deplaylady

My granddaughter (5 years old) sews with a Singer 128 hand crank (with a needle guard!) I got a Janome Sew Mini for her, it goes a lot slower than a larger machine, but she loves the hand crank. She can really make it move. Oh - it has a seam guide on it too so that helps her line up her material. Oh forgot to add - I bought it for $5 on CL.

nwm50

Why not get one from JoAnn shop for kids for about $40,,,, they have finger guard on them. Small machine but sew easy for kids to use and be safer than an "real" machine

miriam

That machine I showed in the picture does not have a place to put the usual hand crank attachment. The machine does not have a treadle table. It was orphaned I guess you could say. DH built a very simple 4 board box for it to set in. I got the steering wheel spinner at NAPA auto parts. You do have to ask for a "Tractor steering wheel spinner" or "suicide knob" - car wheel spinners are not legal... Anyway it needs to have a spoked wheel like in the picture to fit. I also found other types of spinners at other stores. If you google search you will find other types. The one in the picture seems to be a good substantial knob - it was $8 something. The cheaper knob I found at another store fit another machine better but isn't as nice - the knob from NAPA did not fit the Vindex Special at all. At least if it doesn't fit you can return it. You also can't release the wheel to wind a bobbin very easily. A side winder might come in handy. Normally I would recommend a hand crank attachment but this Singer 66 redeye machine did not have any way to attach one - some do. This did save the machine from the scrap yard though. The machine was all rusted up and in bad shape, too. Little kids can use it to sew holes in paper so the machine gets a new lease on life and little kids can hand crank. A couple advantages over the hand crank attachment. You are turning the wheel in the right direction as if you didn't have a HC and it goes pretty slow. I got the machine for about $7 including tax, etc and the spinner for $8. I also bought a finger guard. I do not have any thing to worry about - they can't hurt the machine. We have a Singer Spartan the older DGD uses and the others will graduate to it some time. I would recommend a clone or a Singer 15 with a big wheel and a HC for a beginner. They are easy to use and maintain. I think I haven't seen a clone that wouldn't take a HC attachment. You might have to buy a spoked wheel. Those run about $15 at sew-classic. The hand crank attachment runs somewhere about the same. The finger guard runs $5. So you have the cost of the machine plus about $35. But they will never outgrow that. I love to sit out in the camp ground and sew under the trees. It is so quiet and relaxing... well until kids show up... So I can loan them the 66 and then use my Singer 99... LOL One last thing. The vindex Special uses a different foot so the Singer finger guard did not work. DH rigged one out of a wire connection and a wire - parts were out of his stash so cost was minimal. We also rigged up an old Franklin. It uses different feet so had to have a finger guard rigged for it, too. The Singer finger guard is pretty nice. The rigged finger guards have their issues but will remind a person to keep their fingers away from the vaccinater.

profannie

Thanks everyone for the comments. Miriam, can't thank you enough for this precise and detailed answer. I happen to have a unused 15-91 that need rewiring, so I will just buy a spoked wheel for it and the rest. My daughter will have the same machine as mommy, she will love it. Will post pictures of it! I think cranking is big part of the fun for a young kid, even if they are sewing with no needle at all in the beginning.

miriam

It can be converted back one day when she is ready!!! Sew-classic has belt guards for now. You can also put an add on motor, cord and foot control on it. I love the 15s for beginners.