Some of the machines

      I realize that I did not post the base that I refinished for the Singer 99 that was resurrected from the scraps that were delivered due to poor packaging (once was a whole machine) and the Spartan that I turned into a handcrank. I have another Spartan in its original green case, but this one came in a broken bakelite shell. I bought the case bottom from Cindy Peters, stitchesintime@earthlink.net who is a wonderful seller of parts for antique and classic sewing machines. It came unfinished and I used Minwax antique oil finish, at least 4 coats, and it is just terrific. It is cherry wood. I am going to buy another, but here are the 99 and the Spartan in the same base. Converting to the handcrank was easy. I bought a vintage spoked handwheel, unscrewed the old handwheel, put the vintage one on, bought a reproduction handcrank, unscrewed the bolt for the motor, removed it, and that was it. The machine itself was extremely dirty and gunky, but now it is just terrific.

Singer 99

Spartan Handcrank

Base before finishing

My new Kenmore 1040

Mold dots, dirt, but intact

Dirty, but unmarked

Ugly discoloring

All clean and put back together!

Discolor all gone!

All shiny, now can I get the bobbin winder to work? Can't get the handwheel off

Beautifully clean in design and finish

Cute, functional, compact, what is not to love?

No more mold!

    It did not take much coaxing from Elizabeth, mysewingmachineobsession.blogspot.com, for me to pursue a Kenmore 1040. I have a couple of 3/4 size Singers, a 99 and Spartan (turned that into a handcrank) and like the small size. The Kenmore can zig zag however. One came up on eBay and it turned out it was only about 10 miles from me, so I could pick it up and avoid shipping $$ and possible damage. When I got it home, there was the musty factor and a couple of dots of mold starting on the case and machine. Anything that was plastic, I threw in hot water with Spic and Span to soak. I wiped the whole machine down with rubbing alcohol and then swabbed everything, taking off everything I could. I oiled and greased, polished and reassembled. The machine got a coat of Turtle Wax and polished. It sews amazing. The case is so neat, compact and functional. I can take it to classes and anywhere! The plastic pouch that housed the foot pedal is all ripped, so I am not sure if I should make something for the pedal, or tape it up.
   On the quilting front, I finished the Black and White top I started in a class, but it was too dreary today to photograph it. My mom sewed a bunch of blocks for me, so now I can sew up two more comfort quilts. I was able to fix her old Brother by swapping a knee pedal/foot pedal from a Singer 401 I bought at a garage sale since I removed that machine from its cabinet. Now she won't get a bruise when she sews from the pedal. Quilt pics to come.

Case found for the 99!

I finally found a case for my Singer 99 that I had received in a broken jumble. I was able to reassemble the 99, but the case was smithereens. I found a Bentwood case on ebay and it was packed great! The case is really dirty though. Elizabeth recommended Murphy's oil soap and so I scrubbed it with straight soap on a sponge and a toothbrush. I kept rinsing the sponge and changing the water. It is not gunky anymore, but will need some kind of finish. When I get it all cleaned, I will post a photo of it and the 99 in it.

Wonderful packing job!

Pretty grimy.
 The handle was removed for shipping, but I can easily reattach it after I clean it.