I have stopped going to most garage sales so I could get all the "stuff" out of my basement and make room for my sewing room and material. Unfortunately there was a one right across the street, so it was only polite to visit your neighbor's sale, right? I saw nothing of interest until I spotted a sewing machine case under a table.
"Oh, is that a sewing machine?" I innocently inquired. As you can guess, that opened the door for an hour of sewing talk and my eventual purchase of a $12 Singer Golden Touch & Sew machine. Do I need it? No, but I have been visiting all those wonderful blogs where quilters collect machines and name them. I could clean it up and name it Goldie, I reasoned. Does it sew? Well, it runs, but no manual. Anyone who sews should be able to figure out any machine, right? Don't answer that.
It came with enough metal attachments to keep any adventurous quilter busy for weeks. Check out the paraphernalia . . .
Easy to figure out if you have the manual - right! Of course the only manual was for the button hole attachment. Just figures! I check Ebay. Manuals are $16 and up; more than the machine.
"Oh, is that a sewing machine?" I innocently inquired. As you can guess, that opened the door for an hour of sewing talk and my eventual purchase of a $12 Singer Golden Touch & Sew machine. Do I need it? No, but I have been visiting all those wonderful blogs where quilters collect machines and name them. I could clean it up and name it Goldie, I reasoned. Does it sew? Well, it runs, but no manual. Anyone who sews should be able to figure out any machine, right? Don't answer that.
Here is Goldie. Look at all those levers!
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| These could be used for some serious torture! The big attachment that looks like it could crawl is a button hole maker. |
Vintage Sewing Machine Manuals
After another search on the Internet, I found a site that sells vintage sewing machine manuals for $5.00 each. How great is that? It also accepts Pay Pal, so I found the manual for my Goldie and bought it. They downloaded it to my email as a PDF file in less than five minutes. It is clear and easy to read. In fact it is the manual in a scanned form. I would never have figured out how to thread the bobbin without it. You have to jump through two hoops, say three mantras and pull your left ear. Here is the website if you need a sewing machine manual: http://www.mastersewusa.com/index.html
I discovered that the bobbin is actually wound right in the bobbin case.
Sew, I studied the manual and finally filled the bobbin. I spent another hour setting tension and getting thread length and stitches fixed. Now it sews! :)
Did anyone ever sew on a machine like this in the past? Thanks for coming along on my little sewing machine adventure. I think this quote is appropriate for the complexity of Goldie.
"One has to look out for engineers - they begin with sewing machines and end up with the atomic bomb." ~Marcel Pagnot
Goldie is beautiful! Am sew happy she found a good home! Have fun!
ReplyDeleteI love her! I think you found a gem! See you soon!
ReplyDeleteI will bring her down to visit you in October.
DeleteAn excellent find, Goldie is a beauty!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, karen. Yes, I was excited to find her right across the street at a bargain price.
DeleteI had that machine when I was in high school. I made all of my tops and dresses on that machine. Loved the bobbin winding in the machine!
ReplyDeleteCarol
Thanks for stopping by, Carol. I was amazed that the bobbin could wind like that. It looks like Goldie was well taken care of and I plan to use it to sew a quilt in the future.
DeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteHeres an interesting site to find sewing manuals for sewing machines
http://www.sewingmanuals.com.au
Regards
Jeff
The only sewing machine I own is that exact model. My mother bought it when I was in junior high, and eventually she gave it to me. I have the manual and to the best of my knowledge all the accessories. Do I love it? Well.... it works and I own it, so I am content.
ReplyDeleteHow about that! I guess Goldie has a twin sister out there. If it still works well and you can use it to sew, that is the main thing.
DeleteI just got this sewing machine! What settings did you prefer? Thanks for the info!
DeleteHello Rebeca, Thanks for stopping by my blog. I wish I could help you out on settings for this machine, but I have not done much sewing with it yet. Usually I use my Brother machine because it has a 1/4 inch foot for quilting. I would suggest that you just play around with the different stitches and settings to see what works best for you. Where did you find your machine, or was it a gift?
Deletehi glady!
ReplyDeletei just stumbled across this very same model(also 1966 built)yesterday at a thrift store and i bought it, not knowing anything about it. i've been researching since and have heard that it can be problematic with the gears being nylon and apt to break. are you still happy with your machine? i've got oodles of attachments with the one i bought, but no power cord so i dont know how well it works just yet.
thank you!
Thanks for your comment about. I do not sew much with it because I have two other machines, but have heard from other people that it does sew well and is mostly dependable. It would be worth a try if you can find a power cord at a reasonable price.
