You found an old sewing machine now it's time to make it work again. Learn all about vintage sewing machine repair.

Not sure about how to go about restoring a vintage sewing machine? This is how I restored a 1936 Singer 201-2.

I posted about the 3 vintage Singers that followed me home a couple of weeks ago; now I thought I'd give a step-by-step of how I do a basic clean up on one of the full-size ladies. My techniques have been gleaned from research at places like the Yahoo Vintage Singers group, David McCallum's Featherweight DVDs & books, various posters at Pattern Review, and lots of experimentation on the old machines that have found their way to my house. Some of those experiments were not so successful - like rubbing your machine down with Gojo = epic fail, or dunking an entire machine in a tub of kerosene = epic waste of time, energy and $$$ (yes, people actually DO recommend those techniques!). Folks do have their own favorite products & methods; what follows works for me. :-) Here's Gabrielle - the machines belonged to a French woman, so they all got French names. (....yes, of course I name my machines. Don't you?). She's the 1926 66 as she looked when she came in the door. Well, actually, this is after I removed her from her treadle cabinet, which needs way more refurbishing than she did, but that's another story.... She really wasn't too bad - lots of dust, a little rust, a few scratches & some grimey areas, hand wheel was sticky, but I saw no serious issues, and the decals were really in very good shape. And hey, it's a treadle! A totally mechanical workhorse - not even any electrical wires to give concern! It's hard to find an unfixable surprise with one of these beauties :) Here are the tools of the trade that I use: Start with an old towel or cloth as your work surface. Then, clockwise from left: OXO Brite (the way cheaper version of OxyClean) to clean up the metal bits. Maguiar's Scratch X - Fabulous first step to remove those fine scratches and built up grime. A good Carnauba Wax WD-40 - Good cleaner for the gears & moving metal bits inside the machine (more about this later) Sewing Machine Oil. Rags Sewing Machine Lube (Necessary for a machine w/ a motor - I didn't use any on this one) Screw Drivers. Other ingredients that didn't make it into the pic: Q-tips, small cleaning brush, tweezers, little bowls to hold all the little bits as you remove them, a camera or piece of paper to document any parts you dismantle until you know by heart which little spring & screw goes where, a good non-scratch Metal Polish, and a good manual for whatever machine you're working on. By the way, even if you have the original manual for your machine, go check this site out for great, picture-heavy service manuals. I have all of the info printed out for every model I own, and it is indispensable!: Tools for Self Reliance I seriously can't recommend this site highly enough! Here's Gabrielle's gorgeous spoked hand wheel - there's something about these old spoked wheels - I just love them! : OK, let's get started! Step one is to dust her off - you can even do a wipe down with some gentle dish soap if you have a really grimy baby on your hands. I then go straight to the metal bits, & start removing them. USE THE RIGHT SIZE SCREWDRIVER. Sorry for shouting, but this is how screws get stripped - make sure your screwdriver slot is a match for the slot in the screw - life will be so much easier if you just get into the habit of doing this right off the bat. Need I add the infamous phrase "Ask me how I know?" ;D Oh, and a note about vintage Singer screws: each one is unique & unusual, and you will NOT find a replacement in a hardware store. In fact, the only place to find a replacement for a missing screw is off another vintage Singer. Translation: do NOT lose your screws! I usually start by simply removing the bobbin cover plates. What you find under here will tell you a lot about how well the machine was maintained. Remove any threads & fluff that you find with your tweezers & brush. I give this area a good blast with WD-40 & let it do its thing with all the gunk that is invariably built up here. Then I'll wipe it down, removing any excess WD-40. A note on WD-40: This is is NOT a substitute for SM oil, but it is perfectly safe to use on your metal parts. It's an excellent cleaner - just don't get it on any rubber bits, & wipe up any