i was planning a nice long piece about my sewing machine and sewing machines in general in preparation for an upcoming post about my first pair of pants. but really, what is there to tell?
here's what i've learned:
1. buy an old one: old machines were built to be used by people who actually did a lot of sewing. they were built with precision and designed to last. if for no other reason, a used machine will be really cheap.
2. buy a heavy one: more metal means less plastic means a stronger machine. with a little effort, i've gotten my 1970's singer touch and sew to sew through multiple layers of webbing.
3. a tune up will set you back, but could be worth it: i ended up spending more to have my machine tuned than i did to buy it. i'm still not sure if that was the best idea, but it sure does run smooth.
i would try to explain how a sewing machine works, as the mechanism is pretty simple, but it takes some serious visuals to get the point across. enter one of my dad's favorite television programs: the secret life of machines. ok, it's one of my favorites, too.
remember to watch the second and third parts. and consider watching the episode about the telephone and the one about the internal combustion engine. they're all great.
(edit: i just found that this picture exists of my old sewing machine, the one i lugged to seattle but was not willing to lug back.)
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