Deletehi glady - thank you so much for your reply and for visiting my blog! i have not gotten a power cord/foot pedal yet, no. i'm debating whether or not to try and service it myself which would mean buying the cord/pedal on ebay, or bring it to a pro where i could get it cleaned and probably buy the cord/pedal there.
Deletethe broomstick lace was a lot of fun, and i agree it does knit up quickly. thanks again and best wishes - jen
does anyone know how to get the bobbin out of the holder?
ReplyDeleteThe manual says:
ReplyDelete1. Turn hand wheel to raise take-up lever to its highest position.
2. Open slide plate; leave bobbin push-button in sewing position.
3. Raise bobbin latch by inserting fingernail under end of latch at center of bobbin.
4. Insert fingernail under rim of bobbin immediately to right of latch and remove bobbin.
CAN ANYONE SHOW ME WHY OR TELL ME WHY I'VE BEREN SEWING ALL DAY AND NOW THE THREAD UNDERNESTH THEMATERIAL. THE LOOPS ARE GETTING BIGGER.
DeleteI THINK THINK IT'S THE TENSION.
DO I MESS WITH THE BOBBIN DIAL ? THE TOP DIAL THAT IS SHOWING ON THE MACHINE ITSELF??
AND WHICH WAY SHOULD I TURN IT ?
THANKS.
The needle tension dial is above the foot and has numbers. To increase tension, turn to a higher number.
DeleteTo decrease tension, turn to a lower number.
The manual says that the bobbin-thread tension was set at the factory and there should be no need to adjust it. I hope this is helpful.
ReplyDeleteI got my hands on one of these but it has no extra parts at all :( just the basic machine and not even the manual! I am going to attempt to use it and we'll see? Wish me luck! C.
Good luck! You can buy the online manual for $5. Here is the website if you need a sewing machine manual: http://www.mastersewusa.com/index.html
DeleteI learned how to sew on this same machine when I was 9 (1969). It was my Aunt's. When I graduated from high school, she gave it to me. 35 years later I still have it, though I have moved on and bought other machines. I loved this machine. It was top of the line!
ReplyDeleteI have the 620. The sliders on the front will not move to where I can change from a straight stitch. I am guessing it needs oiling, hoping I can find the book so I can try that to see if it helps
DeleteHi Cheryl, Thanks for stopping by my blog. You can find the manual for this machine online. Here is the website: http://www.mastersewusa.com/index.html
DeleteIt cost me $5.00 to download the manual to my computer and it tells how to oil the machine. Hope this helps! Glady
I bought this machine sight unseen yesterday. It is in a desk and is a nice piece of furniture if nothing else. Honestly, it was described to me as better than it is but the more I look at it the more I like it. I suppose I should tell you I know absolutely nothing about sewing or sewing machines. I thought maybe I could learn to hem some jeans and slacks. I was happy to find the manuals are easy to find. I thank you for the link you gave for the $5 manual. I did see the original manual on Ebay for $20. The exact price I paid for the machine, desk and delivery. Thanks for your blog.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome! You got a great deal on the machine and I'm sure that with the manual you can learn some basic sewing. Good luck with your new venture and thanks for stopping by my blog.
ReplyDeleteMy mother just bought this machine for $25. It has all the manuals and a plethora of accessories and cams. Even a Ruffler foot and a Singercraft tool for rugmaking. I'm so excited to get it home and clean it. It's not as pretty as my pink Singer Merritt 2404. But my Merritt only came with a blind stitch cam. So I'm excited to play with the Touch and Sew.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I was excited to find your blog and see someone else with this vintage love in their collection
Hello Melanie, I hope you have fun with your "new" vintage machine. It's good that you have the manuals - that helps a lot! Thanks for stopping by my blog. : )
DeleteI just acquired a Singer Model 620 from my daughter in law, and cannot wait to get the manual & start playing with it. I've sewn several quilt tops on it so far, as well as done a little bit of mending, but have no idea how to use all the attachments and do all the wonderful stitches. I love this machine. I have an old Singer purchased in 1967, that has been so faithful, but has none of the fancy stuff this model 620 has.
ReplyDeleteHello, thanks for stopping by my blog. I have had so many comments about "Goldie" and it seems like this is a popular little machine. Older machines do have more personality. I hope you have fun sewing with your newly acquired machine. You should check out the "Quiltville" Blog. Bonnie Hunter collects old sewing machines. The link is on my blog. Happy sewing and Quilting!
DeleteHello! I just bought one of these exact machines a couple days ago. It is my first sewing machine. I am a novice sewer--I have not sewed since my 7th grade Home Economics class when I made a pillow.
