# Time You All Meet Ole Betsy Girl by "Oldmiser"



## oldmiser (Jan 22, 2014)

Yup she's a real beauty..I got this Old Vintage 1941 Singer 66 Hand Crank Sewing Machine

at a old country auction...Pretty sad shape when I got it..I spent over a month on complete

tear down & restored it back to working order..I found some singer factory manuals on line..

3 or 4 places for parts for vintage sewing machines....I can up-grade to a 1.5 amp motor & foot

control...that is 3 times the power they came with..most singers only had .5 amp motors....

This is a straight stitch only....Flat bed table....not like your newer machines with a open arm...

I seen a couple of those computerize sewing machine's...crazy price's...some well over 4,000$USD

I don't need fancy machine or even electric power...

This old vintage 1941 singer is a pure work horse..it will sew any material you throw at it....

cotton..Linen..wool..canvas..nylon webbing..tool leather..denium..(blue jeans)....In fact I went thru

12 folds of denium..walked right thru it....6 fold of leather.......

I am real happy with this machine...I have had a few small sewing projects I needed to do..& was not

about to do them by hand....

Now I tell ya I never made a bag before let alone messed with a zipper......

Today I took apair of old blue jeans apart for the material & zipper.....I have a small bag for my tablet

that has a zipper pocket..so I studied how that was put together(short of taking the bag apart)..

I got if sorted out..Plus I wanted too have a liner as well...

I had to make the strap..no D-rings or slides too use..

When I got it all finished I waterproofed the bag..the old fashioned way..like the sailor's did in

the 1800 hundred's..for the hats & jackets......

So the little bag I call the Day Tripper...zip pocket for ammo..big pouch for extra shooter & couple of band sets... it's small 6" x 7"....Just right tho for a single outting....I plan on a bigger bag like

a messenger bag out of brown duck canvas.....

I am right proud of my self..Thanks for taking a look at old Betsy Girl.......~AKAOldmiser


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## Btoon84 (Nov 22, 2011)

awesome! I have a fondess for old sewing machines  thanks for sharing! nice little bag too


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## ghost0311/8541 (Jan 6, 2013)

That bag looks really good I like to get a sewing machine one day.


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## Aries666 (Feb 22, 2014)

They both look great. Thats awesome, using ancient things to make modern stuff.


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## GrayWolf (May 14, 2012)

What a great machine! Something to sew leather would be very nice to have. I'm sure you will put it to good use, that's for sure!

Todd


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## Imperial (Feb 9, 2011)

my mother has two of those machines. i had to fix one of them for her about 2 years ago. them things are work horses.


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## rockslinger (Nov 16, 2010)

Nice machine OM!

Nice job on the bag as well!


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## Pilgrim (May 3, 2014)

Love it! Great day bag!


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## oldmiser (Jan 22, 2014)

Thank you my friends for the kind words..I love this little machine....I will have too see what I have for old blue jeans..

I haven't worn in many years....As I only wear bibs......That little day Bag seems about right..I may make up a couple more

Thanks again my friends......."Oldmiser"


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## Hoss (Jun 3, 2014)

Looks great, I have two of them. One was my grandmothers and the other one was my wifes grandmothers.


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## oldmiser (Jan 22, 2014)

Well my friends I made a bigger bag..that is 8"x8" the one on the right..with a special flower liner & lace trim..& zipper pocket

of course this is for a lady..For her own personal shooting bag...so it has to be different...

The bag on the Left is the smaller day bag 6"x6".. with a zipper pocket...no trim or any logo just a simple looking bag..

I may do some thing with a logo later as a trade mark for "Oldmisers Blue Jean Bags"..For now just some thoughts...

if not Blue Jean Bags the May a Olive Drab Bag...could even be camo.....

I am not sure what I will do..if going to make the bags or not...or even to sell them in the for sale section..or use as a give away

would like suggestions for say colour & maybe a standard size...with a zip pocket or with out.....

thank you for taking a look at the bags & what oldmiser has been doing..................OM


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## Lee Silva (Feb 9, 2013)

Blacksmith by day, Seamstress... I mean Seamster(like teamster) by night? Who would have known?!?!? You are indeed , quite the renaissance man, my good friend Miser! Love the bag! I think it'd be even better in that brown or olive canvas though! Great job on the machine! Do you crank and feed at the same time? That's gotta take some practice! Wow

Hey! When you said that you waterproofed like the old sailors did, does this mean you oiled or waxed it? Oh! One more thing...... Who's the gal, buddy? Does the Old Miser have a special shooting partner in need of a handy high-fashion satchel?!?!?! Hmmmm?


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## oldmiser (Jan 22, 2014)

Well Lee my friend..First there is No Lady for old miser..

I just wanted to use some old blue jeans I had boxed up to make good use of..Figured there should be

a little fancy trim for a ladies bag,,,

Now as to the Machine...it is a straight stitch only..so you have too move the material around to make your seams

Flat bed table...(no open arm)..Yes you feed the material plus turn the crank to make the stitch...

As to the Waterproofing..the was old sea dawgs done it in the 1800's..back then they use sail cloth to make pants,,jackets

hats...They used Tallow or whale oil ..working it in to the cloth....

Todays ways most are a spray type repellent..won't last long..the first of the 1900's they used duck cloth or light canvas too

make hunting & brush pants..double sewed the front with a extra layer of material...for a waterproof treatment they used

Otter wax...rubbed in to the cloth & heated..they did this 4 times... rubbed in the wax..heat it to melt..let cool down cold to touch..repete until you have done this 4 times

I use some thing close to that..old family recipe handed down ..still have to treat 4 times......

Now as to washing the pants or jacket....use cold water & ivory flakes.....you have to hang & let air dry..then treat it again

4 times..........you can stand in a down pour & not get wet....Hope this answer's your questions........OM


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

I too have a weakness for old sewing machines. I grew up using my mother's old treadle machine. I bought an apartment sized Singer treadle at a second hand store a few years ago and refurbished it ... then gave it to a girl friend. Quite a few years ago I bought an industrial sized, but "portable" Singer hand crank machine, which I really love. It was manufactured in 1950.









I picked up an antique desk which serves as my sewing table. I keep the machine on the desk in my bedroom. That "suitcase" to the left of the desk on the floor is the case for the sewing machine. Here it is from the top.









I also have an old hand cranked Royal York machine, but have not been able to find very much information about it on line.









I bought it for $39 at a second hand store. I saw one being sold on-line for $3500 !!! Although it has a hand crank, it also has a light attached at the back ... probably an add-on. It seems to have been a brand distributed in Canada for a few years. I know Singer made machines for a lot of companies that were sold under different names, but this one has a few peculiarities which make me think it may not be a Singer. Here is the heavily engraved face of the machine, and you will note the placement of the tension adjustment, which is quite different from the Singers I have seen.









At any rate, I have used my Singer hand crank machine to do most everything. As noted by OM, it will sew anything ... leather, canvas, denim, bamboo floor mats, etc. I have used it to make denim vests from old jeans, various bags and pouches from leather and denim, a leather cover with pockets for a notebook, dog harnesses, dog beds, sleeping bag sheets, handkerchiefs, etc. I also use it to repair leather sandals, holes in my pants and shirts ... in short for just about everything.

In addition to these two, I also have two Singer Featherweight machines ... Why two??? I cannot resist them if I see them in second hand stores.

There is nothing quite like being able to make and repair your own stuff. If you do not have one, I urge you to get an old Singer hand cranked machine and learn to sew ... it is not hard to do decent work ... it does require a lot of practice and talent to do really good work. I am pretty slap-dash about my sewing, but I get the job done.

Cheers .... Charles


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