![\"elna-manual\"](\"http:\/\/www.angela.is\/erdbeerblau\/wp-content\/uploads\/elna-manual.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nAfter a few months of randomly looking at vintage sewing machines, I happend to find this old, mint green Elna supermatic on the Internet. It was quite cheap, it was in good condition and came with a lot of accessoires. So I had to find a way to get it.<\/p>\n
The old thing was not a city dweller \u2013 it had spent it’s first life in a cozy village at the end of the world. I had to send some people I know (and their parents that live very close to the end of the world) on a quest to test-drive and eventually purchase it for me. But my plan worked out just like I had imagined*. It’s here now.<\/p>\n
And apparently, it’s name – her name – is Eleonore now:<\/p>\n
Here she is. And she even matches my decorating. Or rather \u2026 She exactly fits into my overall colour scheme. And she feels lovely. All metal, and really heavy.<\/p>\n She came with the original box and a few instruction booklets that I did not take any pictures of. I did, however, take pictures of everything else. Lots of pictures:<\/p>\n I love how the toolbox just slides underneath the bed here. It’s such an elegant solution.<\/p>\n The lid of the toolbox was the only part that was a bit unhappy when it got here. But I was able to find all the parts (erm) and glue it back together with two-part epoxy. While it’s still visible – and I am not completely sure epoxy is the right kind of glue for the material – it works for now.<\/p>\n Totally legitimate attempt at keeping everything from falling apart while the glue was drying.<\/p>\n But now for the stitching! Yay, stitching! This is what it did when I first got it, even before I took it apart to clean and oil it:<\/p>\n Of course it was in the middle of the night, so the light is horrible. But it was working right from the beginning :)<\/p>\n Using the knee lever for the first time was interesting, but not as hard as I had feared. I need to work on keeping a more consistent speed and generally getting more control over what I’m doing would not hurt \u2026 But for a first try it was alright.<\/p>\n And now to the accessories:<\/p>\n It came with two extra stitch plates, a bunch of feet and feed dog covers, and all the original tools such as the brush, seam ripper and screw drivers. And loads of bobbins.<\/p>\n Eleonore also came with 26 different stitch cams.<\/p>\n The Elna Supermatic uses what they call Elna Disks for everything that is not a straight stitch: Single-layer cams for stitches that only need to move the needle left and right (Up to #36 on my sample), and double-layer cams for the more complex stitch patterns that additionally use both forward and backwards movements.<\/p>\n After inspecting everything that came with the machine and reading the manual, I also made a sample piece to try out all the stitch cams:<\/p>\n And here it is: All the stitches:<\/p>\n After the test drive, I also took the machine apart as far as I could. I did some cleaning and oiling and I also got rid of a colony of dead moths that ended (up) inside the machine. Yum.<\/p>\n She is so shiny and pretty now :)<\/p>\n Now I just have to find a new project to play with! It’s been a while \u2026 For a number of health and related reasons, I did not have the energy or motivation to sew much in these last few monts. But I really hope that the spring sun will change that sooner rather than later**.<\/p>\n *Insert evil laughter. **Yes I am aware that it’s snowing again, and it’s freezing. But one can hope for a bit of sunshine, right? It’s almost may -.-<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I have a new sewing machine. Actually, I have an very old, but new-to-me sewing machine! Maybe a bit of background information: I have always wanted to get an old sewing machine with those fun little stitch cams. And I … Continue reading <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nNo, seriously. A big thank you to the people who live very close to the the end of the world.<\/p>\n