Necchi Miranda

If you've never had the pleasure of sewing with a vintage Necchi machine, I highly recommend it.  It's such a pleasure to use a smooth, light-running, yet strong and fast machine and even for me (I can only create seams), having absolute confidence in a machine helps to gain confidence as a sewer and lets you concentrate on what you're doing.

I don't see many Mirandas.  Once in a while, one will appear on eBay and being a slightly rarer model, the prices are more than I'd like to pay.  If there's one thing I've learned in the few years I've been collecting: be patient -- the one you're looking for will appear at a good price.  Lo and behold, the Seattle Goodwill (a frequent seller of machines) was offering a Miranda in near-mint condition and in the Necchi color I've wanted since I began collecting Necchis: gray.  Such a beautiful shade it is:

It looks like a cross between the Mira and the Nora and included the manual, Necchi-Elna parts catalogue, 6 original Necchi bobbins, and the zig-zag foot which was on the presser bar.  Beautiful thing, isn't it?

The motor is 1.1 amps and includes the Mira's Hi/Lo settings as well as a dedicated light switch independent of the controller or an interlock switch found on many of the era's machines.  The controller's wiring appears to have been replaced at some point, as it's in excellent condition as is the controller itself.  Even the case is in great shape for its age.

As you can see, the length control is a lever with the built-in sympathetic limiters and screw.  In fact, all the stitch controls are very similar to the Mira's except that it appears this machine doesn't take the Wonder Wheel attachment.  However, when looking under the door on top, there is no cam assembly, this being purely an access panel to the drive shaft and center threaded gear.  Odd.

There are at least three versions of the Miranda whose pictures I've seen online.  I wonder if other Mirandas include a cam assembly and drive like the Nora or is that a differentiating feature?  At any rate, this is for all intents and purposes a simple zig-zag machine that is ungodly smooth and fast.

Miranda.  My new girlfriend.  Ain't she a peach?

P.S.  Looking under the machine inside the base of the case, I found the original manual and Necchi-Elna catalogue as mentioned above.  This is always a plus and in this case, a complete surprise as these items weren't mentioned in the listing.

Another item I found is a stamped/addressed envelope containing a repair receipt for a woman whose address is near the area in which my father's mother grew up.  Lo and behold, the addressee has the exact same last name and it's not all that common a Dutch name.  I wonder if the machine we're looking at belonged to a relative of mine.  An interesting and intriguing possibility and one I hope to investigate!