excess. Once I have the bobbin area cleaned, I'll start removing all of the other metal parts. Remove the hand wheel by unscrewing the chrome disc in the center. There are a number of different bobbin winder types. If you have one that looks like this, PROCEED WITH CAUTION! There are a few types that have a spring which will fly across the room as soon as it's released. When it does this, go find it (You're doing this in daylight, right?) Then curse a bit when you realize you have no clue just how, exactly, it fit into the slots & holes that it just sprang out of. Don't worry, you'll figure it out. Eventually. Can you see the little spring just behind that forked bit? The bit that looks like cute lil bunny ears (but is really devil's horns in disguise?) That's the spring I'm talking about. Just so's you know.... Here are the removed metal pieces, which are ready for their spa soak. Face plate, back plate, bobbin cover plates, tension parts (this is another section to document as you dismantle it, and/or have good manual pictures to follow), the hand wheel parts, and lots of little screws. I kept all of the bobbin winder parts completely separate in this case. Plop some OXO Brite into a bowl that's large enough to hold all of your metal bits, (JUST the metal bits...don't add anything that has lacquer.....and, um.....don't ask me how I know about that one either.....), add boiling water, then let your metal bits soak for 10-20 minutes. Remove the metal bits, rinse them THOROUGHLY, then dry them - THOROUGHLY. If you do this with SM feet (I do) or anything with tiny crevices that might hold moisture, I suggest using a hair dryer to make SURE they are COMPLETELY dry. You know how rust happens? Now is a good time to go over the show pieces (face plate, etc.) with some metal polish. Although the OXO does a pretty thorough job, if your machine is really old, the metal polish will give it that extra oomph. All shined up! While everything is soaking, you can go after the gears & moving parts. I clean up any really filthy, gunky parts with WD40. (Don't forget to dry it well) Then start feeding. :) Follow your manual instructions regarding the oil spots, but mostly it's common sense. Just feed a drop of oil (just a drop - don't overdo it....) to any area that has moving parts that rub against each other. Under the machine: On top: Inside the face plate: Turn your wheel & feel & listen as everything starts to loosen up & glide - such a gratifying feeling! Now it's time to start with the massage portion of the spa treatment :) Bring out the Scratch X, & put a small dollop on your massage cloth (this is where my old tshirts live out their life): Now, gently (don't rub hard) massage the cream on to the lacquer. Do this on small portions at a time - maybe half the bed (or less, depending on how dirty your machine is. Don't let the cream dry, & don't do it for too long. This isn't scary stuff, but you can overdo it. (I took it to its limits on a machine I knew would need a total repaint job, just to see what the limits are -- you can rub TOO hard, and you can rub too long, but it really did take some elbow grease to overdo it) Just treat it like a gentle face cream that you don't want to use too much of, and you'll be fine. Don't rub too hard on the decals. Wipe it completely dry, give it a good rub to bring out the shine, and move on to the next section. One treatment is enough - you'll never need to do it again. After the Scratch X Treatment - looking pretty good!: Next step is your wax job. I like doing 2 (or maybe 3) coats, with thin layers of wax. Apply wax with a soft cloth, let it dry, rub it down well. Ahhhhh........... now you can REALLY feel and see the difference! Put all of her jewelry and make-up back on, and she's ready to roll! For comparison: Before After Now, I just need to get a new treadle belt, clean up the cabinet, move her into her working spot, and get treadling! I'm a bit torn about whether or not to wait until I have the time & energy to refinish her cabinet, or if I should just give it a basic cleaning so that I can get started sooner - I think I won't be able to wait.... I'll be doing a post about cleaning up Gabrielle's sister, Colette, the Featherweight, soon (I hope!). Feathers do have a few other steps - they're special, you know....... Meanwhile, here's to providing good, loving homes to all our vintage orphans!

