-out and hand sew them along the shape of our legs. When you turned them rightside out they would be uber tight – perfect. I would use my mom’s sewing machine to sew in band t-shirts. What a luxury. It was so fast and they wouldn’t fall apart after two washes. When I got my first apartment I bought an old Singer from the 60′s at a thrift shop. I now use a Kenmore my boyfriend bought for me as a surprise after my Singer bit it. I still alter jeans and dresses, and make things like curtains and pillowcases. I’m very excited about this book! I’ve always been too intimidated to make clothing, this is just the inspiration I needed. Thankyou!
I grew up sewing on my mom’s old Bernina. I think it was 15 years old when she bought it. She had the motor replaced a couple times, but it still kept going. I used it a couple of years ago- it hadn’t been used much since she passed away and the people who used it didn’t really know how to use it properly- and it was barely working. I would love to have it in my sewing room as decoration (not that it is pretty or anything) and inspiration because my mother loved to sew and it was her most valued earthly possession.
My mom introduced me to sewing. As far back as I can remember, I used to sit next to her while she sewed. I’d watch in awe as the needle would move up and down so fast. I was always amazed at how quickly she’d make something. She made it look so simple. My sister and I were always matching in her creations. I wish she would have saved some of the clothes she made us so I could use it for my daughters. She tought me the basics, but I never really stayed with it.
I took home economics in eighth grade where we had to make an apron. It actually turned out pretty good. I remember being bored with all the prep work we had to do before we actually sewed it. The teacher had us practice on paper without thread just to get a hang of the machine and how fast it moved.
I wanted to start making clothes for my daughters when they were born. I bought a $90 machine from eBay, but I didn’t get very far on the clothes-making. Soon after each of my daughters were borth, my mom was diagnosed with cancer (breast after my first and leukemia after my second). There was a period of time that she was in remission, but she kept busy making fleece coats to sell to make ends meet. I never thought I wouldn’t have her here to show me all her tricks. Unfortunately, we lost her on Valentine’s Day 2011.
It wasn’t until this past Spring that I felt the need to make my daughters dresses for their birthday party. As I sat at my $90 machine, I looked over to my daughter sitting next to me just as I would sit next to my mom. I feel like this is a little way to be closer to her — by doing something that we both love.
The bolt for the foot on my mom’s sewing machine would smash your finger if you let it get too close while you were helping fabric through, so I learned to (mostly) avoid it. When I got my sewing machine as an adult, I continued to avoid the bolt, until one day I forgot and was amazed to find out that it’s not normal for sewing machines to smash your finger!
Oh wow! AMAZING giveaway!
In my 9th grade sewing class, one of my projects was a sweatshirt knit cardigan. As I was sewing along (and doing a pretty good job for my first knit project!), the material pulled and my finger went under the needle. It had time to go ALL THE WAY through my right index finger beside the nail TWICE before I stopped the machine. I had to handcrank the needle up, then cut the thread to be free of my garment. The rest of the class freaked out while I kinda blacked out with the teacher, Miss Johnson, tending to my wound.
The wound healed, and that sweater was worn by me until it was adopted by my sister who loved it.
I am MUCH more careful now (though still clumsy at times)
I stumbled across your site just the other day and came across it again on Prudent Baby today!
My sewing story: My Mom was a seamstress when I was younger. I wasn’t too interested in sewing myself, but I would always watch my Mom sew, cut patterns, etc. She made me a lot of dresses & skirts, PJ pants, hair scrunchies (ha!), etc. I was in an after-school sewing club and made my first wrap skirt and matching skirt, but didn’t really touch a sewing machine after that. Just a few years ago, my sister let me borrow her sewing machine and I’ve been sewing ever since! I definitely need an upgrade for my sewing machine and NEED a serger to enhance my sewing skills & projects and work with a wider range of materials. =D
I have ALWAYS wanted to sew well. I know little tid bits from a couple high school classes and wanted a sewing machine SO BAD! My Grandma gave me one and the bobbin is out of control! I don’t know what’s wrong with it or how to fix it.. but I would LOVE to have a sturdy, working sewing machine of my own!
My aunt gave me my first sewing machine, an ancient Elna, which I learned to sew on. I’ve never had a “new” sewing machine, I would love to though!
Awesome giveaway! My mom always sewed when I was growing up, but I never learned! So, last year I asked my husband to get me a sewing machine for Mother’s Day, and I’ve been sewing ever since and loving it!
I learned to sew in Jr. high home ec on my mom’s Riccar which she bought before I was born. Besides using it to taper my jeans, it didn’t really take. Years later (many years later), I quit my job to stay home with my girls. I borrowed the Riccar from my mom to sew stockings for the family. From there, I got hooked and I haven’t stopped sewing since. I would love to have another machine around the house now that I am starting to teach my daughters how to sew.
The needle went through my finger, I was so stunned that I stopped pedaling back and forth on my grandmother’s ancient sewing enveloped by table.
It was one of those machines, dark black with dots of rose and yellow flowers but what kept me going back was that tray of a foot pedal.. and the thick rope sliding over the hand wheel reverser on the right hand side.
I used this machine to sew the neck hole shut to my brother’s shirt.
Once upon a time in home economics, I took sewing …. the machine and I did battle to produce nice things with the result being thread stuck in all parts of it you weren’t supposed to have thread. In college I took sewing again .. and the sewing machine died a horrible death. Now…. I own several basic sewing books and have bookmarked patterns and have been eyeballing a machine of my own. Maybe those were just two really bad machines?? There are so many cute things I’d like to sew, both for my home and to wear, so perhaps it’s time to start working again on this deferred dream
Well my first sewing experience was in the 2nd grade. I sewed a hand puppet for a show we were doing and though the thing was hideous and my lines were terrible, I fell in love there. I knew that my grandmother was an avid sewer so I began to ask her about sewing and how to do certain things. When I married a few years ago, her gift to me was her sewing machine. I use it for small projects around the home and things for myself and friends. My husband even uses to sew things onto his military uniforms. I still call my grandmother occasionally for advice on how to sew things and specifics about the machine. I will never let my grandmothers machine go but a newer updated model would be fabulous! Plus this machine doesn’t have a serger so that would be amazing!!
my mom had her mom’s machine from the 40′s – i still cannot believe i learned to sew on it!
My mom taught me to sew on her machine when I was a kid. I didn’t sew much when I was a teenager, but when I got married my Husband wanted to buy me a sewing machine. We were still in college and the man we rented our apartment from actually owned a sewing machine repair/sales shop. My husband worked for him part time and used the money to pay for the sewing machine! I use it all the time for making clothes and repairs. I want to get into quilting more soon also!
I use a $99 Brother from Kmart that I stole from my mom, to say I need to upgrade would be a MAJOR understatement.
I would love to have a machine to teach my daughters to sew with. I love sewing and hope that they will too~
I learned to sew in 7th grade home economics class. Seemed easy and natural to me. My eighth grade teacher took me to the city(I live in rural Ak) to buy myself a sewing machine. It was a Pfaff. That was 25 years ago and I still have it and sew with it. I am ready for an upgrade. I love creating and recycling materials to make new items.
All through high school I made my own clothes, sewing for hours in my mom’s study listening to heavy metal music (LOL- the 80′s!) Then my freshman year in college, my parents bought me my very own sewing machine which I set up in my dorm room. I even sewed for friends… I’ve made baby clothes for each of my two daughters and jammies for all of my immediate family… My grandma used to draw her own patterns and sew her daughters’ dresses using flour sacks. Sewing has been a real creative release for me over the years and having machines such as these would be totally awesome!
My mum had a machine, I don’t remember learning to sew but I obviously did! Mum bought me a machine for my 21st birthday and it’s still going strong (15 yrs later), but I also have a hand powered Singer that my husband rescued from a skip at work. He works in mental health and the building he works in was once an asylum, the machine belonged to a patient, it was probably brought in with her when she was admitted and the confiscated (sharp parts therefore not safe). It had been stored somewhere and then chucked out in a clearout. It works perfectly and I use it for freestyle applique and it is wonderful – I love it!
thanks for a fantastic giveaway
What a lovely giveaway! Have found you and your lovely looking book through Amy Butler’s fb page!
I learned to sew on my mums machine- she’s had it since she was first married (and is still sewing on it!) when I got married that first Christmas I went out and got my own- with my Grama and my Mum in tow! My Grama sewed for my mum, my mum for me, and now I sew for my kids! I sure would love a serger though!
This isan amazing contest! I have only recently started sewing, although I have wanted to all my life. I finally had a little free time, so I signed up for a class. In less than two months, I have finished around 5 or so projects and I have several more in the works. I would love to win! I really enjoyed your book as well. We just got it in at my library and, after looking through it, I knew I needed to buy it!
Congratulations on the book! I’ve just stumbled across your site (through Prudent Baby), and I am bookmarking you! I love your creativity and admire how you’ve turned a wonderful hobby into not only a business, but a way to connect with others who share love for sewing and creativity.
My sewing story: I didn’t inherit a sewing machine from my grandmother or mother. Though my mother sewed on occasion while I was growing up, I was too terrified of the machine to ask much about it. By the time I became interested in sewing, she had donated her machine to the local Goodwill (literally days before I asked her if she still had her machine!). Because she couldn’t recall much of the basics of sewing, I decided to follow a few blogs online and look up YouTube videos online to learn how to sew. WhitneySews, SecretLifeofABionerd, and many others became my sources for inspiration in learning the very basics of sewing. I learned how to sew pillow covers, and because I would rather buy more fabric than a pillow to fill the cover, I began making my own pillow forms. My daughter (who’s birthday is today! she’s 5) encouraged me to make her blankets, dresses, skirts, etc. Even if they didn’t fit just right she still paraded around the house in them.
Love for sewing led to a love for crocheting, embroidering, and even a little jewelry-making. I love to mix them together when possible, adding embroidered embellishments to pillows and reusable grocery bags. My mom enjoys my creations as well, and for her last two birthdays (since I’ve started sewing) I’ve been gifting her many of my projects.
In short, sewing has opened up many doors in creativity for me, and I thoroughly appreciate people like you who make it easy for someone with no experience to learn such an age-old craft. There will always be bumps in the road and things that I may get confused about, but I know there are plenty of people online and out in the world who are more than willing to help in learning how to sew.
Thanks!
Nadia
Earlier this year, my boyfriend was going through some stuff at his mom’s house. He came home one night with a mysterious looking box… It was heavy! And it was for me! We haven’t figured out what year it’s from and it will need some repairs to get it working, but it was a vintage Singer sewing machine. I can’t wait to make something amazing on it. Maybe a quilt.
What a fabulous giveaway! My great-grandmother and grandmother were talented, resourceful sewists. I remember my aproned great-grandmother always doing one of two things…bustling around the kitchen “putting up” (canning) or sitting quietly in a rocking chair hand-quilting. I remember sitting at my grandmother’s feet, watching her push the pedal and listening to the steady sound of her sewing machine whirring away. They both died before I had caught the sewing bug, and I lament the fact that I never got the chance to sit and bond with them. I could have learned so much from those women, and I think they would be happy to know I appreciate handmade things and am keeping that tradition alive and well. In fact, I am currently restoring a quilt my great-grandmother made and I intend to give it to my brother and his bride-to-be for their upcoming wedding. Please include me in this giveaway…I would love a sewing machine upgrade and I would love, love, love to overcome my irrational fear of sergers! Cheers!
My first sewing machine was a old singer from my Great Grandma, I wish I could show her how it sparked the love of sewing in me!
I would sooooo love to win this sewing machine and serger. I have a black friday 50 dollar special from many many years ago. It has been a good machine and I have made my daughter some beautiful hand made items that I hope she will treasure forever. I would love to have a better machine and a serger! I have just taught myself how to sew from the many wonderful blog on the internet in the last few years. Thanks for this amazing giveaway!
don’t really have a story…..more like recollections. Both grandmothers had sewing machines and stories of spending their first after the war paychecks on buying them. They made clothes up to the time when it was not popular any more, than started making them again for grandchildren – me…..I left that place because of a war when I was 15….and got a sewing machine as my first american birthday present…..I use it now to sew my artwork. I live in Queens, NY, a place full emigrants. One of my part time jobs is to teach sewing to highschool girls with similar sewing machine recollections……..the thread continues…….
I have loved sewing for as long as I can remember. My mom used to make my cabbage patch and barbie dolls different outfits. And I can remember my first sewing machine project which was a stuffed duck in home ec. But the most life changing sewing machine moment for me was when I was 16 and got to sew a teddy bear on an old Singer in a cabinet with the knee control. I was in love with that machine. I now have 2 super old treadle machines in the garage waiting for me to have the know how or meet people with the know how to refurb them. One is Singer and one is New Home. I love the old sewing machines because they’re functional art.
I got a sewing machine and lessons for beginning when I was 13. The first thing I made was a pillow, and eventually worked up to a sweatshirt. When the lessons were done, it went into storage. I carried that thing around with me until I was about 30 and finally got rid of it. Well, a couple years ago, I decided to take up sewing again and bought a new one on Amazon. Uhm, it’s still in the box… I need to get it out and start making something!
an awesome giveaway!! My Grandma was an awesome seamstress by necessity. Having raised 7 kids in the country during the depression~it was a way of life for her. She also made me dresses out of flour sacks with pretty floral designs on them. We grand-daughters had the best Barbie & doll clothes ever. They were made out of her scraps. I have the old Singer machine that she used and it even has a smell that reminds me of her when I pull it out to use. I would love to win your giveaway~thanks for the opportunity~~
I received a sewing machine on my birthday. I would love a serger!!
My first sewing machine I owned started off as an old room mate’s sewing machine that she had bought from an elderly lady. It was a vintage late 50′s singer. My room mate always said she wanted to learn to sew so but didn’t even know how to pull the machine out from the table it was attached too and in the end decided she was so keen on the machine. I had been sewing for years as a kid so when my room mate wasn’t around I’d sneak on her machine and quickly do any mending or sewing I needed. Finally we had to move to different cities and I told her I had been using her machine in which she laughed and just gave me the machine. I was so thankful and blessed by it. But a year later after many sewing projects it start to die. Though it no longer works I still have the machine as I love the look of it. It’s too hard to give up.
That’s my story of my first sewing machine.
My mum and grandma were always sewers and they tried to teach me but I was a jock and didn’t even want to bother! I do remember my mums maroon Husqvarna sitting on her sewing table and her making me or one of my sisters something!! I loved the sound! And do u know that it is still running today, although not very well! Anyway I have two kids and would love to win and carry on the sewing tradition!
The first thing I ever sewed was a tiny, peach-colored, button front blouse with puffed sleeves and peter pan collar for my then six-month-old daughter. Today I am in looking for a photo of her wearing it so I can recreate the memory for her six-month-old daughter. A new family tradition begins!
I first started learning to sew on a machine in high school while playing on my grandmother’s machine. Later on in college I got my own sewing machine but when I was moving it fell and the place where you put the cord in got cracked. It have to position the cord perfectly and not disturb it or else it will turn off. I really love sewing and would like to take my sewing to the next level with a serger and new normally working sewing machine. Thanks so much for having this giveaway I have been dreaming about something like this.
Oh this is my dream!!!!! I have a sewing machine that I got in middle school. So it’s 15-20 years old but it was rather cheap and simple. I’ve been wanting to upgrade to one with more options. And I have been wishing for a serger but don’t really have the means for it. I’ve sewn more in the last year than my whole life. Enjoying making clothes for my kids and a couple quilts.
I learned to sew on the machine at school for Home Ec but did my “homework” on my mom’s machine at home. It was awful – you had to adjust the tension every other seam. I sewed a circle skirt for myself and had to readjust tension so many times while doing the hem, I declared I would never, ever sew again.
A year or so later, my aunt got a Bernina. She loved it so much that she convinced my mom she needed one. Dad bartered for one through his business connections and brought home a Bernina 830. It was unbelievable. So easy to sew, never had to adjust the tension, tons of fun stitches and feet and automatic buttonholer etc etc. We both fell in love with sewing again.
When I graduated from college – I told my parents I wanted a sewing machine. They bought me a Bernina 930 and I’ve used and loved it for nearly 30 years. I have 7 daughters – every time I start a project, they get inspired and want to sew as well. So lots of arguments over who gets the machine next!!
What amazing machines. They would seriously improve my creative sewing skills. Can’t wait to use them *drool*!
I have always been around people with sewing machines but never got someone to help me try one. Until I met my boyfriend (now husband and father of our baby boy!!) and he bought one for me three months after we met. He was so adament about me satisfying my creative impulses that he bought me a black (!) Toyota sewing machine. Have I told you how amazing he is?! Now he’s telling me I should invest in myself and get a serger, but I’m secretly waiting for either my birthday (august
or until the end of this competition!!
Pick me!
My sewing story: I took a class at Joanns about 9 years ago and have been sewing ever since. I mostly sew quilts these days. I love sewing.
I learned to sew on my mother’s ancient Singer Treadle machine.. It weighed as much as boat and was badly in need of servicing. The belt running from the treadle foot to the wheel was broken in at least three places and held together with staples. Every time we used it, my mother commented that it needed oil, and dust bunnies used the inside of the treadle table as a breeding ground. Still, I LOVED that machine. It was incredibly satisfying to sit there and make it go using my own power. Even when I was too little to actually sew, I’d sit on the floor and work the foot pedal. Unfortunately, after my parents divorced, my mother sold the treadle to someone else. Had I known she was going to get rid of it, I would have begged her to keep it for me and lugged it from dorm room to dorm room! There were many things that were inadvertently sold or lost during the divorce purging process, but I mourn the loss of that sewing machine like the death of a dear friend.
Since I didn’t have a sewing machine in college, I kept borrowing my aunt’s… a retro-fitted treadle with a machine. I used it so much she kept having to ask for it back! Now I have a Kenmore machine and I love it, but I’m starting to feel the limits of what I can do. Having a more advanced machine and a serger would be a dream come true – especially since I want to start my own business and I can’t do it without a serger!
I hadn’t stumbled across this site before, but I’ll definitely be coming back!
My first machine was a Singer, purchased for $175.00 by my mother as a high school graduation gift. I still use that machine today, but find that I sew more stuff (faster) on my inherited New Home (now Janome) Memory Craft 4000. I just started quilting and would love a long arm machine.
I sew mostly clothing for my two littles (boys ages 6 and 2). They look adorable in everything, which makes sewing for them SO much fun!
Wow!
I have no sewers in the family, I just caught the bug myself
I bought myself a cheap machine 2 years ago and haven’t looked back! I love, love sewing and am getting better every day thanks to blogs like this one 
my machine, however, is definitely in need of an upgrade as I’m really finding it’s limitations as I get more adventurous with my projects…
Thanks!
Both of my new roommates recently took a sewing class recently, but I wasn’t able to join because of my work schedule! I’m hoping they’ll share their new skills with me since I’ve always wanted to learn. Should I win, I promise to share with my roomies too! I’ve been bookmarking projects and ideas, so I’m ready to get going!
I have a used sewing machine that I have slowly taught myself how to use over the years. I mainly make quilts but am ready to branch out again.
I remember my mom had a sewing machine when I was little, but rarely used it. I used one in my home economics class in high school to make an ugly teal and green apron for my mother. Then didn’t have anything to do with sewing machines until I met my wife. We got her a machine which promptly broke, then we borrowed a converted truddle (sp?) for a while. We eventually got another machine and it worked somewhat reliably though it has failed during some rather crucial times. The search goes on for the perfect machine.
When I first got married, I started watching Eleanor Burns “Quilt In a Day” on PBS, and thought I could do that too. I bought a machine and basically taught myself to sew, and over the years have made numerous quilts. I’m now in the process of turning the spare bedroom into a sewing room and would love a new machine
The first sewing machine in my life was my mom’s White sewing machine. It was black matte steel and could probably have sewed through anything – it did sew through my little finger once! When I was 16, my parents got me a Singer – the kind with the discs you inserted for fancy stitches. It recently died
. It would be great to have a new Singer (or two!).
It felt good to read all those wonderful stories about something that means so much to me.
My mother was and is an incredible woman.She raised my sister and I in Alaska with no electricity or running water.Everything was handmade on an old leather belt treadle Singer.
Many years later ,I fell into professional costuming.I have been returning my mothers support as she gets older for many years.This has made money tight and all of the professional sewing I have done has been on a basic and cheap Kenmore.I am now a stay at home mommy,trying desperatly to stay active in the creative things that make me who I am!
Would be wondrous to have real tools to share with my daughter as she grows and maybe to start my own endeavors again.
Love,love,love your blog!
Thank you for inspiring others.
My first memory of a sewing machine was the almond hard covered number that my mother owned. I thought it to be THE most magical thing in our house. It looked even more elegant next to the sewing box that belonged to my great grandmother. With clicks of the two silver clips the beautiful, top-of-the-line, state-of-the-art, Sears catalog sewing machine glowed (and I swear I heard the angels singing). There were so many boxes and gadgets and knobs and oh, my. It just was so amazing to see it perched upon our orange clothed kitchen table.
My mother would quickly hem her slacks or attend to some other item that needed attention, then put the cover on and tuck away until piles of mending needed to be done. The glory was over. Such was the life of my mother’s sewing machine.
I wanted to use it. Something that amazing needs to be run and zigzagged. It needed to create. For some reason everyone thought I was too young. So many years and several sewing classes later, I was allowed to use this wonder. I now know why my mother did not use it much. It turns out, it was not so state-of-the-art. Nor was it top-of-the-line. It was really just an over priced doorstop. I think that the lack of use truly made the machine hurt inside. So, I bought myself my very own and vowed to love it and use it. All. The. Time.
And use it I did. The sewing machines purchased by 17 year olds (and on a 17 year olds budget) are not intended to last a life time, so when the time came to let Bessie move onto the big quilting bee in the sky, my 23 year old self bought a little better machine. That is what I use today. Thirteen years. Sure I have not used it daily–in the beginning I made the things that a newly married woman makes to set up house. Then the items that a mother needs. Gifts. Simple. Easy. Now that my babies are bigger and more independent, I am able to turn my attention to Greta (that’s what I call this machine) and together we create. Boy do we create. I would love to have some new sewing friends to help keep her company.
I love your blog, and thank-you for hosting this amazing giveaway! I started sewing a couple of years ago. I am the first sewer in my family, and I wish I had a grandma or auntie to teach me. I own a very modest 18 stitch sewing machine that I bought new, and I have been coveting a serger for quite some time now. I dream of making rolled hems and perfect edges. As for the sewing machine, this would be a huge upgrade. I absolutely love the decorative flower stitches, and I am excited about the one-step buttonholes! Thanks again!!
My sewing machine story:
My mother comes from a long line of DIY type women. My great grandparents immigrated from Germany, and one of the things they brought with them was my Great Grandma’s Huge old Black Singer. The kind with it’s own table and the treadle foot. I was always told to stay far far away from it and it grew into a monster in my mind lol. Well, my mom learned how to sew from her grandma, but then for some reason never taught me. She said she hoped that I could have a good enough life that I wouldn’t have to sew anything on my own. Thus, I never sewed anything until Middle School, when I determinedly saved babysitting money to buy my own machine. I still have that machine 10 years later and love to sew on it! It is not fancy at all, it is a basic Singer (I have no clue what model) with only the option for straight or zig zag stitches. I desperately need to upgrade, but cannot afford to until after I am finished with College. This giveaway would be awesome to win!
My mom is an incredible seamstress and patiently taught her little daughters to sew! Now we have fun quilting together as we enjoy getting older
She passed on her old Kenmore to me when I was married and then blessed me with a new one when I graduated from college with two little ones so I could keep them dressed in my creations! My favorite machine to sew on is that one now 23 years later.
Congrats on the book!!
Oooh, I have been wanting to learn how to serge, but everytime I have some money I have to pay some stupid bill! I taught myself to sew on my mother’s singer, she was always saying I would hurt myself or break it so I would have my projects, usually barbie clothes, ready to sew when she went to work and I would sneak in and use it. I would never touch her fabric stash and would use whatever thread was in so she wouldn’t know I had touched the machine.
I learned how to sew on my mom’s viking sewing machine in the fourth grade. That machine is awesome and spoiled me forever.
My mom put me in sewing lessons when I was in 7th grade. I loved it, but after that I never really did anything with it again.
After I got married, my husband bought me one for Christmas. Just your basic Brother sewing machine. I would use it occasionally; but since I worked full time, I didn’t really use it that much.
After I became a stay at home mom, I started using it all the time to make my children things, things for the house, and for gifts. I fell in love with sewing all over again. This past Christmas I even decided to give everyone something that I made for Christmas. I have taught beginner sewing classes to my friends who have loved what I have done and I enjoyed showing them how much fun & fairly easy sewing can be if you just try! My daughters are little now, but I can’t wait to teach them when they are older.
My mom has had the same sewing machine for my entire live (25 years). A tough little Kenmore.
When she was visiting last I was oiling my machine, and she asked “What is that?” I said “Oil for my sewing machine. It helps keep your sewing machine running smoothly.”
She said “Oh, I’ve never done that.”
25 years. No sewing machine oil. And it still runs. (Never been maintenanced either.)
I GREW UP IN A HOUSE WITH 4 SISTERS AND NO NEEDLE OR THREAD. IF SOMETHING HAD TO BE SEWN WE BORROWED NEEDLE AND THREAR FROM A NEIGHBOR. IN 7TH GRADE ‘”SANTA’” BROUGHT ME A SINGER SEWING KIT WHICH INCLUDED AN ELECTRIC CHILDRENS SEWING MACHINE. WITHIN A COUPLE OF MONTHS I WAS MAKING FULL SIZE CLOTHES FOR MY SISTERS AND ME ON IT. TWO YEARS LATER “SANTA” RETURNJED WITH A FULL SIZE BROTHER AND I WAS OFF NEVER TO LOOK BACK. ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHER MACHINES I STILL OWN THAT BROTHER AND IT STLL RUNS.
I only recently purchased my own sewing machine and even then it took me a while to start using it. This is because I have vivid memories of my mom using her sewing machine and getting very angry because of various problems like the needle breaking or difficulty sewing with knits. I’m not sure why those times stuck in my head, since I know she’s had many successful projects as well, but we are both looking forward to living near each other again someday so that we can sew and craft together.
When I was sewing some diapers for my oldest daughter I busted the feed dog on my trusty and 25 year old machine. I called my Mom in tears and she drove 6 hours out to my house a couple days later with a surprise… my grandma’s 1956 Singer 221 Featherweight. This machine sews the truest straight stitch out of any I have ever used. And every time I glance at it I am reminded of my grandma, who accepted my brother and me, without question, even though we are from my Mom’s previous marriage. I have fond memories of watching her sew while she watched football and exclaimed over how cute the players butts were! She really was a great joy to be around and a great seamstress… I am pleased to have her machine in a place of honor in my home and everything I sew for my daughters has a little extra love added!
My mom is the most amazing seamstress EVER!!!! No joke, but when she tried to teach me a a kid, I had no intrest in sewing! Now that I am older … and wiser I have learned to love to sew. ( I have two little girls too, a very good reason to love to sew) I sew on a sewing machine that was my husband’ grandmas, it is a little old.
We also just moved to a small town were there is NOT much to do and a bunch of ladies want me to teach them to sew. We get together ever on Saturday nights and it would be SO NICE to have an other NEWER sewing machine and serger to work with!!! Thanx for the opportunity!
I, actually, am not a crafter but my wife is an artist who only recently began to get more adventurous with a sewing machine. She only has a small ‘starter’ model and would surely be able to do great(er) things with a more deluxe machine. Not to mention, it would score great points for me if I were to surprise her with the set!
my mom taught me to sew when I was little..I don’t remember how old, or what we first made. She still uses her big old Bernina, which she has had for 40ish years! She used to make all of her own clothes in college, and made lots of things for me as well. My mom gave me my own machine for my 18th birthday. I am still not even remotely as proficient as she ten years later, but now that I have a daughter of my own, I am working hard to make her special items like my mom did for me!!
since i was a kid, I have sewn. i was taught by my mom to patiently assemble and even re-assemble when necessary. i’ve used her old singer machine for years now, but – dependable though it has been – it’s a little outdated now. would LOVE to win this giveaway!
Sewing makes me smile, makes me scream, makes me dream, always makes me comes back…must be an addiction! If only I could have a serger…!
my mom had an old super-solid singer sewing machine in it’s own piece of furniture. i wonder what ever happened to that thing; it was so reliable – i should see if it’s still kicking around somewhere… i have a crappy kenmore that i want to throw out the window, but i haven’t managed to replace yet…
I’ve never had a sewing machine in my house before. One of my friends is a fashion designer and I am always impressed what she can make.
My sewing story has literally just begun. I learned a few hand sewing techniques in my 8th grade home-ec class but never did much after that until recently. I had a baby girl almost 2 years ago and began wanting so badly to learn crafting techniques to make things for her, sewing included. My grandma gave me her old singer 301 to learn on which was a lot easier than I thought. I am ready to move on to the big boys now, something that does more than just sew backwards and forwards haha. This would be so perfect for me, especially now that we’re expecting our second child! I would love to be able to make all of the things I didn’t know of at the time of my first pregnancy.
My sewing machine was given to me by a friend who never used it and now that she sees the awesomeness that I create with it, I think she secretly wants it back!
okay, first of all… you are AAmazing! secondly, thanks for all you do and thanks to singer! i got my first sewing machine at a local sewing shop! there is a sweet old man who works on them. they sell used and new. it was used and semi-old. i love it though!
