Thursday 12 January 2012

Living with the Domestic Goddess

The instruction manual
When the Domestic Goddess arrived it was siezed up.  The crank handle would turn, but that was it.

So the first job I had to do was consult the instruction manual.  The manual was sitting in the case in prestine condtion.

We all talk about the beauty of a Singer sewing machine, but the instruction manual is a thing of beauty too.  Not for any ornate pictures but for its simplicity.  Ikea clearly took the idea from Singer - there is not a single word in the book yet the instructions are clear.  By contrast my Pfaff instruction manual is 85 pages long and is written in 4 languages.

So my first task was to find the page about oiling the machine.  This time roles were reversed.  My Pfaff machine needs one picture to show me the one place I must oil it. The Singer requires 4 pages and I genuinely cannot tell you how many places I need to oil.
This is how many places under the Singer need oiling.
Last night I got the newly fixed Pfaff out, but somehow it just didn't give me the 'feel' that I wanted with free motion embroidery so I think the the Domestic Goddess is staying (although it might get re-named Big Bertha!).

4 comments:

  1. There is nothing quite so satisfying to read about than a woman with her machines!! You don't get the quiet "shoosh" with an electric machine either!! LOL!

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  2. I would love a hand turn singer sewing machine. i asked my mum at Christmas if I could have her one, but she wouldn't part with it! But you have inspired me to go and oil my electric one!
    Jo x

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  3. We have an old one of those in the loft - not entirely sure of the model but you have inspired me to go up and take a look.

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