In this post, I'll walk you through the process of removing rust from your vintage sewing machine in order to clean and restore it.

Cleaning and oiling is all that is required! However it needs to be done thoroughly including in areas that may seem inaccessible

When someone mentions a home sewing machine, most people immediately think of Singer. Indeed, many Americans saw their grandmothers use this machine type when they were children. Even though the first Singer sewing machine appeared ... Read more

Vintage black Singer sewing machine.

How many of y'all still have this at home?

Full page scans of a Singer Company marketing booklet directed at children

Cleaning and oiling is all that is required! However it needs to be done thoroughly including in areas that may seem inaccessible

Antique Singer Sewing Machine Stilllife Photography

I bought an antique Singer 15 treadle sewing machine and spend several weeks restoring it to working condition.

Cleaning and oiling is all that is required! However it needs to be done thoroughly including in areas that may seem inaccessible

Many of us swear by specific products. I’m a fan of many of them because what works on one brand of an antique sewing machine, is terrible on another (such as

Who remembers when these vintage 1950s Singer sewing machines were new? One big seller was the Swing-Needle SINGER Automatic, available in black or beige.

Singer sewing machines have existed since 1851. From the cast iron treadle-operated machines before the advent of electricity, to the iron “modern” machines of the 1950’s, many a seamstress has owned a Singer.

When I am in Albuquerque, I always stay at my Mother-in-Law’s house (1.) because I enjoy her company and (2.) because it’s free. During my visits, her sewing room becomes my sleeping ro…

5 Antique Singer Sewing Machine models comprehensive guide. Learn all about singer sewing machines from 1800s to present.

I’ve already had one of these – a Singer 66K with Lotus decals (although I think they are thistles really). But I sold it in a misguided attempt to reduce the number of machines in my s…

If you stumbled upon an old cast-iron sewing machine at a yard sale, you may have dismissed it as a relic of a bygone era. Vintage sewing machines almost always outlast modern machines. Which leads

Reusing Your Sewing Machine - Absolutely an Awesome Way to Reuse it. 6 Ways to Unlock Your Sewing Machines True Potential...

Cleaning and oiling is all that is required! However it needs to be done thoroughly including in areas that may seem inaccessible

In this post, I'll show you how to restore, clean, and use your Singer 15 sewing machine, one of the most iconic sewing machines Singer ever made.

Singer Sewing Machines - Art Nouveau Advertisment Folder c1905 (front)

While we at Got Vintage? would prefer that vintage items stay true to their original purpose, we have to admit it’s trendy these days to re purpose vintage items and give them a whole new lif…

Download this Premium Photo about Retro sewing machine with cotton thread, and discover more than 24 Million Professional Stock Photos on Freepik. #freepik #photo #sewingmachine #tailor #sewingtailoring

In this post, I'll show you how to clean, adjust, restore, and troubleshoot a vintage Singer 99k sewing machine, as well as replace some common parts.

This is a complete and clear digital instructions manual for the vintage Singer featherweight 221k sewing machine. Comes in a PDF file you can download after payment is received and I can also send it to your e-mail address if you prefer or if there are any problems downloading.

The missing link in the Singer sewing machine lineup - the vibrating shuttle number 1.

My Singer machine was made in Clydebank, Scotland in 1937. The Singer serial number is EB 202.824. This is an oscillating shuttle machine Model 15-88 and the scroll face is more ornate. The “…