I believe my first machine belonged to my great-grandma, but it wasn’t as old as it sounds… perhaps from the 70′s My dad and aunt both took me to get it tuned up and repaired in it’s generous life before I asked for a new one. I was 16 when I got my Kenmore and I LOVE IT. It’s a great machine – and I was more likely to get a couple hundred dollar machine before a couple thousand dollar car, that’s for sure! I love to tell people that I asked for a sewing machine for my 16th birthday…
Thank you for the opportunity to win this amazing giveaway!!!
My sewing machine belonged to my grandmother-in-law, who died before I could meet her. I’m so glad no one else sews in that family so they gave her to me, even though i was only dating her grandson at the time. It’s a Viking Selectronic 6570, purchased in 1981 (I have the receipt) and it is colored rust. It is an awesome machine which has cams to insert to change the stitch to fancy ones. But you can do all kinds of cool stuff just with the machine as it is. I am constantly amazed by this machine, as I improve my skills and do more stuff, she just keeps up with me. Usually if i mess up, it’s my fault not hers. Recently I got her tuned up and she is turbo charged now. I will cry big fat tears if she ever dies.
Wow what an amazing opportunity!
I grew up around sewing machines but as a city kid I was never interested in learning. My mom and babysitter used to sew dresses for my dolls and I loved seeing how fabric could turn into little dresses and hats. My mom would sew my halloween costumes and I still remember having the best homemade little mermaid costume in kindergarten! Now that I’m older I’ve found a love of crafting and sewing but as a young professional I cannot afford a sewing machine of my own. What a great opportunity it would be to continue our family’s tradition of sewing!
I just got your book yesterday and I love it! I bought fabric today and cannot wait to start on some new projects!
My grandmother had 5 children and sewed many of their outfits, but she probably sewed me more outfits (including matching one for my doll) than all her children combined. I started to learn how to sew and crochet when I was around 5. I did it off and on till I was in college. My mother gave me a sewing machine in college to help give me a hobby instead of me getting in trouble so much
Now here I am with my husband (who is in Seminary, looks like my mom won) and three children and I am SO APPRECIATIVE of the art my grandmother passed on to me. I have started making my children’s clothes and our decorations in an effort to stretch our money, but what I really found was creative life coming back to me. It really helps to see that I can do soemthing productive during these early years of my children. It gives me confidence when i feel like I am not the smartest or greatest mother, it reminds me that I can create and bless others with the abilities given to me. So, I have been putting my sewing to use now to be a blessing to my family and I hope to pass it on just as my grandmother did for me. xoxo – M.e.
Amazing giveaway!!!!
I hope i am the lucky one to win this modern sewing machine…
It’s time to change my sewing machine to a new one.. I am still sewing using my mother sewing machine… Really hope to have one for myself, this is the great chance…Thank you…
My first sewing memories are sitting on the floor studying my Granny’s feet busy whirring along on her Singer treadle. She was responsible for impressing me with the wonder of making stuff using a sewing machine for out of her hands came the most beautiful dresses we ever wore as children. I loved being around fabric then and still cant get enough, today. I bought my own machine at age 15, with my first 3 months pay checks, having put it on lay away and used that for 25 years but a new machine would be a dream. Singer sewing machines have a very special place in my heart.
Congratulations on the book! You are amazing! I have recently started to sew again after having a baby. I took sewing classes in high school and my grandmother taught me a few things but now its all me experimenting. I would love to get a new machine. The one I have now is a REALLY basic machine but it still works! I have been looking at sergers as well.
My mom taught me how to sew on a 1960′s Singer 328k (which she still uses), and one day while at a local swap meet/flea market my husband (who knew I was looking for a sewing machine) bought me a used sewing machine for under $50. I was a little nervous at first, seeing an older sewing machine case and knowing my husband had no idea about anything sewing related. But as soon as I opened up the case I almost cried. The machine he bought me could have easily passed for my mom’s machine, a 1960′s Singer 328k, only in a different color!
I still use that singer today, and it’s a fantastic basic machine, but I’d love to have a machine that had more variety in stitches, and would be over the moon for a serger.
I learned to sew on my mom’s machine when I was a teen. But then wasn’t interested in sewing until my mid-20′s. So when my Grandma’s items got divided up, I was the only one interested in sewing and didn’t have a machine. It’s an old black Singer in a cabinet. I’ve used it some, but then I inherited a slightly newer portable Singer from my Grandma-in-law. I’ve been sewing steady on that machine for 5 years. It’s got it’s quirks, but it works and gets things sewn. I also have a Singer serger from the 80′s that I purchased 2 years ago. It isn’t new and doesn’t have all the features that the new ones have, but it works. I would love to upgrade to newer machines!
My first sewing machine was my mom’s first sewing machine from the 70s. I believe it was originally white, but the case had yellowed and one of my cats used to like to lick it(!). In my mid-twenties I was teaching myself to sew with it after being frustrated for years at the thought of simply threading it. Finally I caught on enough to sew some scarves and tote bags for Christmas gifts. (You know, caught on enough to sew squares, basically.) I had just finished the last gift when it broke and I figured I would have to find a repair shop after the holidays. But lo and behold, my hubby already had a new sewing machine wrapped up under the tree. Either he had really good timing/foresight or he sabotaged the old one…In any case, I have advanced a little beyond squares and would love to add alphabets and serging to my capabilities! Thank you!
i have many sewing machine stories as my mother was a home ec teacher. but my favorite: i found two old sewing machines on the street when i was living in queens. these were not the first things i freecycled while living there. my husband and i chose the best looking machine – neither of them worked – their cords were literally cut. they were both super heavy. i put the rejected one back out on the curb. i googled sewing machine repair shops and stuck the super heavy machine in a backpack. one day after work i carried that heavy thing on my back in the hot nyc heat (i worked in manhattan), and dropped it off to be repaired for around $100. it was a pretty heavy duty machine and we had just bought a sailboat so i thought it would work great for sails and upholstery. after repairing it and getting it going, it worked like a dream. and even worked if i cranked it with no power (there is not always power available, or enough to push a machine on a sailboat). eventually the belt (which was external) on it became shredded and there were too many missing teeth. i failed to find replacements though a piece of leather worked for awhile before stretching. i loved that machine. i love heavier machines. i have since upgraded to a more modern machine with way less character!
i would LOVE to own a serger. i’m so tempted to steal my mothers that has been sitting for years collecting dust!
My sewing machine’s story is quite a simple one… I’ve discovered sewing with my mom, when I was a little girl. I’ve always seen her use the same sewing machine, an old mechanical singer (with must be 24 years old, like my brother, and still works perfectly !). So, when she asked me, right before my 25th birthday, that I had to choose a present that would last, I said “OK, I want a sewing machine, a real good one that will last as long as yours !”
And that’s when the love story began with my machine, 2 years ago…
Hi !
I’ve always seen my mother and grand-mother work at their sewing-machines.
My grand-ma sew “just” for fix clothes. At least, I just saw her when she did that.
My mother was a teacher and I remember that late at night she was cranky about costumes for her students !
I get the sewing machine of my grand-ma back when she died but no longer because the sewing machine of my mom broke. So I buy one to myself. But it’s a cheap sewing machine and i don’t really make clothes easilly.
Here my story ! Sorry for my language, I’m french !!!
My mom taught me how to sew on here old singer that seemed to me at such a young age to have a mind of it’s own!!!
Yeah !
I’ve never seen someone around me sewing : neither my mother, nor my grandma… I’m a self-made sewer ! So Santa Claus give me my first sewing machine and i never stop use it !
I would love to win this sewing machine. Have always dreamed of owing a sewing machine!
Hello, en anglais avec Reverso
Yes! A sewing machine! And a serger! A SEWING MACHINE AND A SERRRRGERRRR! [Oprah voice!] Both of them! One winner gets both!
This is the Singer Perfect Finish Combo, a sewing machine and serger that come together as a dynamic duo, just waiting to infuse their sewing power into the life of one lucky reader. Sewing machines and sergers go together like peanut butter & jelly, and every sewer should have both type of machine in their arsenal! The sewing machine is an electronic machine with over 400 stitches, two alphabets, drop feed, an extension table, and much more. The serger features adjustable tension, four different rolled hems, differential feed, and more. If you don’t know what all that stuff means, just trust me, these are great machines!
To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on this post and tell me your sewing machine story. Did your mom or grandma have an ancient machine that still lives on in your memory? Did you find a used machine at a thrift store and wanted to learn to use it but never did? Do you find sewing machines more intimidating than rotary saws, yet you still want to try to learn? Have you never used a sewing machine, but have been dreaming of the day when you’ll give it a whirl? Do you have an old machine and really need an upgrade? Whatever it is, even if it’s just a memory or a wish, I want to hear your sewing machine story!
Contest Rules
This contest will be open for the duration of my blog tour; the contest opens when this post goes live, and closes on Friday, August 12 at 11:59pm EST. A winner will be chosen from the comments on this post using a random number generator. One entry per person, please.
Thank you for playing, and a huge thank you to Singer for sponsoring this giveaway. Good luck!
PS: Are you new here?
I hope you’ll come back to visit again! I’ve got sewing-related giveaways (including fabric, thread, sewing tools and autographed books) scheduled every day for a month to celebrate the launch of my book Sewing in a Straight Line, as well as sewing how-to’s, free patterns, and other crafty tutorials to share. (There will probably be some jello, too.) So please bookmark this site, follow me on Twitter or Facebook, or sign up for the RSS feed. Nice to e-meet you, and thanks for stopping by! xoxo
POSTED by Brett IN sewing ON Wednesday, July 20th, 2011 · 1,174 comments
Labels: sewing, sewing in a straight line
Share and Enjoy:
Print
Digg
StumbleUpon
del.icio.us
Facebook
Yahoo! Buzz
Twitter
Google Bookmarks
BOOK VIDEO: HOW TO SEW A ONE-HOUR SKIRT
In french
Bonjour, moi je joue avec un très grand plaisir.
L’histoire de ma machine est triste dès fois lorsque j’y pense.
Mon arrière grand mère et ma grand mère faisait de la couture, j’adorais les regarder faire, mais il est vrai que je n’ai jamais voulu apprendre quant j’étais adolescente, ma mère aussi avait appris chez les Soeusr et toute seule comme une grande.
Puis lorsque je suis née ma grand mère m’avait cousu un très jolie robe dans un style de vichy carreau bleu clair et blanc, je poste avec la robe sur la photo de mes 9 mois, et oui j’ai eu le droit au portrait chez le photographe et je marchais, puis un jour ma grand mère m’a dit qu’elle me donnerait sa machine lorsqu’elle ne l’utiliserait plus, je m’amusais avec quant j’allais lui rendre visite, ma grand mère étant décédé il y à juste 10 ans le 7 âout, d’ailleurs mes deux grandes mères à 6 mois d’intervalle, j’ai récupéré la machine et j’ai mis la robe de côté, j’adorais ma robe, je voulais la garder pour la mettre à mon futur bébé, mais malheureusement la vie m’a aussi enlevé mes bébés avec des fausses couches, et j’ai rangé la machine qui me tenait tant et ma robe avec, pour le jour ou je me mettrais à coudre et lorsque j’aurais de la place, nous habitions dans un studio.
Nous avons déménagé dans un appartement, j’avais la chambre qui me servait d’atelier, j’ai voulu commencer à coudre, j’ai acheté tout ce qu’il fallait, j’ai demandé de l’aide à ma mère et un jour en rentrant à la maison il y à 4 ans, porte close et maison vidée, mon mari m’avait fait un sale coup, il avait préparé son départ depuis de longues semaines, me trompais et à vidé tout l’appartement, tout ce qui s’y trouvait à disparu, tous mes objets personnels (ma machine, mes photos de famille, mes bijoux, mes diplômes, mes vêtements) tout sans exception et je me suis retrouvée à la rue sans rien et presque toujours rien au jour d’aujourd’hui, lorsque je lui demande de me rendre mes affaires, il ne répond, je suis souvent triste en pensant à ma machine, à ma grand mère à ma petite robette et à tout le reste, des fois et même souvent je pleure, je prie ma grand mère pour lui demander de faire quelque chose, mais rien ne se passe, qui sait peu-être sera t’elle là cette fois, pour que ma vie soit plus gaie et que je puisse avoir deux machines et quelque chose qui m’appartienne.
Merci d’avance.
A bientôt
N
Sorry,
Ma web site is Mes ptits titis
http://victoriacc.canalblog.com
Face book : Titis créations
Bonne journée
N
I’ve just got a basic sewing machine, but I’m finally sewing – really sewing! I’m making baby clothes and have moved onto my own wardrobe now. That serger would come in really handy!
My mom, sister and I all love sewing. Mom, of course, is the expert! We have a couple of coveted machines, including my mom ‘s early 1970s singer, on which all three of us learned to sew, and a 1980s era Bernina. We were just dicussing the other day how great it would be if we could all go in on a serger!
I’m just beginning to sew! I can’t wait to pick up a copy of your book. The projects look great!
Hello,
This my sewing story…I learned to sew in hiding. My mother came with us to this country in the mid 70′s from South Korea. My father was in the miltary and often away and my mother taught herself to sew to make extra money. She started to work for a small factory and sewed from home for many years. I used to play under her grey ,iron monstrosity of a sewing machine…a Juki. She never wanted me to learn to sew because she did not think it was a worthy profession. But she made beautiful dresses for me and my sisters and a myraid of house items. Who could not be interested? Over the years I watched and picked up a few things here and there and would sneak in when she wasn’t home to sew on her machine. It was not unitl I had my first child that my interest peaked. My mother had then acknowledge that I can sew and gave me formal lessons. Now 30 plus years later, she is still a seamstress, and still has that Juki. I still sew on that machine.
My first real experience with a sewing machine is the one I inherited from my husband’s grandmother – a 1955 Singer 201K – a beautiful piece of machinery and really really heavy! I didn’t use it for about 12 years, and it moved house with me twice, but recently my two year old daughter really “needed” to have an apron made for her from an old pillowcase she fell in love with, and so the adventure began…
I would be so happy to win – my first and still beloved machine was a Singer, rebuilt after a fire in my father’s plant. It was solid and dependable and reliable, and finally was set aside after many problems with the tension. I still miss it and am not in love with the replacement I bought – a machine that seems to always have issues, and along with those, a not very helpful manual. I keep soldiering on with this machine, because I’m trying to not spend money and accumulate less, but I miss having a sewing machine that patiently steps up to the plate on a consistent basis!
OH MY! what a wonderful set! I would love to get back into sewing! Both of my grandmother’s had old Singers. Sadly I’ve only seen them used as end tables because they are in need of very expensive repairs. When I was in college I purchased a mini sewing machine but it wasn’t powerful enough to sew thicker fabrics. Your videos and book look so inspiring; even if I don’t win, the set will go to someone who will cherish it! Thank you for sharing!!
My mom was always sewing outfits and costumes for me and my sister when I was growing up… I never learned, but asked for a machine a few years ago. I taught myself the basics, but I think I’m ready to move beyond “beginner” so that I can make beautiful and fun things for my daughter just like my mom did when I was growing up.
The sewing machine I currently have belonged to my great-grandma. I am not sure what year it is but it is one of those black Singer machines. I tried a few projects with it when I was in high school with it and now that I have a 7 month old I have been wanting to learn how to sew so I can make cute things for him. I recently started a craft blog and would love to have a nice sewing machine so my readers can follow as I learn how to sew. Thanks!!
i’ve been dying to get a serger for some time now! what a generous giveaway! and i can’t wait to get your book–it looks wonderful!
I would like to win this for my girlfriend.
Thanks!
I started sewing on my mom’s old Brother machine (which is the same one I learned to sew on as a child). It was awful! I had so many problems with it. About 15 years ago my dad bought me a basic Kenmore machine for my birthday, and it is still going strong. I’d love something with a few more options, but I am so happy with the way this one sews that I am a little afraid to upgrade.
My mom taught me the basics when I was young and when I was older, my grandmother taught me how to quilt. I started out making baby quilts, 5″ blocks only… and never progressed beyond that! I used to joke that I can sew anything, as long as it only requires straight lines (actually, come to think of it, it’s not a joke–it’s the truth). I have recently branched out into making children’s clothing, mostly self-taught, and I would love, love, love to have a serger so I can expand into knits and not have to fiddle with French seams on everything I sew.
Awesome! Both of these machines would be welcome in our home. My wife would absolutely love to have them.
My grandma had an old sewing machine that she passed on to me when she got a new one. It’s the one I’m still using! And I have one of those reeeeally old ones in a flip up table that probably doesn’t work but I got it at a yard sale because I like it.
My Mom is an excellent seamstress, but she was also a very busy single Mom, so she never taught me. I am just starting to teach myself with books and blogs. I bought my first sewing machine for my birthday and have been slowly learning. I love it.
I have my mother’s Kenmore sewing machine from the 70s. We used it when I was in high school to sew my prom dress and I hadn’t touched it since until she gave it to me a year ago or so while she is out of the country. Now I’ve taken on garments and quilting and learned so much. She will be wanting it back when she returns and I know I will need one of my own.
My sewing machine story is short
My mother tried to teach me but I never wanted to learn while I lived with my parents. Recently I started reading craft blogs and decided to start sewing. I have been learning by myself little by little and I love it. Thank you for the chance; this is an amazing giveaway!
ap_lemos at yahoo dot com
I loved this blog, it is amazing =]
Well, when I was 18 years old, my grandmother passed away. She was seamstress, and all my cousins had learned how to sew with her and the sewing lessons worked very well with them, unless me.
I was a disaster, REALLY, believe me. So, when she died, she shared her things among us. Her house, her clothes, her jewelry, her dog, etc. And her old Singer… she left to me.
The sewing machine stayed there in my bedroom for 1 year. And I was thinking in sell it. One day my jeans pants needed some adjust and I was alone in my house. So I saw on the internet how to sew the pant in the sewing machine, and I did that. And I felt completely in love.
Now I need a new machine to do harder things and test my habilitys.
I hope to win this one.
I have spent the last week sewing and I am ridiculously in love. As a graphic designer I am always on my computer which is mostly nice because I’m always creating, but there is something so wonderful about actually using my hands to create something that doesn’t involve rolling a mouse around or pressing buttons {ok, there is some button pressing in sewing but it doesn’t dominate the creation}. I finished a couple of pillows projects that have been haunting me for the last year and started some napkins – dinner and cocktail napkins. COCKTAIL napkins, who has those? And now I have a quilt design running around in my head as well as a table runner to match the napkins…
I love my job, but finishing my sewing projects actually made me squeal and jump up and down. It has done my heart good.
Can’t wait to get the book!
Amy {a happy sewing addict}
When I was twelve, I sewed my first dress with the help of a family friend. Ever since then, I have the most ridiculous time finding the dresses and skirts that I like, in my size, that fit me without anything popping out, riding up or being ridiculously expensive. My dream is to be able to make my own clothes, or at least tailor ones from the store so I can feel good about what I’m wearing and what my family is wearing. I think sewing-specifically clothing construction-is a lost art and I’m determined not to let it die out!
It’s kind of a funny story….
When my husband Joel and I were first dating a few years ago. He knew I was a crafty-lady and loved sewing and making things for my nephew. He asked me to help him make stick-horses to give his three year-old twin nieces for Christmas. I was excited for the challenge and loved the idea. We started right away working on the ponies. After we worked gathered all of the supplies, I brought my Singer sewing machine over to his house and we spent hours crafting these wonderful stick-horses. When they were finished, I left my sewing machine over at his house. The machine was never the same after that. Turns out he broke my machine while he was trying to sew on it after I left!
When I asked him what happened to my machine he said, “I was experimenting with it”.
Bless his heart, he felt so bad that he bought me a new Singer machine.
Oh, the stick horses were a HUGE HIT with our nieces They absolutely love playing with them. They are the cutest little cowgirls! When the twins have friends come over to play, the stick-horses get put away because, they love them so much and don’t want anyone else to play with them.
I’m so impressed with the women in my life who sew! My mom is a talented seamstress, and when my girlfriend moved into my apartment, we turned the second bedroom into a sewing room for her. Her machine is whirring away as I type this, I’m sneakily entering this contest to win the machines for her! I hope she’ll teach me to at least hem a pant leg or fix a ripped seam. Thanks!
My grandmother’s sewing machine actually belonged to her late husband’s mother, who used it to support herself, my grandfather and his brother during the depression by making doll clothes. It’s an absolutely beautiful machine, and my grandmother taught me to sew on it!
I have a little Kenmore that can do basic stitches, but I have been dying to get my hands on a better machine AND a serger now that I am moving on from the beginner stages.
I come from a long line of women who sew. They all tried to help me, but I never had the patience. Now, I’m a wife and mom and I really want to learn, but don’t have someone to learn from. I keep planning to take a class when my kids are in school all day. I can make A LOT of things with iron-on hemming tape. I just discovered your site today and am going to order your book! I’d love to win!
When I was growing up if you wanted clothes you made them. We all shared my moms JCP model. When we each graduated from high school we got our own machine to go out into the world with. Thanks for sharing with us.
Cyndi
I’ve never done much sewing, partly because the machine I have is really old and only works sometimes. But now I have a baby girl and I would love to be able to sew things for her. Thanks for the giveaway!
Well, I learned hand sewing techniques from my grandmother and aunt when I was a child; embroidery, cross-stitch, etc. I didn’t learn to sew on a machine until I was an adult. My husband bought me a Kenmore when I expressed interest about 12 years ago. He ended up teaching me the basics because his great grandmother was a seamstress, his grandmother sewed clothing, and his mother sewed as well. I started with pillows and curtains, and have sewn a little bit of everything since then!
My mother had a machine and used to sew but it was usually broken while I was growing up. My grandmother is an amazing seamstress and designer too. Last year I told my husband I wanted a machine for my birthday, I remember he gave me one of his “have you gone totally mad” looks but being a wonderful guy he gave me the money and I went out and bought it. I sew for my daughter mainly and she’s an angel and loves most of the stuff I make. And yes yes yes a serger would be the best thing ever
I married into a family where my mother-in-law sewed her own wedding dress. I can’t even sew on a button. I would love to learn, not just to out-do her (insert evil face) but so I can make clothes for my kids and projects around the house. I SO need a hobby. I would totally love to win this because the old one that I inherited from my husband’s grandma just isn’t something that I can figure out.
My aunt taught me to sew when I was probably 8 or 9. I remember making a pair of neon colored shorts! I didn’t really keep it up and was intimidated by sewing for a long time. Once I had my first baby though, I really wanted to be able to sew things for my kids, so I asked for a machine for Christmas. I don’t use it enough, and have only made a few simple projects, but I want to start sewing more clothes so I would LOVE a new machine and serger. Thanks for the giveaway. What a great site, I’ll definitely be back!
I remember learning on my grandmother’s pedal singer, one stitch at a time. She also had the electric version too. I still use the wooden desk it was built into in my home as an entryway table. I’m not an avid sewer myself, but with the right machine, I’m sure I’d be inspired. This website is quite the inspiration itself!
I started using my mother-in-law’s sewing machine, circa 1971. I would borrow it for months at a time to make curtains for our new house, baby quilts, etc. When I bought my own 8 years ago, I must have bought a lemon. I kept having to send it back my mail to TX for repairs (from MA), it would work for a couple of days and then bust again. When I went to replace it, I went simple thinking that I don’t need anything fancy, I only sew curtains and blankets. Now that I make dresses for my baby girl, for my shop, and all sorts of other projects, it might be time to reinvest, but I’m scarred from my first maching buying experience! Add to that, I am lusting after a serger!
Hi Brett! I’m new to the blog (found you on Prudent Baby) but it looks like my cup of tea! I’m excited! And would LOVE to be the winner of this fantastic prize…I’m using a sewing maching that my brother’s ex-girlfriend was throwing out (which she never knew how to use anyway)…nobody in my family sews so I taught myself how to sew a straight line…occasionally the line is curved or zigzagged but I’m ready to learn more!! And I have a baby on the way (a girl!) so I am REALLY wanting to sew some cute ruffle butt clothes for her – a serger would be perfect!! Fingers crossed! Thank you!
My first sewing machine was a Singer, of course, in 1963, for my 10th birthday. I made clothes for my dolls and then it went into the closet until I went to college, when I made (and embroidered) tops and skirts. I was quite the fashionable hippy! I loved that machine — I wonder what happened to it?
bonjour brett!! un petit mot de France (sorry for my english…)
When I was a little girl, I used to observe my mother when she was sewing.I liked the repetitive rhythm. Now,I’m 34 and I’m using a sewing machine (husqvarna) that my mother gave me 10 years ago. I enjoy sewing. sewing is relaxing. when I was pregnant, I used to sew. My baby always had peace and quiet during my work. Now, he’s 2 years old. when I sew, My boy comes and stands by me. sometimes he sleeps in spite of the repetitive rhythm.
When I learned to sew it was in the dining room in our 100 year old farm house. My mother taught me on my Grandmother’s verrrrry old manual foot pedal sewing machine. I learned at age 5 and have been sewing ever since! I am not the best by any means, but I can sew a straight line!
This would be AH-MAZING!! I actually just started sewing this year, my grandmother passed her old sewing machine down to me. She was so proud/excited the day I showed up asking for help with a project for my future godchild! She has not been able to sew in a while & just enjoys watching me in my many projects! I have been having a blast with it and would like to be able to do more things! This new machine & serger would be a god send!
My sewing story is full of disappointments–my grandmother tried to teach me, but I never really got beyond a backstitch by hand. When I moved into my first home, I spotted a table on the side of the road & swiped it, only to find that it had a sewing machine in it (1950s Singer). However, I never used it. I moved across the country last year for grad school and sold the table on Craigslist, but since then I’ve found myself in need of a sewing machine for at least 3 projects! I would LOVE one of these guys!
My husband bought me a sewing machine probably about 5 years ago at my request. It moved around with us a little and I’d start projects here or there but never finish anything. I have finally, recently, finished some small projects and now I have the itch for more! I would love a serger and made the mistake of saying no to my husband’s grandmother’s serger when it was offered to me when she passed away. I am kicking myself now!
The first thing (and the last thing as I haven’t had time or a proper sewing machine) I ever sewed pretty much by myself was a set of curtains for my daughter’s room when she was an infant. I went with a friend to get the fabric and used her sewing machine to make them. I can sew in straight lines, could definitely use a machine, and so am looking forward to getting your book!
My first sewing machine was a $20 “toy” machine that I bought at Target, thinking that would suffice, given that I didn’t really know how to sew at that point. It turned out being the best $20 I ever spent because I used it to sew curtains, recover two chairs in my living room and hem endless amounts of pants and skirts! It was not until a few years ago I thought I was capable enough to upgrade to the most basic Singer machine. So that is what I now have and love, but I’m not gonna lie… these 2 machines would be an AWESOME upgrade! I’m new to your blog by the way and I love it! Great giveaway!
My first sewing machine was my grandmother’s from Sears that came in a fold away table, that I am sorry to say has gone the way of the Dodo. My mother-in-law then taught me on her very old machine where I learned how to make lopsided coats and quilts in the shape of a parallelogram. I now have a run-of-the-mill sewing machine that sits in my new craft room waiting to be used right after I unpack all of the boxes. Just ask my friends that helped me move, I have stacks of fabric just waiting to be sewn into my wildest imagination.
I learned to sew from my mom, but although she’s fabulous and there’s nothing she can’t sew (or weld; she’s pretty accomplished), I’m not great. She had an extra sewing machine that she eventually gave to me, it’s an old Brother that weighs a thousand pounds. I used it once, and it seized up and stopped working. Then my daughter asked for a sewing machine for Christmas. My older sister (who did inherit the sewing genes) offered to get her one. I imagined more of a toy; she got a real Singer – bottom of the line, but still, a real machine. I’ve been using that when my daughter isn’t looking, but I would LOVE my own machine!
How I long to renew my love, and how I’ve been doing so for so long!
In my twenties, my first, and only love to date, was my Necchi sewing machine. My parents had gifted it to me for my graduation as a stage set and costume designer. If, during college, I had learned to tame industrial machines and sergers, still, this Necchi’s main quality was that she was mine. My beloved machine was nothing fancy, she was a straight forth and back character, yet to my eyes and heart she was a beauty, an all black and sexy Italian lady. All the while we were together, she was loyal, supportive, uncomplicated, and never failed to respond to my love and desires.
At 32, I happened to meet a French man who would become my husband; therefore, to follow him in Paris, I more or less let go of most of my possessions, including my cherished Necchi. On the other side of the pond, my mother-in-law lent me her own sewing machine. That one was painted a dull army green; and every single part of her was made out of a clunky thick metal, which made her quite heavy to lift, and even her engraved name was indecipherable. I releguated her to one of the closets. She was born in the 1930s, and had been made in USSR — it figures. It never really clicked between the Soviet miss and me. We never became even friends. We would meet a few times a year, for polite but strictly utilitarian purposes, and as briefly as possible. Nothing to inspire love.
Then my marriage itself became unstitched beyond repairs, so I flew back to North America, grabbing only some of my dresses, my French white poodle, my favourite recipe book and my preferred Thesaurus.
Now a fifty-ish divorcée, I am without any sewing machine, once again. Life has a way of repeating itself.
Nowadays, if I need to sew something beyond my jeans hems, I borrow my twin sister’s machine; I am not the type to fool around with someone else’s sewing engine, as I always fear I’ll brake it. In those conditions, there is no way to fall in love. Yet, how I swoon over, how I dream about, how I am obsessed by, how I long to renew my love for a beautiful, fast, complicated and seductive sewing machine! Or two to boot!
