Do you remember the first machine you started sewing on? We asked our Facebook fans to share stories about their first time sewing and their first sewing machine. Did you start on any of these machines?
“Managed to break my mum’s 25-year-old Brother machine when I was 11—I was “playing” with it. Put me off sewing for a while, but I bought my first Singer hand machine when was I was 19. Still got it and it still works like a dream!” – Jeni T.
“On my eighth birthday! I am 58 now and I still love to sew! It was a child’s mini Elna sewing machine. Think it was Swiss made and I loved it. I made my mum and I an apron each out of her old dining room sunflower curtains. She even made some dolls clothes on it for me! Wish I still had it!” – Julie C.
“I learned on my grandmother’s old treadle machine. The one she sewed through her finger with! Trust me—I was careful after hearing about that.” – Pat B.
“I had a toy Singer one when I was about seven or eight years old. I loved it and made clothes and bedding for my dolls. I still love sewing about 50 years later.” – Doreen D.
“My mom starting teaching me to sew when I was eight with her awesome metal Elna machine. It didn’t do much as far as cool stitching, but I loved it and she still has it. Still works too!” – Peggy S.
“ I used my mother’s Kenmore until I was 19. Then I moved away from home and got my own machine. I finally got my first Singer (Imperial) in 1994 and still use it. It’s a plain machine and not computerized, but I will keep on using it.” – Barbara L.
Which one is your favorite? Leave a comment below or share with us on Facebook!
Used my grandmother's treadle machine when I was 10 or 11. Still have it. I am 87 now
My mom still has a Kenmore similar to that pictured. I used whatever Bernina the school had and at 13 I was gifted a basic manual JCPenney fully metal machine. I miss it's narrow arm! Maybe I would have liked it better if I had it tuned, but I sold it and bought a gently used Brother that I learned a Lot on and still have it. Have had it tuned up a few times. It's good for a machine to teach my kids on. I now have a bernette b38, a Janome 712T and a bernette b79. Time for learning!
Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed this look back.
I learned to sew with my Mom's Singer 401A. She made a lot of our clothes. I like those machines so much I have two of them! I am 71 and love to make quilts.
The Singer treadle machine brought back memories! My Mother taught me to sew when I was about 7 years old- all hand sewing (doll clothes and a couple skirts for me). I loved checking out my grandmother's treadle machine. Finally when I was around 9-10 years old, she let me use her Singer (similar to the Kenmore model)! I was excited and never lost the love of sewing!!!
Since my maternal grandmother and my mother owned sewing machines for making clothes for their customers and the family, I wanted one of my own. For Christmas, I received my Singer sewing machine at the age of 8 and, later, my Kenmore at 19. I still have both of them, and they work well after taking them for regular maintenance.
How could you leave out the Singer Featherweight?
I learned to sew on a Sears Kenmore in the 1950s. I purchased a new Sears Kenmore in December 1970 in anticipation of the birth of my first child. I still have that machine; It is serviced every year, and still works like a charm. I make one or two quilts on it every year.
I received a Singer machine like the first photo with a wooden casing from my friend, she didn’t sew and gave it to me. It was her grandmother’s. I learned on this machine, then I got a new electronic Singer machine for 25 years service at work and gave my daughter my old Singer. My newer Singer was causing problems so II got a new Brother model, which I am presently using.. I have been sewing for over 46 years.
I learned to sew on an old treadle machine. I dont know what happened to it. Using an elna at school was a real shock - I still wanted to move my foot up and down initially.