The Other Woman.

Most (all?) of you know that I do all of my quilting on a 1953 Model 15-91 Singer I've named Agatha. I adore my Agatha something fierce, especially since she was my husband's grandmother's.

But Friends, there just might be another woman in my life. No, I don't have a new machine. I have a new old machine.

This is Gertrude. You met her some time ago, but she didn't come to live with me until quite recently. I have found out that she is in fact operational, and that she is a Singer Model 99, which is the 3/4 version of the Model 66. I read somewhere that she sold in the UK for a little over 6£ when she was first introduced. Six£. Wow.

When I originally acquired Gertrude more than a year ago (thanks again, Daddy!) I was unable to get her from my home in the southwest to my midwest abode. But during a recent visit from my wonderful father (I'm not just saying that--he really is one of my favorite people EVER) he surprised me because he had brought Gertrude with him! (And then proceeded to cook me a gallon of his famous spaghetti sauce, which is waiting politely in my freezer for me to devour it.)

After having her serviced, I was able to bring her home, where she sat for a couple of weeks untouched because Fava decided to make his appearance, and I was a little preoccupied with mommy stuff. But I decided to take Gertrude out for a photo shoot the other day.

Except, I couldn't get her case opened.

Sooooo...here's a pic of the spot where you attach Gertrude's knee lever. I had grand plans for a great reveal, but let's be honest--who knows when that's going to happen?

I think the guy that serviced her accidentally kept the screwdriver I used to open her. And the screwdriver I use for Agatha (a full-size Singer) is too big. I'm going to have Mr. Audrey take a look at it, and if he can't figure it out, I'll have to visit the vacuum/sewing repair shop again. Hopefully I'll have some delicious photos of her soon. And I'd really like to actually sew with her, you know? Not because Agatha can't get the job done--she is practically perfect in my eyes--but because of the novelty. Sewing on a machine from the 20s? Yep, that's pretty freakin' cool.

Gertrude.

Friends, this is Gertrude, Agatha's new best friend. *Squee!*

She was commissioned in 1927, and she is awesome and amazing and fabulous. Gertrude belonged to my great grandmother and was passed from my grandmother (and namesake) to my father. On our trip back home, I happened to stop at my dad's house and spotted a familiar wooden Singer case. Apparently, my father has had Gertrude since I was a baby, but he conveniently forgot to mention her existence until I spotted her lovely wooden case. Thankfully, my daddy's a nice guy, and he knew Gertrude would be happier with me.

Gertrude isn't a treadle machine, but she doesn't have a foot pedal. She is operated by a knee lever, which I had never seen before. I heard a rumor that only 15,000 of this type of Singer were made, but that's a rumor, folks, though wouldn't it be super amazing if it was true? 

Isn't she amazing? I can't wait to do some further investigation and see if she's operational!