Shortly after getting married in 1972, I brought a new Brother sewing machine. I remember it had all sorts of fancy stitches. My husband was between jobs, and played with the sewing machines “fancy” stitches while I was at work. I told him if he was going to waste thread he could sew me something. I picked up a simple pattern and fabric and showed him the basics. He sewing was fantastic. He was fanatic abouth the slightest detaily and progressed to more complicated patterns and doing beautiful work. One weekend while visiting his family, he found himself discussing sewing with his Mom and Aunts. While the male members of the family listened. He decided that this was way to weird, after all he was a “man”. He never touched the sewing machine again,much to my dismay.
My first sewing machine was an ancient thing of my mom’s that was always breaking. I’m not sure if she really knew how to use it. I learned to sew from my seamstress aunt, who has since died. I remember using the tile floor in the hallway to cut straight lines. After I learned the basics I decided to take a sewing class in High School, and after that bought a machine of my own.
I am currently using an old and very basic department store model that I have bored from my mother in law. I have only done a couple of small projects thus far but I’m addicted and want to do more. I am teaching myself with very mixed results… I have yet to master the ‘straight line’ but i’m working on it! LOL
mcintosh dot kimberley at gmail dot com
Wow. I love the concept of your new book–and so many of the projects are darling. Thanks for the giveaway. I use the lowest model Brother sewing machine, which my mother bought me eleven years ago to learn on. I’ve sewn quilts, garments, house-y stuff (pillows, napkins, etc.), paper stuff (notebooks, coloring books, garlands), dolls and toys. I still feel I could go far with my simple machine (after all, many projects boil down to some really simple, straight-forward sewing, right?), but I relish the idea of doing more.
Congrats and thanks for the opportunity to win something genuinely cool!!!
my mother has a sewing machine with the color dial on it. As an early teen I took several beginners sewing classes in order to learn small projects I could use her sewing machine for. After the classes were all done I was ready to start my own projects, I go plug it in and sparks start to fly and it blows up. I have not purchased one on my own since, traumatized!!!
Woot!! This is one super fantastic giveaway! My mom always sewed for me & my sisters when we were little. Then I did the 4-H sewing thing. I made a wrap skirt and we had the fashion show and everything at the 4-H Fair. Good times! Now I have a daughter of my own who loves dresses and I love making them for her.
I wanted a sewing machine badly a couple years ago and got a cheapster one at Target. It chugs along beautifully with its skull & crossbones sticker on the front and a “do something every day that scares you” quote on the side. In frustration over tension issues I took it to a store for a tune up, and they said that they wouldn’t look at it because it was worth less than the tune up (a ‘la Pretty Woman) and then attempted to sell me a $250 machine with all kinds of bells and whistles. I politely declined and took my humble stitcher elsewhere, where it turns out all I needed was a different bobbin. I love my little machine but have recently become a stay at home mom and would like to open an Etsy shop and think that an upgrade would help get me going, and a serger! oh my! I’d make the most fabulous little clothes for kids and adults…it would be awesome.
I learned to sew when I was age 10 on my mother’s Swiss Elna with the free arm (she was Swiss and she got it over there). When I was in 7th grade and everyone was getting a bra, I asked my Mom if I could get one, even though I didn’t need one yet. Of course, she said no. But I was determined to get one anyway. So, creative one that I was, I decided to make one. My sewing skills were rudimentary at that time so I cut out some half circles from some old sheets, stitched some elastic to them and was on my way. The trick was to hide it from my nosy siblings; the card table that served as the “sewing center” in our family room was open for all to view. I hid the project in a felt-covered cigar box and whenever anyone came downstairs, I quickly stuffed it back in the box. Naturally, I got caught. My Mom got the message and off we went to Marshall Fields to get my first “magic grow” cup pink lace bra. I still have the machine, the sweet memories but alas, have outgrown the bra.
I took up sewing two years ago after having a machine for the past seven. I took a class to make a tote bag at a local sewing shop and I was hooked. Would love to have a serger!
I learn’t to sew by reading books and magazines. I am a fan of singer . I have made lots of quilts as gifts and dresses and tablerunners etc. Would love to win this combo .
My mom taught me to sew on her old metal sewing machine…it was solid! We had a lot of fun making doll clothes and costumes on it, and now I’m doing the same with my kids!
I started on a Singer my dad gave to my mom for Christmas when they were dating. I’ve upgraded, don’t have a serger and would love to have a second machine for “consulting” when my friends come over and ask me questions.
My grandmother found her old sewing machine and fixed it up for me when I got married three years ago. I have made one baby quilt but never could get the sewing machine to work well for me. I would LOVE a sewing machine so that I could try my hand at making cute stuff!! I would LOVE to win this give away!!
Thank you so much! I learned to sew from my grandma and I am using now a second hand sewing machine that I bought 2 years ago, my sister is now using my grandma’s old sewing machine, wish to buy an old Singer one day, so special!
My sewing machine is a 1972 Elna that, yes, is my mom’s ancient machine. But she’s a workhorse, well-cared for darling that I’d love to sit on the shelf and get out only for sewing through six layers of denim.
Wow! I love your blog already. I’m new here and found your blog from http://www.designsponge.com. I’m currently in grad school for Fashion Design. I would love to win your prize!!!
My sewing story started with my grandma. She taught me how to sew in her basement with an old home ex singer sewing machine. I have so many fond memories of that. She is still teaching me new techniques and tricks as I am expanding my abilities. I would love to add a serger to my sewing arsenal!
I have a sewing machine sitting in the closet right now that I bought for 9 dollars at a garage sale and never figured out how to use. I even had a friend look at it and she said it was probably broken, but I suspect she was just being nice and didn’t want to tell me I was doing it wrong.
My mother in law gave me her mini Jaguar sewing machine from 30 year ago and I’ve been using it to make new and refashion all sorts of things for my kiddies. Ofcourse I would LOVE an upgrade. And a serger could only make my life easier. And we are finally moving to a much bigger place where I’ll have my own sewing room…well I may have to share it with my husband’s books..but no more packing up after every 10 minutes of interrupted sewing and running up from the bsmt to the second floor just to iron my seams!
Is this real, is this still open? A SERGER?
So my dreams could come true? The only thing I really need is a serger. I could done all my started sewing projects and many, many more that are still waiting in my head. And I`ll be in US in August so I just could pick it up and start my happy new life with a serger
I started sewing about a half year ago. I just bought a sewing machine and started sewing. And it wasn`t just simple things like pillows or curtains. I started sewing clothes, skirts, blouses and even dresses. Now it is some kind of addiction. There is no single day without sewing and without thinking about sewing projects and about how a serger could improve my life
Bonjour!!!!
J’ai eu ma première machine (et toujours la même aujourd’hui), il y a 3 ans : c’est une 1ère prix de chez LIDL (un magasin discount) et elle ne fait que le point droit et le point zigzag mais je l’aime d’Amour!!!! ‘est devenue ma meilleure amie, j’adore faire des objets et des vètements pour mes enfants en rentrant du travail et ma grande fille de 10 ans commence elle aussi avec. J’adorerai gagner une surjeteuse pour pouvoir faire de jolies finitions…
PS : votre livre est vraiment joli, existe il en français???
Hi,
I first started sewing on an old singer 362 which my grandma used before she died. My grandma sewed clothes for her seven children by hand for years until she was fifty-five before she learnt how to use an electric sewing machine. The only thing she learned to sew on her machine were triangle pieced quilts, which she made for all her children and her twenty-one grandchildren. It wasn’t until I started sewing that I learnt that other people pieced quilts like my grandma did, and it makes me smile that I will be able to continue her quilting tradition but with a modern twist. I still have the old triangle templates. I use the same sewing machine my grandma did, and I whilst it has been good to me these past five years it’s starting to hate me, with the top thread looping around the bobbin case – so definitely looking for a new sewing machine, and it would be very sweet if I could win this.
Mel
My first sewing was a stuffed yellow crayon I made in 6th grade for a class project. It was difficult and made me hate sewing, but when I became a mommy for the 4th time, I HAD TO HAVE a nursing wrap–and my friend Brandi convinced me to make it myself…so I did! I drug out the old featherweight that I bought yeeeears before when my hubby was in the Air Force to sew on patches (another job that made me hate sewing), but I started sewing for the fantastic four babies, and LOVE it! I’m ready to branch out and use a serger and even try my hand at embroidery!!
Congrats on your book, I think it will give me a lot of
inspiration, Thanks !!!!!!!!!!!
I remember learning to sew, when I was a teenager, on my mother’s ancient yellow sewing machine. Boy, was that thing a pain! Now in my mid-twenties, I am eager to get back to teaching myself how to sew! I do a lot of embroidery work, but find that I am really limited in my project choices bc I do not have a machine. Our household budget is super tight, so no machine for me
I really hope I win these machines so I can hone my skills, and someday pass them on to my beautiful little girl- Addie. Thanks so much 
My sewing machine story goes back to grandmothers on both sides of my family. I have been the fortunate recipient of two old little black Singers, one from my grandmother and one from my husband’s grandmother. I currently use one of them and love how quietly and neatly it sews. My grandmother did everything from sewing delicate baby clothes to making upholstered covers for furniture with it. It’s so sturdy! I learned to sew on a machine like that and have always preferred it to people’s newer models for simple straight seams. However, I am somewhat limited in what I can do with a machine like that and would love to branch out more, now that I have begun making more quilts and clothes. Thanks for such a wonderful and generous giveaway!
I had a terrible flu when I was 10 or 12 and had been home from school for more than a week. I was feeling somewhat better in the middle of the day, but wasn’t well enough to attend school. My mom decided that, as a distraction from my illness, she would teach me to make a pillow with remnants from her other projects. It was the first time I ever used a sewing machine and I loved it from the beginning.
I have that sewing machine in my apartment now, but it’s so cumbersome and has fallen into disrepair. I’d love a new machine that would be nimble and allow me to truly realize my sewing potential!
My mom bought me my first sewing machine in 1979, used, from our pastor’s wife. We didn’t have a lot of money, so she would give her a few dollars each week after I met with her for piano lessons. I am still using that machine, and a few years ago, newly married, and moving in together, I dropped the machine and some of the pieces broke. I was devastated. By chance, I was in a local fabric store and sewing machine repair shop, and I spotted an exact copy of my trusty Kenmore machine. The owner said he would sell it to me for parts, but we had just moved, and I was trying not to spend money. I told my new husband about it, and later he put a $50 bill in my hand, gave me a big hug, and told me to go get it. I used parts from it to fix my original machine, and I just finished hemming curtains with it. It serves me well, but I think I’m ready to branch out into a brave, new sewing world! I would love to win these two amazing machines. Thanks for the opportunity.
I love your site and this is an amazing giveaway – truly the value of the items goes well beyond the physical machines. Recently, my grandmother moved into an assisted living facility but agreed that I might have her ancient Bernina. The machine is at least 34 (my age!) and probably older. My daughter and I have spent many weekend afternoons mending clothes and making little things for her dolls. All the while, I reminisce with her about the hours I spent in Great Grandma Vi’s sewing room, listening to the whir of this very machine. It’s like a bridge through time, connecting my daughter to her great-grandmother.
thank you for the wonderful giveaway offer!! i just came to your site to check out your book — i thought perhaps my daughter would like it. but now i think i need it! your projects look imaginative, lovely and quite doable! very nice, thanks!
I just did the math and realized that I have been sewing for 54 years. My mom got me started on a Singer that I bought after first raising a young steer for market, selling him and then buying the machine. Five sewing machines later, this girl is still learning new things. And my how the fabrics have changed. I mostly quilt these days as I no longer work in an office, being retired. I work with Project Linus and a local women’s shelter to create beautiful children’s quilts. It brings me so much satisfaction to do this. My own grandchildren have all been blessed with quilts both as babies and now as high school graduates. It’s been a wonderful adventure to gift them all with unique and color-filled quilts. Your giveaway is such a great thing and whoever wins can call themselves really lucky!! Good luck, everyone!!!
As a little girl I would watch my maternal grandmother sew on an old Singer sewing machine. I loved to watch the pedal work and her stitches fly. I wish I had that machine now. My grandmother and my mother were always sewing something (always on a Singer machine). In high school, I learned to sew (on a Singer, of course). I loved designing and sewing my own clothes! I was going to be a fashion designer~ that didn’t happen, but I did become a knitwear designer. Now my teen daughter wants to learn to sew. If I win, this would be her machine. And I’m sure she would share it with her younger sisters. My daughters are following in the footsteps of the women of my family. They have each learned to hand sew, crochet, and knit starting at around 6 years old. They love handmade items and designing their own creations!
Thanks for a wonderful giveaway! Singer is the best!
Amazing contest! No one in my family ever sewed to my recollection; I’ve just always like to make things and work with my hands. I started sewing to learn how to hem shirts (I often find that if somethign fits my shoulders, it’s too long). I had no idea how to use a machine or even where to start in picking one out so I signed up for a class at a craft store two years ago. They recommended a machine and I’ve been going ever since. Starting mostly with hemming but moving into simple patterns (mostly baby clothes for friends) and basic alterations. But what I like most is costuming. Halloween has become an epic production and I’ve gotten better at adjusting clothes to fit and altering appearances to pull off some good looks. My goal in the next few years is to really hone the alterations and measuring and maybe start drawing my own patterns so that I can move beyond once or twice a year costuming to making my own everyday things too.
I always remember my mom sewing. She loved to make me clothes as a child. I remember the fabric. It was white daisy fabric. There must have been a sale. She still has some of the post holders she made out of the fabric. But, most of all I remember the matching outfits she made for me and my cousin. I remember not wanting to wear the clothes that my mom made. It was SO uncool. But, now I make them for my daughter and she acts the same way. So, life has come full circle. It doesn’t seem to dissuade me from making them though.
I received my Kenmore sewing machine from my grandmother and aunts for my high school graduation, around seven years ago. It has served its purpose of letting me learn the basics but it is time to upgrade. I have recently gotten into quilting and there are somethings my machine just can’t handle. I would also like to be able to start making my four month old son’s clothes. With so many cute patterns out there, his wardrobe would be full in no time.
This is an amazing giveaway, thanks for the chance to win.
My mom had an avocado green sewing machine that I used for 4-H projects when I was very young. I borrowed a machine to do the little bit of sewing I’ve done as an adult, and I’d love to be able to do more! Thanks for having such a fantastic giveaway.
I can still see my grandmother sitting in our den at the old Singer sewing machine, making wonderful cozy quilts that I used to love to burrow under in bed. My mother gave it to my sister-in-law, who decided she did not want to sew after all, and gave it away to one of her friends. It was a great machine — weighed a ton and would have probably outlasted me. I was sorry that it passed out of our family and would love a great new machine to take its place. Since I’ve always been curious about the serger, it would be a great chance to find out what it does. Thank you for a great giveaway.
The first time I learned to really sew was in my 7th grade teen skill class. I had been around sewing machines before because my mother love to make quilts, so I knew how they worked and what not to do around them. But sadly a boy in my class didn’t have a mother like mine and one day ended up sewing over one of his fingers. It wasn’t bad, just the side of his finger and he had to go to the nurse and get the thread removed and lots of band-aids. Since then I’ve been really scared that one day I’ll be careless like that and end up sewing my own finger.
What an amazing giveaway!!
My sewing story: So far my sewing story has been a sad mix of lumpy canvas bags and a skirt much, much too big. BUT… things are changing! I am expecting my first child in February and am on a mission to become the world’s craftiest mom! I want to create a magical world for my baby full of handmade toys, clothes and decor! This awesome machine, along with your book and Prudent Baby, are going to be the weapons in my arsenal against my poor sewing past!
Thank you,
Lisa Rose xoxo
I am so very glad I found this. I can’t wait to purchase this book.
I had taken sewing classes in high school. well Im 45 now and have picked it up again, My husband trying to support me found a 1960′s sewing machine at a yard sale and picked it up for me! I am happy to have this machine to get my feet wet again, but all it does is straight lines. I have seen some beautiful things that my niece has made with her new singer sewing machine and I am in awe of all the wonderful things this machine can do. I know I cant afford to possibly ever buy one as I just finished up my year and a half cancer battle. I should be cleared to go back to work on August 9th. which is my Birthday as well! so I thought I would enter this contest to see if I could win an awesome birthday gift to myself. Thank you for contest like these that offer us a small chance at winning such wonderful machines.
When you’re a 5 year old child, you think that what you know is all there is to know. I was so used to seeing Mom’s Kenmore sewing machine, with the electric cord and little foot pedal, shiny tan and beige painted body and matching leatherette carrying case, that I just knew all sewing machines looked like that.
Until we moved into a new apartment, and the landlady showed us her gorgeous antique machine with it’s flat black and shining silver body, enormous foot treadle, and lovingly polished wood table that magicall swallowed the machine body! I had to be shown how it worked to believe it was a sewing machine – it was too pretty, too strange and it didn’t plug in anywhere!
50 years later, I sometimes still fall into the trap of thinking that what I know is all there is to know. Somehow it’s much more humbling to be disabused of that notion today than it was when I was five.
My grandma had an old Singer from the 70′s that still lives on…..in my sewing room! haha! She gave it to me several years ago since I didn’t have a sewing machine. That thing is HEAVY! I don’t move it much, that’s for sure. I sewed in grade school (4-H) and home ec. and then didn’t really do much until a few years ago. I started sewing burp cloths for my friends having babies. My skills and love of sewing have just grown from there. But, I would SOOOOO love a new machine. Mine has different stitches, but you have to change this disc thingy that sits on the top of the machine. So, I pretty much stick to straight stitch or zig-zag
Once I found the online world of blogs & tutorials, my “to do” list is never ending but I LOVE it. I’m a new follower here from Prudent Baby 
I always tried to make things on my moms sewing machine growing up and failed miserably. I don’t actually have a machine of my own yet. I’ve been looking into it for a month. It would be AMAZING to win this give away. I just recently found your blog and I love it.
We never had a sewing machine growing up, so when the bug of sewing bit I just hand stitched everything… I found an old old old singer at the thrift store for $15 and can’t wait to learn to use it, although a serger would be an amazing thing to have!
I’m a new mom and want to make more clothes for my daughter. I was given a hand me down machine and would love an upgrade to a modern machine that doesn’t weigh a ton (I have my moms old Singer from the 70′s she got it when i was born). Thank you
Ooooohhhh these machines look so fantastic!! WANT WANT WANT!
My grandmother and her sister taught me to sew when I was really little- My cousin Stephanie and I were a handful and I think they were looking for something for us to focus on, and since the two of them loved sewing so much they encouraged and helped us through. We started out making doll clothes using an old fashioned iron treadle machine; mostly pioneer type outfits made of calico and denim. After we got the hang of that they started taking us to the Piece Goods to pick out our own fabrics. Since it was the mid eighties I wanted to make shiny, pink tube tops and mini skirts with stretch lace and matching leg warmers. My grandmother was completely into it! She pulled out an older table top Kenmore machine so I could use the zig zag stitch on that stretchy fabric.. The treadle was just a straight stitcher…. What wonderful memories! I made so many age inappropriate clothes with the help of my grandmother.
What a super giveaway! Congrats on the new book – can’t wait to check it out. I recently got into sewing and am loving it! My mom is a great sewer and always sewing cute little gifts for my son. A friend showed me some basic skills a couple of years ago, and it helped relieved my anxiety about the craft. I get so inspired by all the wonderful websites and books out there!
My relationship with sewing machines is always repairing them never using them. I see sewing projects but never could make the dive into buying machine just to figure out if I liked it…. however, I can repair them and help everyone else’s crafts along.
Hi! this is a great giveaway! My grandmother, from my father’s side (she lives in Venezuela), owned one of those old black singer machines with the pedal… I remember it beautiful and aesthetic! She is a seamstress and has had several machines thoughout the years. My mother sews as a hobby and taught herself how to sew… she is also in Venezuela, so I have not had the option of getting a hand me down sewing machine. When I was in college studiying Visual Communications, had the opportunity to work with a friend developing some stuffed animals from some of her original drawings… that was when I bought my one and only sewing machine! 12 years later, my machine and I have created tapestries, stuffed animals, clothing, costumes, sewn paper, fiber, recycled items etc.! As a mixed media artist, my machine is another tool with which I paint wonderful creations. lately, I have been creating sewn accessories and purses… this giveaway would be the ultimate tool! I am looking forward to hearing from you, if not, may the luckiest one win! Congrats on the book, I will have to check it out!!
Hey Brett, congrats on the book! I love watching you on Knit and Crochet Now! Crochet is my passion but I do have a sewing machine story for you:
My husband bought me a sewing machine for my birthday right before we got married. I sewed curtains, roman shades, pillows, kids quilts, and drapes for my friend’s 12 foot windows (which enveloped me as I sewed). Then, I sewed a blue jean quilt for my step-son and my machine has never been the same since
. I’d really love a new one so I can finally finish the quilt for our bed that I started 10 yrs ago!
I remember sewing my barbie clothes by hand because my mother did not trust me with her sewing machine! I still remember it… it had a wooden table with flip down side and a knee stick to run it with. Years went by and as I got older i was able to use it.. it has always been on my mind. Last year while shopping at goodwill I saw one! Not exact.. but very simular.. so for 20.00 you could NOT go wrong. I have not used it yet.. but was in awe when I went through the door contents.. pictures of grandkids, the complete instructions and all… It kind of broke my heart someone just got rid of such a piece of history but now it is MINE and I will take care of it and pass it down to my children
I’m out of work and trying to start up my own crochet business. I’ve started crocheting purses and now I’ve got to line the darn things with fabric. Sigh.
Thank goodness for my Mom (and high school Home Economics) who taught me to sew as a teenager. But, I still can’t thread a machine without calling Mom for help! I found a tiny little hand sewing machine at Goodwill, but the darn thing doesn’t work.
I’m ready to learn all over again – and I’d happily teach my wonderful Mom how to use it, too!
Thanks for the chance to win this gorgeous duo and good luck with the new book Brett!
I am the proud owner of a 1970 something Singer that my grandmother left me when she died. She was a seamstress for a living and it has all these great attachments that I’m still trying to figure out….can anyone say buttonhole attachment? I love it dearly and have spent more than the machine is worth to keep it running because of the sentimental attachment.
My story starts in 4th grade, when we had a crafts class in which we made an apron using a sewing machine. Years later, I started wearing local designer clothes. Then, my favorite designer suddenly tripled her prices and then stopped selling my favorite item – simple A line skirts made out of the best fabrics ever. I stopped buying her designs, and grumbled for a while. So then, my husband bought me a sewing machine for my birthday so I could make my own skirts! And I’ve been sewing ever since.
New here! I saw a post on my FB wall from Knit & Crochet Now about your site and your giveaway. I’m loving your site(s) and the chance to win something so fabulous.
My mom sewed for all my siblings (5 of us) in the 50′s and 60′s and for all her grand kids (13). She’s still be sewing at 85 if she hadn’t lost most of her sight due to a stroke. I sewed a bit but didn’t see the fun of it until I became a mom in the 70′s. I sewed dresses, shorts, pants and blouses and the occasional Halloween costume for a number of years.
I hadn’t been doing any sewing for a number of years, and then recently had the opportunity to make Memory Bears for the Sharp Hospice here. That got me back to remembering how much I enjoyed the whole process. Now I’ve made a few rag quilts as gifts and I’m about to make some blankets for the Intensive Care Unit at Sharp Hospital here in San Diego. I have also signed up for an ongoing quilt making class that starts this weekend.
I’m in love with all the fabrics available these days. One of the things I do to relax is go to a local smaller fabric store and browse the aisles looking at (and touching) the bolts of fabric, imagining what they might become.
Thanks for making the give away possible and congratulations to whoever wins!
I have a fairly basic sewing machine, but have been wanting to upgrade it with a newer & more advanced one, and I’ve wanted a serger as well, but had decided to start out with only one or the other; obviously I chose the sewing machine. As far as a memory goes, my Grandmother started to teach me how to use her Singer sewing machine when I was about 4 or 5 years old and I’ve always enjoyed it. My Grandmother passed away nearly 6 years ago, and sewing is one way I still feel connected to her, like she still lives on through everything she has taught me
)
I have always had “hand-me down” sewing machines so it would be great to win one of my own! I just recently was given the Bernina serger that was my Grandmothers and then my Mothers and now is mine! About 30 years ago my Grandmother paid for me to take a class on how to use this serger and I remember having a great time in the class and couldn’t wait to use it! I made everything from scarves with a fancy edge stitch to “jams” (for those of you too young to remember these were long shorts made out of Hawaiin print fabric)! What great memories. I just hope I can find the little file folder from the class that had special instructions on how to use the machine along with all of my stitch samples! Thanks for entering me into your drawing. I love reading your blog and also Knit and Crochet Today! Looking forward to getting your new book as well. Have a great day!!!
I have sewn for 5 decades, doll clothes as a little girl, my own clothes as a teenager, then I started it as a business and did wedding gowns, alterations, from scratch and my own designs. I currently have quit the fair circuit and have a site on easy. My new daughter in law sews and I am teaching her. My future daughter in law wants to learn. I need some more machines to accommodate them.
Am going to order your book for all 3 of us.
Liz Nosal
Hey Brett,
I m Gozde and i just moved to NY all the way from Istanbul couple of months ago. And i had no chance to bring my sewing machine with me : ( i am missing it a lot, but i know NY will give me a nice surprise. : )
and little song for you…….
‘Sewing Machine’
Calm down
Deep breaths
And get yourself dressed instead
Of running around
And pulling all your threads saying
Tearing yourself up
If it’s a broken part, replace it
But, if it’s a broken heart then face it
If it’s a broken heart then face it
And hold your own
Know your name
Go your own way
Hold your own
Know your own name
And go your own name
And everything will be fine
Everything will be fine
mmmhmm
Hang on
Help is on the way
Stay strong
Yeah I’m doing everything
So hold your own
Know your name
Go your own way
Hold your own
Know your name
Go your own way
And everything will be fine
Everything will be fine
In no time at all everything
Are the details in the fabric
Are the things that make you panic
Are your thoughts results of static cling?
Are the things that make you blow
Hell, no reason, go on and scream
If you’re shocked it’s just the fault
Of faulty manufacturing.
Yeah everything will be fine
Everything in no time at all
Everything
So hold your own
And know your name
So you can go your own way
Are the details in the fabric
Are the things that make you panic
Are your thoughts results of static cling?
Say hold your own
Know your name
And go your own way.
Are the details in the fabric
Are the things that make you panic
Is it Mother Nature’s sewing machine?
Are the things that make you blow
Hell no reason go on and scream
If you’re shocked it’s just the fault
Of faulty manufacturing
Everything will be fine
Everything will be fine
Everything
mmmmhmmm
Thanks a lot…
After looking at your friend Erin’s take on your quilt from your new book, I know I can do it. I remember taking lessons as a middle school student , but never sticking with it (maybe because I couldn’t get the hang of my grandmother’s singer machine —-one of the first ever made!!)
I am getting the book and a machine weather I am picked or not!!
I just started to get back into sewing and bought my own sewing machine last year. I got my sister into to sewing but we are currently both sharing. I would love to have a sewing machine at her house and mine.
Can’t wait to get the book.
Kristin
Wow, so many comments already…..
My grandmother has a cast iron treddle machine. It is truly amazing, I can remember sitting under her just fascinated watching her sew on her machine. When we would come to visit for the summer she would make clothes for my sister and I to wear and she was so amazing at always knowing what size we will be the next season. I am so proud to be able to go (hand) quilt with her at our local church group but I am still terrified of the sewing machine. Last summer my mother let me borrow her machine so I could “quickly” piece together a Sunbonnet Sues quilt for my daughter. I actually drew a straight line on every square and went really slowly to try to get it perfect. Here it is and a picture of my sweet ninety-year-old grandmother. (http://littledailyvictories.blogspot.com/2011/03/little-old-lady.html)
Heather
I know you say anyone can sew in a straight line, but my attempt at a patchwork shower curtain would beg to differ. Still, I like to try…
My grandmother had an old Singer sewing table in her bedroom when I was growing up. It was the perfect place to hide when we would play hide and go seek at her house. She also made beautiful clothes with it. One day I went up to her and flat out asked her “Grandma, when you die, can I have the sewing machine?”
I will be dreaming about all the things I will make with these.
Love your blog. I’m ordering the book right now! woohoo!
My grandmother was a great seamstress and was always making fashionable clothes, even into her 80′s. In all my public school class photos I am wearing a dress she made for me. When my grandmother died I was given her sewing machine. That was almost twenty years ago and just this spring, the sewing machine finally gave up – it was a good machine and I got a lot of use out of it.
My mother grew up watching her mother do piece work in their 4th floor tenement apt in NYC. So of course she never sewed. But I remember by grandmother’s sewing machine in my aunt’s bedroom. The urge to sew skipped a generation because I wanted to learn to sew. So my aunt taught my on my grandmother’s electrified old singer. I continued sewing on a thrift store singer but was never very good at. Everything I made looked like I made it and as a teenager i didn’t really appreciate that hand made clothing look. Fast forward and now living in Florida, I was walking down a street I noticed a quilt shop. Walked in and said I didn’t know people still quilted. I signed up for a hand sewing quilt class. Midway through the class with bleeding fingers from all the pins I had a revelation. I didn’t want to hand quilt. I went out and bought a beautiful used Bernina. I have a Viking now but I’ve been machine quilting ever since. And I would oh so much like serger yes I would.
My grandmother had a singer peddle machine that facsinated me as a child. My mother was a beautiful seamstress, as is my sister. I would love to win and have always used a singer machine. In need a new machine and would love to have a serger. Thanks so much for the giveaway!
Hi Brett!!
