I found this on CL advertised for $10. It's a Necchi with a nearly complete set of original attachments all in an original case. For $10. How could I not buy it?
It shows a lot of wear and tear but it runs phenomenally well: smooth, light, and strong. I've cleaned and polished it as best I could but this is one machine that wears its battle scars proudly and the attachments box is chipped and broken, probably from too many trips to the floor.
The seller wanted it all gone and was surprised that I, a male, was interested in learning to sew. Yep, I'm still in the 'interested in learning to sew' phase. What will it take for me to actually put these machines to use -- the apocalypse? Worldwide underwear shortage? Still, I was surprised by her incredulity. Is it not 2017 when gender roles aren't so rigidly defined? Is she aware that in the early part of the last century, many men were avid sewers in factories and as home-based tailors and alterers? OK, I digress rhetorically. She was a doofus. Nice, but ignorant -- enough to charge only ten smackers for a lovely machine I don't yet own.
One nice thing about a cosmetically-challenged machine is that the user doesn't have to worry about keeping a collectible-level machine pristine or sitting in a glass case somewhere where its inner beauty (gears, shafts, bolts and the like) isn't appreciated. This is a machine to be used with gusto. And that's Italian.
Now we have twins!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful Machine. Necchis operate quiet, yet have super stitching power. I have a BU that weighs a ton.
ReplyDeleteI have one exactly like yours. I learned to sew on it and I've been using it for 50 years. Its a 1958 model that my mom had. If you ever want to sell yours, please let me be the first you offer it to.
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