The Wee Red Beastie

I've been reading M. C. Beaton's Hamish Macbeth novels about an easygoing policeman stationed in northwest Scotland, the Highlands. The plots aren't bad and there are lots of quirky characters. The local dialect is infectious though. Hence, when it came time to name this restored and repainted Singer 201, The Wee Red Beastie came to mind and it stuck.

It is a beast, because I have upgraded the motor, hand wheel and controller from a much newer and more powerful machine. It will sew pretty much anything you can shove under it's presser foot. But it's red and white colors, I think, make it a too cheerful and friendly machine, to really qualify for the title of Beast...... So it's the Wee Red Beastie!

Truth In Advertising

So, I found this "Electronic" JC Penny sewing machine going cheap in a thrift store. I've never had an electronic machine before and I was curious. So, I forked over my $24.99 plus tax, and headed home all excited about leaning about electronic sewing machines.

 I plugged it in and a whole bunch of lights came on and when I pushed the pedal down, things started to move like they should. This is good, I thought, now let's see how this baby works. Popped the top cover off and had a good look inside. What I see is standard mechanical sewing machine. In fact, I recognize some of those mechanical parts. I saw them the day before on a Kenmore sewing machine. Much like my befuddled Pfaff, This is a JC Penny branded Janome.

So what makes it an "Electronic" sewing machine? Well, they hooked the mechanical switch selector knob to a multi-position electrical switch. So for every stitch position you select, a different set of lights come on. Apparently, the addition of a switch and some LEDs on a circuit board, catapults this machine into the 21st century and a higher price range...

Grrrrrrr!

CAST IRON

 Have you ever wondered why vintage Singers are still sewing half a century or more since they were built?
I was at my local sewing center picking up some leather needles the other day and came across some cutaway modern sewing machine displays. The were made of cast aluminum, intelligently designed, and won't be sewing in 50 years. They aren't rigid enough, because they weren't designed for farm use in the 1880's, and they aren't made out cast iron.

The Befuddled Pfaff

 Spare a little sympathy please. This a befuddled sewing machine and it's suffering an identity crisis!

It is badged Beaumark, but it's a Pfaff. It's a Pfaff from the unique type L bobbins to the "Made in West Germany" label on it. But it says Beaumark on it. How can it be a Pfaff?  Well, that's an interesting story.

Beaumark, now defunct, was a Canadian appliance company that sold a whole range of large and small household appliances in places like the Hudson's Bay stores. I remember buying a Beaumark blender from one in the 1980's. Beaumark didn't make those appliances though. They bought them from other companies and had their names put on them. They bought their sewing machines from Pfaff, just like Sears had their Kenmore sewing machines made by Janome and other companies.

I think it would be much happier if it could just find a new home and do some sewing. It's confusing history could be forgotten and it's capabilities could shine  forth!