This is sooo exciting!! My story….My mom knew how to do EVERYTHING! She was an excellent cook, she did hand embroidery, she knitted and crocheted and she was awesome on a sewing machine! The only skill I did not aqcuire was sewing =(
My favorite memory of her sewing was when I was about 11 years old. I had asked my mom to make my dress for my 6th grade promotion, well, it was the night before and my mom had not even begun to cut the pieces for my dress (my mom NEVER used to pattern to make a garment!)! I went to bed upset, thinking my dress would never be finished. When I woke up the next morning, I walked into the living room and, low and behold, my dress was laying on the sofa!!! I couldn’t believe she made my dress in one night!!!
Now as an adult and with kids of my own, I can only WISH I had half the skills my mother had on a sewing machine!! But I am determined to learn!!
Thanks!!
I started sewing when I was a teenager. I fell in love with the ideal of being able to make my old clothes for school. Both my grandmothers and my mom sewed. My mom always made my clothes from the time I was born. So I guess that’s where the love of sewing came from. Then when I had my first daughter I stared making her clothes then later on my son’s. But my fascination with vintage clothing started me to designing my on clothes. I’m not a good sketcher, but it’s good enough for me. When I got married my mother-n-law sewed so we would put our heads together. I lost interested in sewing for awhile when I took sick, but now coping with illness have found a new passion again, Just want to create again, But this time better and bigger. It is a wonderful thing to be able to incorprate crocheting and sewing and I have some great ideals. Thanks
I learned to sew from my mother and in 7th grade at school. My mother would buy me fabric for a new project anytime I finished a project. The machine I used was one she bought secondhand and when I left home she let me take it with me. That was more years ago than I’m willing to admit here.
I still have that machine (a Singer) and use it still to make buttonholes with its wonderful attachment and cams.
I’ve never owned or used a serger or a sewing machine with oodles of stitches – would love them both!
Best wishes with the new book!
Peace, Judi
I got my first machine for the first Christmas we were married from my husband. i don’t know if I could ever part with that machine! We’re BFFs. We’ve been through thick and thin (literally!) together and she’s amazing. I would love to win this new and update version though because my sister in law is dying to learn to sew but doesn’t have a machine yet. She would love to have something to start her new hobby on!
Thanks so much for the giveaway!
My mother bought me a second-hand sewing machine for a birthday. I remember when my brother drove it to my apartment he said it made the back of his car sag! I’m in the process of moving this week, and I think that sewing machine was the heaviest thing we lifted. I know I would sew more with a more convenient machine, so it would be great to win one. What a generous giveaway! You’re going to make someone very, very happy. I can’t wait to order your book for the library where I work, too!
I have missed you so much on PBS. Have been anxiously waiting for the return of Knit and Crochet Now. I gave my sewing machine to a friend, oh no, I don’t know how to ask for it back, so maybe I could just win one. I miss sewing sometimes even though I wasn’t very good at it.
My parents bought me my first sewing machine when I was 14. I’d wanted one forever, even though I did not yet know how to sew. My older sister, who was a missionary in East Africa at the time, wrote about how she needed a sewing machine in order to make clothes for her kids. Her machine had worn out, and she did not have the funds for another one. So, my parents told me that they were sending my sewing machine to my sister in Africa, and that one day they would buy me another one. Well, it has been 29 years, and I still haven’t received another sewing machine from my parents. The good news is that my sweet husband bought me one many years ago, and my best friend taught me how to sew. That machine has sewed many, many things: the most recent of which was a complete bedding set for my 1st granddaughter.
I had a machine when my daughter was little and loved sewing clothes for her. It was a cheap machine and soon wore out. Now I have a little grand daughter and would love to be able to sew for her. I have always wished for a Singer. This would be a dream come true!!
Sewing machines were a part of my childhood. My grandmother had a very old sewing machine with a pedal when I was a little girl. It had belonged to her mother, and I was fascinated. I would spend hours pushing the pedal (with my hand, since I was too short!) and watching the mechanisms work, imagining myself in the past when the machine was fully functioning. I would watch my other grandmother as she used her machine to piece together the quilts she and my aunt would make. She was so proud of that machine that saved her work and time! Meanwhile, my mother, who has always loved design, used her Singer sewing machine and serger to tailor pieces expertly. I can still picture some of the creations I wore. When I look back at these women and their machines, I see the beginnings of my own love of crafting. Although I crochet and hand sew, I would love tohave the means to create something more with machines like my mother’s and grandmothers’.
My mom has always been a sewer and she has a late 1960′s Singer machine. When I was about junior high age she bought a similar machine for me at a garage sale. I used that machine until after I married when I bought a new Singer and gave my old machine to my niece. In recent years I bought a new Janome, which was a the machine my daughter used in a sewing class at a sewing shop. Again, I gave my old machine to my niece. I also have a treadle sewing machine that was my great aunt’s. I love sewing very much and I am very happy my daughter has inherited that love, also. We both would very much enjoy it if we won these two machines!
My husband and I had a new puppy and she did not like the noise the fabric on her dog bed made. I was determined to make a cover for it (without a sewing machine), so I went to the craft store and picked up fabric and heat tape. Well my husband came home the following night with a Singer heavy duty because I he watched me struggled with the iron and heat tape…I have been sewing ever since and I am in love & of course a man would pick out the heavy duty machine!
My grandmother made me all of my clothes when I was a little girl. I have a fond memory of her white singer sewing machine and the hummm that it made.
On my first day of kindergarten, I wore a brand-new pinnafore that my mom had sewn. Now this was big news not because my mom made it– she made almost all of our clothes– but because it was NEW NEW NEW and ALL MINE. My clothes was usually from the “downstairs store”, a cabinet where clothes went after one sister outgrew them, and waited until another sister was big enough for them. I was the littlest sister. I loved watching my mom sew that pinnafore, loved the smell and sound of my grandmother’s old singer, while I sat sewing buttons on an old scrap of fabric, trying to figure out how to keep the thread to stop knotting on the back side… or sometimes on the front side!!
It wasn’t long before I learned to sew on that lovely machine, and my mom and I used that machine until I was 19, and the foot broke in half. Really. Just broke right in half. Parts for that old workhorse weren’t available anymore, and when I left for college, my mom got me a new sewing machine to take with me. She got a matching machine for herself. Now I’m 37 and sewing for my 2 year old son. My mom’s 71 and still sewing on her”s. My son is fascinated by the motions and rumbles of my little, simple old sewing machine. I can’t wait until he’s old enough to start sewing buttons on scraps of fabric.
My Grandma had a Singer and a Bernina. We made dresses and stuffed animals together. I still miss those days and wish she had lived long enough to pass all her sewing wisdom on to me. I miss you Grandma League. After Grandma passed on, my Mom and I sewed my ivory silk charmeuse skirt for my Junior High graduation. Now my 5 year old daughter and I are interested in starting to sew her Halloween costumes and other things a little girl needs. I can’t wait to get started Sewing in a Straight Line!
I have this vintage Kenmore that belonged to my Great Grandmother. It only has a straight stitch but it’s very heavy duty so I use it for making hats, mostly. I was doing some work on my friend’s corset a couple months ago, though and I accidentally sewed over some steal boning. I would have expected the needle just to break, but it was one of the original needles and was so old that it shattered sending needle shards everywhere, including my eye! Thankfully my friend was there to help me get the bits of metal out of my eye, but it really scared me. Now I only use brand new needles!
I taught myself to sew when I was about 10 on an old Singer in a cabinet. Have had a few down the road since but woul dlove a new one!! Love the designs on your site.
My story involves two sewing grandmothers with two different machines. I learned to sew with the gramma nearest me when I was about 10, and she had an ancient (like c. 1940) Singer with a foot pedal. (She also found me a kids’ machine which I used to make Barbie clothes.) ANYway, on a visit to the other gramma who did not live near me, I went to sew something with her on her machine, and it was a disaster: she had a knee pedal. I was completely out of control, and she was convinced that I didn’t know how to sew at all. I was really embarrassed. (She was not a warm and fuzzy gramma. Another example: she played cards with us grandkids to win, even when we were in primary school.) So with these babies, as long as there’s no knee pedal, I’m good! thanks! the book looks like great fun!
My sewing experience: Somehow getting my finger UNDER the needle of a sewing machine when my grandmother was showing me how to use a sewing machine….my first and last attempt at sewing with a machine….and let’s not even talk about wringer washers LOL
My mom did some very basic sewing, but I would always get SO excited when she pulled out the machine and put it on the dining table. I would bug her and bug her to let me sew something, but I was too little to reach the pedal on the floor AND the machine at the same time… so, brave soul that she was, she would sew while I worked the pedal. She still even has all her fingers, and we both have a love of sewing.
My first sewing machine was a hand-me-down from my sister and i blamed all my bad sewing on it. I have recently purchased a new one and little by little it is getting better. My friend’s wife passed away a few months ago and he has three girls. He would love for them to learn to sew, so we are trying to round up a few machines so we can all do this together. Thanks for the chance to win one!
I learned to embroider and sew by hand when I was 10. It took me many years before I discovered my mother’s sewing while rummaging for a long-forgotten-item in the basement. My only problem? I didn’t know how to thread it -and neither did my mom. The next summer, determined to complete projects which required many tedious hours of hand stitching (compared to a couple minutes of the sewing machine) I asked my grandmother to teach me. I still use the same machine but over the years its had to undergo a few major “surgeries”. I’m thinking that my trusty companion needs retirement and I hope this contest will allow me to give her a much deserved break. Plus, I’ve been hankering for a serger too!
Im new to your blog! I would love to win a serger…I dont have a great sewing story..but I used to sew everything by hand..and for one christmas a now ex boyfriend bought me my first sewing machine..which I still have and have used all summer to whip up new clothes for myself! xo
Great Job! Keep Crafting Alive! Homemade rocks!
My mother died when I was a little girl, but I can remember her sewing cute outfits. We would go to the Salvation army on Saturday morning and pick out fabric and clothing. I was inspired to make Barbie some fabulous outfits, my mother would make a fabulous outfit for her and I. My fabulousness was misunderstood in my kindergarten class. I think that I was just ahead of my time! LOL! That time made me love to sew and create anything and everything. My sewing machine is not new and I don’t have a serger but I do I have a tremendous amount of passion and a desire to live my passion and accomplish my goal to become a designer .
Please, excuse my english.
Sewing is my hobby, my life, my passion, my big relaxation. I started going on sewing course during my study for nurse, on my boarding-school. My tutor was so amazing lady, she nows everiting about sewing. She showed me magazine Burda and how to work with patterns and different materials. I was 16 years old girl without fear cutting clothes for my self. I´m living in East Europe. Making cloths was nessesery, when you wanted dress a little on fashion.(When you had good chance and you catched some material). Now I really enjoying buing materials without boarding. (Freedom . ) My husband is a little jalouse for my hobby, but my daughters are so happy for new skirts, coats, dresses, pilows, duvets,bags, etc..And my sewing machine, it is Pfaff hobby 382, this is a really good machine, but too old and tired. I now, what is will be on my wish list, christmass is so close..
I love to sew – have since I was little. My first experience with a machine was with my great aunt who had a treadle sewing machine. I would sit and treadle for her – although now as I think about it she must not have gotten much sewing done with my uneven pushing of the treadle!
My story: I was a rebellious teen. I had issues getting along with friends and my parents. On occasion when I became too much for my parents to handle they would have me live with my Grandma in Vermont. She was an avid sewer. She had an old Singer treadle style machine and made everything from beautiful quilts to repairing my favorite clothing. On many occasions she would try to teach me her skills. I resisted, thought sewing was boring and for “old ladies”. One day I gave in and let her show me a few things. That day changed the course of my life. I found I liked to sew. It gave me an outlet to express myself. Instead of spending hours getting into “trouble and hanging with the wrong crowd” I would rush home after school so I could work on my project. She spent endless hours teaching and helping me with projects. My favorite project was a black “patch work” tote bag. I still have it and use it 20 years later.
Sadly, my grandma died 7 years ago. The Singer machine went to another family member. I haven’t sewn a project since. Recently I bought a used machine and when I took it to be serviced the shop keeper said the machine needed a lot of work to bring it to good working order. So, I still have no machine and a lot of projects I would like to make..
Also new to your blog and I’m so excited I’ve found it. I too watched my mother sew when I was a child and she would make all my dresses. I’m now teaching my 21-year-old daughter to sew. I’m hoping she gets hooked like I did. I currently own two Baby Lock machines made for quilters (one for every day and one industrial for use in my business, NotWithoutAnnette). I would love to win another machine because has been good and I’m hoping to be able to hire an actual employee in the near future.
My grandmother had a sewing machine that was built in to a table and she used that sucker, let me tell you. She made clothes on that for all 8 of her kids, including my mother’s wedding dress. She was amazing.
My mother’s had sewing machines and I’ve sewing machines but my grandmother and her use of hers was an amazing thing to watch. If I could only have half the talent she had……
You reminded me of my grandmother’s old black sewing machine. It sat on a sewing table and would be hidden in the table when not in use. I don’t remember seeing her actually using it, but I was young when she died. The sewing machine, I remember, was very heavy and you had to lower it slowly into its little spot. I’ve always wanted to make a quilt – the sewing machine kind not the by-hand kind – but haven’t yet succeeded in that. I think I’ll need more help than a good sewing machine, but that’s certainly a start. I also sat up when I read alphabet, as I just love things that are personalized with the recipient’s name. I might even have to read the instruction book! Thanks for the opportunity to win.
I’m in my early 50′s and have always loved sewiing. My first sewing machine was a basic Kenmore … a real work-horse that never broke down … until … my X accidentally bumped it onto the floor and it broke beyond repair.
A few months later my Grandma died and I ended up with her sewing machine. It happened to be the exact same Kenmore machine as my old one. Her’s came with a case though (I never had a case for mine). My Grandma passed away 16 years ago and this is still the machine I use and I LOVE IT!! Thanks for the nice giveaway!
My mom taught me to sew when I was ten on an ancient machine (it was ancient at the time and she still has it). She taught me the basics and twenty years later, I’m still learning! Other than how to sew a straight line, I’m pretty self taught. I love sewing more than anything, that said, I use my sewing machines way too much and go through at least two cheapy machines a year. Seriously, I kill them! The first time, I took it into a machine repair shop, but only paid $79 for the machine, so having it repaired was more expensive. I’d love a nice one for once… maybe it will last longer.
I dream of owning a serger! In the last year, I’ve really gotten into sewing kid’s clothes for my friends who are struggling in the economy. I have so much fabric, so I decided to put some of it to good use! A serger would make life so much easier for me! Would also help with the pillowcases I make for the Soldier’s Angel Program. I’m sure I could zip them out in seconds on that! Haha
Best of luck with the giveaway! I’m new here (a link from Simplicity on Facebook). I’ll be following you from now on – so much great info here!).
Have a great day!
Nichole
My mom taught me sewing basics. When I was a kid. But I have not sewn in years. Your book review on The Crochet Dude’s blog inspired me to look further. I am intrigues by your designs in your book. I think it is time to give it another try.
I never learned to sew and now I REALLY want to. I weave and I would love to use my handwoven materials to create garments. Sewing clothing is like a a big black box to me.
My Mom taught me to sew on an ancient Singer. I used to visit an elderly woman who taught me to crochet and some days we would make dresses for the missions and she had a treadle machine which was great fun to use. If I win the machines I plan to donate them to the local nursing home that is starting a quilt club for the ladies.
I remember watching my grandmother sewing on her old treadle machine do mending for people. My mother taught me to sew on her electric singer machine when I was about 8. I eventually took a class in high school and then taught it that summer to grammer school children. When my children were little I sewed all of their outfits and am presently making a quilt out of the material I used for their clothes as a keep sake. Now that they are grown I am still sewing and has become a small business, just like my grandmother. Thank you for this opportunity to share my story.
Congrats on your new book! I love your book!!!! This will be the perfect gift for my girlfriend’s Bday:)
I can remember watching my grandmother sewing on the old Singer machine. I loved the scrolled large pedal that she knew the exact rhythm to use. But it was my mom who taught me sewing at a very young age. She made my clothes for school. I remember hating them because she never made them short enough hence I took over making my own clothes. Quilting didn’t come into my life until I had children.
I have always dreamed of using a Serger! Thank you for the opportunity with your give away. My girlfriend has started selling doll clothes and I would love to join her!
Thank you Crochet Dude for introducing me to your website! I will be following your exciting web page from now on! Thank you!
Have a beautiful day!
if i am french, can i play? i try.
It is the first time when I come here. It is fabulous.
Congratulation for your book.
My grandmother taught me how to sew as a young girl and we had a class at school. My mother and her sister were born here in America her family came here from Germany her Dad passed away when they were under the age of 5 yrs old. My grandmother had to make a living and she sewed for others and she taught my mom and her sister how to sew as they got older. My mother could sew very well but she did not enjoy that much but my aunt really enjoyed it and continues to sew. I can do pretty good but never had a good sewing machine. My mother passed away and I got her dressmaker sewing machine it was a used one she got at a thrift store it works ok but the threads get tangled up and the bobbin threader does not work well. I remember pulling it out not long after my mother passed away and all I could do was cry I miss her so much. What a blessing to remember all the things my mother and grandmother taught me growing up. Thank you for letting remember how blessed I am.
My mother had a beautiful old Singer when I was growing up that she used to make some of our special occasion clothes. I really really want to get into sewing (especially things for my home!) but I am too intimidated by all the options out there to buy a sewing machine… I hope someday soon I can start sewing!
Learned how to sew on my grandma’s singer treddle machine. I was allowed to make barbie doll clothes when she was done with her seamstress work. For 8th grade graduation, I was given a dressmaker sewing machine that died in 2007. It made most of the clothing my children wore as toddlers. I now have a little brother sewing machine that my mom got me just weeks before she died. I am an avid quilter and crafter and love your book. Have used several of the patterns. Would love to be able to upgrade my machine, am trying to start my own quilting shop and a better machine would open up opportunities for me. Thank you for your time and consideration, still straight stitching Beth B.
My mother was always frustrated by sewing, never really having time for it. When it came time for me to take home ec, I excelled in everything until we got to sewing. I thought it was going to be easy, and picked a circular duffle bag as my project. With no guidance, I chose the cheapest fabric I could afford and and still liked and ended up with cordorouy. Needless to say I became a very frustrated young lady trying to get this bag done. I never touched a machine again and even hayed having to sew a button on that fell off. I secretly envied anyone that could sew. Jump forward many years, and I began dating the man who would eventually become my husband. Because I am short, I always have to hem everything I buy. I always did it by hand because I was intimidated by the machine. He offered to sew them on the machine for me. I was humiliated! LOL! He then told me growing up he spent hours on his mother’s lap pushing fabric through the sewing machine with her. It was one of his favorite memories. Every time we went to his house his mother and sister would have their machines going, working on a new project. I was amazed. Both would offer to teach me, but I had no confidence. We eventually married, and my in-laws made beautiful outfits and Halloween costumes for our children. At retirement my MIL taught herself how to machine quilt, which was always a secret desire of mine. Finally, one Christmas, I had had enough I wanted to learn and expressed that desire. They began showing me little things and my desire grew. I started with hand projects and found I could actually do it. Then for Christmas they both bought me sizable gift cards to JoAnns. I held onto them and in February went and bought a machine and signed up for classes. They showered me with fabric from their own stock, and a sewer was born. Several years later my MIL died and left me all her sewing stash, including all her quilting supplies. I am now teaching myself to machine quilt. I still get nervous before starting a project, but then I think of the encouragement I received from my MIL and dive in. If I have questions I call my SIL. I am now a sewer!
This grand prize is fantastic!! My mother and grandmother sewed a little bit. I never really picked up on it, I’m a knitter/crocheter but I think I can sew in a straight line and I’d love to try. Come on random number generator, PICK ME!!!
)
I taught myself how to sew while in high school (in the late 60′s, oy!). I bought my own very first sewing machine at age 18 and still have it!
Love sewing!
Love Jello!
Love knitting & crocheting!
Love Brett Bara!
good gravy, what a ridiculously amazing giveaway! i started to sew for real when i was travelling with the circus as a clown – i had a singer machine that weighed about as much as i did, and i made curtains, quilts and did small repairs on costumes. it was a beast of a machine, had no fancy stitches at all, and i loved it thoroughly until its timing was no longer fixable. i now have a “better” machine, but that will always be my first love.
i just subscribed to your blog – found you via drew the crochet dude! thanks again for the opportunity, and all the great tutorials!
Wow, what an amazing giveaway! You and Singer both rock!
My mother taught me to sew when I was 8 years old. She had a Singer from the 70s, and she taught me to sew using paper traced with different designs. She would set it up with an old blunt needle, and just let me follow the lines. I sewed for about 22 years, and then had a high-maintenance baby who needed constant attention. My old banger machine that I’ve been using for the last 15 years has hit its last leg, and I just haven’t had the resources to replace it. I’m dying to try a serger, and would be ecstatic to continue the tradition by teaching my son and husband how to sew.
My Mom taught me to sew and I took a basic sewing course in high school – purchased my sewing maching after I married in the early 70′s!
I’d love to win a new Singer machine and serger!!
Thanks
I’ve always wanted to know how to sew, signed up for several beginner classes locally which always ended up being cancelled due to lack of interest. I finally just bought a Singer machine at walmart about 5 years ago and taught myself from the manual. I started 1 project, a summer dress from a bought pattern. Halfway through the project I got pregnant with our first child and scrapped the project knowing I wouldn’t fit in that dress anymore. I had the pieces cut but had yet to begin sewing it together. I hadn’t really touched the machine since then until a couple months ago. I pulled it out of the closet and re-learned using the many various tutorials online. I have mostly made cute little skirts for my 3 yr old daughter. So after a couple months of sewing and really loving it, I decided I needed to upgrade and purchased my 2nd sewing machine. It is actually being delivered today and I’m so excited. I would be especially excited to win this set though because now I believe I need to learn how to use a Serger and winning this one would be awesome! I can’t wait until my daughter is old enough to start teaching her, I wish someone had taught me early on.
What a fantastic giveaway!
Growing up, my mom was a frequent sewer – Halloween costumes, napkins, some clothing – and she got me started early. I still remember the daisy-embroidered denim romper I sewed and debuted at my 5th grade graduation party (outfit completed by a pair of jellies, obvi)!
My sewing kind of dropped off after that, though my grandma has always been a big sewer and made me a few quilts, etc. through high school and college. Recently, though, I’ve been inspired to start sewing again. Chalk it up to a combination of home / design / fashion blog reading and a few friends who have started to make their own clothes… A serger would be especially awesome for finishing edges.
-Elise
elenthe [at] gmail [dot] com
I love to sew, I have sewed for about 25 years after learning to sew in high school, (Thank you Mrs. Parent). I have my mother’s old Singer sewing machine although I have it I can’t use it. The tension is messed up and they’ve repaired it several times without success. I also have my MIL treadle machine in my living room but I’ve never been brave enough to try it. For the time being I am just saving dimes
I love to sew clothing, home accessories and quilts as well as liners for crochet purses. I would love to sew items and embellish them with crochet.
What a generous give-away! I am still a novice sewer, but the few projects I’ve worked on (pillow, apron, and now transforming a vintage dress) have been very fulfilling. I have many more plans to reinvent vintage and thrift finds, because a sustainable lifestyle is really important to me, and vintage clothes are just the best!
I am currently working with (and partly teaching myself by trial and error) to use a vintage Singer Touch & Sew. I’ve taken a few classes to help me get started on the basics, and at the class we used brand new machines. There’s something about the functionality of the new machines and ease of use that I really like. While my machine has a certain charm to it, I think these new machines could help me take my sewing skills to a new level. I grew up with a loving grandma that sewed all the time, and I would love to keep that tradition going in my family. Thanks for this opportunity!
I grew up sewing by hand and crocheting. My first experience with a sewing machine was in 6th grade Home Ec, we did nothing but sew straight lines. I made yards and yards of bias tape that I wove into a giant rug. By the end of the project I could sew a straight line with my eyes closed haha!. I just recently took up sewing again, it’s so great to have so many tutorials and ideas these days, with 3 kids it’s helpful to be able to make as much as possible.
My mother was a seamstress before she married, and my favourite memory of childhood is the sound that scissors make cutting fabric laid out on a table, and then the whirr of her ancient pfaff as she sewed something new for me!
Fabulous. I treasure the items my grandmother and mother sewed for themselves, and for each other. I am glad to be carrying on the tradition, and I just added your book to my Amazon cart.
My first sewing machine was a Sears bought in 1972. I made a house coat for my then 2 year old son. I finally purchased a new one in 2001 or 2. Now my granddaughter’s want to learn how to sew so I picked up some older machines for them at garage sales.
i started sewing back in december on a garage sale machine that broke mid-project and i was too cheap to take it in for a fix. for the next 6 months i borrowed a friends machine and worked on a new project each week. i now use a beater craigslist machine that i tried to tune up myself. did i mention i’m poor? i wish i had the fairy tale grandmother/mother passed on her machine story but i don’t. i currently have 4 broken machines upstairs collecting dust. can’t wait for your new book! thanks for the giveaway chance. good luck to me=i wanna win sooooooooooo badly!
when I graduated from high school, I applied for a Sears credit card and bought a Kenmore sewing machine. I was establishing my credit and granting a wish all at once. I sewed curtains, dolls, clothes, quilts, and the list goes on….for about 15 years. Then my machine broke and I forgot about it. Now, in my late 50′s, I have picked it up again and am brushing up on my skills. the blogs, ordering online, etsy. All new since I used to sew. I love this connection to creative people.
LOL. I am so glad I found this site. I was joking about how I can’t sew a straight line and how I loathe them. (I don’t really. I love them but I can’t see to conquer them is what I really hate!)
Wow!! I have my great grandmother’s singer sewing machine. It still has her stuff in the drawers!! How cool is that?
When i was around 7-8 yrs old my gandma got me a reaaaally old Singer and i took a short class to learn to use it. I made (tried to, anyway) mostly barbie clothes for a while then forgot about til college, when i bought myself a machine and threaded it without looking at the manual! Kinda like riding a bike… Never stopped loving the sewing
My story isn’t grand. My first machine was a Singer. I bought it for the sole purpose to learn how to quilt and to take a quilting class. It had the extended quilting table on it. I loved that machine. It was a basic machine but I loved it. Then one year for Christmas my feller, as I call him, bought me my first computerized machine. Not only was I shocked & surprised, but I was also touched that he cared and paid enough attention to me as a person/significant other to give such a gift. No previous “feller” had done that in the past. I suppose that’s why I’ve kept him around.
Thank you so much for the opportunity to enter this giveaway. I’d love to win a new sewing machine. As much as I love the machine my feller gave me, I doesn’t have any alphabet! Ha! I would also LOVE to win a serger. I don’t have one and would love to learn how to use one. Thanks so much!
I’ve only used a sewing machine a few times, trying to learn how to make this top that didn’t come out very well. I have yet to touch one again. I saw your book and it looks really cool esp. for a total newbie like me.
I have been sewing for as long as I can remember! The first things I remember hand sewing are little coats with one or two little buttons for our farm kittens. They always seemed to wiggle out of their coats, but they were the cutest models I had. Later on I started to make quilts and clothes for my stuffed animals. My first sewing machine was a beauty! She was a metal pastel green and cream antique, which came in a wooden carrying case. My mother had to move it to the kitchen table when I wanted to use it because it was too heavy for me to lift. When I got married my mother let me take my first sewing machine with me. Shortly after moving into our apartment though, it stopped working. I didn’t have the money to have it looked at, and I could not seem to fix it. Thankfully, my husban’s grandmother decided that I needed to have a new sewing machine as a housewarming gift! Since then, I have sewn baby quilts for our children, clothing and alterations for my family, myself, and for customers over the past two years. With all this sewing, my machine has seen better days. I am thankful that my mother taught me how to sew when I was young, and that our young children are developing a love of sewing too!
what a great contest! Ok, here’s my sewing story: When I was a wee one, I was in the Girls Scouts and for my first year as a Junior Girl Scout, we had to learn how to sew. I decided I wanted to make a quilt for my bedroom, so my poor mom took me to the fabric store where I proceeded to hem and haw over every fabric choice for hours. I finally picked out every beautiful piece and my mom and I spend the next couple of months piecing together a twin sized quilt.
Happily, I got my badge and learned a lot about sewing. I still have that quilt too – it’s my favorite blanket. Flash forward 20 years, and I find myself wanting to relearn how to sew. I have hundreds of ideas in my head that I’m just dying to put down into actual fabric, to see what comes out. I have a lot of learning, or relearning, to do, but I’m excited to find something finally that I’m excited about doing. I only have a small machine now, suitable for easy, light projects…it can’t handle everything I want to do! Winning this would be a dream!
My story begins with my grandmothers as most probably do. One grandma sewed and one knit. Christmas’s were great. Around 14 my mom made me take a summer sewing class where I learned the basics and continued for the next few years. When I became a Mom I made Halloween costumes on a machine I bought off my sis-in-law. Now I as a Grandma my self and have been sewing, knitting, and crocheting like crazy. I have never learned to use a serger but am intrigued by the idea. Thanks for the opportunity with this contest.
My parents bought me my first sewing machine when I was pregnant with my first child 23 years ago. I used it on and off until I started making bags and quilting. It finally died and I found a Brother Disney machine on clearance at Walmart. Because the box had a smashed corner it was marked from $399 down to $150! There was nothing wrong with the machine so it was an amazing deal. I have always wanted a serger ever since I started making kid’s clothes. It would make sewing them so much faster.
