So, because I need to document my streak as the world's luckiest woman, this is what happened to me Saturday morning.
First off, I had a last-minute errand that could not be done over the Internet (I know, hard to conceive of!) and said errand could be accomplished (in a rare turn of events for a Saturday) without the charming yet exhausting company of a six-year-old boy, AND was out by one of the best antique stores in Chicago (which The Sewist introduced me to), of course I stopped there, and I bought some Christmas presents (as well as some vintage patterns of which more anon).
While I was in the store a kindly middle-aged man walked in and asked the proprietors if they wanted an old Singer sewing machine. He wasn't looking to sell it, he added; he just didn't need it any more and wanted to give it a good home.
Now, the owners were really busy (the store was full of mothers and daughters intent on touching every one of the thousands of pieces of costume jewelry) and they were not interested. So the man asked the store at large: "Anyone want an old sewing machine?"
No one else looked up, or even seemed to be paying attention. So I raised my hand, and said "Well, I'd be happy to take a look at it."
Out we go to the parking lot, where his black Mini Cooper was parked right next to my green Honda. He pops his trunk and there it is — a lovely little antique Singer, in a beat-up wooden case.
"This is valuable," I told him. "You should sell it. You should let me pay you!"
"Nah, I just want it out of my house." He wouldn't even let me do the putting of it in my trunk. He shook my hand, and told me "Merry Christmas!" (And I swear I heard sleigh bells when he drove off.)
So that's the story of how a stranger in Park Ridge gave me a Singer sewing machine. It looks to be in good shape, probably electrified early on (there's a foot pedal, and a light). I'll probably get it tuned up in the new year.
So there you have it, the story of the Christmas sewing machine. Guess I've been a good girl this year!
A Dress A Day 
You’ve been a very good girl this year, writing the BEST blog on the internet…Now we just can’t wait to see all the dresses you’ll be sewing with it…Merry Sewing Christmas
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Wow, that’s fantastic. The sewing machine is beautiful!
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Erin you have been a very good girl, and this blog has brought a lot of cheer into my days. I am happy for you. I look forward to reading about your adventures sewing with this beauty. Sew away.Lucette
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My great-grandmother had a similar old Singer (my mother has it now). Thanks for reminding me of her today–and hooray for your unexpected present!Jennifer
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It even looks like a Christmas present!
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You have been good! That is quite the Christmas treat. I can’t wait to hear more about it. I love the holidays!
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Lucky, lucky, lucky you! How lovely. Enjoy.
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It is beautiful!
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Your karma is showing! How wonderful. Thanks for sharing a happy story.
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Congratulations!
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even if it never runs, it is beautiful! lucky, lucky girl!
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You deserve it! This blog is so entertaining, touching, exciting and just plain literary. The best!
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It’s beautiful. What a lovely man! He is probably thrilled that he found someone who would appreciate that little beauty. Your Heifer thermometer keeps climbing. Good work. How is Dress A Day in the blog thing at Heifer??
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How wonderful! It is so pretty. You must have good karam. Merry Christmas!
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You lucky thing! I saw a similar one at an estate sale, but it was snatched up so fast it made my head spin!
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a Red Eye! Aiieee. Que linda! Congratulations on your new acquisition.
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omigosh, that’s the same model as my mother’s old Singer! I started out making outfits for my Madame Alexander on that thing.
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I love the fact that while your private Santa could have just thrown this machine out with the trash, he went to the trouble to find a home for it instead. Now, if we could just clone this inclination in the rest of humanity….
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Wow! What a wonderful blessing! Merry Christmas…she really is a beauty. What a nice man. Enjoy your new toy!
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What a lovely thing to have happen! It couldn’t have happened to a more appropriate person.
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One of the best true Christmas stories ever!