ReplyDeleteI took the machine home, put in a needle, and tried to sew on a scrap piece of fabric. Nothing happened. Or rather, the needle sewed, but the bobbin thread didn't. Upon further inspection, I discovered that the needle thread would not catch the bobbin thread. I decided to try taking out the bobbin and replacing it with an empty one to wind first. I tried that, but the bobbin will not wind.
I have tried re-threading, re-needling, and cleaning the machine. What do you suggest that I do?? I do not want to take it into a repair shop if it is something that I can fix myself at home! Any advice, tips, instructions, etc., would be incredibly welcome.
Thanks in advance,
Cait
Hello Cait, Thanks for stopping by my blog. I read your comment about the Singer machine and have been racking my brain to understand why the bobbin thread didn't catch. I'm really not sure.
DeleteI don't blame you for not wanting to take it to the repair shop, that is usually expensive. Did you get an instruction book with the machine? I downloaded the manual for $5 online. The information on where to order that book is in the blog post. The manual was super helpful to me since this machine has a lot of little quirks.
One other thing I found in the manual was about the throat plate lever. It said to make sure it was in "regular" position for sewing. Also it said to make sure the bobbin has the "wide" side up. I don't know if that would have anything to do with your problems, but thought I'd mention it. I hope you get the machine to sew for you! Let me know if you figure out the problem. Happy Sewing! Glady
I do have the manual and I re-threaded the machine. My boyfriend is good with his hands and with machines; he is going to take a look at it. If that doesn't help, I shall have to resign myself to taking it to a shop.
ReplyDeleteThanks! :)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI used a Singer Golden Touch & Sew many years ago when I was in Grade 7 or 8 Home Ec, plus Mom had one at home.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog. It looks like my post kindled some fond memories for you. Hope you are still sewing!
DeleteI just bought one of these machines with a manual at a flea market for $40. I am excited to dive in and see what she can do :-)
ReplyDeleteThat was a great buy! I believe that the older Singers were built to last and I love the way they sew. I hope you have fun with your "new" machine.
ReplyDeleteGoldie has many great memories for me. My mom received her Goldie as a wedding gift from my dad in 1963. This week I purchased "My Goldie" at an estate sale. I learned to sew on this machine 35 years ago. She's a reliable machine! You cant beat the button hole maker and drop in bobbin! A true winner!
ReplyDeleteHi, glad I found this. I just bought this same machine in a beautiful desk. All accessories came with her too for 10.00. I've been cleaning the gunk off of her and find that the needle goes down Thur the hole in the throat plate then hits something. I am using a new needle. Any ideas/suggestions?
ReplyDeleteHello Trace, It sounds like you got a terrific deal because the desk is probably worth more than you paid. Did you get a machine manual with your sewing machine? If not, in my post there is a link where you can download the manual for this machine for $5. As for the needle hitting something, hopefully the hook is not bent because that would be a job for a repairman. But first, I would suggest cleaning and oiling the machine well. Then make sure the bobbin case is inserted back in correctly. Try it then and see if that works. Good luck.
DeleteYikes, I don't even pay $5 for sewing machine manuals, you can download them for FREE at this site https://www.manualslib.com/manual/1049947/Singer-Touch-And-Sew-638.html Also, I'd be wary of any of the newer Touch & Sew machines that have nylon gears because not IF but WHEN they disintegrate and crumble, they are expensive to replace. Earlier models have metal gears and are excellent machines, but all Touch & Sews are not created equal.
ReplyDeleteI too have a “Goldie”. She was found in a house my parents flip back in 1979. She has been reliable since her initial & subsequent tune ups.
ReplyDeleteMy patents bought me a 620 Golden Touch and sew after I won a sewing contest after taking lessons at a Singer store. I think I was 12. That machine served me well for many years until I took it into a repair shop. That man kept my machine for nearly a year! I called him and he always told me he was waiting on a part. I got tired of waiting and went to the shop with my 4 year old daughter. I demanded he give me my machine and he said the parts were all spread out. I said I didn’t care ; just give it to me. I was not leaving without my machine. He called the police. They came and said there was nothing they could do and advised me to go to small claims court. I was forced to leave. I was so traumatized by the experience I never went back. To this day I regret not getting my machine. I loved it so much. Hope you are enjoying your machine!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, I no longer have the 620 Golden Touch machine either. I'm sorry to bring back these sad memories of your machine. I hope you have found a new machine to use and love. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHi Glady! I just picked up my Goldie 620 at Goodwill. I don't have many accessories but it has the basics. The real bummer is no foot controller/power cord! Everywhere I look the cords don't seem to fit. Any idea where I can find one?
ReplyDelete