Singer 12 Sewing Machine

My latest purchase is a birthday present for a family member similarly interested in sewing machines.  I won this machine on ebay (my first foray into the world of bidding) for the sum of $70 but only paid $60 as I had an ebay voucher.  I did not know for certain what the machine was when I bid on it but trusted my memory and instinct that it was a 12 and I was correct.  The listing also said that it was missing its shuttle, which it isn't, I was ever so pleased when I discovered that.
I have limited time to look at it as I have to wait until its intended recipient is out for a while.  However, in the two brief looks at it that I've had I have ascertained that the belt guard is sheered on the front (I have no idea how that is possible without it being severely damaged in some other way.), it is completely seized and I can't get a single screw undone.  I am doing well!  It will now have to wait for another few weeks before I get an opportunity to investigate it again but here are some pictures to be going on with.

Belt guard showing broken section in front

Bobbin winder detached

Underneath

A Vested Interest

The Vesta is finally finished.  It is nicely clean, although not perfect and it sews, which is good!  I do not have a leather belt to treadle it with but we fashioned a belt out of rope and it seems to work.  The stitch is decent and the machine even reverses!  Some more pictures from the process below.

The tension assembly in pieces before cleaning.

The tension assembly in pieces after cleaning.

The snake skin patterning was difficult to clean as I was paranoid about scratching the chrome.  I ended up coating them in oil and then carefully cleaning the grooves out with a machine needle, rather time consuming.

Back cover after cleaning.

Faceplate before cleaning.

When the back cover was removed, all the workings in that end of the machine could be seen, I could have spent forever watching them!

Under back cover.

Before I went to the extreme lengths of tidying off the Vesta's table I wanted to check the machine actually stitched, so here is a picture of it all threaded up and ready to go.  The thumbscrew holding the faceplate on is one borrowed from a tucking foot and the only one I could find that would thread into the required hole.

Not a very good photograph, I know!

The machine did indeed come with accessories, however I am not sure how many are original as there are no markings on any except for the ruffler which is labelled 'Singer' so is clearly not original!

Accessories and the piece of paper it came with.

I'm not sure what the piece at the top roght is off, I think maybe a ruffler again but I'm not sure, however the others are as follows:
Middle row (from L to R): Binding foot, two thumbscrews, the lower one is not original and does not fit the machine, the upper one is to secure the machine to the table and finally top foot is standard straight stitch foot and the bottom foot is a rolled hemmer.
Bottom row (from L to R): Hemming foot and Tucking foot

Next on the agenda is a Christmas shirt to wear on Sunday, I think I may be pushing it a little but who knows?

Second-hand Retro Dresses

Yesterday I mentioned that I had acquired two genuine vintage dresses from work.  Bright and early this morning I washed them and hung them out to dry as the weather was delightfully warm.  My red dress has not gone well today so I am not going  to show pictures of it, instead I will show pictures of these dresses.  My favourite of the two dresses is the blue one and I think it may fit me, however I do not think the green one will, unless I put on a lot of weight!

The green one is made from a very nasty feeling knit of some kind.  It is a princess seam and I really like the neckline.

From the front

Waist detail

Neck detail

The second is a beautiful full skirted dress with a muslin skirt lining.  It has a particularly delightful shoulder detail and a lovely belt attached.  This dress needs lots of work on it though and most of the seams are fraying.  I think it may fit me as it is too small for our smallest mannequin.

Front of dress

Shoulder detail

Belt buckle.  Belt buckles at back.

Front of the belt.

Metal toothed zip.  The dress zips up the back.

The observant among you may have noted the second, apron-wearing, mannequin in the background.  This apron is a project in progress and is one of the five (!) I have made for Christmas.

Hopefully I will be more in the mood to post about my red dress again tomorrow, so stay tuned!