National Sewing Machine Day

I could not let National Sewing Machine Day go by without sharing a photo of my first sewing machine. 

Singer Featherweight, My First Sewing Machine

​I bought it at a yard sale for $25 the summer before I went to college. I learned to sew on my Mom's machine and my Grandma Wallen's machine.. Grandma had a black Singer. I think that it was originally a treadle machine. I remember that she ruined television reception every time she sewed on it. This was a source of marital conflict because my Grandpa liked to watch TV in the evenings. Grandma worked as a seamstress in a clothing factory all day so she needed to do personal sewing at night.

​I could not bear to be without a sewing machine in college. It just didn't seem right. When I saw this Singer Featherweight, I knew that I had to buy it. I did a lot of sewing on this machine, especially after my two sons were born. I sewed them pants, Halloween costumes, a pre-school apron for my younger son, and even a winter jacket for my older son. I used Velcro closures on the jacket because I did not have a button-hole maker. I recently had my Featherweight tuned up, so it is in good working order. However, I must admit that now my workhorse sewing machine is my Janome. I love it. 

Quilting My Flower Power Table Runner on My Janome

​ I am lucky enough to be sewing today. I have more of those days since I retired from the university, I am quilting my Flower Power Table Runner on my trusty Janome. It will be included in my Quilt in a Day Trunk Show. I love hexies, and this is a way to sew them effectively on the machine with no Y-seams. For more information about this pattern, please see my Hexies with No Y-Seams blog post.

​I like sewing by hand, but thank goodness for the sewing machine! I think that if I had to do all my sewing by hand, I might not enjoy it so much.

​What was your first sewing machine? Do you still have it? I would love to hear from you. You can leave a comment below, or email me.

​This post was first published at JANDABendQuilts.com.