1890 Clemens Müller La Reina

Isn't she pretty?  She's an 1890 Clemens Müller La Reina hand crank sewing machine with a boat shuttle bobbin.  I found her on the Bay of Evil and couldn't resist... the shuttle cover was rusted shut, the hand crank was stiff and had a hiccup, no cover, but she wasn't a Singer (I may regret that later) and she just called to me.

She came in a huge box with tons of styrofoam peanuts (a friend told me they were the biodegradable ones), wrapped really well and weighed tons.  Once I got her unwrapped, I just had to stand back and take her in, the lines, the Mother of Pearl, the idea that she was older than my late Opa.

First thing I did was to unscrew her from the wood base (note to self - don't forget the wood screw that broke),  Liquid Wrench that which wouldn't come undone easily, remove, label and photograph the parts as they come off so they can be put back on where they belong and start cleaning.  Once I removed the back panel and oiled the internal parts and flipped her on her side to oil the bottom, I just let her sit for a day to let the oil work into her.

I've been cleaning the shiny bits with some baking soda and vinegar with a bit of steel wool and rotating with Mothers Mag and Chrome polish.  As you can see from this picture, the work is beginning to pay off.  The shuttle covers and the wheel were covered in rust, I'm pleased with less than 10 hours invested she's starting to clean up nicely.

My hope is to have her done by the end of May, my granddaughter wants to use her and I think this would be a great machine for her to learn on - thing is, I have to figure it out myself first.

A new day, a new blog

Mmmmm that freshly sharpened pencil and new paper smell that comes with the beginning of the new school year.  Ok, mebbe not but a blank screen and a keyboard will work in a pinch...

I have a confession - I have turned into a Vintage Sewing Machine crazy woman... It started all very simply, my primary sewing machine is a 1954 Singer 401a.  I learned how to sew on my mothers Singer 401g that she bought used before I was born.  I learned how to read German sitting/standing next to the machine while my mother whipped out our clothes or garments that she was making for people.

I've had a sewing machine off and on for years, when I returned to Colorado, it was one of those off times. I decided that I wanted to finish some of my stitching projects and turned to Craiglist in hopes of finding and inexpensive machine to fill that need.  I got emails 'I have such and such machine for $50 but it needs..'  By the time the machine was done needing, it was out of my budget so I had to turn down numerous 'offers.' I was contacted by a gentleman who was finally ready to clear his late mothers room and had her sewing machine with a cabinet that he wanted to find a good home for her and it was free.  He was kind enough to deliver it and when he brought the machine in, I almost fell over!  She was a gorgeous Singer 401a, the same machine I grew up with, I know her quirks, her desires, I knew this machine... She will not be relegated to the back heap.

Then I found a Facebook page dedicated to Vintage Sewing Machines (VSM), its all been downhill from there.  I have since acquired a 1924 Singer 127 Sphinx Treadle, an 1890 Clemens Muller LaReina hand crank, a 1907 Singer 27 Sphinx Treadle and an 1882 Singer Fiddlehead Treadle with coffin top...

This is my journey to restoring them to their magnificent state so that we can use them.  Once I figure out how to add pictures, I will add them here too.