What a great giveaway! My sewing story is kind of basic – my mother in law was an amazing seamstress and taught me a few basics, which were enough to get me hooked. My husband bought me an iPod as an anniversary present. I was bummed that it wasn’t a sewing machine but tried to smile through my spoiled brat-ness. Two days later I went to a thrift store and found a Singer for $20, which turned out to be half off so I paid a whole $10 for a working machine with a great case! That was six years ago and that machine is still humming along happily, best $10 bill ever spent!
My mom has my grandmother’s first machine – it’s at least 80 years old and definitely still works. I have my grandmother’s “new” machine from the 60 or 70s. My grandfather built her a sewing table – the machine is attached and hangs below the table when not in use, but when you fold out the extension there is room to fold up the sewing machine to use it. I bought myself a machine 6 years ago – bare bones, but I am really loving sewing and would love to move on to more challenging projects with the use of a more capable machine!
Oh my goodness! This is a dream giveaway!!! My mother was never really into sewing but my aunt was. She would gives us little sewing shows every now and then but I moved away when I was 19 and never properly learned. When my husband and I found out we were expecting something came over me and I wanted to sew. So my hubby got me a very simple singer and I went to work. I still have never been properly taught but it is amazing at what you can learn on your own abd with helpful blogs such as your own. I have been happily sewing for my now two little boys. Last year sadly that little singer went to the sewing machine heavens. My hubby did replace it for me and I continue to sew. I hope to soon build up a supply of some of the little things I love to make and create an Etsy shop. My current machine works great but doesn’t have all the bells and whistle the giveaway one does.Those extras would really help produce great products to sell in my shop. Being a sahm we are on a pretty strict budget and well a serger is just not doable right now. I would be on cloud nine one were to walk into my life. I am in the midst of trying to get your rss feed. Happily following!!! Thanks for a chance at an over the moon, wonderful giveaway!!!!!
Wow what a dream come true for who ever wins. When I was little my Mother bought a treddle machine at an auction in New England for 25 cents and that is the machine I learned on. I am now sewing on what I refer to as my “new machine” which I just figuered is 37 yrs old. It’s a Singer and it works perfectly, just missing a few new bells and whistles. Being 6ft tall sewing has always been a part of my life. I was raised to know that if it was made at home it was always the best there could be. Thank you for all the time you spend sharing with us on your blog.
My sewing story – I stank at sewing in school but when I was a little older I really wanted to be able to make individual items. My grandma helped me to sew my first dress one uni holiday. A few years later and my first sewing machine was a hand me down through my mother in law from her mother – a 30+ year old pfaff that weighed a ton but sewed like a trojan. We moved interstate last year and our furniture van rolled and that little machine is sadly (but not surprisingly) no longer. I got another one on insurance but I still miss my old pfaff!
PS – I just found your blog – I love the tutorials and the projects you’ve posted. So simple and so effective. I’ll be checking back in regularly now. Thanks so much for a great resource!!
Hi there, I just discovered your blog today and am loving all the great posts! I have a feeling it wil be a gem of crafting (and cat lady) wisdom in my RSS feed from now on.
But anyway, my sewing machine story is more of a lack thereof: When I was growing up, my mom had a sewing machine. However, when I was very little and still in that stay-away-from-sharp-objects-and-moving-parts stage of my development, the machine died. I guess the distractions that come with being a mother of three while working full time must have stopped her from ever trying to repair or replace her sewing machine, so I never had access to one growing up.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. Surely as a middle-class American from Long Island, at some point in my upbringing I should have at least been exposed to the wonders of sewing. Sadly, this has never been the case. I have actually never even lain a finger on a sewing machine! As a “brownie” level girl scout, I got to make one sewing project, but it was nothing more than a disappointing little pillow that we each had to sew by hand. In middle school, my forward-thinking Home Ec. teacher spent more time showing us how to balance a checkbook than how to sew anything substantial.
This brings me to where I am today, a college student who spends an inordinate amount of time hand stitching greek letters onto her clothes. Every time I come back from a particularly inspirational trip to Michael’s Crafts or Joann Fabrics, I daydream about all of the exciting domestic projects that I am far too scared to ever actually undertake. My sewing proficiency currently lies somewhere in between fixing a fallen hem and reattaching a button. Maybe some day I’ll be able to have my mom’s old sewing machine repaired so that I can be the domestic goddess I’ve always dreamed of. Or, you could simply pick me to win the giveaway.
Congrats on the book! Love the “straight line” concept!
My mom is a great seamstress, though she doesn’t sew much now that she is approaching 80. My sister and I were proud to wear the clothes my mom stitched — people were shocked that our outfits were “homemade.” I learned to sew from my mother, though I have never quite matched her meticulous approach. She really could stitch a straight line, while I was always ripping things out! As an adult, my stitching is a bit wild; believe it or not, straight lines are a challenge for me! But I love to sew and spend a part of everyday at my machine, working on gifts or bags to sell or simply experiment with fabric and thread. That’s my story!
Good luck on your writing and stitching adventure!
I use a 25+ year old Singer. I bought her when my son was very young. She stayed in the closet for a lot of those years, kids, work equal no time. But now she sits on my table and I try to get as much use out of the old gal as I can. She is tough, reliable and still sews smoothly. I will never get rid of her, but we would love to make room for a new one right next to her. After all, I now sew for a grand baby so why cant my “old gal” have a new generation too?
I bought my sewing machine off of amazon for under $100. Its a very basic machine (obviously, right?) but works wonders, even after 2 1/2 years of use (and abuse). I’ve been dying for a new machine, though! I’m not sure how much longer mine will hold up!
My Grandmother gave me my sewing machine when I was 21yrs old (I am now 58yrs old) . My mother has always been a great seamstress (she had one of the first Singer machines that came with embroidery stiches) making my sister and I very pretty embroidered dresses when we were little. I am now about to become a grandmother myself, I have already encouraged my daughter-in-law to sew giving her that sewing machine that my Grandmother gave me and if she has a little girl or even if it’s a boy I hope I can pass on my knowledge and love of sewing to them too.
Wow…what I would give to win THIS giveaway! I learned to sew off borrowed machines here and there. My current machine gets the job done, but what I really want to try my hand at is the serger! I have hundreds of projects bookmarked that require the use of a serger. I’d love to learn on this machine!
I have an old basic machine, but I can’t do anything really fancy or heavy duty on it. I have been looking at the new fancy machines but they are very out of our life budget. I would love a serger because there is so many projects and clothes I could make for my family with it. It looks like it would be fun to use. Thank you for such a wonderful giveaway!
Now THIS is my kind of book! Sewing in a straight line is something I can do.
So exciting! I don’t have much of a sewing machine story. My husband gave me mine a few years after we were married and I love it more than any jewelry or anything else he’s ever given me.
Great site! I found you through Prudent Baby though I was first introduced to you through Knit and Crochet on the Create Channel. Your site is great! As far as sewing, I was never really been taught to sew. My grandmother and mother are both awesome seamstresses and they got me a sewing machine when my hubby and I bought our first house several years ago. With two small children now, I’ve recently gotten back into sewing and I’m loving it more than ever!
Wow! This would be an amazing win! Your book looks so good!
Fantastic pair of prizes. I learnt to sew on my Mum’s Singer – it was an old black on with the gold lettering and sat in a wooden box. If you tilted the machine backwards and there underneath the machine was acompartment for all your sewing goodies. It had the big turning wheel and one of the hardest things to get used to when I got my own machine was how small the wheel was!
The projects in your book look amazing. Thanks for the chance.
I learned to sew on an old black and gold singer when I was five. Age seven my Mom and Grandma decided I could have thread. It is funny looking back. For two years I practiced stitching on lines first on their drawn line and the on coloring book lines. At seven I made an apron for myself it was a 4-H project and I got an excellent ribbon. Ever since I have sewn. Over the years I have had many machines. One of my children required me to learn how to work from home so in the 70′s and 80′s I sewed home decorating items for shows and wholesale. I have worn out machines. Now I have a second hand New Home Memory 7000 bought on Ebay. While I can sew with it I would love the opportunity to once again sew on a new machine. Sewing has always been a joy for me even when I did it more hours a day than if I had worked at a sweatshop.
I learned to sew on an old black and gold singer when I was five. Age seven my Mom and Grandma decided I could have thread. It is funny looking back. For two years I practiced stitching on lines first on their drawn line and the on coloring book lines. At seven I made an apron for myself it was a 4-H project and I got an excellent ribbon. Ever since I have sewn. Over the years I have had many machines. One of my children required me to learn how to work from home so in the 70′s and 80′s I sewed home decorating items for shows and wholesale. I have worn out machines. Now I have a second hand New Home Memory 7000 bought on Ebay. While I can sew with it I would love the opportunity to once again sew on a new machine. Sewing has always been a joy for me even when I did it more hours a day than if I had worked at a sweatshop.
My Singer sewing machine is now 30 years old. I bought it when I was 19 years old. I got a cheap version of a sewing machine from someone a year or so ago, but nothing seems to beat how great this sewing machine still seems to work after 30 years. It was the first credit purchase I every made and if I remember right, it cost me somewhere around $250.00 or so. I love the singer sewing machine. I’m 49 years old,now and I’ve started to make some childrens clothes to sell. I made my children clothes when they were little and now they are all grown up. No grandkids yet so this is the next best thing.
I dont recall having ever seen a sewing machine in the house or at grandmas, etc. My sewing experience was in high school economics class. I still recall the shirt and hobo bag i made. My first sewing machine came years later when I decided I wanted to try quilting. I had gotten the first bonus I had ever received from a job – it was 500 dollars I believe. I purchased a Kenmore (I think – its been in the closet for 15 yrs LOL) from Sears.
My grandmother was a seamstress when she was younger. Each time her children were expecting a child she would get itchy fingers. Thoughts of ruffles and lace danced in her head. “Congratualtions, it’s a boy!” She heard this five times in a row. I was the youngest grandchild and the only girl of my generation. Having so many boy cousins meant I was a tomboy, however. She still made me nice things, but I didn’t want to learn to sew until I was about 15, already ten years into kntting and crochet. I wanted to make a formal dress for homecoming ( I don’t think I could’ve picked something harder). She told me,”let’s start with something a little easier.” My grandmother’s eyesight was badly deteriorating due to diabetes by this time. We had to improvise. She stood behind me holding my shoulders while I sewed a set of three aprons for the kitchen. She inspected my work by running the folded edges through her fingers, and taught me how to run the machine from memory. Based on how well I took direction, we dove into the formal dress. We purchased gads of red sateen and created our own pattern based on what I wanted. The dress had puff sleeves that gathered just above my shoulders, a heart shaped neckline, and a full-length skirt that rose to knee height when I twirled. I felt like a princess, and my hands stitched every bit of it. In hindsight, I was really just a marionette guided by master hands. She has long since passed away, but I still remember every moment of our sewing together.
I got my singer sewing machine for my 16th birthday, it got me through fashion design school…but an upgrade would be amazing!!!
My aunt taught me to sew when I was about 14. She died when I was 15 and I inherited her Singer sewing machine. I kept up with sewing for years until a house fire destroyed all of our belongings, including the sewing machine. I always meant to buy another one but other needs always seemed to come first. I eventually picked up crochet and knitting and have been focusing most of my crafting time on these. Lately, I have been getting the itch to get back to sewing. I would love to start by making some cute bags to hold all of my fiber projects and I would love to learn how to make quilts. This prize would definitely give me the tools to do that. Thank you for providing me the opportunity to win this amazing prize.
I think I will have one of the more gruesome stories. When I was 6, my aunt tried to teach me how to use her industrial machine to sew place mats for the first time. I was so excited to used this machine that I stepped on the pellet and sewed straight thought 3 of my fingers on my left hand. My parents refused to let me near a sewing machine again but as weird as this sounds, the event only made me want to come back and try it again LOL. That’s where it all started. I never tell that story, It seemed fitting for something like this!
I’m attending design school in the fall, would love to have these to start me off right!
I remember learning to sew on my great-grandmothers treddle machine. I really didn’t like it. I would rather been outside playing in the barn. But I am glad my Mom kept after me because now I love to sew and make anything.
My sisters and I learned to sew on my Mom’s little black Singer. Then we graduated to the zigzag model. I bought my own singer in high school. When my Mom passed away I was able to claim the featherlight Singer again. It still has the sweetest stitch and the quietest motor. I was also given my mother-in-law’s featherlight Singer when she passed away. I never saw her use a sewing machine and this one is in really good shape. So I take one when I travel and the other I am teaching my grandchildren to sew on.
I have an old Pfaff that I have had for YEARS. I got it from my mom because she claimed it didn’t work. Now, my mom didn’t sew (and didn’t want to sew). Anyway, my dad got her this machine from a place that sold reconditioned machines and brought it home. To give my mom credit, she and a friend did kind of try to sew with it, but to no avail. It is one of the earlier zig zag machines and you have to set the stops for the width of the stitch, etc. It also has cams. Well, to make a long story short, when I came to visit my dad told me all about this machine he had gotten for my mom and she said, “it doesn’t work”. Well, I got it out and started playing with it and lo and behold it worked just fine – in fact, it sewed quite well. I told my mom to look at the stitch and then said I would show her how to use it. She said, “IT DOES NOT WORK” and don’t tell you dad any different. She then told me to take the machine home and I still have it. I don’t use it much anymore, but it was a really nice old machine and everytime I used it, I thought of my folks who have both been gone for a long time.
I learned to sew back in the days when Home Economics was for girls only and loved it! My mother was very possesive about her machine and guarded it like a hawk so as a bridal shower gift my friends got me a little Singer Touch and Sew that carried me through tons of curtains, baby clothes, Halloween costumes, canvas boat covers and clothes for me that really fit. The machine was lost in a move several years ago and I have been without since.
This is quite an offer you are making to readers of your blog! I’m keeping my fingers crossed to get back in the sewing game soon since I have a flock of grandsons to sew for now!
Wow wow wow wowwwwwwwwwww
First of all, what a cool blog!
Oh a serger…I have a dream of getting one (but can never afford one!)
Pleaseee pick me.
My mom has been sewing for as long as I can remember and before, but I have only hand sewed, never with a machine. Lately I have been dreaming of trying it out – there are a few project that I bookmarked for a “when I finally buy a machine” day. If I win this fabulous pair, this day will come sooner than expected! Oh, and I think the project that featured in your video was really inspirational.
When I was a tween my mom let me use her machine to sew straight seams for her and I have had most of my success with straight line sewing i.e. curtain panels. I would love to learn quilting, and the quilt in your book looks fabulous. By the way I found you through Kristin’s Blog.
My Grandma and Mom always had sewing machines when I was growing up, and I was always interested in sewing, but never learned. Four years ago my Mom bought me my first sewing machine and I’ve been slowly teaching my self how to sew, but I think it’s time for an upgrade! I would LOVE to own these two machines!
Oooh! covet! Sewing is something I always daydream that I already can do, but the truth is that’s quite far removed from reality. I remember playing for hours on an ancient sewing maching of my Ouma’s (Afrikaans for grandmother) which needed you to turn a handle with your one hand while steering the fabric with your other! My sister and I loved this thing and did our “Teamwork” to make bags for our dolls when we were allowed or just made black patterns with thread on scraps my mom gave us. Somewhere between that great simple machine and my mom’s new machine that arrived in the 90′s, I became a bit terrified of sewing… I’d like to change that again
I think I first got into the sewing world ten minutes after my birth, when my father wrapped me up in one of the quilts my grandmother made. Not four years later, I was sitting after preschool watching her with fascination as she sewed more of these quilts. I can’t recall what sewing machine she used; she hasn’t sewn in ages. But I remember my joy when I got an embroidery kit for Christmas. And I remember my sisters and I huddling in the doorway as she and my mom sewed our Halloween costumes. When I was thirteen, I had gotten pretty good at hand sewing, but I couldn’t hand sew my costume, which I had decided to make on my own. My mom taught me to use her machine, an old featherweight Singer. I never stopped sewing- not when that machine broke the next year; I bought myself a cheap old ‘dressmaker’. Nor when that broke- my friend’s mother gave me an old Bernina. Nor when the pedal for that broke- I’m currently saving for a new one, and have turned back to my old needle and thread.
I remember two sewing machines in my house – a modern one where my mom sewed halloween costumes for us, and then a old historic Sanger sewing machine with a pedal that mechanically drove the sewing machine
I’m just getting into hand sewing but I would love to start sewing with my mom with this new machine!! – Chrissy, cmbauerisu[[a]t]gmaildotcom
When I was a child, my mum used to sew all of my clothes for me. The only thing I had in my closet that wasn’t hand made was my underwear. I remember the joy of each new dress as it was put together in front of my eyes, it was like magic!
Obviously(?), this crafting gene was transferred to me. I have always loved crafting, but as a student on a very tight budget, I’ve had to stick to making jewellery. Thanks to the joy of Stumble Upon, I have now found lots of crafting blogs with amazing tutorials, and I can’t wait to try them all out! I have a specific dress in mind and a beanbag for the bf, but before I can do this, I need a sewing machine.
Having moved to England from Sweden to attend university, trying to persuade my mum that I can take care of her machine is out of the question (on top of this, it has also decided to break down now) as it would be impossible to get it on a plane with me. So I had to set my eyes on something else. I have (for the nine months we have been together) frequently bothered the bf with my wishes for a sewing machine, but himself also being a student on a tight budget, it has been out of the question that he could buy one for me (as in, I wouldn’t let him). After all, food is more important than my creativeness.
So I had given up all hope of getting a machine for the next five years (I plan to do a two year MA) until I saw this giveaway! Hopefully, with some luck, I will win this, and not have to try and hand stitch together a maxi dress..
Hi all,
I’m new here, as I was looking for a great way to learn how to sew. I purchased my very first (mini) sewing machine and don’t have a clue as to how to use it. I don’t have anyone in my family who ever learned how to sew, which really puts me at a disadvantage, but I am determined to learn how to make throw pillows, and hopefully dresses for my little granddaughter.
Thanks so much for a chance to win these fabulous machines!
Barb G.
I quilt all the time – as well as make crafts and other things as well and these two would be such a great thing to have – I have never owned a serger – but I understand that it makes a lot of the seams so much nicer and easier on a project…so it will be a bonus and something i would truly use and enjoy! the sewing machine – oh I If could win it – would be such a godsend – as my machine is on the frtiz – it has lost its timing and clunks a lot – and it’s light bulb has gone out and I can’ seem to find one to replace it just yet- I’ve looked around and no one has that one. I seem to overuse them – so it is time for a new one I think and this would be so nice..so I hope i win! Thanks for the opportunity! Later! – Deena
Wow! what an awesome giveaway! I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy of your book, too. It sounds like an especially great book to give to newbie sewists who want to jump in, but might be intimidated. Thanks!
I just learned how to sew a couple weeks and this would be an awesome addition. I can’t wait to buy your book either, it sounds like fun.
About six months ago I made a big move. I packed up my little Honda and drove 2,300 miles from Cincinnati to Los Angeles to be with my boyfriend. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t regret this move at all. I love my life. But, one of the things that didn’t fit into my car was my sewing machine. And since I couldn’t take it, my mother claimed it. Oh boy, oh boy do I sure miss her. *sniff,sniff* Now I’m in Los Angeles, a fairly trendy part of the world, and it fills me with shame to buy clothes that I know I could sew for myself. I’m so inspired by all the funky fabrics that are available in the fashion district! Please, help!!! Love the site!
I bought my first machine (a cheap Brother) using a $100 gift card from Target I got as a thank you gift from work. I was a penny pinching grad student, so this was a big investment. After a few years of using it, my mother-in-law moved out of the country, thus not being able to take her machine,so I inherited it. It is an original digital machine. It’s old and still working, but I keep eyeing new ones. . .
Oh my would I love to win these two lovely ladies! I am using a very inexpensive Brother machine that I picked up at Walmart because the budget just doesn’t have room for a new machine. It bounces all over the place when I sew fast! The gathering stitch on it is too tight so the thread breaks too many times. When I first start to sew it catches inside the machine on the plastic somewhere but the front doesn’t open up so I can’t figure out what it is catching on. It takes me 30 minutes of stop and go sewing before it decides not to catch! UggggH!
Wow! Very exciting!!!!
My great grandmother always had a very old Singer that sat in her living room. It was finished with it’s sewing days, but was still attached to it’s sewing table that would serve as the Christmas Tree stand for her tiny tree each year.
My brother and I loved to pump the pedal as fast as we could and watch the belt turn all the wheels. This machine was lost in a fire, but will always be very fondly remembered!
Thanks for the fun and letting me share!
I had bought a cheap sewing machine right after I graduated college to get me started nesting. It got me by but was always jamming and the thread would always get caught in the bobbin. Then my grandma past away a year ago and I was able to snag her vintage 70s Bernina. I had to get it serviced but it works great, it just does the basics and doesn’t have all the bells and wistles or attachements with it. So I still have to break out my really cheap one for button holes and zippers, etc. A new singer or a serger would be amazing and help me step out and really advance my sewing skills.
Holy Cow! 1403 posts?? You must love reading them!
My first machine was a “designer” given to me by my sister-in-law. I used it from the early 90′s till last year when I thought I killed it. Thankfully, a friend stopped by and waved her magic wand and got it up and running again. It’s pretty basic, and pretty old, but it does a great job!
I just picked up a serger yesterday at a yardsale. It too is OLD, but the price was right. I’ve been patiently hunting craigslist and yardsales looking for a serger (and maybe a new or older machine).
Very generous giveaway. May the winner be truly thankful!
I have a modern sewing machine now, but I had an AWESOME one when I was about 5 or 6 years old, that completely hooked me on sewing. I don’t know what its name was, but you had to use cartridges that contained all the thread and needles and mechanisms and whatnot, that came in red, yellow, or blue thread. It was so easy for a little kid to just snap in a cartridge and sew! I made many little drawstring bags and at least one halter top from the patterns in the directions booklet.
I just found your website and am excited to explore it and hopefully jump start my learning! I got my sewing machine when I was young with the hopes that my homemaker extraordinaire grandma would teach me all she knew. We ended up only having one lesson. Now as a married woman my husband knows how to sew a button on better than I do but with the desire to decorate on a budget I’m anxious to learn more about sewing from my mother-in-law… and hopefully have great skills before having children so that my husband is not still the go to for buttons.
Congratulations on the book! What a great giveaway. Just discovered your blog. It’s fun. Thanks!
I sew on a 1962 Singer – I was born in 1960! My mother sewed all our clothes and made the cutest things, like a short set with a sailboat on the top – and the sails were the pockets. I started “going to work” with my carpenter dad in 1963 and I remember handing him nails from my sail pockets. All Mom’s children learned colors from spools of thread. Eventually my dad asked mom not to sew in front of the children – Mom has a high temper and her children were learning some NEW WORDS not to be used in public (that is a favorite family story!).
I still use that machine and it still sews great with all metal parts. I just repaired a yard sling with that machine, and then pieced a fake wedding ring quilt top. It is nice and plain in it’s use – but I am ready for adventure.
I took “Family Life” in high school (back in the dark ages when boys and girls couldn’t learn the same things for some reason.) After high school, one of my older friends got a new sewing machine. She sold me her old machine – a Sears Kenmore in lovely avocado green. I still have it and it still sews. It will sew a (more or less) straight line and a zigzag. Back in those days I thought it was exquisite. Ha ha…now it is just barely functional.
I remember my aunt making my sister & I Christmas dresses on the old sewing machines – - the ones that were actually furniture. Man, I hated those velveteen dresses with bells on them….awful then but now I appreciate all of the effort she made to make them for us.
I would LOVE to win this. It would provide a cure for all those “gosh, I could make that” moments!
haven0217@gmail.com
I played around on my mom’s lovely avocado green sewing machine (complete with latching cover) as a child–mostly bungling the tension and thinking this sewing stuff is really hard. Then my mom’s machine died just as I was becoming really interested in sewing after college so as a joint birthday gift, Mom bought both of us matching sewing machines. But my first apartment was uber-small and I didn’t have the space to really figure out my machine. Cue a marriage and a move AND the discovery of all these great sewing and crafting blogs, and I finally figured out the promise my sewing machine held for me.
my favorite sewing machine i have EVER used was a gorgeous antique of my grandmother’s. it was in pristine condition, but far from being seldom used. she was a gifted seamstress, and her machine sat in a prime position directly between her kitchen and her living room. it was the old behemoth sort; the machine was all metal, set in a wooden table. i used to love knowing the “secret” of where the thing was located. you had to flip open part of the table top and pull the machine up and out. the very best part to me, though, was the pedal. i’ve used all sorts, from the usual foot pedals, that slide hither and yon when you try to use them, to the kind that you have to press with your knee, inevitably resulting in a less than ladylike sitting position. this pedal was beautifully wrought iron and huge, attached to the bottom of the table. it rocked back and forth, making it easy and comfortable to use, the epitome of function meets beauty. i wish i knew where this machine was now, and i truly wish all sewing machines were still like it!
I have a hand-me-down times four sewing machine! I mostly use it for making quilts and snuggle blankets (self-taught, except for two weeks in grade 9 home ec!). I am wanting to try some more advanced techniques and garments… hope I am the lucky winner!
I just finished my very first sewing course and absolutely loved it! My sewing machine is a bit wanting – but I’ve made due. I also have my grandmother’s ancient Singer machine, it’s gorgeous but is mostly just for display.
when i was a kid i loved crafts of all kinds. our family was very close to a grandparent-ly couple we sort of adopted as our own grandparents. we called them Oma and Opa. Opa was a dashing Italian who knew his way around a sewing machine. he gave me lessons on his Sears machine, mint green, circa late 1950′s. when he was ready for an upgrade (bells and whistles galore!) he sold his old, meticulously cared for machine to me for $60. i made payments to Opa for a few months, during which time he generously allowed me to take it home to keep. i sewed placemats, napkins and a fabric ‘box’ in which to keep them for my mother. i sewed a tea cozy. by the time i was in jr. high i sewed my and my mothers coordinating silk taffeta bridesmaids dresses for my aunt’s wedding. my freshman year in high school i sewed, from a Calvin Klein pattern, a lined grey wool suit. skirt and jacket! very advanced! why i felt the need for a suit at the age of 14 i do not quite understand, but my best friend’s brother’s girlfriend liked the jacket so much she borrowed it and never gave it back. these days i sew little girl dresses for my three daughters and quilts for the beds of my 5 children. i would love a new machine. it may just be time to give sewing lessons to my oldest daughter, a sweet five, who may like make her mum a set of napkins or an inappropriate outfit for herself someday.
I grew up to the sound of a sewing machine!
My mother used to work as a seamstress for many years and would make us our Halloween costumes.
Great memories!
My mom was a designer and had her own clothing shop before I was born. She tried to teach me to sew but I was so scared of how fast the machine went and was afraid to get my fingers caught in the needle. Ouch!! Despite that I have several antique sewing machines- I just love them but never got to use one till I took a 3 hour sewing class last year. I have even driven from Indiana back to New York to pick up a Singer treadle sewing machine- which my cats now sleep on. Since I would like to make my own clothes- don’t find much that I like out there- and my machines are ancient- they would be awesome to have and use all the time.
My mother has been sewing since I was born…she made me baby clothes, made herself work clothes, and so many things around the house (curtains, sofa slipcovers). I remember going to the store with her and looking through fabrics and patterns. I have always wanted to learn, as I dream about doing the same when we have our own children.
I do not sew. I have always wanted to. I for some reason browse pattersn, and fabrics and of course read sewing blogs (I just added yours to my rss feed)- I love clothes and can never find what I have in mind, and I am finding the same thing with my house (sewing would help with those visions)! I am going to buy your book regardless!
I would love a new sewing machine and a serger… I have never had a serger and have been wanting one for quite some time! Thanks
y earliest memory of using a sewing machine is my mom’s iron Singer cabinet machine, that was made around the year I was born. Do I really have to tell? OK it was made in 1966. Mom still has that machine: its rock solid, has a slew off attachments, fast as a comet and a great machine. My mom taught me the basics of sewing, and at about 12 I took off on my own and far surpassed her amount of garment sewing by the time I was 16.
I have a 16 year old and also a nineteen month old. I would love to have additional machines to be able to pass sewing skills on to my daughters and have them sew along side me, working on their own garments and projects. My 16 year old is into anime and Lolita fashion, reconning clothing and saving money. Does her mama proud! The baby loves to sit on my lap or stand next to me while I am sewing so I anticipate another active participant in the process in a few years time. Winning these machines would give us the ability to sew on projects at the same time while I teach my girls skills that will last a lifetime; skills they can share, pass on and enhance.
I learned to sew when I was 12 on my grandmother’s treadle. I really treasure all the time we spent together making Barbie clothes. I still have it but it’s more for decor than use. I have to say that I’m a dinosaur. She bought me my first electric sewing machine, a Kenmore, and I’ve stuck with that brand ever since. They last forever and I’ve been very happy with the 2 I’ve had over the past 40+ years. I’d love to win this for my older daughter. She just moved into a new apartment and is setting up a sewing room. It’d be nice to start her off with a nice machine. Thanks so much for this opportunity!
My grandma’s vintage sewing machine was already there at the corner of the house before I could remember. I used to watch her make quilts. She free styled all of her quilts, no measuring, no cutting perfect squares, just pieces of scrap fabrics together. We used to go to different tailors in the neighborhood to ask for scrap fabrics. I remember growing up with this extremely colorful quilt she made for me and could not fall asleep without it even though i’ve already grown out of it a long time ago. She didn’t want me to play with the machine because of sharp needles but I also remember coming to her after breaking a few of her needles
It makes me so warm and happy thinking about that sewing machine. I learned how to stitch straight lines on that one!!
