Monday, 29 August 2011

Elna days in the garage....

We spent some time at the end of July working on some Elna sewing machines in the garage and getting them up and running. It took a little bit to get used to sewing on these since they have a knee bar control instead of a food pedal. Then when I went back to sewing on my Singers, I kept trying to push the non-existent knee bar :-). First they go to Jake's side of the garage to get a complete cleaning, oiling and testing:

Then I get the fun job of testing them on an actual project. I take a small piecing project into the garage since it's not very clean in there :-). I worked on a One Block Wonder quilt I'm making for my son and future daughter in law for their bed:

The case of this machine opens up flat and there is a cut out (where the latch closes) which slides right over the free arm of the machine forming a large sewing surface. It is very smooth, so the fabric slides nicely over it:

Check out the perfect stitch:

A great machine dating back to the late 1940's. When we first started collecting sewing machines, we missed a few of these as they look like ammunition boxes when the case is closed.

These machines are nicknamed the "Grasshopper" with the green colour and the position of the knee bar when it's ready to put into the case :-).

This is a later Supermatic that takes decorative cams making some lovely embroidery stitches. The earlier Supermatics were green or beige. These blue versions were a little later:



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6 comments:

  1. Brenda29 August 2011 at 15:48

    they are all lovely, especially the Grasshopper. I have a newer 1970 vintage Elna with a case that converts into a sewing table.

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  2. cockermom8 September 2011 at 17:42

    These look like fun machines! I especially like the case conversion into a table, I have never seen that!

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  3. Teresa18 September 2011 at 00:01

    So glad to see you rescue a grasshopper. I have a green Supramatic that is amazing. It even has the little steel covers for over the feed dogs for darning or -- free motion quilting! And they do hum along don't they? Not a rattle to be heard.

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  4. Myra21 November 2011 at 12:02

    What an interesting set up for that green Elna. Never seen such! Thanks for sharing!

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  5. Unknown28 April 2015 at 11:23

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  6. Unknown28 April 2015 at 11:25

    I just came across your blog on the grasshopper. I have one and I love it!
    I do love the knee control and quickly acclimated to it since the first machine I sewed on was a White with knee control.

    Do you or your husband have any thoughts on how I can convert it to a treadle?

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