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That’s a beautiful Red Eye, sometimes called a Red Head. Enjoy her, and if you want to clean her up a bit, stay FAR AWAY from anything containing ammonia. The decals will silver before you know it. Baby oil would be a good choice, or a hand cleaner called “Goop,” but make sure you get the one without pumice. Your new baby will sew a beautiful line of stitches through almost anything you can get under the presser foot, and will go on doing so for years to come. Enjoy!
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Wow!! She is a beauty. Follow the cleaning hints above. In the 50’s I learned to sew on my Granny’s vintage Singer (not that model) and she was great. She had a truly amazing headlight, like yours, and went frontwards and backwards, and possibly had a zig-zag, but that was so long ago it is hard to remember. She and her cabinet, in my sister’s care, were washed away by Katrina.
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What a beauty!! And there ya go: further evidence that putting good out into the world gets you some good in return.
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Lucky you! What a beautiful gift from Santa in a black mini – I never have that kind of luck while out with my 6 year old son in Chicago š
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Brillo, hooray for him and hooray for you!
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It’s so beautiful. How wonderful… I’m so happy for both of you (you and the machine)!
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i just found one of those babies amongst the abandoned items in my grandparents old garage.
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You have been a good girl Erin. What a great christmas present, so nice of santa to give this to you. Im happy that you and the sewing machine found each other, and that that the sewing machine did not end up in the dust bin.
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OOOooHHhh, She’s beautiful!! I’m a bit jealous… I love older machines and what a wonderful way to receive one. Merry Christmas!
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I’m soo glad Kris found the right girl. Then again he always does.
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Wow!! This really makes you believe in Santa all over again. Congrats!!
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Wow how wonderful! Usable or unusable it is just a gorgeous work of art. It reminds me of the back and gold pedal powered singer my grandmother used to have. I’m glad good things still happen in this world.
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GORGEOUS!This is karma, indeed! What a nice man, I hope a good turn happens for him as well. As for the Singer, I’m not sure if this is still true, but at one time if you contacted Singer with the serial number you could get a copy of the manual for that series. I haven’t tried this in years, but it is worth a shot.
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Wow! You have been a good girl. Santa still lives on!
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I believe I have the twin. Did yours come in a wonderful old bentwood case? Does it have an old-fashioned spindle bobbin?
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Erin, it’s really nice to see someone deserving have good luck, for a change! You give us sewing stories; Santa gives you a sewing machine. Hmmmm … there seems to be a connection, here ….
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Sorry so late to chime in at the party. I love Antique & Resale! And, good for you. I’m so glad you’re continuing your reign as the World’s Luckiest Woman! (I’d like to think I’m a close second behind you;)I love the ethnic flavor of that machine. It’s beautiful! Holly
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Hmmm… call it karma, call it serendipity, there is definitely more than a hint of the universe at work there. And deservedly so!
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Great freebie, holiday score!! – I don’t know how valuable these are, dollar wise but I can tell you my Mom’s old electrified Singer was the best machine in the world, purred like a kitten and ran like clockwork. You can take all the new fangled, computerized, serging sewing machine wonders and put them all together and they wouldn’t equal her machine or my Grandmother’s pedal Singer. Certainly worth it to clean it up & get it going.
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What a beauty! How wonderful for the machine to continue its life where it will be appreciated. There is definitely some unseen force at work here.
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WOW! Great story about the machine! I hope to give a vintage machine a good home myself someday.
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How apropos. Couldn’t think of anyone more worthy of that lovely machine. The universe does work right sometimes doesn’t it.Merry christmas indeed
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Ohhh, you are so lucky! What a beautiful machine, too. I learned how to sew on one of these machines at my grandma’s house. (and I’m only 24. My grandma just likes to do some things the old way still. She also has a big wood-burning stove that she uses during the winter.) It was always hard for us kids to remember that the wheel on the right has to turn towards you, but once you figure that out, these are such fun machines to sew on! You just feel more connected somehow to your project.
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What a great guy!Merry Christmas!
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great story! beautiful machine!
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