Singer 66 Red Eye sewing machine: love at first sight
October 5th, 2008
Sewing briefcases is a non-trivial use of a “fashion” sewing machine and it has quickly become apparent that my old machine (circa 1981) wasn’t going to hold up under the stress of pushing through eight or more layers of fabric. I did a few searches for “industrial” and “heavy duty” sewing machines; new, they run to $2000 or more; used.
And then I saw an eBay auction for an INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH SINGER 66 SEWING MACHINE 4 LEATHER (sic). The thumbnail picture caught my eye. On enlarging it, I thought, “Oh. My. Word.” It was a Singer Model 66 Red Eye, in excellent decal condition and as shiny as it came off the line 90 years ago (perhaps shinier. I am now not convinced they were sold with a high gloss finish). This one was electrified and the motor had been upgraded sometime in the past. It was being sold as “suitable for heavy sewing through soft leathers, denim, awning fabrics.” I put in a bid; the machine sold for $208 which was higher than I wanted to go at that point, having only just discovered that this model existed. That was Wednesday. It’s now Friday, and I may own two of them by tonight.
I saw a picture on someone’s website of a table built to hold five treadle machines—each had its own treadling station. The picture showed at least another 8 machines on shelves in the back of the room, presumably swappable for any of the machines generally left out on the table.
On Tuesday, BTW, I was in a Bernina store, listening to the owner talk about the latest embroidery machine, retailing for $12,000. I am certain it will not be working in 2098. While I was there, a couple brought a broken serger into the store. It had yellowed markedly, compared to the new machines.
In time, I will come to know the history of these machines. It’s been a while since I read Little House on the Prairie; will have to contact my niece to find out when the Ingals family bought their machine and whether the model is documented in the story. The Red Eyes carry that story in their decoration; of the industrial age reaching women at home, changing their lives even before electricity arrived on the farm.
The decoration becomes quieter on the 30s models; the 40s have a plain hammered iron finish that speaks of war. The headplate on the 50s models reminds me of Soviet art and Stalin’s wedding cake buildings. There is no romance in those machines.
I am still trying to find words to describe my esthetic; (?) at best, I tell myself I am searching for the intersection of Martha Stewart and Cirque du Soleil. The Red Eye fits right squarely in the middle, as does the Singer Model 15. One of the machines I’m visiting operates with the treadle; it was made in 1921. I briefly searched for instructions on adding a motor, but found enough articles about the joy of using a treadle machine to put that idea to bed. I can buy more electrics if I decide that is the right answer. It is nice to know I will be able to sew the next time the power goes out.
I have been idly looking at sewing machines as I explore fabric stores in the area, wondering what was the difference between the $400 machines at Wal-Mart and the $X000 embroidering machines at boutique sewing stores. I knew I would need something else, and probably soon; my own machine was built in a “bad year” and servicing won’t help much. I particularly wanted to have a backup machine so I wouldn’t be left high and dry should mine decide to give up suddenly. It simply never occurred to me to look backwards in time, rather than offshore to China.
90% of sewing is in the person sitting at the machine. I don’t like machine embroidery. I don’t understand the finances that can cover a sewing machine that costs more than my truck. And so an answer appears to me, and I learn new meanings for words like “Red Eye” and “Memphis.” This is going to be interesting.
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December 31st, 2008 at 3:04 pm
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February 12th, 2009 at 2:50 am
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