66-16 yard sale find
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 368
66-16 yard sale find
My granddaughter and I went to yard sales this weekend. We got a Singer 66-16 in a cabinet with all attachments for $40. It runs like a dream and was in excellent condition. All decals are bright and intact. No rust or crazing. The top of the cabinet needs some work because of sun fading, but doesn't even have nicks or scratches. We worked on cleaning and DH already got a kit to refinish the cabinet. We had a blast trying all the attachments and taking a trip down memory lane for me. The owner is relocating closer to her kids and remembered when her husband bought it for her after the war. She thought it was 1948, which is in line with the serial number. She outfitted four kids with it and herself for years. She is taking her newer machine with her. We really enjoyed her stories. When we left her house my Sarah said, "I could have listened to her all day." Sarah is 10 and a budding sewer.
#2
What an awesome memory for your granddaughter!! Love to pass on the love of quilting too to the next generation. Someday in the future your granddaughter will be sewing on that machine and will think of you with lots of love!!
Last edited by Sideways; 05-26-2013 at 07:11 AM.
#4
I just love stories like that. Wish my eldest granddaughter, who lives 2 miles away, would take an interest. She sees me sewing all the time but just doesn't seem to care. Her mother has no interest in it either. My mother never had a sewing machine and didn't want one. No grandparents that I knew, so didn't get it from them. My first experience was in 8th or 9th grade home ec. class and I was hooked. Got my first machine, a Centennial Featherweight, when I was 18 years old and have never stopped sewing since.
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 613
perhaps taking her shopping for fabrics and a simple dress/backpack/something cute could spark an interest. Is she big on halloween? How old is she? Does she look at magazines like marie claire or vogue? Perhaps mimicking a few pieces would help. I saw a really simple dress in one of them recently that i KNOW even i could make. *wink* They were selling it for $768 *nods* yep. So find out what she's in to. Even if it's fashion, if its technology then have her make a bag for her gizmos, Ipod covers, phone covers, have her pick fabrics and such.
Maybe asking her what she wants to be this year and then have her start designing a (simple) costume. It may take a while but interest is there. LOL
I've watched my mom quilt for years and never had an interest to pick up the rotary cutter. Then this year all of a sudden, i see a pretty Kenmore 50 and *bam* i'm piecing together my first quilt. lol It's almost magic seeing how much i've picked up over the years is helping with it. Mom is totally laughing at my attempt too! But she is offering advice on most of my problems. So in the future when i use the good fabric and encounter these problems again at least i know how to fix them.
My seams are messy, i'm totally using the wrong type of fabric (70's polyester) but it's coming along nicely for a first time deal. LOL My reasons for the type of fabric, i found a whole lot of yardage for a really low price of $2 for 4 yards on 4 different colors. I figured i'm going to screw up my first piece anyway might as well not blow mucho $$$$ on the good stuff.
I'm learning how the machine handles and it's 'vibe' like, i found out it has a slight clicking sound when i have it on one of the zig zag levels. I suspect the timing is off a bit there. Also it doesn't like to zigzag sometimes, and ya have to give it a bit of a boost with the hand wheel.
By the way, i'm 34. *wink*
Maybe asking her what she wants to be this year and then have her start designing a (simple) costume. It may take a while but interest is there. LOL
I've watched my mom quilt for years and never had an interest to pick up the rotary cutter. Then this year all of a sudden, i see a pretty Kenmore 50 and *bam* i'm piecing together my first quilt. lol It's almost magic seeing how much i've picked up over the years is helping with it. Mom is totally laughing at my attempt too! But she is offering advice on most of my problems. So in the future when i use the good fabric and encounter these problems again at least i know how to fix them.
My seams are messy, i'm totally using the wrong type of fabric (70's polyester) but it's coming along nicely for a first time deal. LOL My reasons for the type of fabric, i found a whole lot of yardage for a really low price of $2 for 4 yards on 4 different colors. I figured i'm going to screw up my first piece anyway might as well not blow mucho $$$$ on the good stuff.
