Jen's Embroidery Designs

My sister picked it up at a yard sale for around $10, back when I first started collecting machines. It was dirty and seized, with a few rust spots here and there on the chrome, but it came with a full set of attachments and a nice cabinet, so the price seemed right, even though this isn't a rare machine.

At first, I wasn't entirely sure I could get it working; in addition to the bits of rust and other signs of neglect, the wiring to the motor was a bit iffy. I cleaned it up and polished off the rust, and I lubricated it and got it turning again. Then I replaced the original motor with a new motor, just so I could try it out (I'll get around to rewiring the original one one of these days).

I had to fiddle with the tensioner a bit -- it's a little odd -- but the machine is sewing beautifully now, and I've made a couple of projects on it.

Both the Singer 15 and the various "clones" are common finds at yard sales and thrift shops, in part because so many of them were produced. Some are colorful and sleek, but others -- like this one -- have the classic lines and appearance of the original Singer 15.

These vintage machines don't have the bells and whistles of modern machines, but there are good reasons why many quilters and crafters prefer sewing on them. My late dear friend Donna used to haul her mother's old Singer 15 with her to quilting classes, preferring it to any of the newer machines she tried. Those modern machines were lighter to carry, but Donna swore that none of them could match the stitch quality of her trusty 15.

Like the other C877 machines I've featured, this one is badged Kenmore, but it's one of those imported directly by the Canadian retailer Simpsons-Sears, I'd guess sometime in the 1950s. It's a low-shank straight-stitcher, and features a drop-feed knob and the extra lift in the presser foot that makes it easy to insert and remove thicker materials. The reverse function is a push-button rather than the lever preferred by Singer and by several of the other imports.

Interestingly, unlike most of the imported 15-class machines, this one has its tension knob on the left end of the machine, like the original Model 15, rather than on the front of the head. That's partly why I'm dating it to the early 50s.

This beautiful machine is ruggedly made, and like all the imports of the period was built to last a lifetime and to handle most household sewing tasks. It will sew through just about anything you can fit under the presser foot, from denim to silk. It's also super simple to operate with no complicated controls, and easy to maintain, so would be a great machine for a beginner.

You often see these post-war machines advertised on ebay and elsewhere as "industrial strength". This is nonsense. Though they are more robust than the plastic machines sold cheaply today, these are domestic machines, made for home sewing of clothing, quilts, and other household items. They will tackle curtains and slipcovers, but they were not designed or intended to sew horse blankets, sails, or belt leather. People who tell you otherwise are either misinformed or deliberately misleading. Be skeptical of any ad that describes one of these machines as "industrial" or "heavy duty".

If half decently looked after, these machines will give another lifetime of service. This one is well over 60 years old, and is still sewing perfectly. I like to imagine that, in another 60 years, someone else will be marveling at its elegance and durability.

I'm finally finished packing away all the Christmas decor, so it's time to turn my attention to the projects I've got lined up for next year. That's the best thing about the Covid lockdown: there's no excuse to put off those craft projects.
My new year's resolution is to get back on a sensible eating program after months of stuffing myself with treats during quarantine. I'm hoping to take off the weight I gained over the past year, but also to address the issues I've been having with arthritis pain. Wish me luck!

I've lately been alternating between Hightail and WeTransfer, both of which are utilities for sending large files. If you order designs you'll receive my e-mail via one of these services.
If you have ordered some designs and have not had a response me within 24 hours, it means there's a glitch somewhere, so please please LET ME KNOW! If I don't hear from you I won't know that my message didn't make it through, so please just send a quick e-mail to say you didn't get the designs, and I will make it right or issue a refund.
For some reason, my Yahoo account doesn't seem able to send messages to AOL accounts, and a few other non-standard addresses, although I am able to *receive* messages from those accounts. However, messages sent via Hightail can get through when my Yahoo ones don't, so if you have ordered, please watch for a message from me coming via my Hightail account. If more than a day goes by and you do not have any response from me, and there's nothing in your spam folder, please do send me a note to let me know your designs haven't arrived. I'll do my best to get the designs to you, but if I can't get them through, I will refund your payment.
Iif you happen to notice any missing images on the site, I'd love to hear about them, as Yola occasionally deletes them for some reason. Just let me know which pages seem to be missing images and I'll make the repairs.
If you've ever wondered what size of design you should purchase for your project, you might want to check out this discussion of how to make a paper template to try a design against your work, even if you don't yet own the design.
If you're confused about the ordering process and would like more information, there are instructions here; if you're curious about why it's set up the way it is, you can read a bit of the history at length here.
When sending me your list of designs, please be sure to state the name of the design you want exactly as it appears on the site, in order to avoid confusion when I'm filling your order. Because these are electronic products, I won't be able to replace a design if I send the wrong one because the name was incorrectly stated!
Very rarely, Paypal fails to send me confirmation of an order, and if that happens I may not realize that something is amiss. If you place an order and don't hear anything from me within a few hours, please do let me know and I'll make it right.
I have updated the instructions for turning just about any embroidery design into an ornament, either felt-backed or embroidered on both sides. Find these new instructions here.

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