I post sewing and crafting tutorials here at the Mermaid’s Den. I love making things and sharing them with you, so you can make them, too.
I post sewing and crafting tutorials here at the Mermaid’s Den. I love making things and sharing them with you, so you can make them, too.
Please read this before sending me a question. I appreciate your interest and enthusiasm for all things related to sewing, crafting, and sewing machines, but due to the volume of emails I receive, I find that I just can’t respond to everything, particularly common questions. I’ve broken these down into two categories below: blog-related and sewing machine-related, as these are the most frequent questions I get.
When to send me a message: You have a question about a project on the blog or a sewing machine that I’ve written about, so you know that I own it. When not to send: You have a question that I’ve answer below, you have a question about a sewing machine or project that I have not written about. Suggestions for posts are fine, but specific questions about a sewing machine (e.g., how do I fix the wiring on my White Model 6252 or something like that) are not possible for me to answer.
Sorry, but no. I’m all for helping out fellow bloggers, but despite the ubiquitous advice to guest post on blogs in order to get your name out there and gain followers/page views, I don’t see strong evidence that guest posting brings you enough of a benefit to make it worthwhile for you to provide your content to me for free. Post the content on your own blog and work on promoting it there. It may take some time for it to gain traction, but that content is better off on your own site.
Also, I notice that some guest post proposals are just a thinly veiled ad for whatever product the author happens to be selling. Good on you for being an entrepreneur, but I try to only recommend products that I actually like and use. I don’t want these posts, either.
Well, I probably can’t stop you with my FAQ, but I’m unlikely to read or respond to these because 99% of the offers I get are scams/spam. Yours is likely to get deleted with the rest.
If you want a better chance of getting through, start your email with the following sentence, “A specific thing that I like about your blog is [fill in the blank].” Be sure to fill in the blank with something that shows you have actually read the content on my blog.
Please note that I’m happy with my current ad network, Mediavine, and I do not want to change my web host, pay for SEO services, or pay/get paid for link exchanges.
I like tinkering with sewing machines, but I’m not a sewing machine mechanic or an expert on sewing machines. I know a bit about the machines that I own, and I know enough to get myself into trouble sometimes. I have a few machines that I bought because I thought I could fix them and then it turned out I was wrong! This is a long-winded way of saying that I don’t know how to fix your sewing machine, and it’s hard for me to troubleshoot over the internet without actually seeing it. Your best bet is to try to find a vintage sewing machine group online--there are some on Facebook and crafting forums--and post pictures and videos there. Then you’ll get advice and feedback from lots of people, some of whom may have experience with your exact machine.
Try to find the service manual for your machine as well. Search for the make and model of your machine plus the words “service manual.” This will cover all of the most common problems and how to fix them. The service manual was meant for repair people, and it will contain more information than the user manual, which tells you how to use your sewing machine and maybe how to do simple maintenance like oiling and cleaning. The service manual will be far more in-depth.
Because vintage sewing machines are all metal or mostly metal, they’re quite heavy and difficult to mail. It’s not worth sending it to me, and, as noted above, I’m not an expert on all sewing machines. It can be a little difficult to find people who repair sewing machines, and not all repair people know about vintage sewing machines, but I would start with your local fabric shop. Give them a call or stop by. They’re likely to know who fixes sewing machines in your area. You want to find someone local to avoid having to mail your sewing machine.
Unfortunately, the answer is probably not that much. One of the main reasons I got into vintage sewing machines is because they’re a) literally for sale at every single thrift shop, antique shop, flea market, and secondhand shop that I go to and b) dirt cheap. I’ve rarely paid more than $20 for a sewing machine. You will occasionally see people trying to sell them for more, but usually it’s an overly optimistic seller who thinks that old must equal expensive. Less often, it’s because the machine is actually rare or sought after. There are some vintage sewing machines that sell for more, but because they’re rare, it’s unlikely that you have one. I’ll try to write a post about these at some point, but the majority of people who write to me do not have a secret gold mine hidden in their attic.
Sorry, but no. I have enough of my own sewing machines, and you probably live far enough away that it would involve shipping the machine, and, as noted above, sending sewing machines through the mail is expensive. The cost of shipping it would likely be more than the machine is worth.
You’ll notice a recurring theme throughout these answers whereI advise you not to mail your sewing machine, and I will continue that theme here. Sell your sewing machine locally if at all possible. I’d try using your local Craigslist, Facebook buy and sell group, or other local option for selling. You can sell machines on Ebay and Etsy, but shipping will be a pain to deal with. You’ll have a wider audience for your listing, but they probably won’t want to pay as much because they’ll factor those high shipping costs into the price. If you don’t want to sell your machine online, try taking it to a local antique shop or secondhand shop to see if they’ll buy it outright or put it on consignment.
The odds are not in your favor on this one. Take it to a local antique shop or auction house to get it appraised if you think it’s something really special. Maybe I’m wrong. Probably not, but give it a shot if you have the time and don’t mind lugging it around. Can’t hurt to get a second opinion!