The Singer Sewing Machine For Young or Old

1908? One hundred eight years old? Amazing. . . I only hope I look that well at 108. . .(smile) My passion and John's hobby is collecting vintage treadle machines. . .I collect them. . .John restores them. . .They are wonderful pieces of domestic art. . .The decorations on each one is rather awesome. . .very collectable for the artwork alone. I learned to treadle about eight years ago. . .Our collection was getting so large and the machines were so lovely that I decided I wanted to learn how to use them. . .Lots of trials and errors before I got the rhythm down. . .Once I did, I LOVED it. . . Sources: The Graphis Fairy & Knick of Time I still laugh at myself, thinking back to those 'learning days'. . .of how I was so clueless that I spent hours one day trying to figure out how to backstitch. . .I looked at--and tried--every knob and lever. . .I tried to treadle backwards. . .Then I made a phone call to a friend who had told me that she remembered her Mom sewing on a treadle. . .She got a real 'belly laugh' because of me. . .'Treadles don't backstitch! They're OLD'. . .Who knew? . .Obviously. . .not me. When you think about it, ladies in the 19th and early 20th centuries were probably glad they no longer had to sew everything by hand. . .THANKFUL FOR SMALL FAVORS. . . Source: www.olddesignshop.com I won't tell you about my first attempts at filling a bobbin. . .for a SHUTTLE. . .totally embarrassing. . . Source: Source: Pinterest Graphics Board When I set my mind to something, I don't give up easy. . .Since I had no instructions. . .no book (at the time). . .and my patience grew thin. . .I searched the net for information. . .Eight years ago there was very little in how-to treadle, as there is now. . .It was John who found an old treadle machine manual that was a God-send. . .Gradually. . .very gradually. . .I began to get the hang of it. . .falling in love with the process that in the end, wasn't that hard. . .I was making it too technical. I think treadling is as much a feeling--a calming rhythm--in the soul as much as it is mechanical. . . There is nothing like the hum of the treadle at work. . .It's relaxing. . .believe it or not. . .There's something basic and comforting in it. . . That may be the difference in my love of treadles and John's. . .Mine is of the heart. . .His is in the simple mechanics of it. . .but both of us have a deep appreciation of them. Source: Pinterest Graphics Board I make many of my quilt tops on the old machines. . .The vintage treadles are so heavy and strong and make the most beautiful stitches. . .much finer (in my opinion) than any of the newer electric sewing machines. Source: Pinterest Graphics Board What TREASURES I find in the sewing cabinet drawers, too. . . Source: Pinterest Graphics Board Soon we'll be displaying at least fifteen Treadle Sewing Machines from various manufacturers. . .Visitors will be able to try their hand (or foot) at treadling. . .so I began to work with a few graphics for ads. . .I intended to make a couple. . .then it was another and another. . .There was no stopping me. . .I made many more than I'm sharing. . . I also discovered the Designer at BE FUNKY . . . Lots of inspirational templates that are so easy to use. . .FYI. . . I plan. . .one day. . .in my spare time (wink). . .to demonstrate on a post what I've learned about sewing with a treadle machine. . .practical advise. . .as well as more of my Vintage Sewing Machine Collection. . .Those posts will be at DUNCAN FARMSTEAD since they are so connected to the past. . .And there's a possibility that John may sell a few treadle sewing machines in working order, too. . .Lots of good things to come. . .in VINTAGE SEWING and COLLECTIONS. . .Be sure to STAY TOONED. . . .It will be fun. . . For more Sewing Graphics, visit: PINTEREST GRAPHICS BOARD KNICK OF TIME THE GRAPHICS FAIRY

1950s Singer sewing machine advertisement.

Hi Bloggie Friends, Do you have a "thing" for sewing implements, especially pretty ones? Well, I do-don't judge. My mom sewed lik...

Who remembers when these vintage 1950s Singer sewing machines were new? One big seller was the Swing-Needle SINGER Automatic, available in black or beige.

Look what I managed to score on craigslist! I am doing a happy dance right now. It was advertised at $40 but I got it for much, much less!!! Can you believe I got it for $25 ???????? When I picked it up it was in much worse condition than this. The actual machine was all seized up and the needle wouldn't even move, some WD40 and a husband got it moving smoothly. We got the dremmel out to polish up the metal parts in certain places, and it started to shine a little bit with a good old clean. I also applied some Old English Furniture Almond Oil and this has really helped with the cracking veneer. But it still needs a lot of attention and tender loving care. The bobbin cover is missing so I need to hunt down one of them and as it is a treadle machine I also need to find a belt for it, so if anyone has refurbished one of these cabinets/singer machine I would really appreciate your feedback/tips/tricks. The cabinet the sewing machine is housed in is another story, the close up shows how the wood is blistering and cracking, it looks much worse in real life. I first thought about completely removing the veneer from the top and maybe just sanding down the wood underneath and re staining it. But, I asked Katy over at Mom and her Drill for some advice as I had seen that she refurbished a piece of furniture with a similar problem and she offered the following advice: "put a sheet on the desk and apply a hot iron, it *may* reactivate the glue and make the veneer lay down flat. You would pile something heavy on top til it dries. If this doesn't work there other methods, involving cutting the bubbles and squirting glue underneath. I was too lazy for all of that, so I just refinished it how it was and I'm going to try the hot iron trick". Any suggestions on how to repair, replace the missing pieces of veneer?