Furoshiki 2

     Som sagt, døde min trofaste symaskine eller rettere den døde næsten. Hvis man kilder den det rigtige sted og holder på den helt korrekte måde, så virker den. Derfor bliver den da heller ikke afskaffet foreløbigt. Men hvad nu med mit halvvejs sømmede furoshiki, de lagener der skulle sys ... og alt det andet.
     Så gravede jeg en anden elektrisk maskine frem, som jeg ikke rigtig ved, hvor kommer fra, Den virkede god og solid, men så ... da også, spoleholderen sad ikke rigtigt i, og ville slet ikke gå i hak. Som en sidste udvej fandt jeg en tredje maskine frem. En gammel håndsymaskine, som jeg havde fået af min mor der havde købt den på et loppemarked - ikke fordi hun havde brug for den, men bare fordi hun syntes den var flot. Det synes jeg også da jeg fandt den frem. Den var jo næsten ny! Det var intet problem at træde den, hverken over- eller unedertråd voldte problemer - og mindede mig om min barndoms hyggelige trædesymaskiner. Men den kunne bare næsten ikke dreje rundt.

- o O o - 

Well as said, the old sewing machine died, or rather almost died. If you tickle it in the exactly right place, and then pull just so .. on the fabric it still sews. So even if it's not ready to be thrown out it was too testing for MotherOwl's patience to sew on with it. 

But ... MotherOwl was hemming a furoshiki, we're almost out of bed sheets, and, and, and. As always MotherOwl has many projects, it seems most half of them involve sewing. 

MotherOwl said. Hah, I have another one. It was just as old, bigger, and more unwieldy but sturdy looking. Everything seemed A-OK until threading the bobbin. The bobbin case was not in its rigth place, and no amount of tickling, tugging, screwing, or harsh words did help any. It did not go in! 

Well I have one last resort MotherOwl thought. GrannyOwl bought an old hand operated sewing machine in a second hand shop. Not because she needed it, but because it was beautiful. MotherOwl thougth the same, and as she said so, GrannyOwl gave the sewing machine to MotherOwl - not that she needed it either, just for the looks. 

Well now it was dug out of its mock crocodile case. It looked almost new, not a trace of wear on it. Threading was no problem, it even reminded me of my granny's old treadle machine, but then ... it would almost not turn. 

• Her er vidunderet. 
• Here's the good old sewing machine

      Åh, ok, tænkte Uglemor. Den har stået i måske 50 år, den trænger nok til at blive renset og smurt. Uglemor fandt en instruktionsbog på nettet og rensede symaskinen for den smule fnuller og et par løse tråde, først indeni, så nede ved spolen, og til allersidst under bunden. Så smurte hun alt, der rørte sig og de anviste huller. Så kørte maskinen, og efter et par minutter uden tråd kørte den som en drøm. Herligt! Nu skal der sys!

     Lidt efterforskning på nettet har dateret symaskinen til 1953-1954 og fremstillet i Clydebank.  Så jo, 50 år i hi var nok ikke over målet. 
     Der er for mig noget Lille hus på prærien-agtigt over den her maskine.  Jeg forestiller mig en ung kone, der køber sådan en efter at have sparet sammen et stykke tid. Og så bliver den brugt til at sy kjoler og dragter til børnene, skjorter og bukser til manden, lagener, duge, viskestykker og sengetøj. Og alt sammen uden at den nogensinde mere ser en reparatør, men som der står i manualen: "Symanskiner kræver daglig rengøring og smøring, hvis de bruges kontinuerligt. Ved moderat brug - et par timer om dagen - rækker det at rense og smøre en til to gange om ugen." Uglemors brug kan vist knapt betegnes som moderat, så en ugentlig omgang smurt og renset rækker nok. 

 - o O o -

 Oh well, MotherOwl thought to herself. It's been inside this box for like 50 years. It might need a cleaning and some oil. A manual was found somewhere in the internet. It was not that dirty, but a small amount of lint and an old thread ot two were removed from underneath the machine. MotherOwl oiled liberally behind the face plate, in all relevant holes and underneath, in short all movable parts. Then slowly it turned, and after five minutes of sewing with no thread, it ran just like new.  Wonderful! Now the furoshiki, the sheets and all the other projects will be finished after all.

A bit of reading of internet pages told that this machine (a 99K) was made in Clydebank, in either 1953 or 1954, so my 50 years were not that wrong.
This sewing machine reminds me of pioneer life. You bought this machine as a young wife after saving for a time, but then it just did its job for the rest of your life, sewing dresses for your daughters, shirts and trousers for your sons, linen, curtains, tablecloths, in short all things fabric-y, without more than a drop of oil. As the manual states: "Sewing Machines require cleaning and oiling daily if they are used continuously. If used moderately - a few hours per day - it is sufficient to oil and clean once or twice a week." MotherOwl's use of this wonder, can best be described as modest. Oiling once a week must suffice.