What an awesome giveaway! My mother could sew like nobody’s business so could my grandmother but I never had enough interest to ask either to show me how. Then my mother found out she had melanoma cancer in the final stages. We lost her a year after finding out. I found her sewing machine in storage and took it home. My grandmother bought me a Singer 401A so I could finally learn myself, I suspect she was hinting that she didn’t want to make clothes for me any longer since I was in my mid 20′s. Both machines sat unused until I was pregnant with my first child and I didn’t want to spend the money to buy a shopping cart cover. I found a pattern and sat down and made it out of vintage sheets and I was hooked! The shopping cart cover turned out pretty good for my first project. I am wanting to teach my daughter to sew. I could pass on the Singer 401A to her and the serger would be a fabulous add on since I want to start sewing with knits!
My daughter just turned 10 & we have been enjoying sewing little projects together. I do the sewing & she helps by telling me what she wants. Mostly, we have been making bags, skirts, & quick easy tops. I don’t have a serger & really want one. They are a little pricey for someone who doesn’t sew much but would like to more. I am an artist. Ceramic artist, painter 2nd. I love fabric. I love clothes. Hate the way most fit & it is hard to find the styles I love to wear. Some of the fabrics they have aren’t my favorite either, but they have a beautiful print on them. So, I like to buy the fabrics I’m attracted to & also buy plain fabric & dye it or paint it. So. U see a serger would do me well in my arts. My husband is just afraid to spend the money & I don’t use it. I think it would make me do more if I had it, right?!
My mom still area. She is fantastic. I learn a lot from her. My great grandma and my granny also. I want my granny’s old machine. It’s in Florida, a little far to travel just for the machine. But one day we will make that trip to pick it up. It’s the old trindle kind. Beautifully crafted. It’s own art.
this is an awesome giveaway!!! Can’t wait to get the book…Congraulation on the book!!
My sewing adventure started in jr. high, with a pleated skirt and matching blouse. As soon as I could afford a sewing machine, I bought a Kenmore that did all kinds of fancy things. I made all the bedding for my babies, and some clothes for myself and my family. I learned about sergers when I took some classes on sewing knits, but I never bought one. This would be a wonderful combination to have. Thank you for the opportunity.
Sweet sewing combo and even sweeter that it is a giveaway! Can’t wait to get a copy of this book, it looks absolutely fab!
I would totally love this I lost my sewing machine last year when the basement flooded from torrential rain the Midwest last summer.
Bonjour
Je découvre ton blog grâce à http://www.threadandneedles.fr/
Ce que tu fais est superbe et pleins de joie et de gaieté
Je rêve de gagner une des 2 machines
je te souhaite beaucoup de réussite avec ton joli livre
Amicalement
Vio
What a wonderful giveaway. I am a sewing machine addict. I started to collect vintage machines and had to quit cold turkey when I ran out of room.
I’ve never had a sewing machine – I hand sew everything I need to, which really cuts down on my sewing projects – I’d love to get into a Project Runway type project, you know?
I would love to win these. Thanks for the opportunity! My sewing machine story… My grandmothers both had those awesome old Singers. Unfortunately, both are out of the family now. The one that was given to me disappeared one day. Yes, disappeared. I had moved to a very tiny apartment, and had stored it in a room in the basement that only a few people had keys to. My name and phone number were boldly taped to it. One day I got a call, “Amy, do you still want your sewing machine?” “Yes,” I answered,” I’m moving in a couple of months and will move it then.” Silly me for not thinking twice about that call. When it came time to move out, my sewing machine was gone. I tried to track down the person who’d called me since I knew where she worked, but no one claimed to know anything. I’ve since gotten a new machine, but my sewing has become so intensive, that I’d love to have multiple machines going. Or, maybe I could keep the serger and give the machine to a friend so that I’ll have a sewing buddy… Hmmm… I guess I have to win first!
My first memory of a sewing machine is my Mom sewing a little pillow for me for a indoor classrom camping day when I was in elementary school. I remeber all of my friends talking about the new Power Ranger pillows and blankets they were going to bring. Of course being as dramatic as I was, I had to have something better. I can remember my mom taking me to Joann Fabrics and letting me pick this fabric with cowboys riding a rocket ship with stars and planets swirling around him. We went over to my grandmothers house and I can still remember the noise that her old Singer sewing machine made. I thought it was magic how a machine could make something so wonderful. When I went to school with my little space cowboy pillow all my friends were so jealous by the fact that I had a homemade pillow. I still have that little pillow, and when I’m feeling childish or down I pull it out just to be reminded of the magic I once believed in.
I wish I had a good quality sewing machine. I see tons of projects and DIYs all over the web and it gives me a itch to sew. I never have owned a sewing machine, and I have to do everthing by hand, which if you can imagine it gets vvery diffcult. I think it would be great to make clothing for myself, but I really think I could make great presents and gifts for my friends and family during the holidays or special occasion.
giday brett my grand mother tought me how to sew on a machine that needed 2 feet to use the peddle when she died she gave me her machines i used to sew on them all the time then i had babies = no time unfortunately i lot my machines in a house fire since then i haven’t been able to afford the machines to start back in to it i would love to win these machines and start up sewing again and teach my kids how to as well
I have been sewing since my teens (thanks, Mom) and have never looked back! It’s my creative outlet, my artistic expression and answer to wanting some new trendy dud’s, sans the hefty price tag. For years I used my mothers machine from the 80′s, but as a college graduation gift, I received my very own machine. It was mine, all mine! I still remember ripping the crisp white wrapping paper from the large heavy box and seeing the word “machine” peaking through the partially torn wrapping. I couldn’t pull the remaining paper off fast enough!! A month later, I married, moved away from my family out of state and have since used my machine weekly (I wish I had the time to make it daily). After sewing most everything in my new little baby boy’s nursery, I am ready for an upgrade in machines and to add a serger to the family (I soooooo need one)! What a great giveaway!! love it!
My grandmother, who will be 92 next month, was a strict Trip Round the World girl. She has anxiety attacks when she thinks about sewing curves, and always stuck to her simple squares. I was the only grandchild who really enjoyed quilting with her and would spend hours playing in her scraps sewing little pin cushions, doll pillows and purses when I was four. I was actually using the machine that early, which is crazy for me to think about now. When she sees me jumping on a Joseph’s Coat or a Crazy Quilt she gets so anxious, but loves being able to watch me without having to do the work now.
I bought my first sewing machine in 2005 when I became interested in sewing. So, I bought a cheap $50 dollar one from our local department store. However, I got it home and had no clue how to thread the machine. I looked in the manual but could not quite get what it was telling me because I did not know what each object was on the sewing machine. Low and behold, my boyfriend had to show me how to thread it!
Thank you for the fabulous giveaway! I’m so excited! This would be a great gift for my birthday this month!
I stil have an old Singer Machine that I thought would make me rich… or richer
When I moved in my new home in 1988, there was and old machine and a table in the basement something I never noticed as we first visited the house with the real estate agent. The first thing I did was to clean up and try to locate certain parts for it to function. Nothing 
For some reason, I wanted to create something with it – anything. After a few years of frustration, I decided to call some people who dealt with antiques. I got a few offers but nothing to meet my expectations. You see, I was sure that I was not looking at the money here but at the value. I am fond of sewing as I find it so relaxing even if at times, I just want to rip the garment apart for not turning out just right 
When I was three, my parents moved us from the big city to a small framing town. They purchased the dry cleaners and the old owner stayed on to do alterations. He sewed them all on a pedal powered Singer. When he finally retired and my parents sold the dry cleaners to pursue other endeavours, the old pedal powered Singer came home to our old farm house kitchen. It was always to precious to use, so I requested my own Singer for Christmas my first year of college. Pop asked me three times if I was sure. I have been sewing ever since.
My grandma sewed all the time. Made everything. I just bought my first sewing machine earlier this year to teach myself. I fell in love with sewing (and fabric!). My machine is a step above a very basic machine, but there’s still too many plastic parts for me. I’m definitely ready to advance… something that can handle a little more work.
My mom had(has) a wonderful little Singer feather-weight. She was and still is a wonderful seamstress.
She made anything and everything with that little machine. Of course I learned by watching her,
I’ve been altering my thrift store finds for years with this awesome mini sewing machine I received as a
graduation present. Not so great at the sewing, but poco a poco, i’m slowing getting better….I think.
Ready to expand my options with a serger.
Fingers crossed.!!
Oh my goodness. I had to read this several times to see if my eyes were deceiving me. what an incredible giveaway. I mean IN-CRED-I-BLE! Many (MANY) moons ago my mother bought me a toy sewing machine. It actually sewed but it wasn’t like my mom’s. Her’s was a Singer that was super shiny, stored away in a lovely solid oak cabinet, probably weighed near 462 pounds, and had this thing called a “bobbin” – something my little machine did not have. Well, needless to say, I was bound and determined that my Barbie clothes were worthy of having their clothes sewn with the benefit of the bobbin stitches. As much as I wasn’t allowed to touch my mom’s machine, I think she was more amused by my insistence (aka sneakiness) in using her machine. Thanks mom, for a lifelong memory.
By the way, congratulations on your book! It’s making HUGE waves all over blogland and it is included in my Amazon wishlist.
My Maman used to sew mist of my dresses when I was a little girl, complaining that her machine was not a Singer. My first machine was a Singer of course, and now that I am living in the US, the sound and sewing gestures reminds me of all those afternoons spent with my mom, playing and waiting for the new dress. She would always make a smaller one for my doll, and I kept all of them in a little suitcase I brought with me in LA. I’d love a new machine to zip through my quilts and projects…and I will keep my old one to teach my friend how to sew! Thanks!
I never owned my own sewing machine until a few years ago when I finally broke down and bought a little cheapie at the fabric store. I’d used great ones in Home Ec (they also had a Serger……to die!) and when I took sewing lessons in college. (I took them because I moved to a new school my sophomore year, and I knew no one. I was lonely, and I dreamed of a quilting circle. It didn’t exactly turn out like that.)
Last year I asked my husband for a Serger for Christmas, but the gift was deemed too expensive. Recently my husband purchased a new, large, flat screen television, and I can’t help but want to put it on Craigslist for a Serger. It would make my life so much easier, and I don’t really enjoy television.
I mostly sew crafts, but I am dreaming of making little clothes for my 6 month old.
Love your site.
WOW! I bumped upon your site and I am very excited about your book, congratulations:) MY sewing machine story, I love to sew. I wish I had a little more time. My mother and grandmother sew quite frequently and I suppose it was just a natural deal. My mother would make my sister and I clothes, then I started to make clothes for myself in high school. It was a blessing to have Home Economics in junior high school and High school. I would love to teach my daughter now, and we could use a sewing machine a serger is an added bonus. Thank you for the opportunity.
I started sewing by playing on my Grandmother’s machine, noticing that I had an interest she purchased a used (garage sale) machine for me to have at home. I was probably in the 7th or 8th grade at this point. I held onto that machine until I purchased my very own machine as a Senior in High School, complete with payments!! Seems like for-ever ago. That machine moved with me everywhere I went for the next hundred years. Okay, so it wasn’t a hundred, but I put more miles on that machine than an old lady does on her car! Anyway, after marriage and 4 kids later I wanted/needed something newer. Hubbie was a doll, and I spent another $500 on my present Janome. Only problem, that was 20 years ago. LOVE to have a new machine!! Thanks for the fun giveaway!!
my mum gave me her old Bernina Sewing machine from 1973 for about 10 years ago. It is a classic, very oldfashioned but it works! I have used it in periods, but not that much the last few years. But now I am joining a lot of sewing classes, buying books and just can´t wait to make my own skirts and tunics! And your new book makes it looks so easy
I had two wonderful grandmother’s that sewed – everything! Grandma Elliott sewed on a small black Singer (can’t remember the model name),that could be carried with one hand due to the size, and that’s what I learned to sew on. My first sewing project, on a machine, was a cloth baby book. She also taught me how to hand sew Barbie and doll clothes. Grandma Willis loved to quilt and when I was younger my job was to cut pieces, with scissors! Cutting tools DID NOT exist! She loved using scraps so cutting was tedious! She bought my first machine, a Singer, when I was 18 yrs. old. It finally wore out after 15 yrs. of use and I bought a used Singer at a garage sale that lasted another 10 yrs. and am now using a Singer that was purchased 11 yrs. ago. (My family were huge Singer fans!) I am now the age they were when they were teaching me to sew and have a granddaughter that I hope will love sewing like we did!
Hi! My sewing machine story doesn’t exist yet. I’ve been a knitter all my life but recently started following a blog where the blogger knits and sews. The sewing projects continually catch my eye and I would LOVE to learn to start. I found you through a blog on craftsy where I’m taking a knitting course, and your new book looks PERFECT for me. The only problem, of course, is that I do not own a sewing machine…..
I would love a new sewing machine and serger. I have been sewing like crazy lately and I really need a new machine.
After seeing my mom doing it for about 30 years, I only started sewing a couple of months ago, since having a liitle girl and the desire to dress her in the cutest of dresses.
So for now I’m working on my mom’s machine (who used to be her grandmother’s!!) and looking to buy one of my own.
Maybe with this awesome giveaway, I won’t need to!
My mom started teaching me how to sew when I was REALLY into Barbie. LOL. We would go shopping for clothes and then it just got to the point where we had seen it all. To keep things fresh, my mom suggested making Barbie outfits to me. I was skeptical at first, but we had “sew” much fun that we started other projects. It was an awesome way to bond!
Thank you for this amazing giveaway!
My grandma always sewed gifts for all of the grandkids when we were young (and before there got to be too many of us to sew for all of us!). One year for the granddaughters was pioneer dresses with matching dresses for our dolls, the next year it was homemade teddy bears, many years it was American Girl doll clothes. I remember going to my grandparents’ house on Sundays and sitting at the kitchen table eating popcorn and talking with Grandma while she sewed something or another on her machine. My grandma really inspired me to learn how to sew, and I remember making my mom teach me how to use her machine when I was 8 or 9, pushing the foot pedal so slowly that the needle was barely moving in order to get straight lines! I’ve always helped my mom with projects, but now that I’m getting ready to move out on my own I would love to have my own machine to do decorating projects for my apartment!
I learned to sew on my Dad’s clunky old Kenmore (and actually used it this weekend to finish up a project while home!), and after longing for a machine for the past couple years, my wonderful bf bought me one to start making my own clothes on for our anniversary. So, I’m a little embarrassed to enter this, since my sewing machine dreams have finally come true, but oh, I would love to have a serger- it’s next on my list of things to add to my sewing skills.
The first time I ever touched a sewing machine, I made a stitch through the tip of my finger. A painful experience that justified my long-time aversion to anything and anyone wielding a needle. Growing up in a traditional Italian household also didn’t help because sewing wasn’t seen as a very manly activity in which to partake. Even my mother suggested I go outside when I was lingering around as she repaired a zipper or a hole in my jeans. I didn’t embrace the wonders of sewing until I decided to repair an old pair of jeans that made my butt look faboosh. I was living in NYC, far away from mom’s dextrous hands, and was too poor to bring them to a tailor to be fixed. I stitched away, sloppily, and each patch that I attempted to sew onto the jeans ended up looking like a child’s scrap of construction paper glued on to the fabric. And, those worn, butt-enhancing jeans were destroyed by the time I was done with my sloppy experiments. BUT, each botched stitch led to a better one; each crooked line straightened. Itmay have taken me a while to find another pair of jeans that made the boys go “hmmm”, but it inspired me to pursue a hobby that I’ll enjoy for life.(Plus, it’s quite fun to sit with mom and do the things with her that I always wanted to do with her as a child).
I am dying for the Singer Perfect Finish combo!! I have always been inspired by my grandmother (we called her Monnie) because she was a was a fantastic seamstress (as well as knitter, hand embroiderer, etc). I did not get the chance to learn her skills firsthand because she passed away when I was young. I have worked on my mother’s refurbished pfaff sewing machine and made simple items such as pillows and pants for my 7 month old son. I am anxious to broaden my skills and make my Monnie proud!!
My sewing story—It’s a sad story. It hasn’t been written yet. I am a graphic designer by trade, and have always been into arts and crafts. A few years ago I went to a hip little sewing shop and said “i wanna take your 101 class.” She said that they were moving to another location, so I was totally bummed. I said, “great, now what am I going to do?” She said “you should knit.” So that’s what I did. I signed up for a couple knitting classes and off I went.
I’ve been wanting to learn how to sew for a few years now, and I have a nice stash of sewing books and stuff just sitting there ready for me to pick up a needle. I just haven’t had the time. I will be taking the craftsy sewing class online so I’m super syked. I’m also signing up for the 101 sewing class at JoAnn Fabrics, so that should be interesting.
I love to be with my Grandmother and she’s getting a lot older. We’ve knit together, however her arthritis has put a stop to that. I bought her one of those circular knitting hoops which she uses once and awhile. She has sewn since I was a baby; I remember ladies coming over to her house and dropping beautiful dresses off to have fixed. She still has her ancient machine that is built into a sewing table! I would love for her to teach me, but I’m afraid that she’ll get frustrated teaching me and I just want to spend time together enjoying something…not getting irritated about how to sew correctly.
What a great prize!!! My sewing story starts at a pretty young age. I watched my grandmother sew on her manual foot pumping pedal machine from the time that I can remember. Her machine was awesome! On the weekends and in the summers my mother would sew and I would sit watching and helping to put things together. The first thing that I ever sewed was a dress for my Barbie. I think I was about 7 years old. I took one of her dresses and then created my own using it. My mother helped me a little bit but I did it pretty much on my own. After that I my Barbies were never lacking for a cool wardrobe. When I left my parents home and moved out on my own I didn’t have my own machine. After many many years a coworker was having a party at her house and when I was there she offered me her old machine. I think it had been sitting in her closet for 20 years.
Anyway, I cleaned it up and used it with some success to fashion my apartment with all kinds of things: curtains, pillows etc . Soon I realized that this machine did have some faults and would not do many of the things I needed. Right on cue another friend of mine was moving and had a machine she was gifted and asked if I would like it. She said it would be happier at my house. 
That machine was probably only about 5 years and has been useful. I am now getting the courage to finally start making my own clothes and man would these machines be helpful!!!! Hurry Singers! Come live at my house!!! 
I loved to sew when was in high school and made all my own pants and skirts. My friends and I then took a road trip to New Orleans and of course brought my mom’s machine with us to finish the amazing 4th of July outfits we were planning to wear. The car with the machine in it were promptly stolen while we were out showing off our great outfits. The good news they were just hings and we were not around. Unfortunately my mom and I never replaced the machine
We had a beautiful antique sewing machine but was never used because it was so precious! I would love to have my own and learn to sew!!
Learned to sew on my mom’s old Kenmore, that she still has (and uses) to this day! I haven’t sewn in years and could really use a new machine.
This give away is awesome!! I have a tiny sewing machine that I bought four years ago when i moved to USA. I never had experience sewing before but I really needed to make my pants shorter so I had to adventure myself into the sewing world. I love it!! Now i am getting ready to make some things for my toddler.
My sewing machine is one that only goes straight, and backwards! I’m the 4th owner (mom, sister, sister, me) of a little black and gold Singer featherweight. Its truly the best hearted machine, having withstood costumes, uniforms, wedding dresses, repairs, and all kinds of users. It has several attachments for buttonholes, and a few extra gizmos, but mostly just the simple straight ahead sewing is what I do. These new machines look amazing! Eldest sister has a serger and loves the heck out of it, I hope I do too!
I have an old sewing machine that I bought used when I was in college–about 30 years ago! It is a vintage “Sew Mor.” I just completed a sewing project using it. I would love to have 2 new sewing machines-especially a Serger!
Hi there,
.
actually I don’t have a sewing story of my own. My wife is the sewing-addict in the family
Here’s hoping I can surprise her with a sewing machine – serger combo…
Than I’d really have a sewing machine story!
What an amazing giveaway! I would love to tell you my sewing story, it’s quite epic, sorta.
Once upon a time… ha ha, that’s me joking. Bad, I know.
My grandmother Sadie made clothes for my mother, and the rest of her 8 children for as long as I could remember. From prom dresses to can-cans, she made the most beautiful clothes from her own “newspaper” patterns. Being the only one of her grandchildren interested in sewing, she taught me the basics of sewing when I was very young and for my 7th birthday she let me have her extremely old Singer sewing machine. I can remember sewing little mediocre purses from old jeans and “shoulder pad wallets” out of the padding from my mom’s blazers; I was in love. I even carried that old thing with me to college, where I am currently majoring in Apparel Design! And even though I love my granny’s Singer to pieces, it’s time for me to retire it to the shelf that houses my other treasured vintage. She’s had a good life and I think it’s time for her to retire, the sewing machine that is, not Granny!
Hopefully this giveaway can help me replace her, but if not I just hope that those wonderful machines brings true happiness to their new owners. Thanks for letting me share my story. Good luck to everyone entering! -Genola
I still have and use a Singer sewing machine that my dad gave my Mom when they were first married. My Dad died in 1971 and I always think of all the wonderful projects he thought she would one day sew on that machine. It has been one of my most treasured pieces and memories! Thanks for this wonderful giveaway!!
I have been sewing since I was about 6 (started with Barbie) and made my first blazer by the time I was 12.My grandmother was the one who got me started with sewing, and just about every other craft known to man (though I can lay claim to teaching her how to do macrame). I didn’t go to the prom, but I made prom dresses for my friends. The first sewing machine I had was borrowed from my best friend – she talked her father into buying it for her, but really it was for me. I have always worked making things – there have been much more fancy names for it over the years, but when it comes down to it, that’s what I do.
I have a niece who is turning 13 this year and I would really like her to be able to sew. She lives on the other side of the country, but I would love to win these items for her.
Hi! I am so glad that I found you pinned on Pinterest! Kudos on the book, tour, website and all the amazingness you have going on right now! Your tutorials and instructions are truly great. I am new to the sewing world. My mom gave me a sewing machine three years ago (Singer Prelude) and I moved last month and finally plugged it in at the new place! I love it! I have so much to learn but am proud to say that I am sewing in a straight line
. I look forward to upcoming projects and information on your blog.
I learned to sew from a class taken in school. My mother had no desire to sew and thought it was a waste of time.. I begged and begged for a sewing machine, and saved money so I could get my sewing machine. Actually for my birthday /Christmas present that year I got a machine YEAH. Sit it up on a card table in my bed room and sewed all through high school. Have sewn on and off throught the years and just this past year got the bug to start sewing again. Congradulations on the new book.
Thanks for letting me try and win the new machines.
Jan K
When I was younger, my mom tried countless times to teach me to sew. I was never very excited about these “lessons” and couldn’t quite understand why sewing was a skill I needed when I could just go to the store and buy what I wanted, rather than making it. Fast forward several years — I’m married and had just given birth to our first child (a little girl). I came home from the hospital to a large gift my parents. I excitedly opened it, but the excitement passed when I saw what was inside: a sewing machine. I gave a fake smile and thanked my I parents for the gift, which, when they left I stuck in my daughter’s closet. I didn’t take it out for almost three years (except to move). I was redecorating my kids’ (our son was born when our daughter was two) rooms and couldn’t find blankets I absolutely LOVED, but I did find fabric I loved. A wise friend suggested I buy the fabric and just make blankets. I was hesitant, but she promised to help so I agreed. When sewing day came, I didn’t even know how to load my bobbin. But, my patient friend taught me. In one afternoon we made both blankets. I did all the sewing, with my friend’s supervision. From there, I was hooked. My next project was a pillowcase dress for my daughter and bow ties for my son. Now, my sewing machine is always out. I am obsessed with fabric. I make gifts, I make my kids’ (we have three now) clothes, I see things in stores I like and think, “I can make that.” It’s a bit of an obsession. And much to my surprise and excitement, my five-year-old has asked me to teach her to sew. I didn’t learn to love sewing until I was an adult, I hope to help my three children develop a love of sewing and creating to last a lifetime.
My mom had the most amazing sewing machine when I was growing up. It was a Singer machine that was built in to a small table and it dropped down into the table for storage. It was brilliant. She had it for 25 years and made so many cherished pieces of clothing for me as I grew up. I would love to be able to create those memories myself.
Thank you for the opportunity to win such amazing prizes! Congratulations on your book!
Kind regards,
Christa Dickson
I have so many memories of sitting in the hidden room at the top of our stairs (it really was hidden! You had to touch the wall in order for a secret door to pop open.) and watch my mom sew. She used to make us our Halloween costumes, drapes, placemats – lots of things! But unfortunately, she never taught me to sew. I think the sewing for her was her alone time…
Now that I am older, I want to learn to sew and feel comfortable around a machine and make things for my home. I recently took a class and sewed an apron. I was so proud of it and I wish to learn to sew other projects.
I could hope I am lucky enough to win this cool prize!
Thanks!
Wow – what an amazing giveaway. Am having a great time joining you on the blog tour!
My mom does have an ancient sewing machine that has stuff piled on top of it all year long except for the one or two times per year when she unloads the piles and mends stuff. I was always interested but intimidated by this machine. I eventually just got my own small machine to try to learn sewing but I couldn’t quite teach myself the whole process of getting the needle and bobbin set to sew. It languished for a long time in the closet until I FINALLY took a basic sewing class and learned what I needed to know!
I just begged my mom to get a sewing machine (after the one my grandmother gave her when she graduated from college stopped working) so I could learn how to sew! She graciously indulged me by getting one to “busy myself” as I recently got my graduate degree and am looking for a job and a way to keep busy with projects! First up, I’m making pillow covers for my older sister!
My parents gave me a sewing machine as a wedding gift. I thought it was pretty weird at the time, but I sewed maternity clothes for myself, clothes for my kids, and shirts for my husband. It sat unused for a few years, but I recently retired, and now I’m back to my 30 year old machine, making curtains, purses, and skirts. A new one would be wonderful, and I can start sewing for my future grandchildren!
Hi Brett, Congratulations on your new book. I was first introduced to sewing in the 5th grade in elementary school, using a manually powered sewing machine. In order to get the machine to sew, you had to rock your feet back and forth on the footplate. The rocking motion on the footplate started the machine sewing. Even though it wasn’t the easiest thing to operate, I was hooked on sewing from that point on. My Mom, who recently passed away, in her day was an avid sewer, so I think that this also rubbed off on me. She would make her own patterns for chair covers and various appliances that she had in her kitchen.
My mom bought me a $75 singer machine for my 28th birthday because I told her I wanted to be able to sew things. So I spent 2 hours figuring out how to thread the machine – never sewed a thing aside from handsewing a button in my life – and proceeded to make a toddler sized pillow case. It’s been a fast road into sewing so many different things, buying a serger and venturing into kids clothes. But I still go back to my $75 singer when it’s time to top stitch.
I’m dying for a new serger! I bought my current serger when I made my wedding dress for when I got married. However, with all the other wedding expenses, I got the cheapest crappiest one I could find. Its such a useful tool, but I’d love a new one that is easier to use and has fewer mechanical problems.
My sewing machine story is that my husband and in-laws bought one for me for christmas one year. it took me a while to acquire a table to keep it on and then i didn’t start really sewing until i was pregnant and suddenly laid off about 2.5 years ago. since then i’ve made tons of projects and have made a respectable sewing area in our basement. my machine is mediocre ..and what i really dream of getting lately is a serger!!
I have only sewn a few things before. I have been crocheting for a long time and sewing is something I have wanted to learn. I love the satisfaction of making things I can wear and use as well as making gifts for others. Your new book might finally be my motivation to learn how to sew, I only have to know straight lines!
Hi Brett! Congratulations on your book!
I grew up watching my mom sew. When the sewing machine grew old and tired, my mom wouldn’t get a new one. She still uses it to this day and when I visit her I have to hold the thread as she sews so that there will be some tension on the thread. It amazes me that she can do anything with that sewing machine.
While I only know the very basics of sewing, I would love to learn more and be able to teach my daughter and be able to make things for her and with her.
Hi Brett! Congratulations on your book!
My mom used to have the old manual singer sewing machines that had to be started by pushing the handwheel. And that is the sewing machine I tried to sew my “Barbie Clothes” on while my mom was at work, let me tell you that did not turn out well LOL. I ended up sewing my finger and had to go to the hospital. fond memories
Unfortunately, I had to give it up when I moved to the US a couple of years back. I really would like to go back & learn to sew. And I dream of the day when I can sew a quilt for my 4 month old daughter. This is an awesome giveaway and good luck with your book tour.
Take care.
I bought my first sewing machine when I got married and moved away from my mom….she taught me how to sew on her machine when I was in college. Now I am married with two little girls and whenever my mom comes to visit we always have some project to tackle – from dresses to pillows…but usually simple and with lots of straight lines! I am sad when I have to sew by myself and she’s not here cutting and pinning for me (she does all the thinking and I do the straight lines!) While our projects are not fancy, the memories of the time with my mom makes me cherish them. I would love to win these machines for my mom, so she can have an up to date machine and keep making things for her grandchildren!
I can’t sew but would love to learn. My mom still has the gigantic table Singer sewing machine, but she doesn’t use it anymore. Rather it is being used to hold her t.v.
I took a sewing class in 6th grade, and somehow hacked together a gym bag. I haven’t touched a sewing machine in about 20 years, but I recently purchased a house, and feel compelled to make it a home! I figure curtains and throw pillows shouldn’t be too hard to make (if I can’t sew a straight line, then I might as well give up now). But I’d love to graduate to hemming skirts and pants, and perhaps even altering my clothes!
Hello! Congrats on your book, Brett… can’t wait to have a copy!
And thank you for the chance to win a sewing machine.