I'm learning how the machine handles and it's 'vibe' like, i found out it has a slight clicking sound when i have it on one of the zig zag levels. I suspect the timing is off a bit there. Also it doesn't like to zigzag sometimes, and ya have to give it a bit of a boost with the hand wheel.
By the way, i'm 34. *wink*
#6
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 8,091
<snip>
I've watched my mom quilt for years and never had an interest to pick up the rotary cutter. Then this year all of a sudden, i see a pretty Kenmore 50 and *bam* i'm piecing together my first quilt. lol It's almost magic seeing how much i've picked up over the years is helping with it. Mom is totally laughing at my attempt too! But she is offering advice on most of my problems. So in the future when i use the good fabric and encounter these problems again at least i know how to fix them.
My seams are messy, i'm totally using the wrong type of fabric (70's polyester) but it's coming along nicely for a first time deal. LOL My reasons for the type of fabric, i found a whole lot of yardage for a really low price of $2 for 4 yards on 4 different colors. I figured i'm going to screw up my first piece anyway might as well not blow mucho $$$$ on the good stuff.
I'm learning how the machine handles and it's 'vibe' like, i found out it has a slight clicking sound when i have it on one of the zig zag levels. I suspect the timing is off a bit there. Also it doesn't like to zigzag sometimes, and ya have to give it a bit of a boost with the hand wheel.
By the way, i'm 34. *wink*
I've watched my mom quilt for years and never had an interest to pick up the rotary cutter. Then this year all of a sudden, i see a pretty Kenmore 50 and *bam* i'm piecing together my first quilt. lol It's almost magic seeing how much i've picked up over the years is helping with it. Mom is totally laughing at my attempt too! But she is offering advice on most of my problems. So in the future when i use the good fabric and encounter these problems again at least i know how to fix them.
My seams are messy, i'm totally using the wrong type of fabric (70's polyester) but it's coming along nicely for a first time deal. LOL My reasons for the type of fabric, i found a whole lot of yardage for a really low price of $2 for 4 yards on 4 different colors. I figured i'm going to screw up my first piece anyway might as well not blow mucho $$$$ on the good stuff.
I'm learning how the machine handles and it's 'vibe' like, i found out it has a slight clicking sound when i have it on one of the zig zag levels. I suspect the timing is off a bit there. Also it doesn't like to zigzag sometimes, and ya have to give it a bit of a boost with the hand wheel.
By the way, i'm 34. *wink*
Strange how totally different folks can have parallels in their lives.
Lube your Kenmore with Tri-Flow. Get the oil in every nook and crannie that even looks like it should move. Especially all the articulating parts under the face plate. Old oil can gum up and restrict the movement of the needle bar parts.
Joe
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 613
I took electro contact cleaner to it before is started sewing. It literally melted all the old oil off of it. Then i re oiled anything that moved.
The click sound im hearing is when the needle goes down in to the bobbin casing. It's glancing just off of the, im thinking bobbin shuttle, just as it swings back up after grabbing the thread. It only happens when i go wider in zigzag width. I think level four is the loudest. Level five is nearly as quiet as level one.
Aside from the nearly inaudible clicking. It couldthe just bemeans my earsfumbling lol. The machine is performing splendidly under my fumbling hands. :-)
The click sound im hearing is when the needle goes down in to the bobbin casing. It's glancing just off of the, im thinking bobbin shuttle, just as it swings back up after grabbing the thread. It only happens when i go wider in zigzag width. I think level four is the loudest. Level five is nearly as quiet as level one.
Aside from the nearly inaudible clicking. It couldthe just bemeans my earsfumbling lol. The machine is performing splendidly under my fumbling hands. :-)
#9
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: near Peoria Illinois
Posts: 1,638
Enjoy your 66-16. I love "Hugo". Since it was made for heavy duty sewing in productions, and the serial # is AH, I named this strong armed guy- Hugo. He sews wonderfully thanks to Joe who refurbished him. Love, Love Love the machine.
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