In honour of Sewing Machine Day on June 13, I am happy to share with you one of my favourite memories of a really, really good day when we visited a Sewing Machine Museum (I first wrote about it here). The museum owners, Carl and Joan Koenig emailed to ask if I might be interested in a visit to their little place. Hmmm…let me think about that….YES! of COURSE I was interested!
Carl amassed one of the largest private sewing machines collections in the world, which he collected over his lifetime and lovingly restored. In 1992, he opened a dedicated museum by the same name at his country home to showcase his collection of over 350 restored vintage and antique machines. Following his passing in 2021, many of the prized pieces from the Sew it Was collection were offered at public auctions. However, I am very grateful we got to see his amazing collection in 2014.
Anyone who is connected to the needle trades will likely recognize some of these fascinating beauties. It will take you back to the years before cell phones, and computerized sewing machines.
The house is tucked away so you can’t really see it from the road, but the first view was impressive.
Our first view of Carl’s collection was in an antique display case in the back foyer. Here were miniature sewing machines (some for young girls, but also some miniatures). Sewing machine companies reasoned that if a child was happy sewing on their own small sewing machine – she would buy one as an adult. Umm…yep, that’s good reasoning. That’s certainly true in my case.
There was even a very rare 1866 version of a CANADIAN made machine by G.W. Gates Company out of Toronto! The whole thing was about 10″ (25 cm) long. It is a hand crank, capable of sewing a chain stitch. Yes, it still works!
Here’s a Moldacot machine (Germany) made for travelling. When people traveled in the late 1800s and early 1900s, they often went for many months at a time, so having a sewing machine along was a must. This one takes very little space.
These little darlings were in their own display case. All of these circular looking machines were either a single thread chain stitch or a two thread chain stitch.
Collectors often collect anything that closely resembles the object of their attention. In this case, this sewing machine is actually….can you guess? It’s a wine bottle! It pours from the thread spool!
We moved along to the front foyer. Machines are tucked in spaces everywhere, but yet, nothing looks crowded or out of place. Look at the detail in the wood working on this sewing machine case!
It opens up to be a very practical sewing area, with room for the feet on the treadle inside!
Then we went downstairs to the real display rooms! In the stairwell was a quilt with machines embroidered on them using the chain stitch machines. The Blackwork style stitching was done so the chain stitch shows on the right side of the fabric.
A picture of the MAN himself, Isaac Merritt Singer. He was originally from Germany and shortened his name to Singer from…Kissinger. He was a Shakespearean actor in his early life. Who knew? He had 5 wives in his lifetime, and 29 children. It was good to hear that he was financially responsible for all 29. No deadbeat dad there!
Along the hallway to the display rooms, there are vintage advertisements for machines in wooden frames. Look at the ad for this Elna!
This one is near and dear to my heart. I bought this Singer Golden Touch & Sew in 1972, as a university graduation gift for myself. I remember it was housed in a pecan wood cabinet. Total cost…$900, a HUGE sum in the day.
Here is one of the display rooms, with over 30 machines inside!
Elias Howe made sewing machines too, and he even put his own portrait on each one. Look at the mother-of-pearl inlay work!
Another quilt with embroidered sewing machines hangs on the wall. At Sew it Was, everything in the house is somehow sewing machine related! That’s part of Rebecca in the photo. I guess I wasn’t fast enough with the camera!
In the second display room, we saw even more machines! Here was a Necchi made in Italy starting in 1922. Sophia Loren (Italy’s most famous daughter) was featured in the company advertising in 1959!
This machine was the machine that started it all for Carl. This is the same machine that his mother owned and she let him sew on it in 1952 in Germany when he was just five years old. He knew then that sewing would be his life’s work.
This is a very rare machine. They know of only 4 in existence, so I feel fortunate that we were able to have this one in Canada! This is a Wanzer, in manufacture from 1859-1890.
What I liked best about the Wanzer was the little foot shaped treadle! I felt right at home as mine were the only feet that fit into the 8″ (20 cm) foot spaces!
What a wonderful place to absorb all this history! Carl and Joan at Sew it Was couldn’t have made us feel any more welcome. I feel blessed to have been invited to their home and take this walk down memory lane! Sadly Carl passed in 2021 but his contributions to the history of the sewing machine is a glorious legacy.
Happy Sewing Machine Day, Carl, and may your bobbins always be full!