If I win, then my story with a sewing machine would start!!! Nobody in my family ever sew. And I never give too much importance to it as well. But lately (about one year ago) I’ve being so in love with sewing… I want make cortains for my house, pillow cases, skirts for me and my girls… in the last year I’ve been sewing by hand. It’s very nice too. I guess I will buy a sewing machine until the end of this year. <3
Good luck to me!!!
ps. sorry about my bad English (portuguese it's my first language)
My mom gave me my sewing machine years ago but I only really took up sewing in 2008 after I took a course. It was so much fun!
Both my mom and my grandmother taught me how to sew when I was 7 or 8. I was downright insulted when my 6th grade Home Ec teacher (pardon me: Family and Consumer Science teacher) made me practice straight lines on a lousy piece of paper with all of the other students who had no clue how to use a sewing machine. I really liked that class–I wonder if my old school even offers that today?
Congrats on your book!!!! I just order my copy this morning and can’t wait to receive it!!!! My mother is amazing with her sweing machine and I can wait to show her what I can do with one of your book projet!!!!
Congrats on your book, I hope your book tour is going well!
I remember my mom having a sewing machine and she would always sew costumes, clothes, house decor and whatever else she could, she loved to sew. The first time I used a sewing machine was when I was in 6th grade and I was addicted to it from the moment I touched it. We had to make pillows for a school project and I remember not being able to stop, I probably ended up make 30 or so pillows till my mom told me we didn’t need anymore. I still love to sew today, just wish I had more time to do so.
Hello! I’m a jewelry designer, I always wanted to know how to sew but I’m afraid of failing … so I never tried! This could be a good time!
xoxoxo
Paola
Hey,
My mom taught me how to sew when I was around 30, we would sit at opposite ends of her dining room table every Saturday. at the time i was obsessed with patterns that were labeled “make in one hour!” and don’t let me forget to tell you that I used to also count the pattern pieces too (smile), if it was more than 5, I was intimidated. I remember that I was so intense while sewing and I’d sit soooo close to the machine that the mechanism (you know that thing moves up and down when you press your petal to sew) would hit me in the forehead! (HAHAHAAHAHAAHAHOWL) Needless to say it’s been 20 years and many projects, I create my own patterns and designs now ( strictly for my own amusement) and I no longer get hit in the forehead by the mechanism, however, my mom will NEVER let me forget it!! Yah for moms!!!!! P.S. every DIYer loves a new toy! I hope to win!!!!! think positive thoughts! (hahaha) hav a great day. namaste.
Since moving to a different country I don’t have a sewing machine with me that I could use – which is a real pain, as a friend just gave me a TON of beautiful fabric samples that could make up a few amazing quilts, skirts etc. …. ah it hurts just to look at them, and not to be able to realize the plans I have for them!
I learned how to sew when I was about 10, but then I just didn’t. Last year, I decided I wanted to get back into the hobby; I have a very stressful job and I don’t get to be creative, so I thought it would be great forme. My husband bought me a brand new machine for Christmas 2011, which went really well for a couple of months, then my needle broke and bent the needle housing so that the new needled would permanently hit the plate! I was completely discouraged. I returned it to Costco, but I couldn’t handle the idea of buying another machine and being discouraged like that again. After a few months of putting my grudge aside from the last machine, I decided to look for a new machine, but this time older, simpler, and seriously hefty. I found a vintage 1950′s Elna Supermatic. It’s avocado green and so sturdy I bet it can sew two steel plates together! It’s been a lot of fun rediscovering my love of sewing and creating, but I’m starting to feel ready to move on and get back to someone more complex that can sew more modern designs and materials (mine tends to suck in anything with stretch!). I hope I win!
Wow! What a great prize and I’m so happy to have found your blog! My current machine is a Tiny Tailor, and I love it’s compact size; less intimidating. I love sewing, even though I’m not very good at it, and think your projects look really manageable. Sewing projects using only straight lines – FANTASTIC!
My Sewing Machine/Serger Story:
Being the oldest of three, I’ve always been the first to do everything, except sewing. My sister is three years younger than me and she was the first to start sewing. She has always found pleasure in creating and marketing her creations (blessed with an entrepreneurial gene, if she could make something that she could sell, she would) especially as a young girl with childhood cancer. She learned how to sew and has always been better at it than I am, because of her striking attention to detail. She finds green and creative ways of re-using old household items and creating beautiful things from them. For years I’ve tried to keep up with my little sister, one woman powerhouse creatively speaking. She gave me my first sewing machine when she received a serious one as a christmas present. She has gone on to create beautiful things, presents, household items, etc. I’m JEALOUS! My sewing machine is seriously old and hobbling around on three feet if you know what I mean.
My serger story is mostly an epic fail. After receiving my tax return and being thoroughly inspired by design sponge and project runway I went out to buy my first serger. Thrilled with my purchase, I went home and immediately started to learn how to thread it. 45 minutes in and I was confident that I had it and was ready to serge a scrap piece of fabric. So I lowered what I thought to be the thread foot thingy and started sewing. Suddenly everything went all wrong! I hadn’t lowered the pedal I had released it! Breaking my needle and seriously bumming me out. Not to be discouraged I went to my local store around the corner to replace the broken needle. But Alas! They don’t carry the one I needed. In fact, a lot of stores in my area don’t carry them. Seriously frustrated by this point, I made the decision (heart wrenching as it was) to return the serger that had been such a heart breaker for me. I have since pined over it but have not replaced the machine.
I want a new, better functioning sewing machine and serger so I can keep up with this little sewing demon that my sister has instilled in me! She has so much to teach me and I need the equipment to do it!
Thanks for reading!
- Katie
Amazing prize! I would die for these two babies. I am so lucky to find your blog today!
Both my mom and grandma are very crafty, both can sew really well. My mom has one of those old sewing machine, no power, all foot stepping, lots of work. She can make great pieces better than store bought, but she is a very emotional crafter, so if she was not in the mood or lost interest in the process, that piece can stay unfinished for years. Anyway, they both didn’t want me to learn sewing, because they love me and didn’t want me to work so hard. But my mom did teach me how to sew straight line. That’s it! I got my sewing machine as first birthday gift after I got married and moved to US. I basically self taught, and of course tons of hours watching HGTV. Now I am crazily in love with my machine, always try to find a little time to sew something for my baby girl. All those cute stuffs I made with my simple machine, so imagine what I will be able to create with these two fabulous machines! A super sewing machine and a surger?! If I won, it will be the second happiest day in my life. Com’on, I have to keep that happiest day in my life spot for the day I gave birth to my baby! But this is SOOOOOO exciting, I am sure I will be dreaming about it until the end. I better start collecting the projects that I want to make with these two babies.
Having a master seamstress for a mother meant growing up in a household where she would without question nip and tuck, hem and pleat, cut or mend anything and everything from my sister’s and my wardrobe, pillows, my dad’s pajamas and the pet’s blankie. She would also be the champion of making covers for just about everything (piano keys, blenders, phone handles, you name it). Once I moved to NY from California was when I realized I no longer had “my tailor” for the occasional dress or pant hem, and it bummed me out. Now I wonder if taking up sewing would be a necessary hobby for me and these machines look beginner-friendly!
My earliest memory is of the wrought iron pedal of my mother’s old treadle sewing machine. I didn’t even know that she’d had a machine like that until we saw one at an antique store and I mentioned to her that I strangely suddenly felt a strong memory of that sound and motion, and I wasn’t sure why — that was when I learned that she used to sew with a treadle machine in the country we lived in when I was first born. When I was very, very little I would apparently lie on the floor and watch it moving up and down as she worked. It is the only memory I have of our time in that country (we moved to America when I was 4 years old).
My mother taught me how to hand-sew (ah, the clumsy Barbie clothes I made!), but gave up regularly using her machine before I was really old enough to learn. I always, always wanted to learn how to sew, but a disastrous experience with high school home ec kept me away from it for years. I even asked for a beginner’s machine for my birthday one year, but was too afraid to ever use it! This year, I am taking my first sewing class, and have already completed my beginner project — though I still can’t sew a non-wobbly straight line yet!
I’ve been sewing since I was 11 years old. I purchased my first sewing machine, a used Bernina, when I was a senior in high school. Even used, the sucker was expensive . . . but, I loved it and I used it for approximately 30 years before I broke down and bought a new Bernina. I still have my first machine and I don’t anticipate that I will ever part with it. I now own several sewing machines, but I would love to add the sewing machine/serger to my “inventory”. Trust me, my machines all get used so I’m crossing my fingers that you pick me!! Thanks for the opportunity!
I have been sewing by since taking home ec in the 6th grade. I bought my first sewing machine, a very simple Kenmore when I was a senior in high school. I have fried to use the Berninia I inherited from my grandmother but unfortunately she never taught me how to use it and I’m too heaitant as I don ‘t want to mess it up. Since having my twin daughters, I have been obsessed with making them cute skirts and dresses and have realized that a finisher would have to be my next investment. Thank you for making this prize available and I will keep my fingers crossed.
I am new to the sewing scene. Recently I’ve been wanting to do projects like make my own plush toys and cosplay costumes but I don’t think I really know what I’m doing. The sewing machine that I have now is an old New Home sewing machine (I don’t think they make this brand anymore) that used to belong to my great-grandmother. This is also my very first sewing machine. I remember my grandmother making a white dress for me on the very same machine that I now own and I remember being in such awe at her craft. Not only did she make that dress for me but she used to make skirts, mend clothes, and do other various things. I used to sit in the living room, usually watching TV or reading a book and whenever she pulled out the machine, I always knew she’d be up late into the night.
Sadly my great-grandmother died in 2005 and machine itself did not come into my hands until last year. It had been sitting in the attic all this time. Now that I own it I deeply regret never asking my grandmother to teach me how to sew properly and now I have to look up manuals and online tutorials to learn anything. On the upside, the old machine, who in a very cliche way I have named old reliable (or O.R. for short) is still in decent working condition and I am currently using to practice some simple stitching until I get better at it.
I have a basic sewing machine and would love an up-grade. Here’s my funny sewing story: My mom was inspired to get out her trusty “old” sewing machine and dust it off after seeing the quilt that I made. My son walks in and asks, “Is that Nana’s sewing machine?” I answered, “Yes.” To which he replied, “It looks ancient!”
It is a very heavy metal Singer sewing machine. With some love, it seems to be sewing well.
I just came across your blog because I’m trying to learn and teach myself how to sew but I don’t even have a sewing machine which is why I’m now entering.
So like I said I am a beginner to sewing and have been trying to find a nice basic sewing machine to start practicing on. Ever since I was little I remember one of my grandmothers having this big metal table w/ a sewing machine and I remember her always using it and doing things for others, like one example I can think of is I remember that she would make me and my sisters help her w/ some scrunchies she was making for someone to sell, she would have us help her w/ turning every scrunchie inside out so that she could finish sewing them. At the time I really didn’t think anything of it or really have the interest in learning how to sew but now I really do regret not asking my Grandmother any questions so here I am years later wanting to teach myself and I think that it would be really great if I was to win this sewing machine because one, I have never really won anything and two because I recently got laid off and I’m trying to turn my new found hobby into a business. So wish me luck!
Thanks for that! “grand prize giveaway is now open! | Brett Bara” That’s good to know. I didn’t think about it this way… That sounds like a good idea!
I have my Mother’s first electric sewing machine, a Kenmore…my Dad always dated everything and the instruction booklet has a 1951 date in it in his handwriting. The machine still works and is sitting in my sewing room in its original cabinet. It’s a beautiful walnut wood and my Dad made a thread holder stand that matches it.
Thanks for the opportunity to win another machine. Looking forward to getting your book,
Shared this on Facebook. My friends seem to love your post
My great-grandmother took care of me mostly and I loved to watch her sew. I loved to go through her patterns and look at all the old styles! I loved her button collection, I spent many fun times going through and looking at each little button! I loved her sewing kit, and her fabric! She had one of those great old tread Singers, I loved it, it was beautiful! The cabinet it was on was very intricate and lovely! She also had an old Kenmore, and this was the machine she used most often. She made me WANT to sew! And my big wish was to use her scrap fabric to make a quilt someday! I’ll never get that opportunity, unfortunately, but I have learned to quilt and think of her every time I sew!
This is a dream giveaway! I started sewing as a hobby about two years ago. My mother had a sewing machine she bought about twenty years ago and that is the very one I began on as well. I decided a good start project would be recreating Bjork’s swan dress for Halloween. Many tears, tantrums, and pricked fingers later I had the coolest costume around. I can’t say it was all enjoyable but we did bond over the experience and I’ve been sewing ever since. Lately I’ve been refashioning more than creating from scratch. I would love to do it on these machines!
my mom back in the fifties got a hand-me-down 1938 Singer 221 Featherweight sewing machine for her high school graduation present. She sewed all sorts of things and even made my sisters taffeta prom gown. Fast forward to today and she wanted to know if I or my sister wanted her Featherweight. I did, but I now live completely across country now in the Pacific NW and from Florida. My mom said she would put it on her lap on a plane ride…. I told her not to go to that much trouble. So she gave it to my sister in Florida. When i visited for the holidays, my sister showed me all the things she had sewn….. pillows, benches, reupholstered old chairs, you name it! I was really jealous I didn’t take the sewing machine. Back in Seattle I stewed over having a sewing machine. My mom told me whatever i do- i must get a Featherweight! She said it sews like butter and is indestructible, telling me newer machines are all plastic. Caught in a fever fury of wanting a Featherweight I made my bid on ebay and won! My 1948 machine arrived and rearing to go . A Lebanese man with a business of 70 years mom and pop store is going to tune& oil her and get her ready to go! Although I would have wished to get my maw’s machine, My sister will now hand it down to her 3 year old daughter when she is older. I think that’s a good plan. Im sure she (Miss 221 Featherweight) will be running and happy even though her birthday is 1938.
My mother (who could not sew) signed me up for lessons at SInger when I was 10 years old. I walked 1/4-mile to the bus stop, rode on the bus for 15-20 minutes and attended classes with adult women.
Then my paternal grandmother (who had emigrated from Italy and had worked in a factory embroidering samples for the salesmen to take to prospective customers) gave me one-on-one lessons. It frustrated her because I was left-handed but she persevered. Subsequently, I sewed in home economics class.
Then I didn’t do any sewing for decades. I didn’t even hem or sew buttons back on, relying on the tailor instead. Last summer I took a few refresher lessons and have started up again!
My first machine was a $20 garage sale special. It lasted 20 years and then I bought a $100 machine in 1982, a Singer of course. I can’t begin to count all the suits, dresses and assorted crafts I made on that machine. It’s still going at a dear friends home. My Grandmother had a Treadle so she surely would be proud. My how things have changed or have they? A needle and a thread is still a needle and a thread, my husband swears the new machines are louder and I curse a lot more then I used to in the “good ol days” when I’m in that sewing room.
My sewing machine story starts at Christmas of ’09. I didnt grow up with a sewing machine like alot of other people I know but once I was introduced to cloth diapers I knew I could or rather, had, to make them (I just needed a machine). So when my dad was asking what the baby wanted for Christmas I said “a sewing machine for me so I can make her stuff?” Sure enough he came through and actually got me a sewing machine!! I was speechless and couldnt wait to get home. I didnt have any fabric so I cut up old shirts and started playing…its been true love ever since!!
Whoops, what a give-away! Well, I’m not sure if international followers have a chance to enter but since it’s not stated otherwise, I’ll go ahead and cross my fingers
Regarding my sewing machine story:
My grandmother indeed has a great old Singer with an authentic wooden stand and everything which I adored as a little -and not so little- girl; but I’m hoping she will be around here some more years to use it! Seeing my passion for sewing, my aunt is the one who brought me a hobby-class machine as a house gift (what an aunt!). I’m trying my best with that first love of my mine; but I must confess a Singer sewing machine and a serger would be a dream (should I say two dreams?!) come true!
Thanks again for the give-away and congrats to whoever wins!!!
This year for my birthday I asked my friends for a used sewing machine. I searched the internet for something affordable until I found my lovely 25 year old singer. My mom’s gift was money for fabric, and now that exams are over I’m gonna sew me some new dresses
My mom sewed for us growing up. She would make our dance costumes for our class, clothes, curtains, crafts… you name it she would sew it. My mom taught me how to sew on her machine. I don’t remember what brand it was it was just a basic sewing machine not old or an antique. I loved making costumes, crafts, pillows and just creating with my mom. I own a very basic sewing machine that we saved to get and have enjoyed using. I am ready for an upgrade!
When you say: “Have you never used a sewing machine, but have been dreaming of the day when you’ll give it a whirl?” That’s me! I’m a 28 year old craft dummy that has big dreams of sewing and tailoring my own clothes! My mom used to sew clothes for herself and her siblings when she was younger, but as a working attorney mom, she trashed the ol’ sewing machine when my brother, dad, and I became a handful.
Unfortunately, I never learned from anyone, but a girl has to start somewhere! And for me, that “somewhere” is your book. A sewing machine and serger would just be icing. Glad to find this blog!
My mom’s ancient machine not only lives on in my memory – it lives on in my attic! My daughter (7yo) has been begging me to learn to sew. Your new book has inspired me to refresh my skills and teach her too. I was only ever successful at sewing a straight line! I took my mom’s old machine out, blew the dust off, took it for a tune-up and ordered your book. My daughter is checking the mail every day. Once it arrives, I’m in trouble – LOL! Thanks for this great opportunity to win such a fabulous prize!!
My mom showed my sister and I how to sew when we were teenagers. Now it’s my time to show my daughter and son how to sew. Little by little, stitch by stitch. I just love seeing their eyes full of pride when they complete a project.
I like your site. I’ll have to come back and poke around a bit.
What an amazing giveaway! Thanks so much. I can’t wait to get my hands on your new book. I like to sew, crochet, quilt, paper craft and am slowly learning to knit. So much to do and so little time!
Oh YES, please!! This is an AWESOME prize! Thanks for offering it!!
My sewing machine story is….. I don’t have one
I have been using my mom’s Kenmore sewing machine, it gets the job done but it’s pretty old, it’s like 21 years old! She first got it when I was 4.5 and sewed me a dress for my 5th birthday. I’m actually really surprised I didn’t start sewing before, my grandmother is a seamstress in El Salvador and has one of those old school singer machines that sits on it’s own table, it’s over 50 years old, my grandfather bought it for her before my Dad was born! I’ve always seen her sew amazing things and always wanted to try it but I was always intimidating by the machine, it wasn’t until I started following Design Sponge and saw all of the easy to do “Sewing 101″ projects that I decided to give it a go. My mom taught me how to use the machine, my first project were some coasters, after that I sewed the zipper pouch then a dress! I told my grandma that I was sewing and she is beyond proud of me. Now I am addicted to sewing and definitely in need of a nice new machine, a machine I can call my own 
My first machine was given to me when I was a teen by a friend of my Mom’s. She had a humongous pile of her husbands jeans, and overalls, that she needed repaired and I got the machine as payment. Needless to say it wasn’t super creative sewing, but I had a way of putting my own twist on things, when patching those denims. I’m still sewing to this day, and while I’m not fond of doing “repairs” to clothing I have fond memories of the woman who got me started.
I would love to be able to donate my present Singer machine to charity, if I am lucky enough to win these two
beautiful machines!!!!! Thirty-two years ago, my husband bought me my first Singer. I’ve had it ever since.
I also bought a tredle Singer, attachments and cabinet, at an auction, a few years after that, and used it now and then. Well, my foot pedal wore out on my original machine so I brought out my Mom’s Singer, which was older than mine and used heavily since she was a beautiful seamstress who also worked in the sewing factories in Pa. in the sixties. It still sews great and since my daughter now sews, it will continue to get a real workout from yet another generation.
Thanks for sponsoring a really GREAT contest!
My mom had a really lovely old sewing machine when I was growing up, but I think I remember the desk the sewing machine swung out of more. It looked like magic to me when the machine came up out of the old wooden desk
My current machine has not seen a lot of action lately, but that’s because I don’t really have a sewing station setup anywhere, so I have to set it up and take it down every time I want to work on something. Maybe if I had these two machines, I could finally get around to converting a portion of the basement into a craft room!
I love to sew and have been doing so since I was very young, have 22yrs worth of vogue pattern mags, can’t find the heart to get rid of them. I would really love to have a new surger……..I just order your book off amazon for my kindle. Just start teaching my three girls to sew clothes and dolls via Linda Carr patterns, it’s a skill you’ll never regret you learned.
Wow this is an amazing give away!! Congrats on the book!!
I am glad to see you again! Our PBS station has not been showing your programs and I liked the projects you made. I am starting to learn to quilt & am looking for a sewing machine light enough for me to take to classes. I used to have a Sears cabinet sewing machine. I traded it in for an Elna, (which I love the stitch it makes), but I discovered it is not for repairing Jeans or thick fabrics. I learned to sew in Jr. & Sr. High school. Now I have the opportunity to learn how to make quilts, but the Elna is too heavy for me to carry. I would love to have a serger also! I used one in a sewing class at a fabric store and I think a serger would be very useful. I found out about your new book and web site at Crafts e-mail. Thanks.
Yay!! I’m super excited about this book! I saw Ellen Gormley’s post about her and her daughters adventure with your book and it’s making me super excited to get my copy! Thanks for the great contest Singer!
How do you do that?! I think I’ll have to stick around and learn what you know.
Great giveaway!! How I would love that. Okay, really my daughters would love that, since they would get to use these machines. A sewing machine story?? How about the Singer Featherweight that I got out of my friend’s mom’s basement, and that turned out to be the best of the sewing machines I had in my house? That would be the 1930′s black machine that only has a straight stitch, but comes with all sorts of neat little gadgets, and is a total workhorse, and beats the pants off all the other machines I have tried. But I wouldn’t mind something newer, too
.
I have never been much of a sewer, but am trying to learn some basics because my daughters are interested in sewing. They watch all the design shows on TV. I signed them up for 4-h this year. They loved it. Kamryn was the grand champion in the style review and got a second place ribbon for her skirt. Her younger sister earned a blue ribbon. I know they want to continue sewing. I would love to win this prize for them, so they can work on their projects at home. There are some wonderful women in our community who are helping them on their projects. One of these ladies is working with Kamryn to sew a quilt to enter into the fair next year. To be honest I had to ask my daughters what a serger was. I would love to own one, so they could show me how to use it.
I love to sew, I find it calming and relaxing and very rewarding. I love to sew my creations and give them to someone as a gift and then have someone else ask “where did you get that”! Thats the highest reward! Im no pro at sewing or sewing in a straight line, I somehow love that my lines arent exactly straight all the time because it looks home made that way. I love that you wrote a book “sewing in a straight line” Im going to get it and read it! I love that your also doing a giveaway my singer 2010 is about 35 years old and desperatly needs to retire, but I love the line and if Im the lucky draw I will brag away!!!! Thanks
When I was growing up my mom had a sewing machine that she never used because she really didn’t know how. I dreamed of being able to learn! Now many years later all of my kiddie are about to be in school for the fall. My goal as a reward for being a sahm to myself is to finally learn how to sew!
My mother had an old sewing machine that dropped down inside a cabinet. It didn’t work well, and she didn’t use it much. The only sewing she did was to mend clothes and hem pants by hand. My grandmothers never sewed and didn’t have sewing machines, although they may have before I was born. I need to ask my aunt about that. So, after my daughter was born, I decided I wanted to learn to sew so that I could make cute clothes for her. With no one to teach me to sew, I bought a sewing machine and a few basic books, and set about learning how to sew and figure out patterns. Very frustrating, and with two toddlers and my husband working out of town all the time, I never had time to do much sewing. Now that the kids are both in school, and my husband is home every night, I actually have time to learn. I made my daughter a top last week, yay! It turned out really cute, and now I have some confidence in my sewing ability. I need to find a good pattern for elastic waist pants, because those are the only kind of pants she likes. They’re very hard to find in my rural area. She’s very girly girl and prefers skirts and dresses. Thanks so much for the giveaway. Those are awesome machines. I’d love to have a serger.
I got my first sewing machine when I lived in SF. I had it for TWO YEARS before my boyfriend broke down, had his friend teach him how to use it then taught me how to use it! It’s a pretty simple machine and I use it weekly, the most fun was taking off the plastic casing and playing with all the inside parts while tuning it up. I would really really really like a serger though!
I havent sewn since i was a little kid, I am now just getting all my supplies to learn sewing again. I got a few rotary cutters, mat, rulers and some gingher scissors. I am reading the web for inspiration. I want to make a shower curtain- something that will mean something instead of a box store item. I bought an old singer sewing machine that is ancient and i don’t know if it will sew what i need or if it even works yet?. I would be ecstatic if i won these sewing machines! then ill be all set to go. my life is in need of some upgrading !!!!
First, thank you Brett, for the inspiration, and for organizing this fabulous giveaway!!!
Machines as witnesses
In the next bed, my twin sister is sleeping. Outside, in the kitchen, I hear this delicious noise that starts and stops, and mother muttering to herself. For the next few nights, I’ll try not to fall asleep, in order to listen to this music. I am six years old, and already know that, the following Sunday, my twin and I will each receive a brand new dress. One will be store bought, the other lovingly sewn by maman on her straight-stitch-only old Singer. As she will be careful to cut out all incriminating labels, we won’t ever recognize which one is which. Childhood mysteries are the sweetest.
College graduation day: my twin, the certified costume designer, gets an used and complicated Necchi, and I, the hopeful actress, the Singer. For years, I enjoyed its reliability, when nothing else in my world had it. Until she died on me. I had changed career, so I bought a second-hand industrial Singer, and learned the joy of zig-zags and automatic button-holes. But as I aged, it seemed that this Singer was becoming faster and faster, and heavier and heavier. So I sold it for a song to a younger woman, and acquired, for a shorter song, an all plastic sewing machine, whose only qualities are her lightness, and variable speed. Downsizing was on all lips.
Nowadays, I sew much less dresses for myself, or my twin, and much more for my doll: call it regressing to childhood. So I dream of embroidery stitches, fancy machine feet, and all the possibilities of a serger… Hope is one of life’s strongest thread.
Thank you again, Brett!
No one in my family sews, but I was fortunate enough to learn the basics in elementary school. I enjoyed it so much that I took sewing as an elective through high school. Unfortunately, I only made Halloween costumes and window treatments since leaving school. Time to drag out the old Singer (or maybe a brand new machine!) and start sewing again.
Brett,
. But going back to the story, my mom, through skype directed me and tried to explain how pleats were made, kinda briefly explaining how to read patterns and how to make them, how to put pipping and watching me sew through video and telling me if I was doing it correctly or incorrectly.
)
I never really had a sewing class or anything to tell you the truth. I am from Guatemala and usually the trendy items that come to the united states never really made it over there, so my mom would always make us our dresses, shirts, pants etc. She was self taught and would always emphasize on how easy it was to make clothes because when she was younger she went to england with one suitcase, lived there for 7 years and because she didnt really have money to buy any clothes just made them while she was there and when she left, she left the clothes but brought back records (like the rolling stones etc). But she was always the cool girl because she would make her own bell bottoms, tie shirts, dresses, swimwear, in summary, she made everything. Growing up she would always tell us that we could have anything we wanted to wear, just to let her know what it was. Needless to say it was a great way to grow up because no matter what needed fixing, she would help us. When I came to college to Philadelphia, I was hit with the reality that she couldn’t really help me with fixing my jeans (I am five foot tall – lots of hemming to be done here) or dresses and if I wanted something, well I would kinda have to figure it out. Then came skype. My mom taught me sort of how to sew through skype in 2006 when I decided to make my thesis about bags, about the relationship between designers and artisans and how to foster pride back into the Guatemalan people. So, in order to fully understand all this process, I bought a machine that I found at a second hand store. I still have it, it is a Necchi. I dont know if you know this brand, but the machine is beyond old and will only sew thick materials and so, fixing things like silk… or hemming pants… tends to be a job that, let say, is not so professional
I still fix my own clothes because I usually buy second hand items and fix them, my younger sister that now lives with me also asks me to fix things for her, but as I was saying before, its all sewn by instinct rather than by how it should be done. Many pants still dont have correct hems because I have no clue how to do that, and I have stopped fixing things that are silk because the Necchi basically chews them up. My mother keeps telling me to send her my clothes back home to be fixed but it really is expensive to send it to her. Anyways, I really would like to continue sewing and fixing my clothes because it is really fulfilling when you get to fix your own clothes, or when you get to make a bag or curtain. It gives you a sense of pride in your surroundings or in what you are wearing.
Hope you have a wonderful day and that my story/run-on sentence makes sense (I am not great with english
Alexandra
My mom has one of those ancient sewing machine. She made my cloth since I was born, till high school. Sadly, I don’t know how to sew. She is visiting me soon. Hopefully I will win and she can teach me some of her skills.
My mom had a sewing machine that she used as a laundry table…never touch it or much of anything else domestic-y. She didn’t even cook or teach me how to. I would like to break the cycle and learn to sew on a fancy machine!
My grandmother taught me to sew (and quilt) when I was 15 on her ancient machine. Now, after more than a decade (and to serve as a distraction from graduate school), I’m ready to venture back into the world of fabrics. Fingers crossed!
I don’t remember using the word “crafting” when I was a child. My family ‘crafted’ out of necessity. Sewing clothing to wear. Home cooked meals every night because that was what you did, and there was not an Olive Garden on every corner! But, worked in there somewhere was a craftsmanship…an artistry of talent that went into creating a life that today we try to emulate. I became a professional artist as a result of that upbringing, and now can look back and see it as a true “craft”.
Wow! What an amazing giveaway! I have no idea how to use a serger, but if I had one of my own, I’d learn fast! Thanks!
Wow! Hope I in this one!
We live in a society where pizza gets to your house before the police.
Eeek! What great giveaway, and congrats on your book.
My sewing story starts off forever ago (20ish years), when my mom bought me a basic machine, that I never could figure out how to use. It seemed to ALWAYS jam….it was a headache. I fought with it for years. It was very annoying, especially now knowing it was more likely user error.
About 5 years ago I decided to attempt to sew on my great-grandma’s vintage machine, and was successful, but this machine was tiring to use since it’s knee (not foot) peddle was very hard to press. So eventually I bought a myself a very nice Brother. However, since I’ve obsessively taken up sewing my daughter always want to sew also, and of course she wants to sew when I’m sewing (not conveniently when the machine is unoccupied). Oh to have a machine for me and her. OH!!! and to have a machine that knows it’s alphabets would be divine.
Thanks for the chance to win.
Many years ago I saw a sign advertising Singer sewing machines on sale in this building along the highway in Florida. I stopped and purchased a portable Singer Machine! When I got it home it wouldn’t work very well – So I took it into the Singer store in the closest mall and they checked it out and told me it had parts from other machines, etc. in it. Since I had my trusty Singer Sewing Machine receipt, the wonderful Singer Co which has been around forever with a great reputation, made good on this machine and I received a brand new portable Singer machine which I made my wedding dress on in 1974 and this very day am making swaddling blankets for my grandsons -to-be! How’s that for performance and nostalgia! So Hurray for Singer!
Jeanie Guhl
My mom loved to sew. My 7 yo daughter really wants to learn, but my mom is no longer with us enough to be able to teach. So, I’m hoping we can learn together!
My grandmother gave me my first sewing machine in the beginning of this year. She bought it on the 60′s! I couldn’t believe that it is still working after so many years being kept in the closet. I’ve been using it obsessively ever since (yes, I am obsessed to do almost every fabric based items that I use!). I would be nice if I have a serger so I don’t have to go to a taylor to finish the end of the fabrics.
My mum was a sewing teacher at technical college and tried her best to teach me as a child but she was better at teaching adults. She has several sewing machines (industrial and domestic) and a few years ago she gave me the first machine she bought after finishing design school. It is well over 40 years old (older than me!) and still works really well! Possibly time for an update though…
First off, I want to thank you and Singer for offering this! It is wonderful. As for sewing machine stories, there are two in my past. Both were my mothers. One was her first machine that came with a wonderful box and everything. It was so sad when it finally broke down. She would only let me sew on that one until I got the hang of sewing. Then she let me move up to her (at the time) current Singer. I made doll clothes and skirts and all sorts of wonderful fun in her little sewing corner. Those were wonderful times and thank you for having this to remind all of us of our past.
I had a 1973 Singer that tore up and couldn’t be repaired. Now I borrow my mother’s machine, which is a logistical challenge. We also want to make dresses for my grandnieces (ages 0-6) and ourselves. Though haven’t used a serger, lots of patterns call for sergers especially knits. So, both of these would be extremely useful. During my early sewing years (first used a machine at age 8), my grandma taught me to sew on her treadle machine. The stitch was beautiful and she had all kinds of neat attachments. Then, stopped sewing once hit college, and recently started quilting. Now I love sewing again. Congratulations on your book!
did you hear that? in case you missed it, that was the sound of me sighing….. i’d love to win a singer sewing machine. Man that would be fantastic. I learned to sew at our 4H club, i remember pitching fabric across the room with the thread from the sewing machine trailing in it’s wake. Lets just say that i’ve come along way since then (hopefully you’ll keep in mind i was 10 years old at the time) & just the idea of having a sewing machine that is newer than 30 years old would be an absolute delight.
If there’s a glimmer of a chance of being drawn i say ….. what the heck, for heaven sakes count me in!
I have a wonderful brother machine. I love Brothers, but I hate thread cassettes!! I have been looking at other machines, and I would love to win!!
Just after my Grandmother passed in 2007 I was given her 1970 something Singer machine. I would love to tell you the model # but it has since rubbed off
I am new to sewing and I love this machine not because of its style and ease of use but because my Grandmothers hands have loaded bobbins, threaded needles, and made many Easter dresses (a long time ago) for me on this machine. BUT even with all of the memories and yearn to use a newer Singer machine. AND i am dying for a serger!!!! Please number picker, PLEASE pick me! 
OH, LUUUUUVE the book!!! I already got it!
My grandmother taught me how to sew when I was 10 yrs old until I was 16 yrs old. I didn’t sew again until I bought my first sewing machine about 2004. However, I became sick and almost died twice, two of my daughters had heart surgery, my sister got leukemia and my children and I were dx with more health issues. My sewing machine isn’t working and missing a few parts and I am on a very low income and have tons of fabric and batting and stuff sitting here and I would love to use it and save and/or try to make some extra money with it on etsy or maybe ebay or something. I would also like to pass this skill on to my daughters like I did crocheting. I started a group called Afghans 4 Autism and I think it would be so neat to make quilts for charity as well. Thank you for reading my story and enjoy the rest of your summer! Take care, Rebecca Lynn xoxox
Hi,
I was invited to view your blog by Kristin Nicholas’ blog. Here’s my sewing story. I learned to sew about 58 years ago on a little black Singer starting out with doll clothes and working up to prom dresses. The three girls in our family could not have survived without making our own wardrobes and we were helped along by a wonderful teacher named Lettie Stilson, still living near my hometown. that little Singer sewed many, many miles!!! I made layettes for my own children and most of their clothes as toddlers, then just dresses for my daughter. Lately, since I raise fine wool sheep, I have been sewing fleeces covers for them to wear to protect the wool from the elements and raise the price of the wool sold to hand spinners. The awning fabric has taken a toll on my old machine and I am looking for a new one to make the sheep covers and to start making my own clothing again as I have recently lost 20 lbs. and can feel good wearing nice things. I also would enjoy sewing for have 2 grandchildren and 1 on the way. I love the funky new stuffed toys such as the ones in your book. I have been collecting used wool sweaters from thrift shops to shrink and make into new toys and garments. Wow, a new Singer Machine and Serger would really make my day, or my year! Betsy
I learned to sew, or started the journey, with junior high home ec classes. My first project was a lined soft brown corduroy dress. It was fitted and had a zipper. I really got the bug when our family was visiting another family and her daughter, about 3 years younger than me, had just finished making coats for the whole family – and they were amazing. I have always admired her talent and knew I wanted to be like her. I wasn’t and still am not – but I do love my crafts. Now I’m trying to teach my neighbor girls how to sew and so far 3 drank the punch. I would love to pass along your gift to them.
I have had a Kenmore sewing machine for about 15 years and it is dieing a slow death I believe. My husband likes watching Nascar racing and my machine knock knock knocks to the point that he took me to Joanne’s yesterday and told me to pick out a new machine, he wants to hear the races! So I picked out a modest priced machine and while waiting for the Viking sew gallery employee get it he decided that I “needed” the Singer XL400! Woot hoo! It is like xmas, birthday, valentines, anniversary and whatever other holiday you choose to celebrate for me!! Love it!!!
I am starting my first sewing class next month and would love this sewing machine… I can’t wait to start creating my own clothes!
From an early age I started sewing on my mother’s ancient Singer… I sewed clothes for my Barbie’s and home items for the Dream House. Now as an adult, after a long break from sewing, my mom lent me her brand new Singer to try out new projects. Her exact words after months of my new projects and creations, “I thought I’d get it back in a matter of a few months with the complaint it took up too much room.” Over a year later I am sewing nearly daily and discovering more and more I am able to sew. I would LOVE to win this machine to gift to my mother as a thank you for letting me use and take her brand new Singer over a year ago!
I started sewing young as well. My mother used to make her own patterns! I used to make all my clothes.I call myself a fabric fondler because I now buy clothes. I would love a serger as i have a piece of fabric that I want to make into a swimsuit. I swim every day and go through suits fast. Love seeing you on Create TV.
What a great prize! My sewing story is this…I learned to sew in home ec class in Jr. High in the late 70′s. And I grew up watching my mom sew on her singer cabinet sewing machine. She used to make all my doll clothes and clothes for me and my sisters.
My first project was in 7th grade – a pillow that looked like a pig. It was ok so I moved on to my 8th grade project which was a sheepskin vest with fake wool and fake suede. I was so proud of it but looking back that thing was UGLY!
Then I stopped sewing for a long time and have done a few curtains with my own machine but that’s it. I tried sewing a costume for one of my children and it went horribly wrong – I need to go back to the basics and learn again! Your new books sounds perfect for me.
I still use my mom’s old black Singer and love it but would like the versatility of a new machine. I have never used a serger before.
I remember practicing straight “seams” on a 1973 Singer “Stylist” machine when I was a kid. My Mom set me up with a stack of lined paper, a needle past its prime, and a telephone book so that I’d sit at the proper height for sewing.
Doesn’t sound exciting, but at 7 years old I was pretty stoked to use a piece of equipment normally reserved for grownups! I must have worked through dozens of sheets of paper. (Note that this was well before the days of widespread eco-awareness!)
Unfortunately I never progressed to thread and fabric.
Fast forward almost thirty years later to late 2009 when I take on my first real sewing project – replacing the hood on a vintage pram. Not a traditional first project, I know, but it happened under extenuating circumstances. A good friend of mine was nine months pregnant and REALLY wanted to replace the deteriorated pram hood. (You know how it is. That’s just how you roll at nine months.) Figuring I could do it since I’m crafty, she called me for help. I was nervous about my lack of real sewing skills, but excited to do something challenging and really special for my friend.
The whole project took some research, finangling and prototying, not to mention ramshackle pattern drafting, but boy did those straight “seams” I learned in childhood ever come in handy! I even borrowed my Mom’s Singer “Stylist” to sew the new pram hood – to be poetic, yes, but mostly because I didn’t own a sewing machine. (I’m still looking for a machine, and would LOVE to win this combo!)
The pram hood turned out pretty nifty for a first project. And I’ve been sewing ever since. (Though I haven’t had the same kind of beginner’s luck with subsequent projects…) I’ve been teaching myself mostly, but I also just started taking lessons and the experience has been pretty awesome so far. Never too late to learn. Oh, and sewing straight lines still totally ROCKS!
I’ve actually never used a sewing machine before. I’ve only made small dolls that I would sew by hand and when some of my clothes rip or I want to modify them, I would also sew by hand (which I’m sure after a few washes the stitching will fall off…). Winning this sewing machine will surely be a new experience for me. I’ll actually be able to make my own clothes with the fabrics my mom has collected over the years.
P.S. I really do want to learn how to sew with a sewing machine. It’ll be much less tie consuming that sewing by hand.
Hy! First of all I would like to apologize on my English; I come from Croatia. How did I found this blog – I love to read everything that is connected with sewing. It is just incredible to see all this fantastic stuff that you make. My sewing story? It started just a few months ago when I became a mother of a beautiful baby girl. My first project were diapers, so I sew them on hands (i don’t know if that’s the right term). Then my mother in law borrowed me her’s ancient, old machine that’s called Bagat Ruza step electronic (this kind of machines were popular here in 1980), so I started to learn basics. But every now and then something goes wrong. Searching blogs I found out for numerous tutorials that I would like to try to sew (dresses, skirts, patchwork…). I am so excited about this giveaway… I hope I’ll have luck.
My parents bought me my first sewing machine for Christmas when I was in 2nd grade. I still remember my mother teaching me how to make a bobbin. My grandmother taught me how to sew- our first project was an apron. She used to sew all my mother’s clothes and I hope to do the same with baby clothes once I start my own family. I still have my first sewing machine and used it to sew my roommate’s curtains last week!
I love this site, great job. I will be bookmarking.
I learned to sew in 7th grade with my grandmothers ancient Singer, which my mother still has. Then my parents bought me a newer Singer that I still have. I taught my daughter to sew on this machine as well. It would be wonderful for the two of us to advance our sewing skills with a new machine. My daughter is now in 7th grade and she is showing signs of being really good. Anything but a straight line for us would be delightful.
Good luck to everyone, but secretly I hope we win.
Thank you for the opportunity.
I got my first sewing machine when I left to go to college, and have sewn all my life. It was a Pfaff 130, on which I sewed my wedding dress. I’ve since retired it but still have it, couldn’t bear to part with it. I have some older Singers, a 201 and a Featherweight 221. Thanks so much for helping to bring the love of sewing back in favor with your awesome book! Have followed your career with interest, I knit and crochet as well. Why not, anything with a needle and thread, and I’m in.
My great grandmother made all of her childrens’ clothes (for 13!). Her daughter, my dear Nana told me that she especially enjoyed creating the clothing for the 2 girls. Judging from the photos Nana shared, great grandma Emma was a talented and creative sewer. She made her own patterns for all of the dresses she designed and sewed them on a foot pedal powered Singer-which Nana inherited. My skills are only rudimentary at this point but I am determined to focus and practice. My goal is to sew more and buy less for my daughters-I hope that one day they’ll tell their grandaughters about great grandma Theresa who handmade beautiful dresses and costumes and pajamas.
I used to have a pony-shaped sewing machine when I was about 9 years old. It never really worked. And now I don’t know how to sew in a straight line.
I have been dreaming of owning a serger!!! I would love this. My great Grandmother was an incredible seamstress. Unfortunately I lived overseas my whole life and never had the opportunity to learn from her. I know my grandmother has a sewing basket of hers but don’t think she has her machine. She’s holding on to it and will one day pass it down to a lucky female in the family…hoping it’s me, as I’m the only one who sews. I taught myself to sew this year with an inexpensive Brother sewing machine. It’s not fancy but it allows me to sew =)
This is an amazing giveaway! Thank you! My mom had an ancient machine that popped up from its little sewing table and she would make quilts and sew clothes on it when I was a kid. She sewed in our living room and I have memories of having to tread softly and carefully on the carpet when she sewed because she was notorious for dropping a pin or two and you didn’t want to be the one to find it with your foot. She taught me to make a quilt when my first niece was born 10 years ago and I have been hooked ever since!
I started sewing in high school home ec class. My first project was a denim wrap skirt that turned out amazingly good. I currently use my granmother’s old Singer sewing machine after giving mine to my daughter so she can make baby things. Thank you for the opportunity to enter this contest.
I used to have a really nice sewing machine but had to sell it when I was in college to help with the bills..since then I have had several people who have heard that I sew and give me one but they are usually old and require work..right now I am borrowing a friends and I just had it in to be worked on and when I got it back I used it 2 and it is out of commission once again…I am going to be teaching sewing in about 3 weeks so my husband bought me a serger for mothers day!!! Yeah! and he said once it is paid off ( and it is) and we have some extra money he is going to buy me a nice sewing machine….would be nice to win one so he doesn’t have to and I could use the extra serger for classes!
I have to say this is the first time I have visited your site but I have been an avid viewer of your show Knit and Crochet Now on PBS. I grew up in a household that did not knit, sew or basically do anything crafty. I am a self-taught knit and sewing junkie! I have an old thrifted Singer that I started using this year. So far I have made 4 toddler skirts and one dress and 2 adult skirts and countless hemmed pants. I am trying to sign up for local classes for pattern dress making…needless to say I have caught the sewing bug! Unfortunately my machine is a great and dependable machine but cannot do a lot of the “newer” things like button holes. There is something very charming about hand stitching your own button holes but after the third it quickly loses its magic! A new machine and a serger would be wonderful to work on my every growing list of things”To-create”
What a great site! Congratulations on the new book! (All I can sew are straight lines!)
My sewing machine memory is from 7th grade home ec class — we sewed drawstring bags, and I remember the teacher telling us a horror story about sewing fingers so that we’d be sure to keep our fingers away from the needle. I’m still a little intimidated because of that, but I’d love to learn to sew more.
The book looks great. Definitely going to check it out, to help me get sewing more!
My mom has a pretty old green Husqvarna, that my grandmom onced owned. I never actually worked, it was just sitting around looking pretty while I was growing up. But that fact that I couldnt sew on it just meant that I just HAD to learn to sew. I eventually got another sewing machine and learned, but some day I’m going to make the green pretty one work!
I was taught to sew in 4h but it didn’t take I must have been 7. Then I took home ec in 4th or 5th grade. The doomed project was a heart shaped pillow with felt applique put on with fusible webbing. I miss aligned the needle and it broke of and hit my glasses and landed on my shirt. I had been traumatized ever since.
Now my mom was a great seamstress, she used to make clothes for us growing up. Unfortunately she passed away in 2003. I have been missing her terribly and also finding her old unfinished projects. So to feel connected with her I am teaching myself to sew. Lol, it has been an adventure. I started with a bag ( her unfinished project) and moved onto a skirt for a wedding and am now teaching myself how to make pot holders. I have some time on my hands and lots of internet tutorials to thank for my learning. I am a stay at home care giver for my dad, it is just me and him. He has medical problems and some dementia so we make it work. I think I might go a little stir crazy if I didn’t have something to challenge my mind and also help me relax. Sewing is giving me that.
I love Singer machines! This is a lovely giveaway. I see that many comments say that sewing is a good way to think and work and console yourself or get away. I totally agree! It’s a creative outlet that has results. Thanks for the opportunity!
What an awesome giveaway…and so timely! I just learned how to sew on a machine! Yipeee! This is something I’ve wanted to do for, ahem, 30-something years. I have fond memories of my Mom making my dresses when I was little. I was always amazed at what she could do with the machine, and colorful rolls of thread…OH, and the fabric! With hand-holding by my Mom, I just completed my first project: garland bunting for my 2yr old’s Birthday party. I would LOVE to win this duo so I could continue with my new-found hobby.
My husband had been trying to get rid of a treadmill on craigslist for weeks. When I told him that I wanted a sewing machine to learn to sew, he changed the ad saying that he would trade for a working sewing machine. I got it in two days! Love that man!
My Mother and both Grandmothers were avid sewers and I have vivid memories of all of them at their machines. My Mom sewed most of my clothes growing up, including 5 formal dresses. I’ve been quilting for 10 years and have been trying my hand at clothes for a little while now, getting more confident with each project. As I learn to sew more clothing, I’ve been finding out my need for a serger. I would so love to win one! Thanks for the fun blog and I look forward to following you.
My grandmother first sat me down at my great aunt Lucy’s 1952 electric Pfaff machine in it’s sturdy wrought iron and walnut Victorian Demorest sewing table when I was a young girl to “play.” Today, this machine sits proudly as an end-table in my small New York apartment, and is in sore need of a cleaning and tune up, and would work if I could find someone to fix it (if you know anyone in the area who repairs auntique Pfaff’s please let me know!). In the meantime, I’ve worked my way through a number of “junk” machines picked up at yard sales and thrift stores, but have never been able to hold a candle to that Pfaff. I would love to have access to a machine and serger that work in their entirety, and would love to experiment with jersey more than my ancient Kenmore with the broken stitch reverse lever will allow (just pulling the material backwards doesn’t seem to fly too well on stretch fabrics, ha!). Beautiful machines!
I grew up in a house that was full of beautiful sewing machines, spinning wheels, and other old school crafting tools, but only as decorations. My mom had an old school metal machine that looked like it weighed about 50 pounds, and she’d grudgingly drag it out on very rare occasions to do some straight curtain seams or something of the sort, but she never sewed for fun. Actually, she tried to do as little as needed and get it over with as soon as possible. That machine died when I was in my teens, so she upgraded to a newer, fancier machine (“with BUTTONS!!!”) that, to the best of my knowledge, she never really learned how to thread. Yeah, I never saw her sew much after technology stepped in…
Given the whole “I’d rather be subjected to torture” view of sewing in my house, combined with the trauma of a truly horrific home ec project when I was 13, it’s not too surprising that I grew up massively intimidated by the idea of sewing. I’ve always loved fabric, and I’ve dreamed being able to actually create the designs in my head, but when it came to the point of putting scissors to fabric, I was scared stiff! It wasn’t until the last year or so that I finally bit the bullet, broke out my machine, and got my feet wet. I still have a long way to go, but it’s been incredibly liberating to break the family mold and discover that there’s hope of moving beyond torturous straight seams and scary, un-threadable sewing machines!
I’ve always wanted a serger! Sewing in a straight line looks great- love the photos.
Grew up watching my grandma sewing everything you could think of in her sunroom. Loved to watch how things came together. Just started to teach myself the basics last year.
wow. a sewing machine giveaway! that’s pretty spectacular! My first memories of a sewing machine were an antique Singer my Granny used to use. I always wanted to “help” by pressing the foot pedal (much to her dismay, although she’d never say that! ha!)
Recently, I have been wanting to get into quilting to revive some quilts that my great-grandmother made and a sewing machine would definitely speed things along, as well, right now i don’t have a machine and am pretty hopeless when it comes to sewing, but hopeful that I can learn.
Good luck with the book (although I think at this point, selecting a winner for this contest might be more difficult!)!
Thanks!
Wow, amazing giveaway!
My sewing machine story…My mum’s been sewing for longer than I can remember (actually since she was 4, haha), so I’ve always had a sewing machine in the house. My first sewing project was when I was rather little and laid out quilt squares for my first quilt. I got *my* machine in my early teens, and it’s been a love-hate relationship, haha…I love doing basic things, but when it comes time to “finishing” clothes/quilts/what-have-you, I start getting hives. I do the finer work so much better with my hands, but it takes much longer. But I keep truckin’ along…I’ve actually just gotten my machine out again after a long hiatus, and am fiddling with quilts and minor alterations!
I have been wanting a serger forever! I currently have an older machine and I also use my mom’s Bernina when I’m home.
My sewing story: my mom taught me to sew, she was taught by her mother and grandmother. My mom taught me when I was about 7 but I didn’t really get interested until I was about 20 and in college. We would work on project when I was home during breaks. And I’ve really picked up sewing this past year, I’ve started making things other than skirts and I’ve started making my own patterns. I really cherish the memories I have of my mom teaching me and working with me on projects.
OMG this is the best prize EVER!!!!! When I was a kid I had one of those little toy sewing machines that sort of really sews. I really wanted to learn how to make all kinds of things but then I hit the teen years and was too cool for that.
But then about a year ago while looking up crochet patterns I stumbled upon Prudent Baby and they made sewing look doable. So I hauled out the old Sears sewing machine that my mom had handed down to me and started trying patterns and tutorials. When my mom retired she finally had the time to do learn all the quilting she has always wanted to do and she upgraded her machine and I again got a hand me down. Then for Christmas this past year my mom totally surprised me with a brand new Brother machine. It is a great machine but it doesn’t have any fancy stitches on it. A new machine with fancy stuff and a serger…oh I am dreaming!
grandmas were great sewers, mom not so much, i struggle but would happily try again with these new lovelies!
I come from a family of seamstresses. My grandmother was a true seamstress. Growing up I’d never seen her use a traditional pattern. She could look at a garment, take measurements and start cutting up fabric, pinning things together, and sewing up a finished product that everyone raved about. It was all so complicated to me. My mother also had a love of sewing and she had her own flair for creating garments. She would use pattern pieces, but I seldom saw her looking at the pattern guide. I still thought it was too complicated for me to give it a go. But as life would have it, I landed a job in a manufacturing plant that made none other than COACH handbags. The work was hard, exhausting, but it was amazingly rewarding to know that these coveted handbags, were handcrafted by ME! You could say that’s when I developed a love for sewing. I started making simple things and I have found that creating things for my family and garments for myself is more rewarding than anything I could’ve imagined. My goal would be to design and create a puertorican themed quilt.
Love to see Brett not only on Knit and Crochet but also sewing. I am new to sewing and this would be the perfect start.
I have my grandmother’s vintage White table machine in my living room. I What a gorgeous Singer set-thanks for the chance to win!
I’ve been sewing on my 2nd machine for the last 34 years! It has been a good one, but boy, am I ready for something ‘techy’! It has made everything from diapers to ski pants when my kids were in high school. It made canvas patches for an old camping trailer and fuzzy finger puppets for holiday bazaars. Most recently it finished some lovely infinity scarves and felt hats. It got us through several years of 4-H and taught my kids if you keep up maintenance, it’ll run – well, almost forever! I’m anxiously awaiting your new season and look forward to new ideas on your site and in your new book (which I hope I win!) I’d really love a new machine, too!
I taught myself on the new machine my mother purchased. I just got out the book and started playing around. When she was ready to learn the new machine I was able to show her the features, that was a Necchi and was delivered and set up in the house. Years later my then fiance bought me a Singer Stylist that I wore out sewing clothing for our children, quilts and gifts. I would give this to my new daughter in law so that I could pass on my love of sewing to her and my granddaughter.
My mother had an antique singer machine that she used all of the time while I was growing up. She would sew clothing for me, and matching clothing for my Barbies! When I got married, I wanted a sewing machine and my then “soon to be” inlaws got me a new Singer. I was estatic! I sewed small items for my new home and items for my wedding gown. One day when I was carefully sewing the lace onto my wedding hanky my father called into me-”Stacey, you are going to burn the motor out of that machine!”
it was not because I was racing down each straight line, I was going as slow as possible so as not to make a mistake! LOL!
Sewing in a Straight Line makes me want to learn to sew – IMMEDIATELY!! The projects are amazing; beginner projects that are super cute are a hard find. I cannot, yet, sew in a straight line, but I plan to sign up at a LYS that offers fabrics and sewing as well, all b/c this book is so CUTE! And what better way to learn than on my very own machine? My fiance would throttle me if I go out and buy a new sewing machine instead of saving the dough for our wedding, so winning one would solve that problem
Thanks for such a great offer and great book. Don’t tell the Mr., but I may have to buy the book TODAY!!
Hi Brett,
Congratulations on the book – I can’t wait to get my copy! Your demeanor and instruction on KCT brought me back to crochet after – yikes – four decades. And you got me inspired to start knitting, which I had never previously been able to do. You should feel most proud that I’ve now knit several pairs of socks, many scarves, and a couple of sweaters and capelets. Really, you gave me the confidence to do it through your calm, clear directions.
So, here’s my sewing machine story, which is really about sewing without a machine at all. I’ve always loved to make things by hand, and in my salad days, I could not afford a sewing machine. This didn’t stop me from making my own clothes though. I still used patterns, but actually sewed all the seams *by hand*. Yes, it took me a lot longer, but I really learned a lot about the process, and found it very meditative. At least that’s what I told myself at the time! The icing on the cake is that when I moved across the country from the little cottage I was renting over 25 years ago, I gave my hand-sewn clothes to my landlady. She’s now in her 80′s and I recently reconnected with her. She was wearing one of the blouses I’d made, which had held up all these years (much to my astonishment). I was so honored that she kept it, and learned that she wears it all the time. There is a sheer pleasure of making things, which is always enhanced a thousandfold when these things are given to others.
Thanks again for the inspiration,
Rebecca
I started sewing when I was ten years old through 4-H in my area. I bought my first sewing machine, a basic 12 stitch, when I was in high school.I have sewn a range of items including clothing for myself, by boyfriend now husband, our children, family members, bridesmaid dresses, multiply craft items, quilts, and even upholstered two chairs, and a couch. I have sewn on assorted fabrics, from silks to leather and everything in between. One day while sewing, the tension on my machine JUST POPPED OFF. Flew right out toward me. No warning and No indication that there was even a problem. Needless to say, after twenty plus years of sewing, that was the end of my first machine. But I cannot complain. When I look back on everything I have made, my first machine more than payed for itself and taught me many things over the years. I have learned patience, (ripping out an item over and over again because it does not go in right), perseverance (when I stick with a project until it is done), problem solving, (when the item does not fit the way it is suppose to), multi tasking, (sewing, cooking, watching the kids), creatiivity (no eplaination needed) and friendship with many people I have sewn for over the years. None of which I would trade for my old machine.
My daughter is an artist and loves to make her own costumes for various conventions. She has always sewn her projects by hand because neither one of us knows how to use, nor own, a sewing machine. She’s always works so hard on getting her costumes as close to perfect as she can. I would love to be able to give my daughter a sewing machine to make it easier for her to continue with her fantastic projects.
I HAVE 11 GRANDCHILDREN AND I LOVE TO SEW FOR THEN I AM ON SOCIAL SECURITY AND MY MACHINE IS OLD I HAVE WORE IT OUT WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A NEW MACHINE I HAVE THE PRETTIEST GRANDDAUGHTERS IN THE WHOLE STATE I WATCH YOUR SHOW ALL THE TIME CANT WAIT FOR THE NEW SHOWS THANKS LINDA BELL
I returned to sewing about 14 years ago after suffering a stress fracture from over training for half marathons. I made clothes for work, got into tailoring and crafts and now knit and crochet. It is relaxing. My husband and I just bought a second home and furnishing it by going to thrift shops. We found an old Kenmore Sewing Machine in cabinet with a price of $15.00. However that day we came in they reduced red labeled, which this had, to 50% off. We paid $7.50 and it sews a straight line….and more. Love it.
These machines are to die for! I’ve just dusted off my sewing machine after years of not sewing. The last things I made were several button up shirts for my mother. I’m a mother of two (now grown up) daughters. I used to love making baby clothes for them. They don’t seem to be too interested in handmade clothes and it makes me sad. To my joy, though, I am a first time grandmother to a beautiful little girl! She is now 5 1/2 months old. I been gathering patterns and making up some of my own. So far, I’ve completed 2 outfits for her and I am having so much fun. I would LOVE and updated sewing machine. I’ve never used a serger before but I would love one. It would be so much easier to finish off edges.
Whether I have a new machine or not, I will still continue to sew for whomever is willing to wear what I make.
Happy sewing to everyone!
Debra Scott
Well as a matter of fact I do have my grandmothers cast iron singer machine in it’s cabinet. However, my sewing story is not about that. (BTW love the show and the website) I have never had any formal sewing lessons other than homec (sp) many years ago. Many…In Feb. 2011 I learned the company that I had worked for since 1999 was closing. W